tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299662952978736845.post358897577386180524..comments2024-03-11T00:04:47.047-07:00Comments on Extraordinary Passion: "Grounding" or "Energy Management" TechniquesShakti Amaranthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16204671934660827381noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299662952978736845.post-31757989953615202642015-09-22T04:45:59.475-07:002015-09-22T04:45:59.475-07:00Acupuncture isn't a great example, since the m...Acupuncture isn't a great example, since the mechanism for it does not appear to require anything supernatural. Studying it has actually taught scientists a fair amount about how the nervous system processes pain and other sensations. But none of the other concepts you mention appear to have a physical basis or a repeatable effect that can be reliably demonstrated to neutral observers in the way that, for example, meditation does.<br /><br />This is not as simple as saying that since science has learned SOME useful things from Eastern traditional practices, therefore ALL Eastern traditional practices must be worthy of consideration. They HAVE been given real consideration, often with passionate advocates leading the charge. But only meditation has really held up under rigorous examination, and, once again, it does not depend on a mystical or supernatural principle. Everything we see happening as a result of meditation is readily explicable in terms of human physiology and the human nervous system.<br /><br />It's important to keep in mind how much of what *Europeans* thought was true has turned out to be absolutely false. We don't have Asians arguing passionately for junk science that used to be popular in Europe, like phlogiston or the four humours or spontaneous generation, so it's a bit weird that we DO have people in the West arguing for junk science like chi, meridians, and chakras just because those ideas come from Asia.<br /><br />In any event, my mind remains very open to any consistent, verifiable evidence that supports the existence of some mysterious energy or circuitry in the body that hasn't been previously identified. BUT, based on all we know to date, I'm quite willing to bet that the simplistic folk reasoning about the supposed danger of doing "ungrounded" meditation or yoga is simply wrong. <br /><br />If it were right, we would have seen stark evidence: an epidemic of burned out minds among those who have been doing it the "wrong" way. And we haven't seen any such thing *except* in the fevered imaginations of those who are trying to scare customers away from competing gurus.Shakti Amaranthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16204671934660827381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7299662952978736845.post-62004524754738944502015-08-23T07:08:28.961-07:002015-08-23T07:08:28.961-07:00Eastern practices of a variety of knds incorporate...Eastern practices of a variety of knds incorporate the notion of energy, meridians, chakras. Acupuncture is a good example. There is little question that it works but Western science can't explain or understand it.<br /><br />I'm trying to say it might be wrong to dismiss notions of energy management too easily mwhatsupyyyyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18099640134131448493noreply@blogger.com