Exploring the Mystical Energies of Life

In summary: I don't remember the details.In summary, Gale believes that we humans have some sort of special quality that distinguishes us from other animals, and that this quality is our minds. He's researching this theory by reading fiction novels and looking for evidence of an energy that underlies life. He believes that this energy is what leads to mysticism, and that it can be found in different fields of knowledge. Finally, he asks others for help in pursuing this theory.
  • #1
Gale
684
2
I wasn't sure where to put this post, it's mostly theoretical.

Lately, I've begun some research. Mostly about the mind- not the brain. I believe that we as humans have some outstanding quality that distinguishes us from animals... and it is our minds.

I'm very young, by the way, but I've been reading many fiction novels, usually sci-fi, religious, or fantasy, and i'e come across many that are referring to some sort of mystcal energy.

i realize of course I'm talking about fictional stories, but that's why I've begun research. To find evidence of some underlying energy to life. I have many theories about it, but none which i can validate with evidence, except that it would make sense.

I believe that it is these energies, which somehow these fiction authors are aware of, are the energies from which mysticism comes from. I think that all the miracles religions claim, are due to this energy which perhaps only shamans and priests can manipulate. Or that these energies explain the small phenomina that occur around us everyday, like how singing to your plants helps them grow. I've been thinking perhaps it's a thought energy. An energy put out when we think which effects life around us.

I don't know really, but i wondered if anyone else did.
 
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  • #2
just curious. how exactly are you going to research something like that? even if that kind of energy exists its immeasurable.
 
  • #3
Well, the way i figure is that if i keep just searching and researching i'll find whatever i need. I kinda feel like this energy is like gravity, yet even more subtle. Evidence of a possible underlying energy exists, it'll just take a while before we can find ways of understanding it and even measuring it.

I'm in a period of just learning all that i can. My research is vast, and I've much studying ahead of me. I believe that in studying fields that allude to a possible energy will get me there. Philosophy, religion, quantum physics, whatever i have to do. Right now I'm hoping to encounter someone who can lead me in a more solid direction.
 
  • #4
I think you should buy a microscope and look as close as you can to as many unicellular life forms as you can and see if you can catch on to something others haven't.
Do you suppose this energy or essence of live, if physical, is particulate? If it is, what what type of reaction would give rise to a living particle, or maybe all particles are alive. Along this same train of though, a book you should read is "The Living Energy Universe". I have and read it, I don't remember what I thought of it much. It drove me crazy though that it is so vague, and it's quite unscientific, with lots of speculation but not much evidence. But considering the subject I guess it'd have to be, not to mention that a scientist can't get funding for something like that, so it's just up to the New Agers, Lord help us.
 
  • #5
Originally posted by Gale17
Or that these energies explain the small phenomina that occur around us everyday, like how singing to your plants helps them grow.

For the plant it doesn't matter wether you sing to it or shout at it, they only benefit from one thing: the carbon dioxide your breath contains.

Another mystery solved!
 
  • #6
Originally posted by Gale17
I wasn't sure where to put this post, it's mostly theoretical.

Lately, I've begun some research. Mostly about the mind- not the brain. I believe that we as humans have some outstanding quality that distinguishes us from animals... and it is our minds.

I'm very young, by the way, but I've been reading many fiction novels, usually sci-fi, religious, or fantasy, and i'e come across many that are referring to some sort of mystcal energy.

i realize of course I'm talking about fictional stories, but that's why I've begun research. To find evidence of some underlying energy to life. I have many theories about it, but none which i can validate with evidence, except that it would make sense.

I believe that it is these energies, which somehow these fiction authors are aware of, are the energies from which mysticism comes from. I think that all the miracles religions claim, are due to this energy which perhaps only shamans and priests can manipulate. Or that these energies explain the small phenomina that occur around us everyday, like how singing to your plants helps them grow. I've been thinking perhaps it's a thought energy. An energy put out when we think which effects life around us.

I don't know really, but i wondered if anyone else did.

The energy for life comes in most cases from the sun, and plants can use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, which is the primary component for life, cause we use it to fuel our cells with.
There are some exceptions, there are lifeforms in the deepsea that take energy from a vulcanic source.

The only things shamans and priests can manipulate is minds.
 
  • #7
It could also be that if you sit around all day singing to your plant, you won't forget to water it. :smile:
 
  • #8
If I remeber this right there was a scientific study done on plant growth responses to music about 5 to 10 years ago that found that plants grow very well when listening to a style of music called baroque, average to country, and not so well to heavy metal.
In summary they believed that any music with a very steady and rythmic beat somehow stimulates plant growth as to the physics of it who knows but this may hint on something pervasive and not fully explored, in other words it would have seemed like science fiction just 50 years ago.
Even more astounding was an article in Scientific American long ago that sound could be used to make a droplet of water suspend in mid air.
 
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  • #9
Well, the way i figure is that if i keep just searching and researching i'll find whatever i need.
What is it that you need?

I believe that in studying fields that allude to a possible energy will get me there.
Get you where? Where do you want to go?
 
  • #10
Originally posted by Gale17
I wasn't sure where to put this post, it's mostly theoretical.

Lately, I've begun some research. Mostly about the mind- not the brain. I believe that we as humans have some outstanding quality that distinguishes us from animals... and it is our minds.

I'm very young, by the way, but I've been reading many fiction novels, usually sci-fi, religious, or fantasy, and i'e come across many that are referring to some sort of mystcal energy.

i realize of course I'm talking about fictional stories, but that's why I've begun research. To find evidence of some underlying energy to life. I have many theories about it, but none which i can validate with evidence, except that it would make sense.

I believe that it is these energies, which somehow these fiction authors are aware of, are the energies from which mysticism comes from. I think that all the miracles religions claim, are due to this energy which perhaps only shamans and priests can manipulate. Or that these energies explain the small phenomina that occur around us everyday, like how singing to your plants helps them grow. I've been thinking perhaps it's a thought energy. An energy put out when we think which effects life around us.

I don't know really, but i wondered if anyone else did.

1. Should this 'energy' exist, why do you believe that only humans, and not animals, would have it? How are we so different from animals?

2. Have there ever been any conlusive scientific studies done that at least hinted at the validity of religiuos miracles? Singing to your plants doenst have to necessarly be anything related to mysticism - I bet it could be explained in purely biological terms.
 
  • #11
Gale,

I was just reading last night about animal brains vs human brains and it turns out our brains
are very much more important to
us than theirs are to them.

If you remove a human beings brain
it will die almost instantly.
A cat, however, can live a long
time without its brain and even
do a lot of things you would never
expect (although it has a zombie-
like quality to it) because alot
of it's functioning is controlled
by its spinal cord and not its
brain.

I've studied a lot of neurological
diseases such as Epilepsy, Multi-
ple Sclerosis, Parkinsons, and
Autism and have come to the con-
clusion that our brain is our mind.

I do not believe there is an en-
ergy you could call "the mind"
that can be separated from the
physical brain.

-zoobyshoe
 
  • #12
I think the energy Gale meant was kind of like in the form of soul. That might be the reason why he posted this subject under philosophy. Most scientists believe that there’s no such thing as soul and they don’t believe in things that cannot be proved mathematically. There might be two reasons. Either such energy doesn’t exist or we are yet too primitive to understand. Anyway, good luck on your quest Gale.
 
  • #13
You might be interested in a claimed discovery of a life force energy by 'Wilhelm Reich' in the 50's. Seems like there is still a lot of interest in this idea. Apparently it is very easy to build a *cough* orgone accumulator and experiment for yourself, but I would not hold your breath for any positive results.
see: http://www.orgonelab.org/
 
  • #14
Originally posted by username
You might be interested in a claimed discovery of a life force energy by 'Wilhelm Reich' in the 50's. Seems like there is still a lot of interest in this idea. Apparently it is very easy to build a *cough* orgone accumulator and experiment for yourself, but I would not hold your breath for any positive results.
see: http://www.orgonelab.org/
Just an opposing view of Reich, free of charge to members of PF!

http://skepdic.com/orgone.html
 
  • #15
Yes it should be pointed out this is most definitely pseudo science incase you get any wrong ideas :)
 
  • #16
Originally posted by username
Yes it should be pointed out this is most definitely pseudo science incase you get any wrong ideas :)

Well, I knew that you knew, but I wsn't sure if they would know that you know, or know that I know that you know, and therefore think they knew what you knew, or even think that you know something they don't know about orgone accumulators, and therefore I decided to post this so that you would know that I knew that you knew, and that everyone else would know that you and I both know that this is pseudoscience...know what I mean?
 
  • #17
know what I mean?
I now know that you know what I know and now hopefully gale17 will know.
 
  • #18
Dal,
I thought Gale was a girl.

I thought my answer was plenty
philosophical: the concept of
mind is a no brainer: no brain =
no mind.

-zoob
 
  • #19
Originally posted by zoobyshoe
Dal,
I thought Gale was a girl.
-zoob
Of course. Her avatar is pretty obvious. My clumsy mistake.
 
  • #20
Originally posted by Zero
Well, I knew that you knew, but I wsn't sure if they would know that you know, or know that I know that you know, and therefore think they knew what you knew, or even think that you know something they don't know about orgone accumulators, and therefore I decided to post this so that you would know that I knew that you knew, and that everyone else would know that you and I both know that this is pseudoscience...know what I mean?

Are you saying that you want to move this thread into pseudo?
 
  • #21
Originally posted by Dal
Are you saying that you want to move this thread into pseudo?
I don't have that power, but I think it might fit in better there.
 
  • #22
In my opinion, you need to get a good grip on what free will is/isnt; i think free will(or lack thereof) has a lot to do with the metaphysical state of the mind. also, find out what differentiates a living being from a inorganic being.

my two cents...
 
  • #23
Hold on, you have change coming.
 
  • #24
Originally posted by zoobyshoe
If you remove a human beings brain
it will die almost instantly.
A cat, however, can live a long
time without its brain and even
do a lot of things you would never
expect (although it has a zombie-
like quality to it) because alot
of it's functioning is controlled
by its spinal cord and not its
brain.

Where did you read this?
 
  • #25
Hypnagogue,

Life Science Library: The Mind
Time-Life Books 1964

Page 38:

"After decerebration, a simple animal like a frog can see, jump
and engage in sexual activity, al-
though it loses its spontaneous
liveliness. A cat loses many more
functions. Depending on the area
removed, it may become totally rigid and lose its sense of touch.
It may recover its ability to walk
but seem reluctant to move. It
may sit indefinitly until set in
motion by the experimenter.In man
the loss f both cerebral hemi-
spheres invariably results in
death."
 
  • #26
That is interesting, thanks for the post. One thing that catches my attention though, they say "depending on the area removed..." That leads me to believe that they are in effect lobotomizing the cat rather than removing its entire brain. Do you know any more specifics?
 
  • #27
Hypnogoue,
That was all. I noticed that part
too as I was copying it here for
you. I had missed it the first
time. From the last sentence about
humans I believe all removals were
limited to the cerebral hemi-
spheres and didn't include the
brainstem.

-zoob
 
  • #28
First off, thanks everyone for replying, when i first posted this no one responded, but now you've all given me a lot of good information to work with. Also, I've been on vacation so that's why i haven't replied sooner.

What is it that you need?
Get you where? Where do you want to go?

so first, what i need is just general information that'll hopefully lead me to a more specified study. Which, is where i want to 'go' I've just begun a lot of study to a lot of various things and the common denominator is like some unknown force.



1. Should this 'energy' exist, why do you believe that only humans, and not animals, would have it? How are we so different from animals?
2. Have there ever been any conlusive scientific studies done that at least hinted at the validity of religiuos miracles? Singing to your plants doenst have to necessarly be anything related to mysticism - I bet it could be explained in purely biological terms.


1- I don't know that it's only humans, I'm just sort of assuming so. To me, the mind (not just the brain) separates animal from man.
2- I don't know. I'm looking to find out, and if there is none, i intend to attempt at trying to experiment myself.


But again thanks all, that info is helpful. for now, I'm just studying and reading and learning all i can about anything i think might lead me in the right directions. I just have a lot of vauge questions right now, so I'm hoping that by learning more, i'll be able to narrow my questions and get some answers.

(and thanks zoob for clarifying my gender:wink: )
 
  • #29
Originally posted by Gale17
(and thanks zoob for clarifying my gender:wink: ) [/B]

I was kinda confused to until you posted that gif.

Pic kinda makes it a dead giveway:wink:
 
  • #30
Originally posted by zoobyshoe
decerebration
The cerebrum is a specific part of the brain - the part that conscious thought resides in.
 
  • #31
Russ,

There is no one part of the brain
responsible for conscious thought.

Thought is the result of many
different areas working in co-
opertion. The cerebrum is huge,
most of our brains are cerebrum.

Howstuffworks "How Your Brain Works"
Address:http://science.howstuffworks.com/brain2.htm Changed:11:08 AM on Sunday, August 10, 2003

Consciousness itself is managed
by an organ called the thalamus
which is part of the limbic sys-
tem.

-zoob
 
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  • #32
Maybe you might notice that these are *fiction* writers?

In any case, a warning. The mystical sense of "energy", or "lifeforce" does not correspond to the physical ideas of energy, and force.

My bet is on the negative.

How do you know animals don't have a mind? All evidence suggests that they too have sentience, and complexity of thought, only to a lesser degree.

How do you know humans in general have minds?

(Think about the questions. They are much harder than you think)
 

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