Dubiosity

Here are my questions for you: (1) have you ever p...

2010-02-28T09:20:42.054-06:00

Here are my questions for you: (1) have you ever practiced yoga consistently? (2) Have you practiced meditation consistently? (3) Did you actually do that exercise every day for , say 30 days, so that you could therefore base your findings on that experiential data? I do not know if the super brain yoga works, I'm just asking you these questions, because otherwise how would you really know?

As a long time student, practitioner, and instructor of both yoga and meditation, your comments come accross as uninformed and do not reveal your personal research, or experiential dimension. Most people know that just as doing jumping jacks or running raises the energy of the body (accelerates heart movement, etc.), yoga too can either raise or lower the body's energy level or also to lower it by working with the body's autonomic nervous system. For the most part both meditation and yoga principally awaken the parasympathetic nervous system.

In a Mass General/Harvard study, research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity; changes in the brain's physical structure.

If you are truly interested in the scientific aspect, here are a few links:

http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~lazar/Lazar_Meditation_Plasticity_05.pdf.

Also go to Mass General Hospital Benson Henry Institute's to access their research on these issues:http://www.massgeneral.org/bhi/research/

Finally not too long ago,a couple hundred years ago, our world chose to interpret the world from many dimensions: we can understand and explain the world from a historical perspective, a philosophical dimension, a religious dimension, and of course scientific. However, to subject any issue to a purely scientific examination (which you didn't really do either), is to limit the potential of the richness of the conversation.

Finaly, I teach yoga to dozens of people every day who come to class with myriad issues, only from a purely physical perspective, yoga's poses combine stretching, strengthening of muscles in the entire body, and people with joint issues, low back pain, frozen shoulder, arthritis, etc. experience greater range of motion in the joints which occurs when synovial fluid becomes activated in the joints with movement, it strengthens and tones muscles, and increases flexibility . Yoga students can touch their toes more than most people who live lives as couch potatoes.

Like Cherry, this is the first time that I read yo...

2010-02-04T02:21:32.802-06:00

Like Cherry, this is the first time that I read your blog. But unlike him/ her, I totally agree with your views!

Today, I had got one of those mindless forwards -- this one happened to be about "superbrain yoga". The sender had added the remark (yes, in all caps!):-

"THIS MAY REMIND YOU OF YOUR SCHOOL DAYS PUNISHMENT FOR NOT DOING YOUR HOMEWORK OR DOING MISCHIEF IN CLASS ROOM.

JUST BE AMAZED TO REALIZE HOW GREAT OUR ANCESTORS WERE WHO INCORPORATED THIS YOGA TECHNIC IN SCHOOLS AS A PUNISHMENT BUT ACTUALLY A TOOL TO STIMULATE KID'S BRAIN TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WOW!!"

I responded to this by referring to the link of your blog!

Anand

First, let me start off with how kids are taught i...

2010-01-29T15:12:49.250-06:00

First, let me start off with how kids are taught in the country of my birth, Sri Lanka. When you do something wrong, whether it is getting a question wrong, or just doing plain mischief, the teacher either hits you or makes you do what we call "thoppukaranam" - under the scorching sun! As far as I know, every kid hated it. Then recently, somebody pointed out this "super brain yoga" thing to me. Guess what it was? It was none other than the dreaded "thoppukaranam". I doubt even our teachers knew it improved brain function. They just made us do it as a punishment.

Anyhow, it irks me that somebody will take what has been practiced in the Indian Subcontinent for ages, and claim it as their own. What is worse is that they are trying to sell it.

I really don't know whether it works. What I do know is that by the time a kid finishes school, they would have done quite a few of those!

You might also want to consider that some of the a...

2010-01-25T15:23:46.873-06:00

You might also want to consider that some of the animal pictures PETA uses are staged, as in the Silver Springs monkey trial where founding member Alex Pacheco went under cover and illegibly and maliciously staged photos against Dr. Edward Taub.

With the science of neuroplasticity and evidence s...

2010-01-25T13:46:55.386-06:00

With the science of neuroplasticity and evidence showing that even acupuncture has some merit; Read “The Brain that Changes itself by Dr. Norman Doidge”, in that it helps re-route "gates" the brain uses to allow pain to occur, It seems to me scientists are beginning to prove the connection of yoga and other non-medical procedures to the healing of many symptoms of the body, i.e. mirror box for phantom limbs, gloves and mits for stroke victums, etc. Look up Dr. Edward Taub or Dr. Vilayanur Ramachandran. I agree this particular program didn't prove anything but, other well known and well respected scientists have published in peer-reviewed journals evidence supporting similar ideas.

I've been slightly depressed by this realization a...

2009-11-18T21:15:22.853-06:00

I've been slightly depressed by this realization as well, life in all its grandeur is ultimately pointless because whatever affects you have on this world is pretty much ineffectual. the planet will die eventually and there will be no trace left of our existence at all. However while I feel like I'm depressed and having my mid life crisis at 19 years of age I found meaning in nothingness, its not really what we do that matters, it how we make ourselves and others feel. Emotion is pretty much the only thing that matters, making happiness the only true heaven in my mind. People shouldn't be content with living mediocre lives, my family and my friends maks me happy, my girlfriend I cant even begin to explain how happy she makes me. the only greatness in this world is in fact happiness. find what makes you and the people around you happy and I believe you will live a very fulfilled life. Make other people happy and you will leave a mark on society far greater then you will ever be able to comprehend.

That's exactly what I was talking about in the las...

2009-10-19T19:52:30.211-05:00

That's exactly what I was talking about in the last two paragraphs (before the double line break). The fact that so many people are told that there IS an afterlife means they don't get used to the idea that they probably are going to stop existing someday. It's not an easy thing to get used to anyway.

Not having an afterlife just makes THIS life far more precious. If you only get one shot, you've gotta make it count.

Instead of reading about death all the time, why not focus on making your life better? Learn about the world around you, and how it works. The real world is so much more interesting than the one religions peddle.

Sorry but this REALLY depressed me. Just the thoug...

2009-10-19T17:13:58.013-05:00

Sorry but this REALLY depressed me. Just the thought of no existence scares the hell out of me. The thought of nothingness and being totally unaware of anything ever again occupies my mind everyday of my life, and i just cant shake it out.

I truly feel that if there is nothing after life then there is no point in existing, but i am also scared of not existing. Its a endless cycle of depression that i have got my self into and i am now being forced to take anti-depressants by my mother (I'm 15). I have been reading more and more peoples points of view on the topic and it has only made me feel worse and confirmed my feelings about religion being something to make people feel better and to control people

I don't think i will ever get used to this and will spend my whole life worrying and hoping. I would rather spend eternal suffering in a place like hell rather than not exist at all. I don't see how athiests can live without being depressed and thinking everything is pointless, even emotion, what is it anyway? Our biological body is just making us feel things and act a certain way and want things like food and drink.

I thought most people just wondered if there was something and wasn't sure but it turns out a lot of people just don't care, which scares me even more.

I would give anything to live forever...

That's definitely the kind of thing that would mak...

2009-10-01T20:21:32.993-05:00

That's definitely the kind of thing that would make all this make more sense. Thanks for the info.

However, can you provide a link to that info? I'd like to find out more, so I can update this post.

peta goes in to state run shelters and takes the a...

2009-10-01T16:48:11.431-05:00

peta goes in to state run shelters and takes the animals slated to be euthanized, then they euthanize them in a more humane manner.

this is why the numbers and greater for peta. peta is doing the right thing euthanizing these animals, the blood is on society's hands (who should be spaying/neutering) not peta's.

You are not wrong! Most of this new age BS is all ...

2009-09-18T06:07:36.886-05:00

You are not wrong! Most of this new age BS is all about making money off the naive.

http://relijournal.com/paganism/neo-paganism-where-the-naive-meet-the-charlatans/

I've only seen an episode or two. I'm sure he hand...

2009-08-19T00:07:46.626-05:00

I've only seen an episode or two. I'm sure he hand to wander around to find the answer to a question he hadn't yet been asked, or some nonsense like that.

I do think stopping to smell the roses is at odds with achievement. Delaying gratification is a general trait of the successful.

It's definitely a hard term to define. I think tha...

2009-08-17T20:31:06.251-05:00

It's definitely a hard term to define. I think that to live life to its fullest is to do what gives you one or more of the following: contentment, happiness, fulfillment, self-worth, self-respect, etc. In terms of a person's relationship to the world around them, it's contributing to society in some way, helping others in some way, bettering the world, and so on.

Obviously these are all completely subjective, and I think that's probably the point I'm trying to get at; perhaps a person's goal in life should be to find the best way for them to live their life to the fullest.

I never watched Kung Fu, but I doubt that he was wandering just to wander. Wasn't he searching for something? If not, I can see wandering being fulfilling in many ways. You'd get to see new places and meet new people, maybe help them along the way, you're not tied down to anything...

I wonder if I'm getting too existential.

What does living life to its fullest even mean? Sh...

2009-08-17T20:03:51.808-05:00

What does living life to its fullest even mean? Should you try and leave the biggest mark you can on the world, cure cancer, write the great American novel, found a company? Should you do very little in the way of the work and just wander like Caine on Kung Fu? If both those are acceptable answers, does splitting the difference also count?

"The problem with supernatural and paranormal conc...

2009-07-08T14:38:00.154-05:00

"The problem with supernatural and paranormal concepts is that, by definition, they’re ideas that have no evidence to back them up. How do I know that ghosts don’t exist? I don’t. How do you know that ghosts do exist? You don’t."

I find that defining terms is hugely, massively, overwhelmingly important in this kind of discussion/debate. For example, I know and can prove unequivocally that ghosts exist. How?

Very simple - at least, it was until a little while ago. When I was a kid, watching analog TV on an old set at about the far limit of the transmitter's range, I would see a second copy of the television show I was watching displaced horizontally by some distance (the distance often depended on weather conditions and other factors.) What was that second image called? A ghost.

This isn't meant as some verbal trickery. Dismissing my point as "mere semantics" (as some do) evades the issue, which *is* semantics.

If we don't actually agree on what the words we're using mean, then it's hard to say just what a phenomenon under discussion "is."

If by ghost you mean "an image of a formerly living person appearing after that person's demise," we're starting to get somewhere. But that definition includes paintings, still visible after the death of the subject(s), the painters, and anyone who ever had any direct connection with the production of the portrait, so the definition probably isn't quite what was meant by the word "ghost."

And so on, and so on. Kicking definitions around enough, we might find that there is no definition that every person in the discussion can agree to - which would make it really difficult to decide whether or not "ghosts" exist, yes?

That sounds like a useful place for the word paranormal to be used, to me; and in fact, that's where I use it.

That's pretty interesting. I suppose you could arg...

2009-06-24T16:05:00.533-05:00

That's pretty interesting. I suppose you could argue that humanity's environmentalism could leave us at a disadvantage to another species that doesn't care about what condition it leaves its home planet in.

I guess that also means that after the galaxy is sufficiently colonized, that'll pretty much be the end of other forms of life evolving intelligence to eventually join or oppose the galactic community.

This is something I haven't really thought about before. I'm going to be rolling this around in my head for weeks now.

I think I also need to read some Heinlein. I've been meaning to for a while, but there are so many books out there. I grew up reading mostly Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, who have much more optimistic views of the future.

I like Heinlen's off the cuff idea that whether or...

2009-06-23T23:42:02.417-05:00

I like Heinlen's off the cuff idea that whether or not your planet's race can make it into space and start colonizing is the galactic survival of the fittest.

You're supposed to trash and expend your original planet gaining the necessary technology to leave it and expand.

Outside of raw resource consumption, the more people the better. It allows for greater specialization and economic/technological/cultural development.

If we can colonize adjactent planets by the time people can live for ever there won't be much of an issue.

Impressive.

2009-06-20T06:30:50.217-05:00

Impressive.

Best post I've read on this subject. Thanks for th...

2009-06-14T22:36:40.454-05:00

Best post I've read on this subject. Thanks for the info and the thoughtful reflection.

I kind of like the imposed character limit. Someti...

2009-06-08T03:47:58.820-05:00

I kind of like the imposed character limit. Sometimes constraints like that can produce interesting content.

A few notes: First, the constant dollar amount is...

2009-06-03T10:17:35.390-05:00

A few notes: First, the constant dollar amount is misleading. During the early 1980's we had a period of inflation reaching 20% per year, so today's dollars are quite different that the dollar that once supported a family for a week.
Second, anyone who's bought a home will tell you that the level of debt depends on the level of income -- how much is available for pay-off. That's why most economists choose to show debt as a percentage of GDP. In these terms we're still slightly below post WWII numbers in these terms.
Applause for recognizing the difference between the deficit (this year's overspending) and the debt (the cumulative of what we owe). Major point that gets glossed over!

Cherry, it's too bad that you're not going to come...

2009-05-27T18:48:32.256-05:00

Cherry, it's too bad that you're not going to come back, because I can't tell you how much I despise the self-satisfied attitude your comment exudes. I'm very willing to hear and discuss criticism, but anyone who's not willing to do the same is basically just a worthless person. But I might as well address your claims anyway, since even though you'll never be back, someone else may read your comments and accidentally treat them like actual thought.

First, you say you're not here to prove me wrong. Just to criticize, apparently. Why not prove me wrong? Please do. If I'm wrong about anything, let me know. I want to know.

It's sad to see you giving faith so much credence as a way of knowing, and scoffing at science as if it can't know anything important. Faith is merely the act of believing something without any evidence, and is a dangerous and worthless method of thought (if it can indeed be called thought). Without demanding evidence for what you believe, you leave yourself open to believe in literally anything. It's not cynical to demand evidence; it's very reasonable.

As for what Dr. Seuss would think, I don't know much about him, though from a quick glance at his Wikipedia page, I can safely say that you don't either. I strongly doubt that he would approve of the kind of vapid gullibility that you're espousing. Imagination and healthy skepticism aren't mutually exclusive by any means. I suggest that you do some more research on him before using this cut-and-paste drive-by commenting method again.

I do admit though, I enjoy seeing that someone is reading my posts, even if they don't agree. I just wish you would bother to engage in an intelligent conversation. Seeing such wanton inanity in a comment like this is like a shark smelling blood in the water: there's injured prey here, and I can't help but attack. It's too bad you're not willing to defend yourself.

Hi, This is the first time I have ever seen your ...

2009-05-26T09:50:52.630-05:00

Hi,

This is the first time I have ever seen your blog. I am not here to prove you wrong -- so feel free to delete my comment if it offends your logic.

This is the first time I have ever read anyone with so little faith. Then again, what is faith? But I'm pretty sure you can find a way to explain faith from some scientific research or journal that has been published out there.

Just a suggestion though, try not to get too close to children please. Nothing can ruin imagination and creativity than a cynic like you. Dr. Seuss would hate someone who hate green eggs and ham to be spreading his thoughts around the world. I suggest you just stick to doing web design.

This comment must have you grinning like the Cheshire cat. You finally got the attention you want from people who believe in the unknown and the unexplainable. Way to go! Have a happy and enjoyable life (I hope). Btw, don't bother responding, I'm not going back to your site.

Here are my gPodder subscriptions: [RSS] The Amat...

2009-05-15T09:26:00.000-05:00

Here are my gPodder subscriptions:

[RSS] The Amateur Scientist Podcast
[RSS] American Freethought
[RSS] Apologia
[RSS] The Atheist Experience
[RSS] Atheists Talk
[RSS] The Bike Show
[RSS] the bikescape podcast
[RSS] Boston Atheists Report
[RSS] Chariots of Iron
[RSS] Conversations from the Pale Blue Dot
[RSS] Digital Bits Skeptic
[RSS] Dogma Free America
[RSS] Escape Pod
[RSS] Freedomain Radio! Volume 4: Shows 898+
[RSS] Freethought Radio
[RSS] The Fresh Ubuntu Podcast
[RSS] Geologic Podcast
[RSS] Humanist Network News
[RSS] Hunting Humbug 101
[RSS] The Linux Action Show! MP3
[RSS] The Non-Prophets
[RSS] Nonsense Podcast
[RSS] Path of Reason PODCASTS
[RSS] Point of Inquiry
[RSS] The Positive Mind with Armand DiMele (Psychology)
[RSS] Pseudopod
[RSS] QuackCast
[RSS] Reasonable Doubts Podcast
[RSS] Secular Nation Podcast
[RSS] Skepchick Podcast
[RSS] Skeptech
[RSS] The Skeptic Zone
[RSS] Skepticality - Science and Revolutionary Ideas
[RSS] The Skeptics' Guide 5X5
[RSS] The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
[RSS] Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
[RSS] Stuff You Should Know
[RSS] Sydney Atheists
[RSS] Young Australian Skeptics Podcast

OMS, those PETA people are such f'in liars. None ...

2009-04-26T17:48:00.000-05:00

OMS, those PETA people are such f'in liars. None of this surprises me, but thanks for posting it, what a read!