Meats - Which, and Where from?

Meat - General and Specific

One of my interests is diet and its effect on health. The practical effect on my eating patterns of much net research is stated in brief:

1. Moderate protien in as close to natural state as possible.
2. Eat moderate to smaller amounts of food.
3. Eat lots of vegetables and plant matter.
4. Go easy on any dense carb foods, including sugars.
5. Avoid the bad forms of fats - all the highly processed vegetable oils and trans fats. Allow moderate fats from range feeding animals but avoid the meat and dairy of grain-fed fatted animals. Use olive oil and butter for oil needs. Use olive oil copiously. Nuts are good.

There are more things I follow, in particular supplemental vitamins.

Anyway, yet another report from the US talking of a supposed link between red meat and breast cancer. I am not questioning the research, but it is important with research of meats and fats to NOT generalise. There are too many major specific differences within these categories of food to accept outcomes of research and make general statements about these foods in everyone's diet, particularly when comparing with the unique American diet. Here's why.

1. Much beef in US markets is grain fed. This produces a very irregular imbalance of significant sub categories of fats, the Omega 3/6 ratio. In range fed beef that ratio is around 4/1, in grain fed it is 20/1 and greater. The fats are distinctly different in overall bodily effect. The high ratio one has deleterious effects on health.

2. Processed meat and fresh beef are distinct in effects on health. A failure to distinguish relative amounts of these in any research into meat wiil lead to a generalising error.

3. In some societies processed meat is eaten much more. The US is one of them.

So, the many other inconclusive research attempts to find a relationship between meat and cancer are not necessarily invalidated at all. But the research may well be saying something about specific types of meat and their place in an Americanised diet.

Being Negatively Wise

Positively, A Negative View

In many "wisdom" writings seeming paradoxes abound. Polar concepts are merged, or one pole seen as a necessary aspect of the definition of the other. One of these infinite polarities is the basic one of the positive and the negative. In my life at present there is much that is what one would usually refer to as negative. People I love, family and friends, have received serious life threatening or health impacting diagnoses, four in all, in the last few months. On the wider front, it appears my growing inner unease about the state of the planet politically, socially and environmentally, is being unfortunately borne out. Things don't look good at all. Quite negative, with numerous almost insurmountable problems emerging, greatly fuelled by a seemingly uncontrollable human population explosion.

Some of my refelctions:

1. Creation and destruction, illness and health, violence and peace, ignorance and wisdom are all, utterly and totally contained in The One Reality.

2. All is endless change, whether on a microbial level or at the level of superclusters of a myriad galaxies. When something new is created, something else is necessarily destroyed. As each moment passes in death, a new moment arises in life. Ultimately nothing is a permanent, independent thing in itself. All is interwoven. Many sages, preeminently the great Buddha, have reminded us of this. To expect otherwise is unnecessary mind-created pain.

3. This total view of life accredits all and denies nothing. The validity of grief is equal to the validity of joy. To know joy, the capacity to experience grief arises at the same time. To sob at the loss of species upon species or the loss of a friend, is as real as the joy of a splendid sunset, ironically enhanced by the increasing pollution.

4. Every emotion is part of this All too. To rail at the stupid madness of destroying the forests that produce clean air and reduce the CO2 happens to those that see it, and is neither right nor wrong, more enlightened or less. Seeing clearly is not to do with the tranquil emotions of the mountain view alone, but also in the turbulent. Awareness and acceptance (not the do nothing sort), gives clarity to any action. To be clear, one must know the turbulent, look at it, experience it, not to deny human emotional realities but to look them fully in the face. Awakeness without aversion or clinging, - to anything. This makes us actually more effective, avoiding the unseen perils of denial.


In sum, It looks like we should try not to deny anything that is negative nor hate it. Look it fully in the face. This is the negative that is happening in my life and those about me now. A time of illness, possible death, even disaster. I am not being asked to enjoy it, nor not feel grief or unhappiness. These negatives too are to be fully recieved. We are not to float unrealistically or without compassion on some thought-divorced cloud. In awareness and full awakeness is our fullest response to life.


Awareness is increased by times of quiet reflection, times of withdrawal. This, in our frenetic world, we do not practice enough. And with increased awareness, our way, while we walk the negative, the nighttimes of our lives, will become clearer. We may be more effective in our actions, less swayed by emotional turbulence, but not without compassion.

...If you want it (The Way) to appear
Be neither for nor against.
For and against, opposing each other,
This is the mind's disease."

Seng Ts'an
Zen Patriarch ca 600 c.e.

Indicator: Now My Fuzzy Reality

Decision: Indicators Within Too.

I do not indicate a site this post. I am sensing another shift for this blog. I feel my journeying changing, having explored much and shared much. A sort of condensing and clarifying has been happening in me. The blog has included much in its scope. Dietary matters. Physics. Climate. Eastern Philosophy, Mysticism. A change of emphasis is what I see, not a desertion from the former way of indication. Sometimes an indication as before, but now more indications from within.

Indicators happen. They float or bang into your life, your way, and notice is taken. Change itself indicates. Subtle or massive, a grab of our focus, our attention. In the Quantum, attention, focus, observation, intention steers the way. Or The Way steers through it. We can ignore an indication, freedom remains. Or we can follow it with that same freedom.

Utter freedom without structure is chaos.
Excess structure kills freedom.
In Zen, in Tao, it is
the inexpressible, infinite, indispensable paradox,
named most simply as the Way.
Call it the Quantum or the Great,
God or Buddha Nature, The Realm of Spirit or The Void.
How we love structuring the unstructurable!
To work it out. The needful never-ending quest, leading on and on....
As an old master said when asked about meaning:
"If there was meaning, who could be liberated?"

How freeing it is to give up this one-sided obsession,
to float with the Chaos, The Chance, The Ever-Changing ,
which is but the other view of
The Same.

Too rigid, too free,
safe or exciting at least,
but are we where life is best?
Free enough, and structured sort of,
and the Indicators are seen and read,
which is most helpful.
The following, the choice, is, as always, up to us,
whoever, whatever we are,
or how we choose to indicate
our life within the Life.

Climate Modelling

A Projected Climate Model (U.S.)

Found this site on some climate research predictions. It is notable the model follows closely the current trends of last century. Technically informative. I f anywhere accurate, things are looking grim, even with the highest implemented present action, which by all appearances is unlikely. I get very pessimistic in mood with stuff like this.

Yoga One

Yoga.org.nz

This site I found while looking at yoga benefits. It is an impressive beginning point for anyone interested. As well, a fine free yoga training DVD download is offered, with a small but unrequired request to spread the message. The site is so good that it wasn't hard to do. Well worth a check out.

Slow this sugar!

Sugar is sweet, but too much is just too much, particualrly this sweet sounding one.
I have real difficulty with my own sweet tooth but I won't deny the evidence coming out.
Sugar addiction is real. I haven't got it bad but when I try to really kick the stuff, its hard.
Body and taste adjustments are a bumpy ride for a week or so, and sweet is so comforting. Oh well , keep at it!

Qi and other Stuff

Esalen Centre

This article on the subject of Qi was found on the site for the Esalen Centre for Theory and Research. The quality of the contributions on this site, on various "esoteric" subjects such as Qi, would provide good fruit for those interested.

A Quantum Summary

Our Wierd Quantum World

This article is a lengthy but comprehensive account of the numerous scientific experiments uncovering quantum wierdness, along with the various attempts at interpretation.

The Primacy of Consciousness

The First Basic Essence of Existence

This page gave to me a clear statement of the understanding based in both historical wisdom literature and in modern Western science, that consciousness underlies all. Like most who have been born into a materialistic scientific world, and with the same experience of others of hitting something and getting hurt, the concept that we are in a sense deluded about the "real" nature of things, is still hard to accept, despite my blog explorings. But this article explained really well how it might be understood, from a basis of rationality. And if its true, its amazing, as the writer says. I had one of those "flashes" with this article. You know, seeing it, not thinking about it. I think I've been gestalted! I am going to have to meditate a bit more, I can see that.
And I had to share with you too. This is what the core of being is about. If we are mistaken, "deluded" about the core of what existence is, it subtly effects our whole way of being and how we understand the Great Drama we find ourselves in. Until we get the hub of the wheel centred,
the rest of the wheel will wobble most uncomfortably.

Exploring the Zero Point Field (1)

Light and the Zero Point Field
One Way of conceptualising "God"

This "field" is basic to quantum physics. Its properties and implications are beyond our logical conception, and confronts classical physics with an emerging paradigm shift. Science is being dragged, kicking and yelling by the increasing verification and use of the conceptually bizarre quantum foundations of existence.

Here is the first two of my finds. The properties of this quantum realm seem to fit whatever label we want give it, including "God". With its myriad historical and literary connotations, I believe the term "God" limits conception rather than helps. It is as useable a term however as Tao or Brahman providing we acknowledge "He/She/Its" ultimate indefinability, including the personal/impersonal polarity. Fittingly, in this "dimension" It is both and neither! How very zen.

Mahareshi Mahesh Mash

Mmmmmm?

When exploring matters esoteric, I have encountered much Guru stuff. There are fine genuine teachers, but I am wary of the strong Guru type approach as I have seen it abused and misused.
I have looked at Transcendental Meditataion, and purchased literature about it. But something didn't sit right. It was all a little too easy and prescibed. The use of a "special" mantra only to be given by "specially trained instructors", left a wide door for financial renumeration.

I once attended a local Buddhist home based cell. The local Buddhist "teacher" was receiving a little too much adulation and ran his group using strong suggestion and somewhat personal pressure that didn't ring with a genuine Buddhist gong. The was too much "self" for a no-self Buddhist tradition.

The site above is informative and fits with my concerns. It as a good warning of the subtleties of suggestion in matters spiritual, and the need for discrimination. It would seem to me that genuine insight as to the nature and experience of the Real would have no tag of any sort, other than a reflective sincere seeking.

An old but true saying - "All that glitters is not gold." A good friend of mine bemoans these days that he regrets dismissing all the "cliches" in his past. They were cliches by the very fact that they were so often true!

Dao De Jing Chapter One

This ancient Chinese text is sublime.
I offer here, along with many others before me, my own interpretation/translation,
with the aid of the resources of the Bradford Hatcher site ("I Ching and I", July 10 post).

Dao De Jing
Chapter 1

A way that is described
is not the eternal way.
A name that is spoken
is not the eternal name.

Nameless is the origin
of heaven and earth.

Naming is the mother of

a myriad things.

Thus,
remaining without desire,
subtleness is perceived,
Holding to desire,
form is perceived.

Both are the same emerging,
while differing in distinction.
Their sameness
speaks of the mystery,
a mystery leading to
yet greater mysteries,
the gateway of a myriad wonders.

**************

The Mystery of Matter

The Mystery of Matter

This section was found in a site centering on Christian mysticism. The section is a fine piece of explanatory and exploratory writing, on the theme of quantum physics and its implications as to the nature of physical reality. I came upon it accidently, not looking particualrly for the Christian theme. This site seems to try to "unbury" some Christian viewpoints from scriptural and ecclessiastical dogmatism that is holding back huge sections of the Christian church from experiencing a living symbolic (as against literalist) faith, in the light of modern scientific discoveries. (Just a personal comment...the section itself keeps close to science and its mystical implications..)

The Core of Buddhist Philosophy

The Logic of Emptiness

Thomas McFarlane gives here an excellent account of the distinguishing core Buddhist concept of "sunyata" (voidness, emptiness), from the writings of Nagarjuna. As I read it, my mind turned repeatedly to the co-relative findings of quantum science, in which the ultimate nature of reality is unable to be finally fully described. The physicists have also the problem described by Nagarjuna, that if reality is reduced to particle-like matter alone, with so-called inherent seperate existence, we are left with the question of whence "mind" and the correlated wave-like nature within "matter"? And if we see "mind" as all, then what of the undeniable "hard", seemingly seperate, experience of "matter"? The paradoxes abound. Nagarjuna would give the reductionists a good run for their money today!
Apart from the likely modern scientific connection, the Buddhist understandings of wisdom, ignorance, compassion and release of suffering are all related to this core concept, so well explained here.

The Nagual and The Tonal

The Toltec Handle on The Mystery.

This site is worth the exploring of its divergent linking. There is a fine article in the blog section on the role of intent as seen both from a quantum perspective and the Toltec way. Lots of other stimulating matter too for the interested.

The Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching Translation

This is a fine presentation of the Chinese classic Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing.
It is by Stan Rosenthal. There are many translations of this ancient Chinese book of philosophy and wisdom. It is full of thought provoking paradoxes that cause a helpful questioning of unexamined Western presumptions.

The Wave/Particle That Is Us.

The Core Quantum Experiments Explained.

This page has one of the clearest explanation of the simple but core quantum experiments that changed our view of "reality". It also shows the alignment of quantum theoretical understandings with principle Buddhist concepts about the ultimate nature of "reality". While it explains the experiments and their outcome, their philosophical meaning and interpretation are a challenge to all who encounter them. The experiments and their strange inexplicable results do have quite a "zen" flavour about them, don't you think?

The I Ching and I

The Bradford Hatcher I Ching

This site contains much resource material for those interested in the Classic of China, the I Ching and its translation. It also has one of the finest and most scholarly translations of it, with gratitude to Bradford Hatcher. The I Ching is more lately referred to as the Yi Jing. A common translation of the title is "The Classic of Change".

There are those who see this book as little more than a pre-modern superstitious book of fortune telling, based on readings established by various methods of random chance, a main one being the throwing of coins. This somewhat unlearned attitude is in sharp contrast to its almost supreme place in Chinese history and philosophy, even to this day. Beyond philosophy, it contains a subtle but effective approach to human psychology both in content and in its use. Its use at a mundane level is indeed a form of productive lateral thinking, evoked by its very randomness. The great Confucius extolled it. C. G. Jung, the emminent psychologist studied it and wrote the foreword to the almost canonical Richard Wilhelm translation. (I regard Hatcher's translation a modern standard of equivalent importance and status.)

There is much more to this great classic. Much much more. There are sites of the simple fortune telling kind (but not without value) and there are the others. Seek and you shall find.

Multifactor Climate Warming

A Climate Overview

To follow on my recent post, this site draws out some of the relationships between CO2 and water vapor. The simpler you'd like it to be, the more complex it gets. However, the short story is that, while water vapor's direct influence is far greater in comparison to CO2 (and other greenhouse gases), the actual warming effect is magnified by CO2's interaction with water vapor. More water vapor, more CO2, more magnification. Seems these gases are an increasing significant part of the problem, one that has now become undeniable.

Vapor and Climate Change

Water Vapor Top of the List
This site made me re-examine some assumptions on climate change. It makes a cogent argument about the role of water vapor in climate warming and its relative significance, which is predominant. It is a factor overlooked or dismissed by environmental activists. If taken seriously it would put the role manmade gases play in a quite different relative perspective. Well worth a read.

The Golden Mean

The Golden Mean
Nature is full of it. It is in our DNA and in our body dimensions. It is in classic art. To me it is just another indicator of the action of Tao or the Universal Mind expressing its ever quest for harmonic resonance. All and part, part and part, humming along together. That's the idea anyway, behind all the creation and destruction. When it appears in full, take in the magic.
This site is a great intro to the Golden Mean, with some good follow-up links.

Capra's Door

Fritjof Capra Philosophy Entrance

"The Tao of Physics" by Fritjof Capra opened the door for many to the philosophical significances of the quantum discoveries that turned physics into turmoil. I found this site to be a clear and helpful entrance to the man and his thought. It also has many other philosophical links.

Consciousness from the very Beginning?

Brain interface With Quantum Level

Here is a succinct statement of the possible quantum bases in the nature of consciousness. Something similar to crude thought is apparent in a state of matter known as a Bose Einstein condensate. Such a state is normally found in super fluidity and related to extreme temperatures. But it is established that this state can exist at biologocal temperatures in certain micro structures of the neurons of our brains. In this state a holistic merging occurs, leading to possible explanations for the unitary nature of consciousness.

The article explains it further and better for those interested. It points to the possibility of a basic consciousness operating at the very dawn of biological evolution and possibly a major explanation for mysterious "jumps" in evolutionary and unitary biological behaviour in all categories of life. The word "condensate" refers to a property of coalescing, or merging of matter properties in certain circumstances, leading to a unitary response.

As Good As It Gets

The Words of "Wei Wu Wei"

Collected from various of this person’s writings, who sought anonymity as author. The source of these quotes, which I have assembled, is http://www.weiwuwei.8k.com/index.html

His writing is occasionally heavy in expression for today, but his "pointing at the moon", in the English language, is done as clear as one can do.

Of himself, Wei Wu Wei once said,

"The writer of these lines has nothing whatsoever to teach anyone; his words are just his contribution to our common discussion of what must inevitably be for us the most important subject which could be discussed by sentient beings."

************

There is no becoming. ALL IS.
*
We ourselves are not an illusory part of Reality; rather are we Reality itself illusorily conceived.
*
Wise men don't judge: they seek to understand.
*
Living should be perpetual and universal benediction.
*
Doctrines, scriptures, sutras, essays, are not to be regarded as systems to be followed. They merely contribute to understanding. They should be for us a source of stimulation, and nothing more... Adopted, rather than used as a stimulus, they are a hindrance.
*

When you give a shilling to a beggar- do you realise that you are giving it to yourself?

When you help a lame dog over a stile- do you realise that you yourself are being helped?

When you kick a man when he is down- do you realise that you are kicking yourself?

Give him another kick - if you deserve it!
*
Reality alone exists - and that we are. All the rest is only a dream, a dream of the One Mind, which is our mind without the 'our'. Is it so hard to accept? Is it so difficult to assimilate and to live?
*
Past and Future are a duality of which Present is the reality.

The now-moment alone is eternal and real.
*
Spontaneity is being present in the present.

Spontaneity by-passes the processes of the conceptual (aspect of) mind.

Reintegration with Nature, which we are, is the recovery of spontaneity.
*

All the evil in the world, and all the unhappiness, comes from the I-concept.

*
The Void is not of the nature of a black abyss or a bottomless pit.

Rather is its nature 'vast and expansive like space itself'.

It is apprehended as 'serene, marvellous, all-pure, brilliant and all-inclusive'.

Above all does it partake of the nature of light.

And it is not anything. For Void is Mind Itself, and Mind Itself is Void.
*
It is less what one is that should matter, than what one is not.
*
Let us live gladly! Quite certainly we are free to do it. Perhaps it is our only freedom, but ours it is, and it is only phenomenally a freedom. 'Living free' is being 'as one is'. Can we not do it now? Indeed can we not-do-it? It is not even a 'doing': it is beyond doing and not-doing.

It is being as-we-are.

This is the only 'practice'.

*
There is no mystery whatever - only inability to perceive the obvious.

*
The practice of meditation is represented by the three monkeys,who cover their eyes, ears and mouths so as to avoid the phenomenal world.

The practice of non-meditation is ceasing to be the see-er, hearer or speaker while eyes, ears and mouths are fulfilling their function in daily life.

*

***********

Thought Physics

Indicator:Consciousness in the Quantum Age
Full lecture notes from a course looking at the human consciousness implications of quantum science in the new millenium. The lecturers are significant contributors in the field. This is leading edge stuff in current science. A great source for those interested in this topic. Some of it is "heavy" but if you skip along, you can get a good outline of the important aspects that impinge now, not only on understanding consciousness and the nature of "reality", but also the almost science fiction type stuff emerging in computing, artificial intelligence and new approaches to medicine. The technological advances arising out of this field are coming so fast its hard to keep up with them. I wonder if history will tag this emerging period as "the Quantum Age".

Da Vinci Decision

Indicator: Da Vinci Museum

I have decided to rename my site "Da Vinci Indicator" in honour of one of the great creative minds (and hearts) of the Renaissance. I want to acknowledge also the enormous contribution the Italian people have made throughout history in so many fields. I am a committed Italophile.
The well constructed Italian site (in English) is of the museum of his birthplace and one of those that enable "virtual" travel via the Internet.

Raindance, Anyone?

Indicator: Mind before Matter?
This interview explains some of the fascinating paradoxes and questions coming out of the "new science". There are many good articles around these sort of topics here. TWM stands for "Traditional Weather Modification", examining the phenomena (real or otherwise) of native traditions that seek to influence weather. Hence the nature of the articles, which are tackled quite seriously.
The Houdini "event" referred to in the interview leaves one guessing.
Something is happening but what? I think roughly along the lines of "Mindstuff" (of which we are a part), with abiding infinitely complex resonances within the 'quantum matrix'(Bohm's implicate order), transcendant to time and space and accessable in some ways or circumstances. Science is reaching a definite edge here.

The "Oil" on Fats

Indicator: The Oiling of America

This leads to a long article in four parts by an expert in lipid bio-chemistry.
The story of corporate shenaningans is very informative, but you can skip it if desired. Otherwise, Mary Enig gives a lot of well-researched facts on dietary fats. It is a basic source document if you want to be well-informed about the dietary debate.

The Machine that is Us.

Indicator:The Evolving Machine

This news item made me think about machine "intelligence" seriously for the first time. I always dismissed the concept, believing the subtleties of human thought and emotion could never be programmed. I will now add the word "totally" to that belief. But partial and highly effective copies and extensions of ourselves in machines are now in existence. AI (Artificial Intelligence) is no longer science fiction. The part we probably cannot ever program is such a subtlety as a conscience. If we could, whose conscience, yours, mine, or the Pentagon's?

In the article I was persuaded that human decision making has already been taken over by a "machine", with the example quoted of market buy/sell decisions. Just another little thing to mull over - the real possibility of machines getting beyond us in a sense, making themselves, as they already are, indispensable. And making decisions that we simply are too slow to make, such as where do I fire that missile and who is the enemy! The deadly missile (a machine in itself) will be fired without any emotion. Chilly in here.

Rude Awakening

Indicator:Dazzling Dark

This man of science testifies to an experience he wasn't seeking nor believed in.
There are others who have reported this. Reasons for an " awakening experience" like this are not known. It has all the marks of a "quantum" event; unpredicatable "jumps" in reality without known precursors. But perhaps, like Bohm suggests, implicate causes may exist but are not yet knowable, if ever they will be.