WAIT PHIL! Don't answer that.

A good friend of mine once wrote:

quote:

It took centuries to integrate Christian theology and Greek philosophy, and so I have little hope that this present work will conclusively respond to the questions raised above. I believe these issues to be among the most important facing Christian spirituality today, for East and West are coming together, and there is no reversing the process of encounter.

Rarely is such depth coupled with such humility, suggesting, to me, much authenticity. This East-West encounter is young but, indeed, irreversible. Not offering quick and facile answers is a sign of wisdom. That others might emulate same!

Rest, my friends, eat heartily and drink deeply, but toss us a crumb, now and then, and a sip from your vintage

namaste,
jb

Did I write that somewhere? Jim? It seems I wrote something like that somewhere at one time. It's surely what I believe.

Summarizing, then:

quote:

"When I talk pranic energy, don't feel that I am talking about something mystic. It is practical. This pranic energy is the life of the atom. We store it here (eighth vertebrae down). We know certain actions through which we inhale this pranic energy and our pranic center is awakened. The pranic center supplies the pranic energy to the pranic nerve. The pranic nerve supplies the pranic energy to the muscles which are responsible for the beat of the heart and that of the diaphragm. We call it the "U" muscle because it is shaped like the letter "U". This "U" muscle is responsible for all this life current in you which is automatic and beyond your control. . . (Kundalini Meditation Manual for Intermediate Students by the Kundalini Research Institute)

Wow! A response by committee! No wonder it was so pluralistic!

Yes, Phil, that was a quote of you on Jim's website and it was very good, eh?

I recall this mnemonic, for the cranial nerves, from physiology: On Old Olympus' Towering Tops a Finn and German Viewed Some Hops

You'll note that there was no "P".

Seriously, the physiological-psychological juncture at which both conscious and autonomic breathing alternately yield control to one another is a true medical marvel! It is just plain NEAT!

pax,
jb

What is going on, in Christian metaphysical terms, when third parties get involved with another's soul energy? IOW, how might Aquinas explain reiki or shaktipat and such?

In all fairness, let me share my view first, so Phil won't feel like I am playing stump the panel

I think the key to even beginning to understand what may be going on in "third party" involvement lies in looking for analogies between East and West. In exploring analogies, sometimes identities are suggested but I would urge caution about too facilely equating otherwise similar phenomena.

Clearly, shaktipat and reiki seem analogous to the Christian laying on of hands and other phenomena such as the Toronto Blessing, being slain in the Spirit and such. To that extent, I would think that Jim Arra's article, Jungian and Catholic? Chapter 10: The Charismatic Movement , may provide us some important insights.

We can explore possible natural explanations, accepting, as Jim says, that such an explanation does not rule out the possibility that God can use this experience as a means to grow in the spiritual life. Also, if, at the same time, as Jim notes, this does not mean that there cannot be a tendency within the Charismatic movement to minimize the scope and power of the psychological dimension. , then could it not perhaps be that there can similarly be a tendency in Eastern philosophical explanations of shaktipat and reiki to also minimize the role of the psychological dimension?
So, too, to borrow Jim's phraseology and reapply it, we may wish to avoid the extremes of, one one hand, reducing the shaktipat/reiki experience to an experience of the unconscious , or, otoh, , or claiming it to be a purely spiritual experience, which, in this case, we would be talking about qi or chi, that immaterial force that might be part of the soul energy, as conceived in Christian philosophical terms, distinct from, let's say, psychic energy, as conceived in Jungian terms.

Also, compare Cardinal Suenens words re: being slain in the spirit to what we often hear re: reiki sessions: After the experience, "most people state that they feel spiritually, emotionally and physically refreshed" ... ... and there is a reported healing of the various problems that they had entering into the experience. The Cardinal also wrote: Everything I have said on the Spirit's unpredictable and sovereignly free action excludes any idea of a healing service conducted with the foreknowledge that the falling phenomenon is bound to occur� God's action is not compatible with the many implications of psychological induction, suggestion, etc.

None of this is to deny the well known efficacies of TCM, CAM and other Eastern spiritual technologies or to too faciley reduce them to a psychological dimension. However, the interactions of the created soul energy, created psychological energy and Uncreated Holy Spirit must be critically examined and carefully discerned. They must be properly distinguished in order to be properly united, to liberally paraphrase Maritain's famous saying.

pax,
jb

p.s. I don't offer this as exhaustive or conclusive but as a starting point for discussion.
How might soul energy be involved from a Christian philosophical perspective? How might psychic energy be involved from a Western psychological perspective? How might the action of the Holy Spirit be involved? etc

Here is my latest conceptualizaion on reiki, shaktipat, etc

1) There are normal biological functions influenced by
2) Our normal psychological functions which are both
a) material/physical functions of awareness (the informational aspect of consciousness, the senses, etc) and
b) immaterial/nonphysical functions of experience (the phenomenal aspect of consciousness) which is where intentionality intersects the faculties of
3) Our souls, wherein dwells
4) the Holy Spirit.

At the biological level and at the psychological level of awareness and senses, we are dealing with classical concepts of physical energy, detectable and measurable by science. At both psychological levels, we are dealing with metaphorical conceptions of energy, such as the energy of the psyche, as described by Jung, for instance. At the immaterial level of phenomenal consciousness, and in the soul, we are again dealing with a metaphorical conception of energy, distinct from both the physical energies and from psychic enery, called soul energy, as described by Arraj in thomistic aristotelian terms, or as conceived in Eastern philosophical terms as ki or chi. All of these levels are dealing with created energies, some physical and some metaphorical but all very real in their animating abilities. The Holy Spirit is, of course, Uncreated, the 3rd Person of the Trinity who comes to dwell within our souls and commune with us (AMAZING).

Notice how the soul energy influences all the other levels. Notice how psychic energy then straddles both material and immaterial aspects of consciousness.

These influences, top-down, are, of course, the opposite of reductionisic, emergentistic accounts. Because of the intertwining and overlapping of these dimensions of our being and their attendant "energies", it will take much dialogue and much time to develop a completely Western treatment of complementary and alternative medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and Eastern spiritual technologies.

I like to use the term "spiritual technologies" to emphasize that I believe that, in many cases but not all, there are true efficacies to be had from certain Eastern practices, processes and asceticisms that do not derive from their associations with or explications by classical Eastern philosophy and phenomenology. It is my belief that, when these processes can be described in such a manner that is unencumbered by those aspects of Eastern philosophy and phenomenology that are incompatible with Christian philosophy and theology and/or with modern medicine and science, they should be so unencumbered. To the extent that they cannot be, then dialogue and work must continue and the processes should be critically examined for true occultism, then possibly abandoned until understood better.

To some extent, understanding all of this properly doesn't affect the efficacies of alternative medicine or reiki or shaktipat, etc Understanding it within classical western biological, psychological, metaphysical and theological paradigms can help to avoid such confusion as drawing wrong implications about the nature of reality (ontology, being), which then can profoundly impact the life of prayer, the transformative journey and the living out of the Christian Mysteries of our Catholic faith.

pax,
jb

p.s. There are, of course, a whole range of other energies, some psychic/supernatural of both good and evil varieties, but I don't see them as particularly involved here.

a more essential pragmatism that affirms a more nonfoundationalist, or maybe, perhaps more appropriately, a postfoundationalist approach to epistemology

translation: I use it because I have found that, through experience, not just my own experiences but others', too, it works. The reason I believe it works is because, although I can't apodictally demonstrate it or empirically prove it, I think it actually corresponds to reality. I believe that I can better and better approximate this hypothetical correspondence through a coherence that, with its practical proofs, grows increasingly more compelling through a process of alternating conjecture and criticism, critique critiquing critique. This process doesn't just involve me but involves humanity, collectively through history. I say all of this, hesitantly, unable as I am to disprove solipsism or to ascertain whether or not this particular ubb session is a dream

So, yes, material reality might be infinite, and both Euclidean geometry and consciousness might be merely emergentistic, very local and ephemeral, and essences might be illusionary with the intuition of being and the idea of "existence" mere tautological redundancies, which is to say major category errors, rendering the ontological question a pseudo-riddle and a mere unprovable Godelian axiom, BUT I really don't think

OOOPS! jb just suffered a cartesian implosian, no cogito, no ergo sum ... too bad

After reading Jim's acct that JB provided the link to, I can only state my personal experience in various healing masses conducted by Father Diorio, the charismatic Catholic priest he describes, have been vastly different than being in shaktiput via group gatherings and individual meditation at Siddha Yoga, as well as private and small group meditation and "healing" sessions with a K yogi from India, among others.

And I am someone with an active and imbalanced K, so I do think I have something to contribute in comparing the K to the Holy Spirit in the likes of a healing mass offered by the likes of Father Diorio, who is one of several Catholic "charismatic" healing priests whose masses I've attended. Let me also point out that I
m neither Catholic or have been raised in any charismatic tradition.

Only with Father Diorio have I ever authentically had a slain in the spirit experience, about ten seconds after he'd laid his hands on me and I turned to leave and my knees actually buckled out from underneath me and I literally passed out. That has never happened to me since, not even in Medjugorje where I probably had the most profound spiriual experiences of my life.

I experienced a huge physical healing after I attended my first healing mass led by Father Diorio five years ago, though I never reported it to his organization, of a long running and documented medical problem. I also experienced that time something that I regard as a very strange event, a sort of miracle that I won't go into, but a true heavenly intervention about something important in my life within 12 hours of attending that mass. I actually witnessed the shift myself, in the sense that I was actually enveloped in white light, as if I were moving in some protective covering.

I did nothing in particular to prepare for these occurrences, in terms of fasting, prayer, etc. I just drove up from NYC earlier in the morning to Stockbridge, Mass, where the masses are held.

I received special graces for which I will be eternally thankful.

I have since attended several of Father Diorio's masses over the years, particularly this past year when I returned east from LA. In the last mass (last March), I felt once again a significant physical healing in my body in another area of difficulty that has nothing to do with my K imbalance and a medical problem that I'd also been seeing my doctor about. Since that mass, I've had no further problems, which has also alleviated the need for any kind of operation, which was at one point a possibility. Also, neither "healings" I've reported involved any kind of heat sensation that often comes with the K. In fact, I didn't "feel" any kind of K sensations at all.

Instead, in my eyes, it was complete supernatural and divine intervention.

And to amend what Jim has written, there is plenty of documented medical evidence of healings that have taken place after a Diorio mass. I've heard the testimonies myself, from those healed as well as their doctors. People often follow up with Father Diorio and provide the appropriate information.

Re Jim's writing that Father Diorio seemed to attribute that fact that people may not be healing to evil in their lives, that's biblical. To heal, we're told in Acts, its necessary to get our heart right before God. I've never found Father Diorio particularly pariochial in his attitudes, particularly towards healing. He is a trained psychotherapist, not a Benny Hinn type charismatic. He's well grounded in both social science and his spiritual walk. Moreover, Jim's comment that someone wheel chair bound hearing Father Diorio's comments re evil coorelating to a lack of healing in someone's life might respond negatively is a bit of cheap shot - I've actually sat with the wheel chair bound (who have their own special rows in Diorio's services), as well as with parents with sick children several times, and what I've seen are a particular group of very challenged Christians very happy to be somewhere where God's love is the emphasis. I think most people attending these masses pray particularly strongly for those people, I know I do, and also find them an inspiration in their faith.

The vibration of the Holy Spirit, as I've written before on these boards, to me is vastly different than shaktiput, the equivalent of a dog whistle over an obo, which Phil for one as attributed perhaps to the density of the group energy of shaktiput.

I worked with the K yogi I mentioned, who was also an aruvedic doctor, about the specific physical issues I've mentioned in terms of how the K could help in terms of my healing, or he could help via his applying healing energy to me via his own "powers." Perhaps my body or karma wasn't ready, who knows. But no significant healing occurred, despite my efforts or his demonstrations. And I've certainly experienced strong shakipuit in siddha yoga gatherings, but I never felt a physical level of healing. Yes, obviously I felt the K rise, pranic energy surges, etc, in fact , have had to be very cautious in those group energies.

But based on my experience there has been no comparison for whatever reason between Christian healing and any other form in terms of results.

Thanks, Linda, for the very pertinent observations, amplifications and amendments, from a very informed personal perspective.

Without going into detail, I pretty much affirm your perspective on some of the various manifestations in the Charismatic Renewal and other pentecostal traditions. There have been documented healings, just as there have been at Lourdes, etc I have also heard credible accounts of some incidences of praying in tongues that could be translated into known languages, though that is the rarest of exceptions. Nonetheless, both Phil and I have taken the view that glossolalia can be an authentic form of active contemplation and we both continue to use this gift. My personal involvement in the Renewal dates back to 1970 with Harold Cohen and Patti Gallagher (one of the original "Dusquesne weekend" students) at Loyola University in New Orleans. I also affirm much of what Jim has to say vis a vis Cardinal Suenens, who has been the foremost advocate of the Renewal. There is clearly supernatural intervention, at times, always in the sovereign manner by which God acts. My belief is that there should be more discrimination between direct action of the Spirit and what are clearly psychological dimensions in the Renewal, not in any over against critique but as a simple matter of fact.

You have also affirmed what I stated at the outset about learning from the analogies without facilely invoking identity between these Eastern and Western phenomena. Your testimony perhaps well reinforces why. Phil and I had a very youthful involvement with a high profile priest and prayer meetings where there were rather striking "falling phenomena". When the Bishop asked him to cease and desist, people continued to be slain in the Spirit when we and others would pray over them after prayer meeting. Phil has that to compare to his other energy experiences and may have something to say or share, compared or contrasted to your own. To this very day I have often been a "catcher" in my own home parish during healing services.

I think Merton's distinctions about the immanent, impersonal, apophatic, existential and the transcendent, personal, kataphatic and theological still hold as another point of discernment, although we do not neglect to impute goodwill and implicit faith to the East (including the action of the Holy Spirit / Grace). This seems consonant with the distinctions you've drawn from personal experience.

It must be an entirely new dynamic when, as is being done in Catholicism, one combines an Eastern spiritual technology, such as reiki, with a spirituality that is immanent-transcendent, existential-theological, apophatic-kataphatic and impersonal-personal. I expect great things can happen, both naturally and supernaturally, inasmuch as all is a pure gift from God. Still, all should be subjected to communal discernment and magisterial perspective, for those of us in Catholicism.

I mentioned only briefly that we have not even touched upon the occultic and other supernatural manifestations and psychic powers, both good and evil. Time and space wouldn't permit. But I clearly recall Fr. Benedict Groeschel describing an incident wherein he was investigating an alleged possession or oppression situation and he witnessed a tube of Prell Shampoo being "hurled" across a room by an unseen force. I forget how he characterized it but that is interesting, imo, any way you look at it!

pax,
jb

p.s. In terms of "results", I cannot comment from a personal perspective on the depth and breadth of traditional Chinese medicine, alternative and complementary medicine and other Eastern spiritual technologies. (I can't attribute my years of "energy" manifestations to any meditative or ascetic discipline; they were spontaneous and not at all imbalanced/unpleasant. You could say that I was the control group and Phil the experimental in our "twin study".)Don't know much academically yet, either. I tend to concede them a big benefit of the doubt, though. There has got to be something going on over the millenia. I clearly give the nod to the West, though, philosophically, scientifically and theologically.

p.p.s W/o speaking directly to any particular person or instance, I have witnessed some (too many) rather oversimplified and unfortunate theological statements by many of the "health and wealth"/"prosperity myth" evangelists and their followers over the years, Catholic and otherwise. Such statements have often had the potential to make people who were not healed, or delivered from whatever, incorrectly and unfortunately feel like it was a lack of personal holiness or some other defect in their character that was responsible. These theological statements are too often insufficiently nuanced. At the same time, there does seem to be a universality about how deformative a lack of forgiveness can be, how it can be a sure block to healing in many ways.

JB,

I agree that its important for all kinds of distinctions to be drawn about healing, east vs west as well as Christian phenomena like being slain in the spirit, the Jungian and other psychological implications, etc that Jim talks about. There are necessary bridges to be crossed to open minds and hearts around the world to the validity of other spiritual paths and alternative methods of healing without automatically thrusting labels such as "demonic" for those both on and outside the traditional Christian path.

Perhaps it will foster greater understanding and therapy for the K.

1) There are normal biological functions influenced by
2) Our normal psychological functions which are both
a) material/physical functions of awareness (the informational aspect of consciousness, the senses, etc) and
b) immaterial/nonphysical functions of experience (the phenomenal aspect of consciousness) which is where intentionality intersects the faculties of
3) Our souls, wherein dwells
4) the Holy Spirit.

I liked what you did with this, JB. It kind of resonates with this reflection and this one, both posted on the web site.

Re. Fr. Diorio's work, I think he's a good example of someone with a charismatic gift of healing, and I suspect that this works by altering the soul (non-material, informational dimension) rather than manipulating energy. This is why there is often no tangible experience at the time, but great improvements or complete healing afterwards. It's also why Jesus recommends spiritual practice following a healing or exorcism, lest the space created by re-forming the soul be lost and problems appear again.

Surely there are all sorts of energy dynamics going on when a group starts whooping it up about the Lord, but what's experienced there is not necessarily supernatural grace. What I see Arraj attempting to do is to point out a psychological dimension to many experiences that are passed off as the Holy Spirit. It would be a mistake, however, to conclude that that's all there is to healing ministries, Marian devotions, pentecostal worship services, praying in tongues, etc. I don't think he's saying that at all. He is pointing out that sometimes things are attributed to the Spirit which belong more to the natural order of things, and that's a good lesson for everyone in those movements to know about.

Linda, thanks for sharing about your healings. It's good to know that this ministry is still alive and well these days.

He is pointing out that sometimes things are attributed to the Spirit which belong more to the natural order of things, and that's a good lesson for everyone in those movements to know about.

Agreed.

Jim is attempting to strike a balance between a radically reductionistic Jungian interpretation and a radically spiritualistic interpretation, both of which suffer from the remnants of cartesian dualism, the former paradoxically dualistic in its attempts at reductionism, the latter paradoxically reductionistic, "reducing" all to spirit. They are bedfellows, though, the former denying the sacred, the latter delimiting the sacred, as if only the supernatural, as if only the spiritual, could be holy. Quite the contrary. The biological and psychological and soul levels are all sacred and the drawing of distinctions between the psychological dimension(s) and the direct action of the Spirit does not diminish the holiness of the psychological dimension's cooperation with Grace. Neither does the drawing of a distinction between the supernatural and the natural diminish the holiness of the natural (obviously, the supernatural can even be evil). As Richard Rohr says, in a very incarnational, Franciscan way: Everything belongs .

There is always Divine intervention at work, immanently holding us in existence, transcendently acting in our lives as Providence. Sometimes it manifests in a striking manner with healings and other signs and wonders. Always it is an unmerited, free gift, albeit one we can say no to. It doesn't require a lack of evil in our lives, only our fiat. Certainly one could inventory the elements of this fiat, as conditions for healing even, but I think the point is that even if they are necessary they are not sufficient. That's where misunderstandings occur. I think it is okay to outline what Scripture, Tradition and Church Teaching might consider to normally be minimal conditions for healing as long as these are not characterized as both necessary and sufficient. Even if usually necessary, one must recognize God's sovereignty in making the rain to fall on just and unjust and that even the most intense prayers do not always obtain the healing of all illnesses. The tendency to look for the holy and the sacred only in special experiences and mostly in supernatural manifestations is a remnant of old dualisms. It is not uncommon, though, at the beginning of our transformative journeys.

I would contrast this perspective: Divine Healing with this: Vatican II, Section 12: "It is not only through the sacraments and the ministrations of the Church that the Holy Spirit makes holy the People, leads them and enriches them with his virtues. Allotting his gifts according as he wills (cf. Cor. 12:11), he also distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts he makes them fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church, as it is written, "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for profit" (1 Cor. 12:7). Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church. Extraordinary gifts are not to be rashly desired, nor is it from them that the fruits of apostolic labors are to be presumptuously expected. Those who have charge over the Church should judge the genuineness and proper use of these gifts, through their office not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good. (cf. Th. 5:12 and 19-21)." and Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his own: "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.".112 But he did not heal all the sick. So, while Scripture and Tradition might set forth some conditions, we must clearly convey that however necessary they are not always sufficient. That does often get lost through omission, implicitly, and too often explicitly denied, but not by any of the leaders of the CCR that I have heard, who are invariably among the most orthodox.

pax,
jb

p.s. A separate but important issue with making distinctions between the direct action of the Spirit and the workings of the psychological dimension would involve such as private revelations, which truly need subjection to Magisterial authority and, even when deemed worthy of belief, are not considered so authoritative as to be binding. To put it mildly, some have gotten rather carried away in their various claims to esoteric knowledge and God's will for themselves or others.

1) There are normal biological functions influenced by
2) Our normal psychological functions which are both
a) material/physical functions of awareness (the informational aspect of consciousness, the senses, etc) and
b) immaterial/nonphysical functions of experience (the phenomenal aspect of consciousness) which is where intentionality intersects the faculties of
3) Our souls, wherein dwells
4) the Holy Spirit.

I liked what you did with this, JB. It kind of resonates with this reflection and this one, both posted on the web site.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes. These overlaps and interpenetrations of various levels of being and their influences, one upon the other, can make for some difficulty in discriminating the actual locus of this or that energy. Why bother with these distinctions? I guess we could inventory a lot of reasons. It helps us to be good stewards in nurturing and exercising our different faculties, body, soul and spirit, all capable of receiving gifts and consolations. This helps us on our transformative journey, in individuation and realization. Also, I think there is something to be said for recognizing where our stewardship ends and God's sovereignity begins. We have been given limited dominion, not unlimited dominion (a great natural law debate topic). The Church thus guides us at that interface between normal soulwork and the occult, in our seeking to control this vs that energy, intrinsic and extrinsic. It usually boils down to issues of ordinacy (hence idolatry).

There are necessary bridges to be crossed to open minds and hearts around the world to the validity of other spiritual paths and alternative methods of healing without automatically thrusting labels such as "demonic" for those both on and outside the traditional Christian path.

Perhaps it will foster greater understanding and therapy for the K.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well said, Linda. The level of the conversation just within Catholicism in this regard is somewhat disappointing. The term "New Age" is the label of choice in my denomination where knee-jerk responses are concerned. Fear not

And that reminds me of another reason to bother with discrimination among energies and distinctions among levels of being, philosophy has always been the lingua franca between traditions, the trade language that allows all of the diverse soul merchants to intelligently converse.

Thanks, again, for your healing testimonies, Linda. I reverence and treasure those.

pax,
jb

For those who want to pursue the physiological correlates of mind-body interactions and their possible modes of interaction w/ the subtle planes of our existence, the following two books are among the more credible I have found. I haven't read them but did read every review and every excerpt (pretty exhaustive) at amazon.com.

Molecules of Emotion: Why You Feel the Way You Feel by Candace B. Pert, and Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis of Bioenergy Therapies
by James L., Ph.D. Oschman, Candace, Ph.D. Pert (Foreword)

Candace Pert headed up the brain chemistry section at the NIH for 13 years.

pax,
jb

quote:

Goldman: Where do you believe that emotions originate? In the body or the mind?

Pert: The emotional brain has always been confined to those classical locations. But my research tells me that's not the case. If we accept the idea that peptides and other informational substances are the biochemicals of emotion, their distribution throughout the body's nerves has all kinds of significance. Sigmund Freud would be delighted, because the idea that the body, in its totality, is also the unconscious mind, would be the molecular confirmation of his theories. Body and mind are simultaneous. I like to speculate that the mind is the flow of information as it moves among the cells, organs, and systems of the body. The mind, as we experience it, is immaterial, yet it has a physical substate that is both the body and the brain. Interview of Pert

quote:

In the early 1970s she discovered and documented the existence of the opiate receptor which exists on the surface of cells on the body and the brain. She calls it "the first component of the molecules of emotion." The receptor is a single specialized molecule. (passim pg. 18-22) In describing them she says,

"...the more flexible receptor molecules respond to energy and chemical cues by vibrating. They wiggle, shimmy and even hum as they bend and change from one shape to another, often moving back and forth between two or three favored shapes, or conformations. In the organism they are always found attached to a cell, floating on the cell surface's oily outer boundary, or membrane. Think of them as lily pads floating on the surface of a pond, and , like lilies, receptors have roots enmeshed in the fluid membrane snaking back and forth across it several times and reaching deep into the interior of the cell. (pg 22)

These receptors function as sensing molecules while they are "constantly moving, dancing in a rhythmic, vibratory way."

Next she describes the ligand (Latin for, that which binds) which comes along and binds to the receptor. This process stimulates the receptor to rearrange itself and change shape. Pert calls it, "sex on a molecular level!" The result of this action is information enters the cell. The process she describes sounds very similar to a concept I am familiar with in electronics known as resonance. Resonance and the process she describes has to do with vibration which induces vibration. The molecule and the ligand resonate together with the same frequencies. The result of this action causes a change in the associated cell. A dramatic and amazing change in state occurs in the cell at this point which can result in any number of activities. These activities include: cell division, open or closing of ion channels, manufacturing of proteins, and various chemical changes. The accumulative effect of billions of cell activity of this nature can translate to the person as a whole experiencing a change in behavior, physical activity and/or mood. (passim pg. 21-24)

Book Review

Combine these ideas and one approaches a scientific undergirding of the chakra system:

quote:

Because research into peptides is also research into consciousness she had some very interesting experiences: a yogi placed his diagram of chakras over her diagram of "the two chains of nerve bundles located on either side of the spinal cord, each rich with many of the information-carrying peptides � and we saw how the two systems overlapped." (p. 245)
Joy Mann�, PhD

I am going to post the entire book review by Joy Mann�, PhD as the url to it is now a 404 error, which means it doesn't exist. (I grabbed it out of a cache). Phil, you can edit it out if it violates fair use.

Pert, Candace B., Ph.D. (1997), Molecules of Emotion: Why you Feel the Way you Feel. London: Pocket Books.

Candace Pert is a neuroscientist. In this book she establishes the biomolecular basis for our emotions and shows "how the chemicals inside us form a dynamic information network, linking mind and body." (back cover quote)

This book is part scientific explanation, part biography. In the biographical part her relationship with the cut-throat, unscrupulous, money-and-fame grabbing competitive world of the scientific community is revealed in all its "gory," especially where winning awards seems to have a higher value than doing the research, and where women are frequently pushed out of the way for the men. In the scientific part she explains her research which I will not summarise. She explains it well and makes it exciting.

I am not competent to judge the science in this book, nor Pert�s claims about her own achievements. What I will concentrate on in this review is how the information it contains is relevant to breathwork. Her relationship with breathwork started through her interest in Norman Cousins� work on healing through laughter: laughter releases endorphins which may lead to greater health. So does breathing. Pert says: "I�d decided to have my third child at home. Instead of laughter, my magic bullet had been breathing, which is a surefire, proven strategy for releasing endorphins and quelling pain." (p. 167) There she perceived that the receptor science she was so interested in could lead to a new way of understanding and treating illnesses. (p. 168). Laughter, of course, is a form of breathwork (there is a laugher exercise in Kundalini yoga which is based on breathwork). These discoveries led her to suggest that the "nervous, endocrine and immune systems are functionally integrated," or, simply put, that mood influences health and disease! Thus she defined molecules of emotion.

In Chapter Seven, The Biochemicals of Emotions, she discusses what emotions are and how many they are (pp. 131f) and whether they begin from the mind or the body. She explains the current state of knowledge about the location of peptide receptors and what that implies for consciousness. Her conclusion is that there is no objective reality, but rather that "emotions are constantly regulating what we experience as "reality," and that "The unconscious mind of the body seems all-knowing and all-powerful and in some therapies can be harnessed for healing or change without the conscious mind ever figuring out what has happened." (p. 147)

She explains the body as an information network and shows how our conscious minds can play a role, for example, through conscious breathing. (p. 186) The body and the mind are one, interconnected organ; intelligence is located "not only in the brain but in cells that are distributed throughout the body." Mental processes, including emotions, can no longer be separated from the body. (p. 187) There are implications for health, one example being that the quality of our emotions make us more or less likely to succumb to viral infections. Basically the immune system can be altered through conscious intervention.

The saddest part of this book is the endless lack of altruism in the scientific community where the quest for fame, glory and money is central. In Chapter Ten, Child of the New Paradigm, Pert tells how she discovered a potential cure for Aids and how corruption in the highest levels of the scientific establishment prevented further research. This led to her leaving university science for the private sector. Misadventures there, including having financial support for her remedy for AIDS stopped � because it was "too good" � set her onto the spiritual path of self-discovery. She started to explore her part of the responsibility for her lack of success and was thus led to alternative and complementary medicine. Because research into peptides is also research into consciousness she had some very interesting experiences: a yogi placed his diagram of chakras over her diagram of "the two chains of nerve bundles located on either side of the spinal cord, each rich with many of the information-carrying peptides � and we saw how the two systems overlapped." (p. 245) She began to talk to the "new paradigm" crowd: Bernie Siegel, Stan Grof, Stanley Krippner, Fritjof Capra, etc. and at the same time managed to retain her position in the scientific community. She explains it this way:

The ability to accept very diametrically opposite points of view is due, I believe, to the fact that I�m a woman. Because women have a thicker corpus callosum � the bundle of nerves that bridges the left and right brain hemispheres � they are able to switch back and forth from the rational, or left brain, to the intuitive, or right brain, with relative ease. With fewer nerves connecting the hemispheres, men tend to be more focused in one hemisphere or the other. (p. 247)

This book has very interesting discussions on the relationship between mind and body, and consciousness. Pert points out that the medical model is least effective in dealing with unhealed feelings.

I believe that happiness is what we feel when our biochemicals of emotion, the neuropeptides and their receptors, are open and flowing freely throughout the psychosomatic network, integrating and coordinating our systems, organs and cells in a smooth rhythmic movement. Health and happiness are often mentioned in the same breath, and maybe this is why: Physiology and emotions are inseparable. I believe that happiness is our natural state, and that bliss is hardwired. Only when our systems get blocked, shut down, and disarrayed do we experience the book disorders that add up to unhappiness in the extreme." (p. 265)

And further:

� when emotions are expressed � which is to say that the biochemicals that are the substrate of emotion are flowing freely � all systems are united and made whole. (p. 273)

I cannot but remark here that breathwork of various kinds: rebirthing, conscious breathing techniques, Holotropic Breathwork�, and so forth; is an excellent, safe and natural means of allowing emotions to become expressed!

Pert goes on:

The mainstream misses a lot by excluding touch, by ignoring the fact that the body really is the gateway to the mind, and by refusing to acknowledge the importance of emotional release as a mind-body event with the potential to supplement or even sometimes replace talk cures and prescription pills. (p. 275)

She joins the discussion on what "energy" is:

When stored or blocked emotions ar released through touch or other physical methods, there is a clearing of our internal pathways, which we experience as energy. (p. 276)

In Chapter Thirteen, Truth, Pert gives an eight part program for a healthy, whole and conscious lifestyle. First of all comes becoming conscious. In this section there is a meditation for releasing the beta endorphin, which is the most potent endorphin, from the pituatary gland. Her second step involves accessing the psychosomatic network. Here she talks about "memories stored in the receptors of (y)our cells" (p. 289) and the importance of releasing them. Her third element is tapping into our dreams; her fourth getting in touch with y(our) body: "your mind, your feelings are in your body, and it�s there, in your somatic experience, that feeling is healed." (p. 293). Her Fifth element is reducing stress, for which she recommends TM, Vipassana, and self-honesty: "� tell the truth. .. not just that it�s the moral thing to do, but because it will keep you on a healthy path and disease-free!" (p. 295) The sixth element is exercising; "Yoga is a particularly health-enhancing form of exercise. Any kind of conscious breathing accompanied by relaxation and body awareness is yoga." (p. 296) Seventh is eating wisely, and eight is avoiding substance abuse. An excellent program, very well explained. This chapter ends with a discussion of what healing really is and how it happens.

There are two appendixes, on �Prevention-Oriented Tips for Healthful, Blissful Living;� and �Bodymind Medicine: resources and Practitioners" � this is very complete: if only one had the time to try all of the methods she recommends.

There is a Glossary.

This is an excellent book, well-written, easy to read, exciting. It gives the scientific explanation for what breathworkers and their clients have seen and experienced. Anyone who would like to do research into the biological bases of the benefits of breathwork can start here.

Pert says that she never planned to become a "scientific performer" or someone who educates "practitioners in the alternative health movement" but saw herself as always working in the scientific world of laboratories and research. I think she has not understood the process: it is the alternative world that most frequently educates the scientific community, showing them where new information is coming forward and new experiences are being repeated. Once it has overcome its resistance, the scientific community then performs the service it is subsidised by the public to perform: It investigates the phenomena and explains how it happens and thus moves what was once alternative into the realm of the scientifically proven.

Joy Mann�, PhD