Getting A Second Opinion....
When seeking medical advise for a troubling condition, it's sometimes wise to get a second opinion. It's not uncommon for authorized practitioners to have different diagnoses as to what one's present condition might be, as well the best course of action for optimal health.
As to everyone's present state, life is a process; an ongoing procedure of events registered both internally and externally over time. As time goes on we face conditions which alert us that there may be room for improvement in our human condition.
Life happens, but how life happens is still a mystery, plus life doesn't always play out according to one's plans. Or as more succinctly observed by John Lennon, "Life is what happens while you're making other plans".
The Thinker
(French: Le Penseur)
Bronze Sculpture
by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)
Paris
Inspired by Dante's narrative poem Divine Comedy
(French: Le Penseur)
Bronze Sculpture
by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)
Paris
Inspired by Dante's narrative poem Divine Comedy
One thing we do know about life, and specifically about our own individual life, is that we did not create ourselves. It was only due the collaboration of one's parents that conception occurred and a living body as vehicle of consciousness was delivered into the world.
Science does not have all the answers as to how the body and consciousness function, or how to avoid/cure all unwanted conditions that appear over time. Although medical science has some knowledge of the physical body, much less is known about the consciousness within the body - aside from the fact that it is known to exist. Because scientists and laymen alike experience consciousness firsthand, laboratory experiments or mathematical formulae are not required to prove consciousness exists. Whether consciousness arises from chance chemical interactions, or is a symptom of something much more subtle with a specific purpose is something many have pondered over time.
(Latin: Cogito, Ergo Sum)
René Descartes (1596–1650)
French Philosopher and Mathematician
René Descartes (1596–1650)
French Philosopher and Mathematician
Some in science suggest that life and consciousness are only a result of random chemical interactions, manifesting by chance, arising without purpose. But this concept has yet to be proven, or demonstrated by showing that a dead physical body can be given life and consciousness by an infusion of chemicals; the same chemicals which are said to have alone created life originally and which are readily available in the laboratory.
Others in science admit that consciousness itself has yet be be rationally understood by the scientific method, yet ironically, it is only through the mysterious phenomenon of personal consciousness that we seek to rationally comprehend the nature of reality and life itself, such as being proposed in various theories such as Quantum Mechanics / String Theory.
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Sir Roger Penrose, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, who shared the 1988 Wolf prize with Steven Hawking for physics, states:
"It is curious how physicists are reluctant to regard Quantum Mechanics as an incomplete theory in some profound sense even though it shows up inconsistency about itself"..."I definitely believe that QM is not a final theory and it is incomplete. i agree with Einstein in that sense." ..we certainly don't believe that consciousness can be understood in terms of present day science" ..... "consciousness is not purely for only a human being, but something which goes far down the the animal kingdom, but I do not know how far down.....Yes, I frankly admit that there are many things in Nature that we do not understand. There is something really deep, very deep. It is 'mysterious' if you what to use that word."
Albert Einstein: "The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is in the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science..."*
Dr T.D. Singh PhD (Physical Organic Chemistry - University of California Irvine) a scholar-monk of India's Vedantic tradition: "According to the Vedantic viewpoint, beyond the quantum phenomenon of the mind, there is a conscious life particle called the 'soul' or the 'self' or the 'spiriton" as I call it".... the Vedantic literatures describe very clearly that all living beings from microbes to human beings posses different levels of consciousness. Thus consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality." .... "It ('Acintya') means something very mysterious, inconceivable and beyond our ability to comprehend... In this ancient tradition, this word acintya is an attribute given to God.. these (inconceivable) attributes are visible everywhere in quantum physics and in biological sciences."*
"It is curious how physicists are reluctant to regard Quantum Mechanics as an incomplete theory in some profound sense even though it shows up inconsistency about itself"..."I definitely believe that QM is not a final theory and it is incomplete. i agree with Einstein in that sense." ..we certainly don't believe that consciousness can be understood in terms of present day science" ..... "consciousness is not purely for only a human being, but something which goes far down the the animal kingdom, but I do not know how far down.....Yes, I frankly admit that there are many things in Nature that we do not understand. There is something really deep, very deep. It is 'mysterious' if you what to use that word."
Albert Einstein: "The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is in the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science..."*
Dr T.D. Singh PhD (Physical Organic Chemistry - University of California Irvine) a scholar-monk of India's Vedantic tradition: "According to the Vedantic viewpoint, beyond the quantum phenomenon of the mind, there is a conscious life particle called the 'soul' or the 'self' or the 'spiriton" as I call it".... the Vedantic literatures describe very clearly that all living beings from microbes to human beings posses different levels of consciousness. Thus consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality." .... "It ('Acintya') means something very mysterious, inconceivable and beyond our ability to comprehend... In this ancient tradition, this word acintya is an attribute given to God.. these (inconceivable) attributes are visible everywhere in quantum physics and in biological sciences."*
 Dr T.D Singh |  Dr Singh with Sir Roger Penrose |  Dr T.D Singh with the Dalai Lama |
*From SCIENCE, SPIRITUALLY AND THE NATURE OF REALITY - A Discussion between Sir Roger Penrose and Dr T.D. Singh Copyright 2005 The Bhaktivedanta Institute Kolkata
Vedantic texts describe consciousness as a symptom of the soul, or the spiritual essence of a living being. It is one's in consciousness, where experiences such as love, beauty, art, poetry, music and compassion are revealed. Such finer aspects, subjective experiences in consciousness which have have reality and meaning to the individually conscious knower, tend to escape the external scientific method which tries to objectively measure or grasp conscious refinement with lab equipment or mathematical models.
In conclusion, when considering one's life condition and the best prescription for moving forward with robust health on all levels, one may consider whether the mechanistic, hard-science-only based chemical model is sufficient, or if a second opinion where scientific views including a non-material, spiritual component defining life is included to gracefully fill in the materially inconceivable gaps - is useful.
Being present, or mindful of the present moment, is something that is being given more value as of late by thoughtful people in all walks of life. That the time is now, on so many levels, may be the impetus to consider whether life is a meaningless temporary exhibition of material chemical interactions producing random states of awareness - or if a mysterious but consciously-knowable spirit of life exists, which does in time manifest soul-full expressions of beauty, art, music and love eternal.
Eternal time is included right now, in the present moment, but as for the time left in one's present body to choose one's future direction; "Time and tide wait for no man" - Chaucer.
Or as a new adage might suggest on choosing one's direction: Take your time, but hurry up. :-)
A second opinion as to the nature of life and one's purpose, which includes science plus the philosophical allowance for the inconceivable existence of a High Power working withing and without, may prove valuable; side effects may include experiencing increasing knowledge, blissfulness and the presence of Divine love, harmony and guidance revealed throughout one's journey through time.
Being present, or mindful of the present moment, is something that is being given more value as of late by thoughtful people in all walks of life. That the time is now, on so many levels, may be the impetus to consider whether life is a meaningless temporary exhibition of material chemical interactions producing random states of awareness - or if a mysterious but consciously-knowable spirit of life exists, which does in time manifest soul-full expressions of beauty, art, music and love eternal.
Eternal time is included right now, in the present moment, but as for the time left in one's present body to choose one's future direction; "Time and tide wait for no man" - Chaucer.
Or as a new adage might suggest on choosing one's direction: Take your time, but hurry up. :-)
A second opinion as to the nature of life and one's purpose, which includes science plus the philosophical allowance for the inconceivable existence of a High Power working withing and without, may prove valuable; side effects may include experiencing increasing knowledge, blissfulness and the presence of Divine love, harmony and guidance revealed throughout one's journey through time.
Even after 50 years, Time has come today... again!
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