A Crucible of Learning
“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.”
― Augustine of Hippo
I can remember that shortly prior to attending school, I was given a battery of tests that tested both my knowledge of the physical world, and my mental state of mind. I remember being given the Rorschach inkblot Test and it was in my mind the most upsetting test I had because I could not understand what they expected me to see in the rather meaningless blobs of ink. And, I quickly realize that I could not describe them comfortably, it was not going to be a true representation of how intelligently I felt.
Here I was, in front of a total stranger who wanted to see, if I were normal, and insisting that there were no wrong answers, but I knew in my mind that this was not the truth, because my young intelligence told me that if the answers were not to be wrong, than why even ask them in the first place. Why not ask me to draw pictures instead? I remember seeing angels, butterflies, animals, and moths, for which I was told that I was normal. But, this experience disturbed me so much that I was prompted me to talk to my mother later about it, and it continued to haunt me for some time afterwards.
Although I was too young to understand, I was curious about why I was being given such a test as it was like being asked to speak of an image which I might only envision while I slept. I understood even then that this stranger was trying to determine what type of metaphysical soul I possessed, and whether it posed a danger to myself and to others. Whether I had disturbing thoughts or not, but this test inadvertently created a chaos in my mind which gave me nightmares, and a disharmony that I could not readily resolve. It was a frightening harbinger of things to come, and it took some time for me to reconcile the event. You may not feel that this was cruel, but this was a rather antiseptic experience which had no enriching effect on me and harsh to my self esteem.
Galen of Pergamon was the first well known physician to speak of the mind–body problem, a philosophy which examines the relationship between mind and matter, and in particular the relationship between consciousness and the brain. The problem was famously addressed as well by René Descartes in the 17th century, resulting in Cartesian dualism. Galen proposed organs within the body to be responsible for specific functions and these functions contributed to the functioning of the individual organism as a whole, rather than individual parts. He’s book, On the Diagnosis and Cure of the Soul’s Passion, contained how to approach and treat psychological problems. In his treatise, On Diagnosis from Dreams (De Dignotione ex Insomnis Libellis) he describes that dreams, may mirror the conditions of the body.[1]
Psychologist today now know that our sleeping sub consciousness can have a profound physical effect on our overall health. A calm harmonious soul is beneficial to restful sleep and our physical bodies ability to recover and rejuvenate. Galen is seen as the most prolific writer of philosophy in pre-modern times, a more voluminous amount of works than even that of Augustine of Hippo. Psychologist have established that the transition from a state of sleep to wakefulness, or in the inverse process of falling asleep, was associated with alterations in the synchronization of discharges from the brain stem reticular formation to the cerebral cortex.[2]
These discharges were seen by the use of an EEG (electroencephalogram) and categorized by researchers in the 1930's and 40's into 4 fundamental types of brain waves:
- Delta waves (below 4 hz) occur during sleep
- Theta waves (4-7 hz) are associated with sleep, deep relaxation (like hypnotic relaxation), and visualization
- Alpha waves (8-13 hz) occur when we are relaxed and calm
- Beta waves (13-38 hz) occur when we are actively thinking, problem-solving, etc.
A chaotic brain becomes stuck and unbalanced, which can be calmed through increasing the flexibility and resilience of the brain. Many psychologist use neurofeedback and hypnotism to accomplish to unstick a brain, but you can also use meditation and metaphysical philosophy to accomplish this as well.[3] There 6 types of problems tend to create a chaotic pattern in our brain's activity that is hard to shift; Injury, Medications, (including alcohol), Fatigue, Emotional distress, Pain, and Stress. Neuroscientist also know that our brains are very active when we sleep, and it is due to a deep sleep called REM, the most active of all the sleep stages where we spend about 20 percent all states dreaming.[4] Nightmares can have physical causes such as sleeping in an uncomfortable or awkward position, having a fever, or psychological causes such as stress, anxiety, and as a side effect of various drugs, and a chaotic brain may directly contribute to our nightmares. A lack of a consistently sufficient amount of REM will have a damaging effect on the heath of our brains[5]
The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life force and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity and forgiveness. Meditation often involves an internal effort to self-regulate the mind in some way. Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. And it is my belief that a metaphorical or scientific thinker uses a form of meditation called Mindfulness which attempts to find harmony in their chaotic mind, and bring their souls in closer harmony with the universe.[6]
For example, Philosopher René Descartes first published a treatise in 1641 entitled Meditations on First Philosophy where he spent six days in retrospective writing six meditations were he first discards all belief in things which are not absolutely certain, and then tries to establish what can be known for sure. It was Descartes’ effort to present his metaphysical system in its most detailed level and in the expanding of his philosophical system.[7]
Often for me this type of meditation does not require sleep, but can be achieved just by walking or having a focus of mind in solitude which allows it to reach a state of imagination where the metaphysical mind can see the proof to a problem and the harmony of its truth. A waking dream state where I can sense the full beauty of the universe, and reveal with infinite clarity what is true. I can see the true that I have practiced Descartes form of meditation for time and it gives me a peacefulness that would not be possible if I did inward refection to reason out as to the why of things. And, I have become much more harmoniously at peace with the universe today due to my understanding of physical nature of the world, and metaphysical nature of God, whom I can now sense does exist in harmony to the known universe.
And I feel that it is because of this metaphysical clarity, that my mind rarely becomes chaotic. I never seem to have a headache for any reason now, and I can sleep with greater depth and peaceful rest today, than I have ever experienced in my past.
I thank the reader for their time and consideration. God bless you with health and happiness.
References
1 "Galen." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galen.
2 "A History Of Sleep Medicine." Internet Scientific Publications. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. https://ispub.com/IJN/9/2/8253.
3 "Exploring the Brain and Brain Waves." Exploring the Brain and Brain Waves. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://www.brainandhealth.com/Brain-Waves.html.
4 "Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep." : National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm.
5 "Nightmare." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightmare.
6 "Meditation." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation.
7 "Meditations on First Philosophy." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditations_on_First_Philosophy.
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