Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Brain Chemistry

Imagine a large jar. In it, water. In the water a video camera, a cord, and a video monitor. Put red in the water, the camera sees things tainted red. Blue dye gives a blue picture. If the water is salty, it corrodes the cable and the signal gets all sporadic. Run a blender near the cable and it picks up the interference.

Our brains are not much different. Subject to the "dyes" of neurotransmitters in our brains and the chemicals we ingest (caffeine, alcohol, various food impacts). Stress can affect the transmissions. Activity (concepts, thoughts) in one part of the brain can affect the chemistry bathing another.

We use this tenuous system to "perceive reality". We really never have a chance of seeing it as it is. We can come to accept we are limited by this thought/sense system and that the real world is beyond direct perception, but I don't think we can ever perceive it as it is. Heck, because of the finite speed of light, at best we can perceive it as it was a few billionths of a second ago.

Trapped forever in this jail of faulty perception? We are the jail.

5 comments:

Harry said...

"We use this tenuous system to "perceive reality". We really never have a chance of seeing it as it is. We can come to accept we are limited by this thought/sense system and that the real world is beyond direct perception, but I don't think we can ever perceive it as it is. Heck, because of the finite speed of light, at best we can perceive it as it was a few billionths of a second ago."

Hi Lauren.

Our faulty perception is itself a part of reality... how could it really be seperate, and how do we seem to make it seperate?

Is reality just subjective or objective? Seems like such a one-sided view might slice our reality in half.

Considering our faulty perception a jail or a hindrance (...as opposed to some imagined 'freedom'...?) is another matter which doesn't seem very helpful if we want to know it as it actually is.

Regards,

Harry.

Lauren said...

Hi Harry,

"Our faulty perception is itself a part of reality... how could it really be separate, and how do we seem to make it separate?"

I agree. I've only taken half a step and already run into a brick wall. I was puzzling more over this on the way home today.

I started "imagine a jar" - a concept (an object of mind) trying to wrap up the concept of a jail. This is a tightly clenched fist instead of and opening of the hand of thought.

I should yield to your mantra, "no hindrance"

Uku said...

Hi Lauren,

nice post!

You wrote: Trapped forever in this jail of faulty perception? We are the jail.

I agree, we are the jail. Reality is just as it is but our deluded minds are making it as something else, sometimes happy, sometimes sad. Still, it is the same reality although we all see it a little bit of different way. And that's where zazen and the wholehearted practice (helping others and self) can help.

I was very happy to discover that Nishijima Roshi's explanation about the autonomic nervous system and the balance of SNS and PNS is highly noted also in martial arts; well, at least in Finland. One of my fellow practitioner showed me on article in Finnish budo magazine where writer explained the balance of ANS and how it effect on us and how it can help martial arts practitioners. Article wasn't any related to Buddhism, Zazen, Zen or Nishijima Roshi but it was written inside of martial arts context so it had nothing to do with Buddhism or Nishijima Roshi. I have always loved and respected Roshi's theory because it is so simple and it seems so accurate in scientific context also. The middle way with scientific terms. Brilliant! But yeah, I am heretic, I know.

Take care, man!

Harry said...

Hi Lauren,

"I started "imagine a jar" - a concept (an object of mind) trying to wrap up the concept of a jail. This is a tightly clenched fist instead of and opening of the hand of thought."

Yes, we really can't think it, but we can non-think it (letting thoughts go, 'opening the hand of thought' etc)... that's how we can grasp it with our whole body and mind: A sort of 'grasp' that we mightn't be so used to maybe.

In this way we can allow both 'hidrance' and 'no hindrance' to come and go as grist for the mill.

We have to think too of course. I think practicing zazen is to develop something that informs our reaction to our thinking, and our whole life, regardless of what we are doing. Buddhism calls this 'prajna' as I'm sure you know.

I worry about Buddhist teachings that present thinking as some sort of problem... this is making a problem. Our thinking itself is not the problem when we leave them alone.

All our efforts are going the right direction, even if it doesn't seem so at the moment! I'm developing great faith in our ability to make mistakes. :-)

Regards,

Harry.

Lauren said...

Harry & Uku, "deep bows" for your help and ideas.