MMM - Mind, Mass, Magic

Some authors make huge impact in the society by sharing virtue of knowledge through art of writing. Dan Brown – acclaimed thriller fiction novelist who shook the roots of Christianity with “Da Vinci Code”, embodies guts and gift in mixing the right dose of religion, science, history and mystery in his work. “Noetic Science” – subject known only to fraternity existed in research and scientific field, is now in every common man’s lips. This is one of the most googled topics post the release of Mr. Brown’s latest work “The Lost Symbol”. I am not here to pen down how Lost Symbol coerced to modify my perception on mind, mass and GOD. I am here to tap my temple (that’s what Mr. Brown refers to one’s mind) and pour my thoughts on some similarities noted in Dan Brown’s writing and Derren Brown’s: How to win lottery.

            As stupid as this sound, let us stop judging my comparison for now and move on to renowned British illusionist Derren Brown, who made a startling prediction of lottery numbers in September 2009, worth generous few millions. Also Channel 4 aired a show of the acclaimed pysco-trickery illustrating how exactly he came with those six magical numbers worth a fortune. The demonstration was pretty interesting yet funny.

            Derren assembled 24 selfless people who truly believed in his methods and never wanted any share from the lottery winnings. Noble attempt!! He asked them collectively to focus on their ultimate goal of predicting the numbers and called for to relax and draw six numbers with closed eyes taking their own time, using pencil and paper. He later took the first number from each person, added them together and divided the sum by 24. He declared that as the first predicted number of the set of six. Similarly he continued the effort to forecast the rest of the five numbers from their collective endeavour. There were mixed reactions when those six numbers actually won the prize. Many reckon that his prediction stint was a split camera trick and most refused to buy his explanation in channel 4 program. Cannot blame the viewers; it was really funny to see 24 people, locked in a room with closed eyes, scribbling something on a paper (I and my hubby left no stone unturned in mocking the same like a zombie). However there was one powerful paradigm he delivered through the exemplification - “Collective thoughts can influence an outcome”.

            Prayers are held in churches, mosques and temples, in groups, for a reason - collective focused thoughts to influence the happenings around. To my astonishment my current reading, Dan Brown’s Lost Symbol also focuses on the power of human thoughts with convincing explanation. So, Do human thoughts really have mass? Do human mind have real power to modify the particles around us, physically? These are the million dollar questions may be noetic science experiments are trying to address. It is so strange that these theories, though tough to be believed, have been in existence for hundreds of years. Meditation and Yoga vouches that human mind can be controlled by self. Hypnotherapy again suggests mind can be controlled and made to communicate in a more relaxed environment. Telekinesis on the other hand trying hard to prove its existence, believes that human mind can control physical objects around. Isn’t that called MAGIC? Even though numerous “so-called” video evidences prevail in World Wide Web, they are tough to be accepted as most of them are hoax uploads in youtube. However, there are serious minds working round the clock to prove the power of mind scientifically, with strong supporting evidences.

            Science or myth, Mass or Magic; it is sure lots is expected from fields like Noetic Sciences, in near future, in understanding human brain and its powers.

Open Sesame!!!! 

Copyright © Sivi 23-Oct-2009

Mission of H's and O's

“Chandrayaan Mission a complete success” – ISRO at last have had an opportunity to boast on their hard work and acumen, in the field of science and become cynosure for all eyes in this world. When most smart Indian brains are lend to NASA, some back in ISRO today proved that they are not rusty either. It is a historic moment for India with the help of American Instrument; and an orgranisation like ISRO thoroughly deserves this recognition. Once aspired to work in ISRO, if pursued successfully i would have felt hundred times jubilant today. Following this huge breakthrough, there was a discussion in Orkut community highlighting the cost such missions demand. It further went on to say “the finance used in such missions are a waste and need to be channelled to improve the life of the mediocre living in the country”. When my left eye evoked acid on the insensibility and failing to appreciate a landmark achievement, my right eye was hit by the chord of reality it struck with. 

Incandescent memories of those days surfaced, where in late eighties and early nineties when I was still schooling. My parents rented a place just outside the city limits nearby my school and dad’s office. Water Scarcity was at its prime form in southern parts of India then and the dry well in home compound was our voluble witness. Every night between 8 and 10 p.m. the water pump at the end of the street, 5 minutes away from our home, used to give boon of corporation water. All 50+ families in that street depend on those coveted 2 hours to push the next 22 hours of our lives with H2O. We would try filling almost all big vessel containers inside our home with huge thirst, within this span hitting multiple trips to the end of the road returning with PRECIOUS water filled buckets. Well! Those were simple days. After circa 20 years when I visited the town few months ago, I saw lots changed. New roads, mobile maniac, web world wide and better water access facilities – still not the best though. As lovely as it sounds, still people below poverty dwell in streets. Water scarcity is flooded everywhere not only in India but also in the rest of the world. The million dollar question now is should these problems stop a country from making scientific progress and making her mark in history? NO!!!

Current exponential explosion in technology is achieved after spending many billions and trillions of dollars all over the world towards scientific innovations. The good news is, in theory, a portion of the currency earned by some millionaires and billionaires are reaching poor and needy through charity organisations. 

Coming back to where we started, there is a now a section of perplexed scientific community raking their brains on how water got to the surface of moon. ISRO with bolstered confidence believes this as the naughtiness of water possessed asteroids and meteors crashing onto the moon. Hey, since 1969 there were numerous missions to moon from our planet and who knows how many of those guys spilled some H’s and O’s in those aeonian visits contaminating the flawless Moon?

The irony here is some people believe that it may not actually be water on moon’s surface. From Rain water harvesting we have rapidly moved to a topic called Moon water harvesting even before confirming what we found is water (H2O) or hydroxyl (OH). It is believed that the so-called water particles on moon can be harvested for future Mars missions. Chandrayaan II is getting equipped with Russian Rover to dig lunar soil.
 

It is time for me to sign off with adage “Big bad time for Moon has just begun”.

Copyright © Sivi 02-Oct-2009