Mind Body and Spirit?

[Restless Oblivion]

As per Rev's suggestion, here's an offshoot from the Addiction debate:

Are we all physical? Psychological? or is there another dimension to our existance - the spiritual, or transpersonal?

Rev, feel free to alter the topic if this is not what you meant

[jynxxxedangel]

In my opinion, it all boils down to that elusive, mysterious electrical energy which causes our hearts to beat, and our synapses to fire. A spark of the Divine, perhaps?

[phee]

I see no reason to separate them.... we are what we are....

And we are made up of so much more then those three cover....

(Not so sure about the spirit element though... the more I see te less I believe in it)

[Rev.Reverence]

As per Rev's suggestion, here's an offshoot from the Addiction debate:

Are we all physical? Psychological? or is there another dimension to our existance - the spiritual, or transpersonal?

Rev, feel free to alter the topic if this is not what you meant

It is perfect!

I need a moment to formulate my words...(& do some dishes)..

..Topic may deviate a degree or so...but these deviations, I find are pertinent.

...see ya's soon...

[torn asunder]

will def. try to get back to this topic in the next night or so!

[Msterbeau]

As per Rev's suggestion, here's an offshoot from the Addiction debate:

Are we all physical? Psychological? or is there another dimension to our existance - the spiritual, or transpersonal?

Rev, feel free to alter the topic if this is not what you meant

I'm a firm believer in looking at things holistically. So in this case, I think all the elements that make up a person have significance. You can't take one element away and not fundamentally change the overall aspect of who they are. And, I think that we are a complex mix of different parts, Physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, etc.

[peelingchrome]

I'm a firm believer in looking at things holistically. So in this case, I think all the elements that make up a person have significance. You can't take one element away and not fundamentally change the overall aspect of who they are.

I agree wholeheartedly! I couldn't have said it better myself.

And, I think that we are a complex mix of different parts, Physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, etc.

Funny, that's the 4 basic points I use to evaluate the compatability of a potential mate...

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Down to the meat of the matter...

We are.

A vastly complex chemical machine. As much as we know about what we are and how we work; We don't know very damn much.

Something that isn't talked about in great detail that I think is of all import, is memory. If you watch a Discovery Channel documentery on the human brain, they may talk about how certain areas of the brain are used for memory, but they don't say what it really does. If you read deeply into the subject you will find that we know those areas "do something" in regards to memory, but we don't know what. Others they will say are for short term memory storage. We can't figure out where long term memorys are stored. We don't have the slightest clue as to how and where the brain stores long term memorys.

Then there are the Kirlian auras.

And our Electro-magnetic field.

And the Pineal gland.

and so much more...

We are.

[Scales]

"Spirit" is something I see more as emotional outlook tied-in with the relationship between mind and body. I wouldn't mind being contradicted if I croak though.

[Restless Oblivion]

I thought I better respond to my own topic after disappearing for the weekend lol

As you have probably guessed from my other postings I believe that we are a lot more than just our phisiological body. So yes I agree with what a lot of you have already said - we are very complex and need to consider ourselves holistically.

I would say that we are three main elements - physical (which includes the brain), spirit, and mind. The 'mind' acts as a communicator between the physical and spiritual. I am still uncertain how best to describe the mind, because i'm still not sure through my readings whether it should be an element separate to the other two - but then at the same time I feel there is a distinct gap between the physical and the spiritual bodies and I sense the mind is like a glue between the two.

I guess the best way of looking at it is in terms of consciousness and unconsciousness (or subconsciousness?) - mind element functioning at the physical level creates consciousness, and mind element functioning at the spirit level is the subconsciousness.

[Shade Everdark]

Though I am not, myself, a scientist by trade, I tend to be strictly empirical in my approach to life, especially in my approach to things metaphysical.

Therefore, I don't believe in the existence of a spirit. If you can prove it exists, great, I'll reexamine my outlook. Until then, we're just self-aware animals, in my book.

[Msterbeau]

Though I am not, myself, a scientist by trade, I tend to be strictly empirical in my approach to life, especially in my approach to things metaphysical.

Therefore, I don't believe in the existence of a spirit. If you can prove it exists, great, I'll reexamine my outlook. Until then, we're just self-aware animals, in my book.

I don't think we'll ever find it. "Spirit" in my book are the intangible qualities that we all possess... the combination of which defines who each of us is. But I think it exists. We may all define it a little differently , though.

[Shade Everdark]

I don't think we'll ever find it. "Spirit" in my book are the intangible qualities that we all possess... the combination of which defines who each of us is. But I think it exists. We may all define it a little differently , though.

In that case, it would require faith...something which I do not have in abundance.

[Msterbeau]

In that case, it would require faith...something which I do not have in abundance.

I'm going to take that stick you have in the mud and use it to smack you silly....

[Shade Everdark]

I'm going to take that stick you have in the mud and use it to smack you silly....

I'm just callin' it as I see it, my friend.

Can I help if all of you are hopelessly superstitious?

[hunhee]

Though I am not, myself, a scientist by trade, I tend to be strictly empirical in my approach to life, especially in my approach to things metaphysical.

Therefore, I don't believe in the existence of a spirit. If you can prove it exists, great, I'll reexamine my outlook. Until then, we're just self-aware animals, in my book.

As much as the dreamy more idealistic self would like to believe that we are more than just flesh and bone, I've gotta wholly agree with Shade on this one. My cynical side cannot and will not allow my more whimsical side take over. I will not allow myself to get things right the second/third/fourth time around, because some of you believe you have that chance, I don't choose to believe that, so I have to deal with the here and now.

I am a realist, prove to me a spirit exists beyond a shadow of a doubt, and I will relook into the matter, until then, I will believe I am me, I am all I can be, and I will make the best me there is possible with the little time that the me here has to offer.

[Restless Oblivion]

Yes I think you're right about the faith aspect. I can't prove to anyone that spirit exists, but I guess it's my strong belief that it does based on piles and piles of books I've read, and just my inner gut instinct.

I have seen/felt/experienced things that have proved to me personally the existence of the spirit - however I know that they could also be explained rationally by those who do not believe. Hence it comes down to your own personal experience and perspective always, because spiritual aspects of life will never conform to the rules of science and will therefore never be able to be scientifically proven. (but who knows!)

And I always wonder whether the things we currently believe are true due to the findings of science, will 'prove' to be false decades down the line.

[asphyxian_doll]

This dimension is only a notch above a picture on the wall in your home.

There are many more dimensions....and we have the capacity to be of each and every one.

So think of this as 3rd grade, in relevance to the rest of the universe and its countless levels.

[SaGa]

this post reminds me of fullmetal alchemist when ed lists the elements that make up humans

spirits, well that whould involve faith or fact, and we lack faith in the unknown these days

[peelingchrome]

this post reminds me of fullmetal alchemist when ed lists the elements that make up humans

spirits, well that whould involve faith or fact, and we lack faith in the unknown these days

...not ALL of us lack faith these days....

[SomeDanGuy]

Series of (extremely) complex chemicals reactions, all governed ultimately by the physical constants of the universe.

I would, however, take exception to those who say that this reality is somehow depressing or cynical. It's frickin' amazing! Humans are amazing and the world is full of beauty and wonder even if (and often because) it all operates according to laws we continue to understand more fully.

The fact that altering your brain can alter your personality is pretty clear proof of this. If not, in what way does your 'spirit' affect you or have an impact on reality?

[Fin]

"All we are is dust in the wind."

[Az_]

As per Rev's suggestion, here's an offshoot from the Addiction debate:

Are we all physical? Psychological? or is there another dimension to our existance - the spiritual, or transpersonal?

Rev, feel free to alter the topic if this is not what you meant

Count me a materialistic determinist. I believe that our minds are a product of our brains in action. I further am becoming increasingly of the opinion that our minds (and freewill) are in fact illusions. But as they are illusions we cannot pierce them as illusions they remain the entirety of reality to us.

Part of the problem is our brains seem designed to trick us into thinking we are doing the thinking (rather than our subconscious). Studies seem to show that all the things we think was are actively thinking are actually being decided within our subconscious processes. These decisions are then percolated to our waking mind in such a way as it believes itself to be considering its options. Why our minds are structured this way is not known yet. But it seems to be the case.

Our thoughts result from our brain in action. Our experience of reality is not even truly reality. What we experience is actually our brains recreation of reality formed in part by the input of stimuli from our senses filtered through the emotional subconscious. Our brain adds things and removes things based on the emotional priorities of the events we are observing/sensimg. It is abilities such as this that allow us to listen to a conversation in a noisy room. Our brain filters out the sounds that are not part of the conversation we are vested in and allows us to communicate in such conditions.

So color me agnostic atheist materialist determinist.

[headlessgoth]

I believe that our physical, mental, and spiritual being is all life energy. At the moment i cant answer where the energy goes or how it came to be all i know is that its there. I have faith that we never lose it are energy just ascends to different plains of being. With a little luck each time our energy ascends we take something with us from our former self.

[Az_]

I believe that our physical, mental, and spiritual being is all life energy. At the moment i cant answer where the energy goes or how it came to be all i know is that its there. I have faith that we never lose it are energy just ascends to different plains of being. With a little luck each time our energy ascends we take something with us from our former self.

I would offer you the notion that energy (electricity to be specific) does make up a significant part of our identity. But its not just energy sitting around being energy (think the energy cloud beings from Star Trek). The energy is the electro/chemical process going on within our brains. And while its true the energy never truly is lost its the arrangement or structure in which the energy is passed through that gives rise to the mind. Its not simply the energy on its own.

Think of it as a bit like a dance. Without the motion its just people standing around. Once the music starts and the bodies start moving it becomes a dance. Without the structure of the brain its just energy sitting around. In the structure of the brain it becomes the dance that is the mind.