Obviously human living is dependent on our physical bodies. Our bodies provide the vehicle for our experiences and give form to our inspirations. The physical body allows us to demonstrate our spiritual selves in a practical context. But rather than regard the physical body as separate and independent of other aspects such as emotion, mind and spirit, the wayfarer recognizes and acknowledges the powerful interplay of all of these components and allows that understanding to further the enjoyment of this unique phenomenon of life in a physical body. Thanks for Everything (December 1997) Kim Basinger and Stephen Hawking, physically worlds apart, yet sharing one major factor in common. Both have bodies that are admirably suited for their specific role in life. Patient Power (September 1997) Personal power by way of modern technology is there if you want it. As with our article Sex on Demand, the Internet offers this power in abundance - especially for the ailing. The Missing Link (August 1997) For research to be useful and definitive, every aspect that relates to the subject must be considered. Without all the facts, paradox and conflicting results are the only likely outcome. The Burden of Proof (May 1997) A denial of our natural ability to recognize rightness and a reliance on conventional standards of proof seems to many to be the only option. It is however a heavy burden to carry through life. Breathing Sensation (April 1997) Our ability to get more out of life depends on full access to all our senses. While a gradual loss of sensory perception seems to be a product of aging and thus beyond our control, this may not be so. Perhaps the way we breathe could be a major factor. Thanks for Everything (December 1997) Kim Basinger and Stephen Hawking, physically worlds apart, yet sharing one major factor in common. Both have bodies that are admirably suited for their specific role in life. “While it may open a few doors for you to be pretty all your life, to be pretty, or thought of as attractive, or as a sex symbol, or whatever you want to call it, it slams the door of opportunity in your face so many times.” Kim Basinger was referring to a little acknowledged phenomenon suffered by the physically attractive the world over. It’s the kind of phenomenon that brings the cynics out in droves, decrying in mock horror, the fate of the beautiful people who seem to have privilege and opportunity at their fingertips but who also struggle at the hand of this double edged sword. For each advantage that might come their way due to their physical appeal, another is snatched from them for the very same reason. It would be easy to join such critics in their dispute of the fact that ‘the beautiful are victims too’. However, Basinger’s comment reflects the experience of many women and men also, who must endure not only the penetrating gaze of adoring eyes, the attention of the world upon them, but suffer the frustration of their good looks becoming the focus of judgments of value, over and above any other qualities they may have. There are sure to be women everywhere who would happily jump into Basinger’s shoes, to have her body, her wealth and her fame but such aspirations are based upon the assumption that being in such a position holds no challenge, that the life of the rich and the beautiful is effortless. Basinger of course would disagree, and anyone who delved just a little into her recent history would recognize that her life has indeed held challenge and hardship just like the millions of ordinary people who might call themselves fans. It is interesting also however, to note that the absence of challenge is often regarded as desirous. Just the other day in the street, two young women were reflecting on the Australian couple who had recently won fifteen million dollars in a lottery and imagining upon what they themselves might have done if they had won. One of the women was heard to remark “I’d throw in my job and sit on my ass all day.” Many people who do have the kind of wealth and privilege to ‘sit around on their asses’ suffer a kind of emptiness few can understand. It is the emptiness that arises from being without challenge and without the need for effort. Indeed it is also the kind of emptiness most likely to be criticized by the less well off in society. ‘Such people have no right to feel such emptiness when they are so heavily endowed with abundance’. The very idea is often regarded as an outrage. It is frequently the affluent however, who become the seekers in life, turning to the self-development gurus in search of meaning and purpose - people who many might imagine should have no justification to be searching for anything when they have it all. But fulfillment in life has nothing to do with possessions or money or good looks and has everything to do with the experience of purpose. And of course this sense of purpose can be present or lacking in anyone, no matter what their status in life. And just as significant, it is through our response to challenge that we find our direction in life and find a sense of purpose in things. To be without challenges in life would, in fact, be the worst kind of hardship. It would be unrealistic not to acknowledge however, that Kim Basinger is physically suited to her chosen lifestyle, hardships and all. Perhaps the hardships that have arisen directly out of the discrimination she alludes to have been a necessary and valuable part of her experience, both as an actress and as a person. It’s possible, in fact it is certain, that those experiences have directly contributed to the individual that she is today. As is the case for us all. An interesting example of the way in which our physical attributes or even what could be perceived as a handicap can specifically suit us for our life’s work, is that of the famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. In his early twenties, Hawking contracted an incurable degenerative neuromuscular disease that has left him severely disabled and only able to communicate with the aid of a computer. His friends and family agree that not only has he transcended the debilitating effects of the illness to have his theories respected the world over, but that his illness is what makes him the person he is and even possibly what has made him capable of making such an important contribution to science. Certainly his achievements have seemed all the more remarkable given the challenges he must have had to face as the disease progressively worsened. You might even say that unless he had been wheelchair bound and confined so completely to his mind and his work, his theories about exploding black holes may never have evolved at all. Whatever the hardship, whatever the challenge, it is always possible to respond to it in such a way that its presence in our lives can eventually be perceived as an enhancement and regarded as completely necessary for the evolvement of our spirit and character. Opportunity is not inherent in good looks or wealth or indeed in anything we might deem to be desirable. It can only be found in anything by the individual who is willing to find it. And as much as opportunity is to be found in good fortune it is equally present in less fortunate circumstances for those who know where to look for it. Finding opportunity in all things is not so much a skill as it is an attitude and a dynamic expression of one’s chosen direction in life. The very act of appreciation brings the presence of more into the life of an individual. Unless we acknowledge and appreciate what we have, we do not have it at all. And making the most of what we have is the first step in the process of being able to have more. Today, as we write, Americans are giving thanks, a tradition that began in the Autumn of 1621 as an expression of gratitude for the bounty of the season. On the fourth Thursday of November Thanksgiving Day reminds those who take part in the celebrations to acknowledge and appreciate the blessings of the past year. For those who are religiously inclined, God tends to be the focus of this thanks. For those who are not, the tradition is no less powerful. Counting one’s blessings and feeling appreciation will always transcend the bastions of institution as potent and important forces in the recognition of life’s bounty. The appreciation of what we have is at the very heart of our ability to enjoy abundance and to recognize its presence in our lives. It is indeed a tradition to be thankful for. “The realization that I had an incurable disease, that was likely to kill me in a few years, was a bit of a shock. How could something like that happen to me. Why should I be cut off like this. However, while I had been in hospital, I had seen a boy I vaguely knew die of leukemia, in the bed opposite me. It had not been a pretty sight. Clearly there were people who were worse off than me. At least my condition didn’t make me feel sick. Whenever I feel inclined to be sorry for myself I remember that boy. “ Stephen Hawking Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson, 1997 - 1999. All rights reserved. Patient Power (September 1997) Personal power by way of modern technology is there if you want it. As with the previous article (Sex on Demand), the Internet offers this power in abundance - especially for the ailing. The hypochondriac pouring over the Family Health Encyclopedia can now access an infinite number of web sites as an aid to self-diagnosis. The purpose of such sites are of course not solely designed to help the individual diagnose illness, although some of them might offer leanings in this direction. Many of the sites are set up for the education of sufferers of specific illnesses, diseases and syndromes, the likes of Parkinson's disease and Cystic Fibrosis, while others are more general in their informative value. The Internet is boasting an increasing number of medical and health orientated sites, catering for the average person and presenting specific information in layman's terms. Many sufferers are finding that these web sites are aiding them in their ability to ask more informed questions of their health professionals and therefore enable them to take a more assertive and active role in the course of their own treatment. Wading through the endless 'wonder this' and 'miracle that', sites, the cures for baldness and the latest magic vitamin pills, a surf through medical and health pages will reveal some astute and informative educational sites often produced by dedicated groups and individuals alike. While the reader must exercise discerning over the kinds of sites to be given credibility, anyone wanting to know more about just about any kind of physical ill or indeed advice on health as well, can find it on the Internet. The advantage of the Internet over the traditional avenues, such as libraries and bookstores is the facility for updating information. Many of the sites will be added to on a daily or weekly basis, allowing them to keep abreast of current medical advancements, new treatments and other news relevant to the specialized area being dealt with. Particularly in the field of medicine where scientific understandings are constantly being revised as more is learned, the requirement for current material is critical. Most medical books are outdated before they even hit the bookshops these days and with such rapidity of change the Internet is the ideal forum for up to the minute data. Most importantly, the Internet is ensuring that the average person has access to knowledge previously hard to come by, even through talking to medical professionals. In fact, in the past, doctors have been those least likely to divulge the truth to a patient or sufferer. Not only is the Internet providing the individual with the chance to learn as much as he or she can about a particular illness or whatever, but it provides them with an international network of other sufferers with whom they can share their experiences or seek assurance about practical details. Patients no longer need to endure the ravages of an illness like AIDS alone. Bulletin boards and chat groups can bring a wealth of sharing and support into the home of an otherwise isolated individual. The Internet is set to herald the revolution of not only technology and education but is fast becoming significant of the Revolution of the Individual, signifying the onset of the much-anticipated new age. Contrary perhaps to what many might have expected, this new age looks set not to abandon or condemn technology in favor of more 'spiritual' or ethereal pursuits, but to embrace it as the new conduit for the spread of ideas and for the sharing of souls across the communication lines of the world, placing knowledge and power in the hands of the individual. Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson, 1997 - 1999. All rights reserved. The Missing Link (August 1997) For research to be useful and definitive, every aspect that relates to the subject must be considered. Without all the facts, paradox and conflicting results are the only likely outcome. New research from Australia contradicts long held views in the medical profession that excessive alcohol consumption can cause brain damage, despite much reluctance on the part of some doctors to give credence to the findings. A study of elderly Second World War Veterans could find no evidence to support the idea that lifelong alcohol consumption is linked to a reduction in cognitive or brain function. The heavier drinkers in the survey drank as many as 13 drinks per day. Nine years after their alcohol intake was recorded in 1982 the men underwent a range of tests measuring various aspects of intellectual function, including memory, basic intelligence and the ability to retain verbal and visual information. The participants also had a computerized x-ray scan of their brain. The results showed no difference in brain shrinkage between the heavy drinkers and the non-drinkers of the same age. Dr Mike MacAvoy of the Alcohol Advisory Council acknowledged that the study results were at odds with previous “irrefutable evidence” that brain damage does occur in some people who use alcohol excessively. Interestingly, he commented “there’s something about this group that has got them through – they are survivors.” In a similar vein, the French Paradox continues to stump health professionals for similar reasons. The levels of fat, alcohol and tobacco consumed by the French in quantities far in excess of most other cultures do not prove to affect the health of the French people in the manner that the same levels of consumption undoubtedly would in other Western Countries like the United States. The French consume two and a half times more cheese and four times the butter, yet heart and artery disease account for 30% fewer deaths in France than in the United States and heart attacks are about twice as likely to strike Americans. Nor is there a particular history of obesity or general bad health amongst the French. American drug companies are currently developing a pill that they hope will capture the healthful chemical properties of wine, but as one journalist put it, “the real benefit of this elixir comes not just from some chemical compound but from the serene pleasure of consumption.” And perhaps this comment holds some truth. If we can link the example of the Australian War Veterans and the general case of the French, a common element might go some way to explain the situation. In each case, it seems that much of the drinking in particular, is a social activity. The traditional French regard eating and drinking more in the manner of an art than a necessity as the busy American might. Usually a family affair, the dinner table is still a place for laughter and conviviality. The French prefer to avoid controversial topics of conversation while eating and the respect paid to food and drink sees it consumed with more conscious appreciation than in many parts of the world where eating in the car or while working is quite common practice now. The heavy drinkers amongst the Second World War veterans are likely to consume most of their alcohol in clubs and pubs with friends and comrades where staunch friendships are nurtured and enjoyed. Again the connection with sharing and a sense of social communion would feature highly in this example. One can easily imagine that if American technologists could isolate the health-giving properties of wine and express it in drug form, that its positive benefits would be limited. It seems that the manner in which the alcohol or food is consumed rather than the substances themselves, is the significant factor here. If food and wine or other alcohol is consumed with conscious appreciation and within an environment of sharing, openness and probably laughter, the individual it seems, will process these substances differently to those individuals who drink alone and who eat food in fear of its effects. These examples seem to suggest that good health is not so much a matter of what or how much we eat or drink, but how we consume it. A happy disposition predisposes the individual to good health, a morose or fearful disposition while eating and drinking is less healthful. It seems reasonable to imagine that the contradictions in various studies exist because of factors unacknowledged in those studies. To regard these findings in a purely physical sense is to ignore a whole host of other significant elements that are just as likely to be important to the health of the individual. It would be interesting to group the results of such studies together with additional information about the way in which the food and drink is consumed and the circumstances under which it is done in order to identify the possible correlation between the various factors. It cannot be ignored that the ‘fear of fat food’ culture is rife in many parts of the world and in particular in America. It must also be acknowledged that in the circles in which copious amounts of butter, cheese and alcohol are consumed in France, fear and guilt do not assume the place of importance shown to be the case in the Untied States. French foodies heartily down all manner of culinary concoctions that would leave their American counterparts rushing to the gym or the doctor. And we’ve all heard the stories of somebody’s grandmother or grandfather who smoked constantly, consumed huge amounts of salt and sugar, lived well into their 90’s or longer and never had a day’s sickness in their lives. The fact that these exceptions exist is enough to suggest that the physical body alone and the substances that are funneled into it are only part of the equation. If it is possible to defy what medical science suggests is the norm, there must be some inherent capability within the body and indeed the spirit of the individual, that allows for this anomaly. And if this is so, we are left with the question, is this capability then, the exception, or was it intended to be the rule? Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson, 1997 - 1999. All rights reserved. The Burden of Proof (May 1997) A denial of our natural ability to recognize rightness and a reliance on conventional standards of proof seems to many to be the only option. It is however a heavy burden to carry through life. The near death experience has become a recognizable phenomenon in popular culture but scientists and researchers are yet to agree on just what the origins of the experience really are and if indeed it is a genuine event at all. Thousands of documented accounts from individuals, whose lives have changed dramatically due to a near death experience, would suggest that the effect is widespread and that there is something particularly powerful about such events. However, it is common to find researchers reluctant to give credence to the experience as being anything other than vivid dreaming, despite the assertions of those who have had the experience claiming that, in a majority of cases, the event profoundly and permanently changed their lives. It is with some arrogance that science doubts the ability of such individuals to recognize the difference between a dream and an actual experience. Few dreams impact on the life of an individual to the extent that the near death experience frequently does and yet it is unlikely that the true nature of the occurrence will ever be proven conclusively one way or another. Interestingly, proving the phenomenon is most often the last thing on the mind of the individual who has undergone a near death experience. The life-altering effects of this kind of experience are undeniably significant. An individual’s whole manner of living can literally change overnight. Usually it is in the areas of the individual’s relationships that the greatest changes occur. People report feeling more compassion and purpose in daily life. Many find that they have lost the fear of death and gained new appreciation for living. There are numerous instances of those who have found new direction and consequently make drastic career changes, even abandon a religion, begin working for charity, or generally find that their structure of priorities has dramatically shifted toward a more peaceful and altruistic outlook on life. Powerful stuff for a vivid dream! Those who have undergone this kind of personal transformation rarely seek to prove the validity of the experience before enjoying the benefits. To them the benefits are the proof. The scientific nature of what occurred or even whether the whole thing was in fact imagined is irrelevant to the appreciation of what has resulted from its occurrence. The importance of what the event has brought to the life of the individual seems to overwhelm the need to explain it, not that many aren’t curious. American researchers recently concluded that a saturated fat known as CLA, found naturally in dairy products and red meats, as well as in human blood and tissue and in breast milk, may have cancer preventative properties. Early trials on rats and mice suggest that the CLA in these foods, traditionally regarded by nutritionists as harmful, can actually inhibit the growth in extracted cancer cells such as melanoma, colon cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, ovarian cancer and human breast tumors. A study by researcher David Kritchevsky showed that rabbits fed on a diet that is thought to cause Artherosclerosis and also given CLA exhibited reduced cholesterol levels and that their Artherosclerosis was less severe. Human trials saw the blood levels of CLA rise by 27% in men eating cheddar cheese. The fact that this research casts doubt on the traditional notions of ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ food is unsurprising. We’ve seen a parade of contradictions come and go in recent decades as researchers change their opinions about the foods we eat. Salt, sugar, meat and wine are only a few to have been derided, only to be found to possess natural healthgiving properties and the tendency to increase the risk of harmful deficiencies if absent from the diet. We cannot assume that the new research is proof of anything, nor by implication, can we afford to assume that the existing knowledge is right. In fact, the more medical researchers discover, the less the average person can be certain about what to eat and what to avoid. And yet it has been acknowledged for a good many years that, left to our own devices and without the interference of outside influence, people have what seems to be an inborn ability to choose a balanced and healthful diet. It also seems that our bodies have the ability to detect deficiency and to try to compensate for it. The case of a boy who showed a strong craving for salt illustrates this well. As an infant he would lick the salt from crackers and bacon but refused to eat the food itself. He would add a thick layer of salt to everything he ate. One of the first words he learned was salt. When the boy was deprived of salt, he ate almost nothing and began to waste away. Eventually confined to hospital and given a normal hospital diet, the boy died at the age of 3 ½ (Wilkins and Richter, 1940). It was discovered that the child had defective adrenal glands, the glands responsible for secreting the hormones that enable the body to retain salt. Salt was being excreted from his body so quickly that he developed a craving in an attempt to compensate. Other research shows that animals, including humans, who become salt deficient begin demonstrating a heightened preference for salty tastes (Rozin and Kalat, 1971) and people who have lost large quantities of salt as the result of bleeding or excessive sweating often express a craving for salt. These examples show that the body is equipped with naturally occurring mechanisms that seek to regulate the body chemistry by way of adjusting the motivation to choose certain foods. How did the young boy know that he needed salt? In short, he didn’t. But the natural urgings of his body guided him toward the salt he needed so desperately. Things begin to get complicated when we require proof of such urgings before we take action. In the case of this particular boy, attempts to restrict the urging led to an untimely death. Such natural urgings are occurring all the time and not only are they urgings of a physical nature. Most of them, we choose to ignore or override using our powers of intellect and reason. Intuition is an obvious example of the kind of gentle urging that can be so easily ignored and so readily explained away. On the one hand, logic is sorely inadequate when we are not party to all the facts and on the other, the voice of intuition seems so uncertain. The facts of the matter are that there is, in reality, very little that we can prove in life. And what is more, proof is a less than reliable basis for taking action, since man’s understanding of his world is constantly being revised. Proof is subjective. When we seek to prove something we must formulate a set of values upon which the proof will rest in order to conclude that a thing is proven. It is those values that make the whole process of proof so unreliable and even in science, as we are seeing, differences in the criteria for proof produce variances in the results of what is proven and what is not. In life then, not only is the need to prove something before we take action fraught with hazard, but it is impossible to secure. The workings of intuition and of the body’s natural ability to know what it needs for its own health and satisfaction are evidence that we do have access to mechanisms that can sometimes even contradict what we know, yet that are inclined to steer us in the direction of what is right. In a world of increasing contradiction the individual who can access a natural ability to recognize truth and the person who has the courage to trust to this ability will undoubtedly prosper. Those who are compelled to seek certainty and to expend valuable time and energy in a search that is essentially fruitless, will find the burden of proof increasingly difficult to sustain. Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson, 1997 - 1999. All rights reserved. Breathing Sensation (April 1997) Our ability to get more out of life depends on full access to all our senses. While a gradual loss of sensory perception seems to be a product of aging and thus beyond our control, this may not be so. Perhaps the way we breathe could be a major factor. One thing you can’t get away from in life is your body, wherever we go it goes. This might seem fairly obvious, but less obvious is the fact that many people do lose touch with their bodies to such a degree that eventually a kind of physical separation does exist. Much of the loss could be attributed to the aging process, as it seems that this gradual deficit coincides with the advancement of years. However while it could be attributed to aging, aging is not responsible for the loss of physical perception. Rather, the loss of physical perception leads to the onset of aging. Now it can seem that these two concepts are really one and the same thing but there is in fact, a subtle difference. The progression of physical deterioration is not a product of the aging process but a causative factor. Diminishing cognizance of the body is not exclusive to the elderly or the aging but may be identified even in youth. Typified by reduced skin sensitivity, sluggishness and sometimes even numbness in limbs or areas of the torso, the loss of physicality is a sacrifice many people are unaware of making. Often the only time we become truly aware of these parts is when we’re experiencing pain. It seems easy, almost normal not to notice our bodies as we go about our daily life, in fact it would seem that acute physical awareness would prove to be an undesirable distraction. And indeed the body has its own mechanisms for dealing with these distractions by way of adapting our sensing of different stimuli. Although its mechanism is not fully understood, the phenomenon of adaptation occurs in response to an unchanging stimulus and explains why after a short period we usually stop experiencing the feel of clothing against our skin. This sort of adaptation is normal, many such receptors in the body, particularly those that respond to light pressure, adapt rapidly. Other receptors adapt less quickly and some do not adapt at all. Pain receptors for example are not designed to adapt, it’s obvious as to why, pain being one way the body may alert us to the presence of potential or actual tissue damage. But not noticing one’s body as in the case of natural processes like adaptation is quite distinct from being unable to feel sensation in our body due to the inhibition of the normal workings of sensing and perceiving. Researchers believe that the responsiveness of the receptor membranes declines over time. Once again the implication is that losing the functionality of the body is a normal part of getting older. What casts significant doubt over this suggestion is the fact that these losses do not occur in the same manner in all people, nor do they occur at the same periods in the lives of the people. The presence of other factors must also have a bearing on how and why we lose the feeling in our bodies. Mounting evidence seems to suggest that those who lead sedentary lives are more likely to lose vigor and sensation in the body. Individuals who exercise are more likely to retain function and sensitivity. However leading a physical life is no guarantee of maintaining physical awareness. Many active people report reduced bodily sensation despite regular exercise, particularly in their responses to pleasurable sensation. It may be safer to assume that even when this reduced awareness does occur, it may not occur to the same degree all the time. Perhaps the losses are variable or selective and perhaps context and state of being play some part in the intensity of sensation. There do seem to be parallels between inhibited bodily awareness and the inhibition of emotional expression and more interesting, between shallow breathing and low responsiveness. The way in which we breathe certainly does have a bearing on our general feeling of wellness. The sense of wellbeing after a strenuous workout or period of sustained deep breathing contributes to the very buzz that keeps many people going to the gym. And indeed it is common for individuals having embarked on a fitness regime to notice dramatic changes in the way they begin to perceive their environment; colors seem brighter, focus appears to be crisper, the senses in general seem more attuned. Deep breathing is not generally encouraged in society, in fact more often than not it is perceived as an indication of weakness. Part of the problem is the confusion between deep breathing and panting (uncontrolled and prolonged gasping for breath). During periods of demanding physical exertion, the urge to take in large quantities of air quickly is a natural bodily reflex, it has a purpose. If executed correctly the lungs are expanded as we breathe into the abdomen. Correct breathing ensures the quickest recovery from the effects of the exercise to return the body to its normal state of equilibrium. Panting is often the product of a reluctance to fully breathe into the abdomen. Attempts are made to take in large quantities of air without accessing the full range of muscles that allow the quantity required by the body to reach the necessary locations. As a result the individual expends more energy in the breathing without satisfying the requirement and consequently the resultant panting is an inefficient way of getting air. In addition, the shallow breathing doesn’t exercise all the respiratory muscles properly leaving the body less able to take in air and less capable of ensuring the all round fitness of the heart and the body in general. In most gyms you will find individuals who seek to exercise while minimizing visible or audible signs of deep breathing. So what are the effects of this kind of incorrect breathing on the individual? The correlation between shallow breathing, emotional inhibition and lack of bodily awareness could imply possible ill effects. Besides which, it makes sense that if we don’t breathe right our body won’t work right and we’ll start to notice consequences. The extent to which we recognize them as consequences reflects the degree to which quality of life matters to us. If you don’t know what you’ve lost, how can that be bad? We can all live with the fact that we don’t feel as intensely as we used to, or the fact that we can’t run as fast, it’s part of aging, it’s a normal part of life isn’t it? And there are plenty of people who do live with this knowledge and who are resigned to it. But what about those people who flout these accepted side effects of advancing years and retain their sharpness and their sensitivity? Those who are fit and strong and agile? Those who do dare to feel, physically and emotionally and to live a full and active life? How do they do it? Perhaps the best way to understand how someone maintains physical awareness is to look to those who do not and note the differences. It is there that we’re likely to find our answers. Wayfarer International, Copyright © John & Melody Anderson, 1997 - 2002. All rights reserved.