1 00:00:08,530 --> 00:00:14,910 [Music] 2 00:00:20,550 --> 00:00:17,590 wow 3 00:00:21,189 --> 00:00:20,560 welcome to shattered reality with your 4 00:00:24,710 --> 00:00:21,199 hosts 5 00:00:27,750 --> 00:00:24,720 kate valentine and ferusha 6 00:00:31,830 --> 00:00:27,760 prepare to have your paradigms shifted 7 00:00:35,110 --> 00:00:31,840 into truth questioned and now 8 00:00:38,389 --> 00:00:35,120 shattered reality shattered reality 9 00:00:41,750 --> 00:00:38,399 well hello shattered reality listeners 10 00:00:45,229 --> 00:00:41,760 um i'm very happy to be here 11 00:00:48,150 --> 00:00:45,239 today on january 15 12 00:00:51,750 --> 00:00:48,160 2019 this is our 13 00:00:54,150 --> 00:00:51,760 first podcast of the new year 14 00:00:55,189 --> 00:00:54,160 and i certainly hope it won't be the 15 00:01:01,270 --> 00:00:55,199 last 16 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:01,280 that doesn't have kate valentine with us 17 00:01:07,429 --> 00:01:04,320 she has been missing for a little while 18 00:01:10,550 --> 00:01:07,439 and we are hoping to welcome her back 19 00:01:13,590 --> 00:01:10,560 in the coming weeks so i believe this 20 00:01:15,749 --> 00:01:13,600 is number 82 of the podcast 21 00:01:17,910 --> 00:01:15,759 and we're going to start in right away 22 00:01:20,469 --> 00:01:17,920 i'm going to save all the other 23 00:01:21,270 --> 00:01:20,479 notes for the end of the podcast because 24 00:01:25,429 --> 00:01:21,280 we have 25 00:01:29,030 --> 00:01:25,439 a very special guest joining us today 26 00:01:31,749 --> 00:01:29,040 someone who is across the pond 27 00:01:33,270 --> 00:01:31,759 so it's a little bit later there than it 28 00:01:34,710 --> 00:01:33,280 is here and we don't want to 29 00:01:37,830 --> 00:01:34,720 inconvenience him not 30 00:01:41,109 --> 00:01:37,840 one little bit he is a very very 31 00:01:43,030 --> 00:01:41,119 well-known scientist internationally 32 00:01:46,630 --> 00:01:43,040 recognized 33 00:01:50,550 --> 00:01:46,640 phd perhaps more than once over 34 00:01:54,710 --> 00:01:50,560 and he as dr rupert sheldrake 35 00:01:57,910 --> 00:01:54,720 a biologist and author of more than 85 36 00:02:00,950 --> 00:01:57,920 scientific papers and 12 books 37 00:02:04,389 --> 00:02:00,960 he was a fellow of claire college 38 00:02:07,109 --> 00:02:04,399 cambridge university a frank knox 39 00:02:08,229 --> 00:02:07,119 fellow at harvard university and a 40 00:02:13,670 --> 00:02:08,239 research fellow 41 00:02:17,030 --> 00:02:13,680 of the royal society from 2005 to 2010 42 00:02:20,470 --> 00:02:17,040 he was the director of the parat 43 00:02:21,030 --> 00:02:20,480 warwick project funded by trinity 44 00:02:23,589 --> 00:02:21,040 college 45 00:02:26,390 --> 00:02:23,599 at cambridge he is a fellow of the 46 00:02:27,510 --> 00:02:26,400 institute of noetic sciences in petaluma 47 00:02:30,790 --> 00:02:27,520 california 48 00:02:34,150 --> 00:02:30,800 and of shoemaker college in devon 49 00:02:37,270 --> 00:02:34,160 england and his latest book is 50 00:02:40,229 --> 00:02:37,280 science and spiritual practices 51 00:02:42,229 --> 00:02:40,239 transformative experiences and their 52 00:02:45,589 --> 00:02:42,239 effects on our bodies 53 00:02:46,470 --> 00:02:45,599 brains and health so i would like to 54 00:02:50,390 --> 00:02:46,480 welcome 55 00:02:52,790 --> 00:02:50,400 dr rupert sheldrake hello rupert hello 56 00:02:55,030 --> 00:02:52,800 i'm very pleased to be with you well i 57 00:02:55,750 --> 00:02:55,040 am extraordinarily pleased to have you 58 00:02:59,670 --> 00:02:55,760 on 59 00:03:02,390 --> 00:02:59,680 and um what i would like to start with 60 00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:02,400 is because most everyone who would be 61 00:03:07,750 --> 00:03:04,480 listening to this podcast 62 00:03:10,229 --> 00:03:07,760 will have already heard your name 63 00:03:11,509 --> 00:03:10,239 i cannot guarantee that they have all 64 00:03:13,750 --> 00:03:11,519 read your books 65 00:03:15,110 --> 00:03:13,760 i myself have read four of your books 66 00:03:18,309 --> 00:03:15,120 and hope to make it more 67 00:03:21,509 --> 00:03:18,319 in the not too distant future however 68 00:03:22,790 --> 00:03:21,519 what i think that uh you are most well 69 00:03:25,670 --> 00:03:22,800 known for 70 00:03:27,030 --> 00:03:25,680 is for promoting and expanding the 71 00:03:29,270 --> 00:03:27,040 hypothesis 72 00:03:30,550 --> 00:03:29,280 of morphic resonance would you agree 73 00:03:33,670 --> 00:03:30,560 with that 74 00:03:36,229 --> 00:03:33,680 i suppose sir yes um and i think 75 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:36,239 that just to make it real clear for the 76 00:03:39,670 --> 00:03:37,840 people who know your name 77 00:03:41,350 --> 00:03:39,680 but don't know your work which i would 78 00:03:44,149 --> 00:03:41,360 say maybe you know 30 79 00:03:46,309 --> 00:03:44,159 of our listeners the other uh 70 80 00:03:47,509 --> 00:03:46,319 probably have some concept of what it is 81 00:03:50,789 --> 00:03:47,519 could you just 82 00:03:54,229 --> 00:03:50,799 give us a little background on on the 83 00:03:56,630 --> 00:03:54,239 hypothesis of morphic resonance 84 00:03:57,350 --> 00:03:56,640 yes it's basically the idea that there's 85 00:04:00,470 --> 00:03:57,360 a memory 86 00:04:03,270 --> 00:04:00,480 in nature that there's a kind of 87 00:04:05,350 --> 00:04:03,280 collective memory in each species and in 88 00:04:07,670 --> 00:04:05,360 each kind of thing 89 00:04:08,630 --> 00:04:07,680 and in its most general sense the idea 90 00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:08,640 that the 91 00:04:12,390 --> 00:04:11,120 laws of nature are actually more like 92 00:04:15,270 --> 00:04:12,400 habits 93 00:04:15,910 --> 00:04:15,280 the universe is basically habit forming 94 00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:15,920 and 95 00:04:19,990 --> 00:04:18,000 evolution involves the development of 96 00:04:20,870 --> 00:04:20,000 new habits rather than everything being 97 00:04:23,030 --> 00:04:20,880 run by 98 00:04:24,950 --> 00:04:23,040 fixed laws that were all there at the 99 00:04:27,590 --> 00:04:24,960 moment of the big bang like a kind of 100 00:04:31,270 --> 00:04:27,600 cosmic napoleonic code 101 00:04:32,710 --> 00:04:31,280 so um the the actual way in which the 102 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:32,720 memory or habits work 103 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:35,280 is what i mean by morphic resonance 104 00:04:40,070 --> 00:04:37,120 similar patterns of activity 105 00:04:42,310 --> 00:04:40,080 resonate across time with subsequent 106 00:04:43,990 --> 00:04:42,320 similar patterns of activity 107 00:04:46,469 --> 00:04:44,000 and the result of this is that each 108 00:04:49,909 --> 00:04:46,479 species has a kind of collective memory 109 00:04:53,030 --> 00:04:49,919 not just a behavior but of form so 110 00:04:55,110 --> 00:04:53,040 every time a foxglove plant develops 111 00:04:56,469 --> 00:04:55,120 it's tuning into the kind of memory of 112 00:04:59,670 --> 00:04:56,479 the fox glove form 113 00:05:01,749 --> 00:04:59,680 from previous fox gloves it's inheriting 114 00:05:03,110 --> 00:05:01,759 genes of course which enable it to make 115 00:05:05,189 --> 00:05:03,120 the right proteins 116 00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:05,199 but the form is shaped by morphic 117 00:05:10,469 --> 00:05:06,400 resonance 118 00:05:11,270 --> 00:05:10,479 and every time a giraffe develops a baby 119 00:05:14,629 --> 00:05:11,280 giraffe 120 00:05:17,029 --> 00:05:14,639 collective memory 121 00:05:18,870 --> 00:05:17,039 and when the baby's born it then tunes 122 00:05:19,830 --> 00:05:18,880 into the memory of instincts of that 123 00:05:21,909 --> 00:05:19,840 species so 124 00:05:23,430 --> 00:05:21,919 instincts are a kind of habit of the 125 00:05:26,390 --> 00:05:23,440 species 126 00:05:28,070 --> 00:05:26,400 um this is a testable hypothesis and 127 00:05:31,590 --> 00:05:28,080 it's been tested 128 00:05:33,830 --> 00:05:31,600 successfully so far and it predicts that 129 00:05:35,749 --> 00:05:33,840 if you make a new chemical for the first 130 00:05:38,230 --> 00:05:35,759 time and crystallize it 131 00:05:39,029 --> 00:05:38,240 the first crystals may take a long time 132 00:05:42,070 --> 00:05:39,039 to form 133 00:05:42,870 --> 00:05:42,080 a new pattern has to come into being in 134 00:05:44,710 --> 00:05:42,880 nature 135 00:05:45,990 --> 00:05:44,720 but the more often you crystallize it 136 00:05:48,150 --> 00:05:46,000 the easier it gets 137 00:05:49,510 --> 00:05:48,160 and in fact that's what chemists have 138 00:05:51,909 --> 00:05:49,520 known for a long time 139 00:05:54,390 --> 00:05:51,919 new compounds get easier to crystallize 140 00:05:56,390 --> 00:05:54,400 around the world 141 00:05:58,390 --> 00:05:56,400 and they often assume this is because 142 00:06:00,629 --> 00:05:58,400 fragments of previous crystals have been 143 00:06:04,629 --> 00:06:00,639 wafted around in the atmosphere 144 00:06:08,390 --> 00:06:04,639 um and have settled out uh as dust 145 00:06:11,110 --> 00:06:08,400 but um this uh happens uh 146 00:06:11,749 --> 00:06:11,120 even if dust particles are filtered out 147 00:06:13,830 --> 00:06:11,759 and 148 00:06:15,510 --> 00:06:13,840 also if you train rats to learn a new 149 00:06:17,590 --> 00:06:15,520 trick say in new york 150 00:06:19,749 --> 00:06:17,600 then rats all around the world should 151 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:19,759 thereafter be able to learn it quicker 152 00:06:23,430 --> 00:06:22,960 in london in melbourne australia and so 153 00:06:25,189 --> 00:06:23,440 on 154 00:06:27,510 --> 00:06:25,199 just because the rats have landed in new 155 00:06:28,710 --> 00:06:27,520 york without any normal means of 156 00:06:31,909 --> 00:06:28,720 communication 157 00:06:34,950 --> 00:06:31,919 that's why this hypothesis is surprising 158 00:06:37,350 --> 00:06:34,960 and indeed controversial 159 00:06:39,270 --> 00:06:37,360 because it's suggesting something that's 160 00:06:41,670 --> 00:06:39,280 not part of regular science 161 00:06:43,430 --> 00:06:41,680 but which i think makes a great more say 162 00:06:47,749 --> 00:06:43,440 much more sense out of 163 00:06:51,189 --> 00:06:47,759 evolution inheritance and indeed memory 164 00:06:55,189 --> 00:06:51,199 i have a few questions about that or um 165 00:06:58,230 --> 00:06:55,199 maybe statements uh how does this 166 00:07:01,670 --> 00:06:58,240 how does this relate to uh 167 00:07:04,950 --> 00:07:01,680 epigenetics as opposed to regular 168 00:07:07,510 --> 00:07:04,960 genetic selection in other words 169 00:07:08,870 --> 00:07:07,520 a gene gets to be expressed or not 170 00:07:12,230 --> 00:07:08,880 expressed and 171 00:07:15,430 --> 00:07:12,240 perhaps we consciously might have some 172 00:07:17,749 --> 00:07:15,440 control over that or maybe the 173 00:07:18,950 --> 00:07:17,759 morphic resonance has some control over 174 00:07:25,510 --> 00:07:18,960 that 175 00:07:29,029 --> 00:07:25,520 until about the year 2000 um 176 00:07:31,350 --> 00:07:29,039 regular biologists claimed that 177 00:07:33,830 --> 00:07:31,360 every bit of inheritance essentially was 178 00:07:36,710 --> 00:07:33,840 genetic apart from so-called cytoplasmic 179 00:07:39,749 --> 00:07:36,720 inheritance and cultural inheritance 180 00:07:41,350 --> 00:07:39,759 um and they were dead against the idea 181 00:07:44,070 --> 00:07:41,360 of the inheritance of acquired 182 00:07:47,189 --> 00:07:44,080 characters that was in fact a heresy 183 00:07:50,469 --> 00:07:47,199 so-called lumarkian inheritance 184 00:07:51,510 --> 00:07:50,479 but since the year 2000 it's now become 185 00:07:53,909 --> 00:07:51,520 mainstream 186 00:07:57,589 --> 00:07:53,919 and it's now generally agreed there is 187 00:07:59,749 --> 00:07:57,599 an inheritance of acquired characters 188 00:08:00,790 --> 00:07:59,759 people assume that it's all due to 189 00:08:04,790 --> 00:08:00,800 changes in the 190 00:08:07,189 --> 00:08:04,800 molecular um control of dna expression 191 00:08:08,950 --> 00:08:07,199 and i think that certainly plays a part 192 00:08:10,150 --> 00:08:08,960 but i think some of it could be morphic 193 00:08:13,510 --> 00:08:10,160 resonance 194 00:08:16,790 --> 00:08:13,520 as well or instead for example 195 00:08:17,510 --> 00:08:16,800 in some recent experiments um published 196 00:08:19,430 --> 00:08:17,520 in nature 197 00:08:20,629 --> 00:08:19,440 the leading international scientific 198 00:08:23,670 --> 00:08:20,639 journal 199 00:08:25,510 --> 00:08:23,680 people did experiments with mice um they 200 00:08:27,749 --> 00:08:25,520 trained the fathers to 201 00:08:28,670 --> 00:08:27,759 be averse to a particular smell a 202 00:08:32,630 --> 00:08:28,680 chemical called 203 00:08:34,870 --> 00:08:32,640 acetophenone um when it smelted they got 204 00:08:37,350 --> 00:08:34,880 a mild electric shock and so 205 00:08:38,389 --> 00:08:37,360 as soon as they smelt it they became 206 00:08:40,630 --> 00:08:38,399 frightened 207 00:08:43,190 --> 00:08:40,640 they then took sperm from these mice 208 00:08:43,670 --> 00:08:43,200 artificially inseminated females which 209 00:08:47,350 --> 00:08:43,680 never 210 00:08:50,389 --> 00:08:47,360 met the fathers um and their offspring 211 00:08:51,350 --> 00:08:50,399 and their grandchildren um had an 212 00:08:54,230 --> 00:08:51,360 instant fear 213 00:08:55,829 --> 00:08:54,240 of the smell of acetophenone and when 214 00:08:57,829 --> 00:08:55,839 this was published it was in 215 00:08:59,829 --> 00:08:57,839 the paper was called inheriting the 216 00:09:01,990 --> 00:08:59,839 fears of fathers 217 00:09:04,150 --> 00:09:02,000 so here's an inheritance of acquired 218 00:09:07,190 --> 00:09:04,160 characteristics 219 00:09:10,070 --> 00:09:07,200 which people assume must be 220 00:09:11,670 --> 00:09:10,080 due to um epigenetic molecular 221 00:09:13,750 --> 00:09:11,680 mechanisms but could 222 00:09:15,670 --> 00:09:13,760 equally well perhaps more plausibly be 223 00:09:17,509 --> 00:09:15,680 explained in terms of morphic resonance 224 00:09:21,430 --> 00:09:17,519 no one knows how it works 225 00:09:23,910 --> 00:09:21,440 uh in this case um but that's an example 226 00:09:24,870 --> 00:09:23,920 of the new kind of research that's going 227 00:09:27,190 --> 00:09:24,880 on 228 00:09:28,550 --> 00:09:27,200 under the general heading of epigenetic 229 00:09:31,190 --> 00:09:28,560 inheritance 230 00:09:33,269 --> 00:09:31,200 what really hit it for me that really 231 00:09:36,310 --> 00:09:33,279 hit the spot if you will 232 00:09:39,269 --> 00:09:36,320 was what you spoke about 233 00:09:41,030 --> 00:09:39,279 ayahuasca because it never really made 234 00:09:43,670 --> 00:09:41,040 sense to me that when people 235 00:09:44,230 --> 00:09:43,680 take ayahuasca i haven't i'm interested 236 00:09:47,670 --> 00:09:44,240 in it 237 00:09:50,389 --> 00:09:47,680 but i haven't had the guts to do it 238 00:09:51,110 --> 00:09:50,399 but when people take ayahuasca they do 239 00:09:54,550 --> 00:09:51,120 see 240 00:09:56,550 --> 00:09:54,560 tropical scenes the the uh the insects 241 00:09:59,910 --> 00:09:56,560 and the serpents sometimes are 242 00:10:03,030 --> 00:09:59,920 there and other animals and it's all 243 00:10:04,069 --> 00:10:03,040 like the andean tropics if i'm not 244 00:10:06,710 --> 00:10:04,079 mistaken 245 00:10:08,069 --> 00:10:06,720 and uh this never seemed to make a whole 246 00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:08,079 lot of sense to me 247 00:10:12,550 --> 00:10:11,120 but when you add the idea of morphic 248 00:10:15,990 --> 00:10:12,560 resonance to it it 249 00:10:16,630 --> 00:10:16,000 suddenly you see you get that head slap 250 00:10:19,670 --> 00:10:16,640 and say 251 00:10:21,350 --> 00:10:19,680 oh yeah that makes sense 252 00:10:23,030 --> 00:10:21,360 yes well i agree this is a very 253 00:10:24,790 --> 00:10:23,040 interesting case and 254 00:10:27,190 --> 00:10:24,800 there are okay there are recorded 255 00:10:29,110 --> 00:10:27,200 reports of people taking ayahuasca 256 00:10:30,310 --> 00:10:29,120 in modern urban settings who know 257 00:10:32,949 --> 00:10:30,320 nothing about its 258 00:10:33,829 --> 00:10:32,959 shamanic background in the in the amazon 259 00:10:37,590 --> 00:10:33,839 in region 260 00:10:39,350 --> 00:10:37,600 in south america um and 261 00:10:42,069 --> 00:10:39,360 in cultures where there's lots of 262 00:10:43,190 --> 00:10:42,079 mythology about serpents and jaguars and 263 00:10:45,110 --> 00:10:43,200 so on 264 00:10:47,430 --> 00:10:45,120 and they have visions of serpents and 265 00:10:50,470 --> 00:10:47,440 jaguars 266 00:10:51,750 --> 00:10:50,480 now what i think is happening is that 267 00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:51,760 there's a kind of inherent 268 00:10:55,509 --> 00:10:53,920 memory there a collective memory when 269 00:10:58,470 --> 00:10:55,519 you take ayahuasca 270 00:11:00,310 --> 00:10:58,480 the effect on your brain or my brain is 271 00:11:02,550 --> 00:11:00,320 very similar to the effect on the brains 272 00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:02,560 of people who've taken it before 273 00:11:07,190 --> 00:11:04,720 and that creates the conditions of 274 00:11:08,790 --> 00:11:07,200 similarity for morphic resonance 275 00:11:10,550 --> 00:11:08,800 so there's a kind of resonance from the 276 00:11:12,550 --> 00:11:10,560 people who've taken it before a kind of 277 00:11:16,069 --> 00:11:12,560 collective memory 278 00:11:19,670 --> 00:11:16,079 of ayahuasca takers which includes these 279 00:11:22,310 --> 00:11:19,680 amazonian mythologies and imagery um 280 00:11:23,110 --> 00:11:22,320 and it's not just ayahuasca the um the 281 00:11:25,910 --> 00:11:23,120 famous 282 00:11:28,230 --> 00:11:25,920 swiss chemist albert hoffman who uh 283 00:11:30,790 --> 00:11:28,240 discovered lsd 284 00:11:32,790 --> 00:11:30,800 was asked to analyze the active 285 00:11:33,910 --> 00:11:32,800 principles of magic mushrooms from 286 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:33,920 mexico 287 00:11:37,829 --> 00:11:35,839 he was doing this research in basel 288 00:11:41,430 --> 00:11:37,839 switzerland 289 00:11:41,990 --> 00:11:41,440 and when he took these mushrooms himself 290 00:11:44,710 --> 00:11:42,000 he knew they 291 00:11:45,990 --> 00:11:44,720 came from mexico but he got very sort of 292 00:11:49,190 --> 00:11:46,000 mexican aztec 293 00:11:51,269 --> 00:11:49,200 type imagery you could say that was 294 00:11:51,910 --> 00:11:51,279 suggestion he knew they were from mexico 295 00:11:54,829 --> 00:11:51,920 but 296 00:11:56,389 --> 00:11:54,839 he isolated the silo cyber the active 297 00:11:58,150 --> 00:11:56,399 principle 298 00:11:59,430 --> 00:11:58,160 and then gave it to other swiss people 299 00:12:02,069 --> 00:11:59,440 who didn't know 300 00:12:03,110 --> 00:12:02,079 where this came from and they also had 301 00:12:06,629 --> 00:12:03,120 mexican type 302 00:12:09,269 --> 00:12:06,639 imagery so this again suggests that 303 00:12:11,990 --> 00:12:09,279 there's a kind of collective memory 304 00:12:13,269 --> 00:12:12,000 based on the specific conditions created 305 00:12:16,310 --> 00:12:13,279 by these drugs 306 00:12:19,110 --> 00:12:16,320 so this is one particular instance of a 307 00:12:22,470 --> 00:12:19,120 possible effect of morphine resonance 308 00:12:25,269 --> 00:12:22,480 i will just the mexican references 309 00:12:26,870 --> 00:12:25,279 brought back to my mind a memory a 310 00:12:30,310 --> 00:12:26,880 personal memory that i have 311 00:12:31,670 --> 00:12:30,320 of going to chichen itza a number of 312 00:12:34,870 --> 00:12:31,680 years ago 313 00:12:35,350 --> 00:12:34,880 and i was in the company of a group of 314 00:12:37,670 --> 00:12:35,360 other 315 00:12:38,790 --> 00:12:37,680 young people four or five people 316 00:12:40,949 --> 00:12:38,800 traveling 317 00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:40,959 in a larger group but we hung out 318 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:42,480 together and uh 319 00:12:46,790 --> 00:12:45,120 one of the gentlemen had a super eight 320 00:12:49,430 --> 00:12:46,800 movie camera which was 321 00:12:51,509 --> 00:12:49,440 something people did at that time and we 322 00:12:54,310 --> 00:12:51,519 went to the top of the 323 00:12:55,990 --> 00:12:54,320 one of the pyramids where persons were 324 00:12:58,629 --> 00:12:56,000 sacrificed and um 325 00:12:59,269 --> 00:12:58,639 i was a spiritual person even at that 326 00:13:01,750 --> 00:12:59,279 time and 327 00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:01,760 i was somewhat reverent and he was 328 00:13:05,350 --> 00:13:02,880 making fun of me 329 00:13:07,509 --> 00:13:05,360 and he was making fun of the situation 330 00:13:09,509 --> 00:13:07,519 and i said really do not do that i think 331 00:13:12,629 --> 00:13:09,519 it's a very bad idea 332 00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:12,639 and when he got his super eight movie 333 00:13:19,910 --> 00:13:16,639 uh stuff back his his uh his film back 334 00:13:22,230 --> 00:13:19,920 uh that part of the film was all like 335 00:13:25,430 --> 00:13:22,240 dripping blood 336 00:13:27,110 --> 00:13:25,440 and there's no other explanation for it 337 00:13:29,590 --> 00:13:27,120 but when he got up to the 338 00:13:31,509 --> 00:13:29,600 top of the uh the pyramid i guess it 339 00:13:33,990 --> 00:13:31,519 might have been the pyramid of the sun 340 00:13:35,030 --> 00:13:34,000 and um and was making fun of my 341 00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:35,040 reverence he 342 00:13:38,710 --> 00:13:37,600 he got a film back that was just looked 343 00:13:41,750 --> 00:13:38,720 like 344 00:13:43,670 --> 00:13:41,760 rolling dripping blood so hopefully that 345 00:13:44,949 --> 00:13:43,680 uh straightened him out a little bit 346 00:13:48,069 --> 00:13:44,959 moving on with the 347 00:13:50,310 --> 00:13:48,079 uh morphic resonance uh how about 348 00:13:53,030 --> 00:13:50,320 the hundredth is it the hundredth monkey 349 00:13:55,110 --> 00:13:53,040 theory that people always refer to 350 00:13:57,189 --> 00:13:55,120 uh would you say that is but that sounds 351 00:13:59,269 --> 00:13:57,199 like a a straightforward shot for 352 00:14:02,310 --> 00:13:59,279 morphic resonance is it 353 00:14:04,949 --> 00:14:02,320 um well unfortunately not no no okay 354 00:14:06,790 --> 00:14:04,959 it's the basic principle is uh 355 00:14:08,310 --> 00:14:06,800 illustrates morphine resonance but the 356 00:14:11,590 --> 00:14:08,320 story itself 357 00:14:13,910 --> 00:14:11,600 um isn't terribly reliable um 358 00:14:15,350 --> 00:14:13,920 what happened was that there were these 359 00:14:18,150 --> 00:14:15,360 scientists in japan 360 00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:18,160 studying monkeys on islands and they 361 00:14:21,030 --> 00:14:19,910 wanted to study the monkeys 362 00:14:22,710 --> 00:14:21,040 [Music] 363 00:14:24,710 --> 00:14:22,720 where they could see them so they took 364 00:14:25,829 --> 00:14:24,720 along sacks and sweet potatoes and put 365 00:14:28,710 --> 00:14:25,839 them on the beach 366 00:14:29,750 --> 00:14:28,720 so the monkeys came out of the forest 367 00:14:32,150 --> 00:14:29,760 and then the monkeys 368 00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:32,160 on one of the islands learned to wash 369 00:14:35,269 --> 00:14:34,240 the sand off the sweet potatoes in the 370 00:14:37,030 --> 00:14:35,279 sea 371 00:14:39,189 --> 00:14:37,040 and these japanese scientists when they 372 00:14:40,870 --> 00:14:39,199 went to other islands after a while 373 00:14:42,870 --> 00:14:40,880 found that this behavior seemed to 374 00:14:44,629 --> 00:14:42,880 spread to other islands 375 00:14:47,110 --> 00:14:44,639 now that is what happened and it looks 376 00:14:50,629 --> 00:14:47,120 very like morphic resonance 377 00:14:51,430 --> 00:14:50,639 but the british writer lana watson heard 378 00:14:53,990 --> 00:14:51,440 this story 379 00:14:55,990 --> 00:14:54,000 in japan and he wrote about it in one of 380 00:14:57,110 --> 00:14:56,000 his books and he sort of improved the 381 00:15:00,069 --> 00:14:57,120 story and he says 382 00:15:00,550 --> 00:15:00,079 he's improving it he says let us imagine 383 00:15:03,509 --> 00:15:00,560 that 384 00:15:04,949 --> 00:15:03,519 on a particular day one extra monkey say 385 00:15:07,430 --> 00:15:04,959 the hundredth monkey 386 00:15:09,269 --> 00:15:07,440 uh learned this trick suddenly all the 387 00:15:12,470 --> 00:15:09,279 monkeys everywhere in japan 388 00:15:13,509 --> 00:15:12,480 started doing it so you see he improved 389 00:15:15,430 --> 00:15:13,519 the story and then 390 00:15:17,030 --> 00:15:15,440 people in the anti-nuclear movement 391 00:15:18,310 --> 00:15:17,040 heard the story and they improved it 392 00:15:21,110 --> 00:15:18,320 even further 393 00:15:23,189 --> 00:15:21,120 and um every time it was told it sort of 394 00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:23,199 got more and more impressive until 395 00:15:27,670 --> 00:15:25,040 these monkeys suddenly started digging 396 00:15:30,470 --> 00:15:27,680 up sweet potatoes 397 00:15:31,590 --> 00:15:30,480 and so the story improved with each 398 00:15:34,310 --> 00:15:31,600 retelling 399 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:34,320 and then the dogmatic skeptics got hold 400 00:15:38,150 --> 00:15:35,920 of it and they were able to show that 401 00:15:39,990 --> 00:15:38,160 nothing like this had really happened 402 00:15:41,269 --> 00:15:40,000 and they said they debunked the whole 403 00:15:44,470 --> 00:15:41,279 thing and 404 00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:44,480 um they it was nothing but a myth and so 405 00:15:47,990 --> 00:15:45,120 on 406 00:15:49,189 --> 00:15:48,000 um so it's not quite as straightforward 407 00:15:51,910 --> 00:15:49,199 as it seems 408 00:15:52,550 --> 00:15:51,920 many people have had the story um 409 00:15:55,189 --> 00:15:52,560 they've had 410 00:15:56,870 --> 00:15:55,199 various versions of it it does actually 411 00:15:58,230 --> 00:15:56,880 point towards something like morphic 412 00:16:00,230 --> 00:15:58,240 resonance and started 413 00:16:01,670 --> 00:16:00,240 from observations that suggest something 414 00:16:05,269 --> 00:16:01,680 like morphic resonance 415 00:16:08,150 --> 00:16:05,279 but in its form that is usually related 416 00:16:09,590 --> 00:16:08,160 it's an exaggeration with morphic 417 00:16:11,829 --> 00:16:09,600 resonance for example 418 00:16:13,509 --> 00:16:11,839 the more that learn it the easier it 419 00:16:14,949 --> 00:16:13,519 gets elsewhere this is what the 420 00:16:17,829 --> 00:16:14,959 experiments with rats 421 00:16:19,749 --> 00:16:17,839 show um there have been a whole series 422 00:16:21,670 --> 00:16:19,759 of experiments with rats that show these 423 00:16:24,069 --> 00:16:21,680 morphe resonance effects 424 00:16:25,829 --> 00:16:24,079 it's not like that story suggests that 425 00:16:28,310 --> 00:16:25,839 nothing happens till you get to one 426 00:16:31,590 --> 00:16:28,320 extra rat and suddenly they all do it 427 00:16:34,150 --> 00:16:31,600 um it's that suggests a kind of step 428 00:16:34,629 --> 00:16:34,160 function it's more like a curve you know 429 00:16:36,710 --> 00:16:34,639 you 430 00:16:38,550 --> 00:16:36,720 do it the easier it gets it's even 431 00:16:40,150 --> 00:16:38,560 slightly misleading about the actual 432 00:16:43,509 --> 00:16:40,160 effect 433 00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:43,519 well um i'm glad you were able to set 434 00:16:47,430 --> 00:16:44,720 that straight uh 435 00:16:49,990 --> 00:16:47,440 lyle watson unfortunately i think 436 00:16:52,710 --> 00:16:50,000 deceased at this point was an extremely 437 00:16:53,350 --> 00:16:52,720 interesting writer but maybe uh spread 438 00:16:55,910 --> 00:16:53,360 the truth 439 00:16:56,949 --> 00:16:55,920 a little bit he said in his book he 440 00:17:00,230 --> 00:16:56,959 actually said 441 00:17:02,069 --> 00:17:00,240 let us assume he didn't say um you know 442 00:17:03,910 --> 00:17:02,079 this is what really happened he said let 443 00:17:05,270 --> 00:17:03,920 us assume that this happened and then 444 00:17:07,429 --> 00:17:05,280 for the sake of argument 445 00:17:09,669 --> 00:17:07,439 he makes it clear that he's exaggerating 446 00:17:12,150 --> 00:17:09,679 okay that was left out when people 447 00:17:14,549 --> 00:17:12,160 repeated the story 448 00:17:15,750 --> 00:17:14,559 all righty well he's he's a very 449 00:17:18,789 --> 00:17:15,760 interesting author and 450 00:17:22,549 --> 00:17:18,799 i i enjoy his writing in any case 451 00:17:25,270 --> 00:17:22,559 uh so let's move on to your latest book 452 00:17:27,110 --> 00:17:25,280 science and spiritual practices 453 00:17:29,110 --> 00:17:27,120 transformative experiences 454 00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:29,120 and their effects on our bodies brains 455 00:17:34,150 --> 00:17:30,559 and health now 456 00:17:36,710 --> 00:17:34,160 this book is uh available in the us 457 00:17:38,150 --> 00:17:36,720 and um around the the english-speaking 458 00:17:41,110 --> 00:17:38,160 world i suspect 459 00:17:42,630 --> 00:17:41,120 and it's from counterpoint uh books and 460 00:17:45,029 --> 00:17:42,640 i'm just giving a little 461 00:17:46,549 --> 00:17:45,039 a little commercial here for you and 462 00:17:49,430 --> 00:17:46,559 anytime you want to 463 00:17:51,430 --> 00:17:49,440 put something like that in please do 464 00:17:53,669 --> 00:17:51,440 because i'm not always cognizant of 465 00:17:57,110 --> 00:17:53,679 doing it at regular intervals 466 00:18:01,669 --> 00:17:57,120 so um you number 467 00:18:05,750 --> 00:18:01,679 several actions that can be taken 468 00:18:08,230 --> 00:18:05,760 uh that can um transform the person 469 00:18:09,110 --> 00:18:08,240 each individual person and and improve 470 00:18:12,470 --> 00:18:09,120 the person's 471 00:18:12,870 --> 00:18:12,480 body brain and health and you start out 472 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:12,880 with 473 00:18:18,870 --> 00:18:16,480 meditation so um would you like to talk 474 00:18:20,710 --> 00:18:18,880 about that a little bit 475 00:18:22,710 --> 00:18:20,720 yes well in this book science and 476 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:22,720 spiritual practices i discussed seven 477 00:18:27,590 --> 00:18:25,280 different spiritual practices 478 00:18:29,830 --> 00:18:27,600 which have been studied scientifically 479 00:18:30,870 --> 00:18:29,840 and these practices all have measurable 480 00:18:34,870 --> 00:18:30,880 effects 481 00:18:37,110 --> 00:18:34,880 very positive people who 482 00:18:38,630 --> 00:18:37,120 have regular religious or spiritual 483 00:18:42,549 --> 00:18:38,640 practices tend to 484 00:18:44,630 --> 00:18:42,559 be happier healthier and live longer 485 00:18:46,470 --> 00:18:44,640 so i mean these are very very beneficial 486 00:18:49,110 --> 00:18:46,480 effects and of course millions of people 487 00:18:50,470 --> 00:18:49,120 now meditate around the world about 18 488 00:18:54,390 --> 00:18:50,480 million people in the us 489 00:18:58,070 --> 00:18:54,400 meditate that means huge numbers 490 00:19:00,789 --> 00:18:58,080 so meditation's been studied 491 00:19:01,830 --> 00:19:00,799 quite intensively for nearly 40 years 492 00:19:04,789 --> 00:19:01,840 now 493 00:19:05,350 --> 00:19:04,799 um and what these studies show is that 494 00:19:07,830 --> 00:19:05,360 people who 495 00:19:09,190 --> 00:19:07,840 meditate regularly tend to have lower 496 00:19:12,470 --> 00:19:09,200 blood blood pressure 497 00:19:16,310 --> 00:19:12,480 less stress sleep better 498 00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:16,320 and have more effective lives 499 00:19:21,909 --> 00:19:19,440 so it has very beneficial effects 500 00:19:23,270 --> 00:19:21,919 on people's lives which is why a lot of 501 00:19:26,630 --> 00:19:23,280 people do it 502 00:19:29,669 --> 00:19:26,640 and it's now taught in schools colleges 503 00:19:32,549 --> 00:19:29,679 and even in some prisons 504 00:19:34,310 --> 00:19:32,559 so and it's quite widely practiced it 505 00:19:36,950 --> 00:19:34,320 also affects the 506 00:19:40,549 --> 00:19:36,960 functioning of the brain even leading to 507 00:19:43,510 --> 00:19:40,559 anatomical changes in brains 508 00:19:44,710 --> 00:19:43,520 so i think the beneficial effects of 509 00:19:48,310 --> 00:19:44,720 meditation are now 510 00:19:50,070 --> 00:19:48,320 very well documented and here in britain 511 00:19:52,070 --> 00:19:50,080 you can even get a prescription for 512 00:19:54,630 --> 00:19:52,080 meditation from a psychiatrist 513 00:19:55,430 --> 00:19:54,640 if you have mild or moderate depression 514 00:19:57,270 --> 00:19:55,440 because 515 00:19:58,549 --> 00:19:57,280 as you know we have a free health 516 00:20:00,230 --> 00:19:58,559 service here 517 00:20:02,149 --> 00:20:00,240 and they're always trying to cut the 518 00:20:06,549 --> 00:20:02,159 costs 519 00:20:09,110 --> 00:20:06,559 and it turns out that meditation 520 00:20:10,870 --> 00:20:09,120 works as well if not better than 521 00:20:12,870 --> 00:20:10,880 antidepressant drugs for 522 00:20:14,950 --> 00:20:12,880 mild or moderate depression and of 523 00:20:17,750 --> 00:20:14,960 course has no side effects 524 00:20:19,669 --> 00:20:17,760 and is very much cheaper so that's why 525 00:20:21,270 --> 00:20:19,679 you can now actually get prescriptions 526 00:20:24,549 --> 00:20:21,280 for a course of meditation 527 00:20:25,110 --> 00:20:24,559 training um in in on the national health 528 00:20:27,270 --> 00:20:25,120 service 529 00:20:28,390 --> 00:20:27,280 that's great that's that's a wonderful 530 00:20:31,430 --> 00:20:28,400 benefit 531 00:20:34,870 --> 00:20:31,440 think the 532 00:20:36,710 --> 00:20:34,880 the term uh the the evidence about 533 00:20:39,029 --> 00:20:36,720 meditation is clear 534 00:20:41,029 --> 00:20:39,039 um i mean there may be a few people it 535 00:20:41,270 --> 00:20:41,039 doesn't benefit but most people who try 536 00:20:47,990 --> 00:20:41,280 it 537 00:20:51,190 --> 00:20:48,000 religious 538 00:20:53,750 --> 00:20:51,200 um or spiritual belief system 539 00:20:54,630 --> 00:20:53,760 in fact quite a number of atheists now 540 00:20:58,070 --> 00:20:54,640 meditate 541 00:21:00,870 --> 00:20:58,080 including some prominent public atheists 542 00:21:03,430 --> 00:21:00,880 paris the so-called new atheist now 543 00:21:06,470 --> 00:21:03,440 gives online meditation courses 544 00:21:08,070 --> 00:21:06,480 so um that's a particularly interesting 545 00:21:10,230 --> 00:21:08,080 feature of it 546 00:21:11,669 --> 00:21:10,240 but in its traditional setting in 547 00:21:14,310 --> 00:21:11,679 buddhism or hinduism 548 00:21:15,590 --> 00:21:14,320 or in contemplative prayer in 549 00:21:19,430 --> 00:21:15,600 christianity 550 00:21:22,470 --> 00:21:19,440 um where meditation's been practiced for 551 00:21:24,230 --> 00:21:22,480 centuries uh even millennia in in the 552 00:21:26,149 --> 00:21:24,240 east 553 00:21:28,230 --> 00:21:26,159 people weren't doing it so they could be 554 00:21:30,710 --> 00:21:28,240 more effective in love and business 555 00:21:31,990 --> 00:21:30,720 or have lower blood pressure they were 556 00:21:33,669 --> 00:21:32,000 doing it because they thought 557 00:21:35,190 --> 00:21:33,679 it took them to the very ground of 558 00:21:37,669 --> 00:21:35,200 consciousness itself 559 00:21:39,270 --> 00:21:37,679 which linked them to the source of all 560 00:21:41,029 --> 00:21:39,280 consciousness the idea 561 00:21:42,789 --> 00:21:41,039 all religions have the idea there's a 562 00:21:45,830 --> 00:21:42,799 conscious source beyond 563 00:21:47,830 --> 00:21:45,840 the world and that our consciousness can 564 00:21:48,310 --> 00:21:47,840 link directly to that because it's in 565 00:21:50,950 --> 00:21:48,320 fact 566 00:21:52,710 --> 00:21:50,960 part of it now for materialists and 567 00:21:54,470 --> 00:21:52,720 atheists 568 00:21:56,470 --> 00:21:54,480 meditation is just affecting their 569 00:21:56,950 --> 00:21:56,480 brains it's all happening inside their 570 00:21:59,029 --> 00:21:56,960 head 571 00:22:00,070 --> 00:21:59,039 it's not linking them to something out 572 00:22:05,270 --> 00:22:00,080 there 573 00:22:06,070 --> 00:22:05,280 consciousness beyond the human level and 574 00:22:09,510 --> 00:22:06,080 meditation 575 00:22:11,190 --> 00:22:09,520 can link us to them i agree 576 00:22:13,350 --> 00:22:11,200 so but for most meditators they don't 577 00:22:15,510 --> 00:22:13,360 think much about that they just do it 578 00:22:17,350 --> 00:22:15,520 but i think through doing it people 579 00:22:18,070 --> 00:22:17,360 often have experiences that take them 580 00:22:19,990 --> 00:22:18,080 beyond this 581 00:22:21,750 --> 00:22:20,000 rather limited materialist view of 582 00:22:22,950 --> 00:22:21,760 consciousness being confined to the 583 00:22:25,029 --> 00:22:22,960 brain 584 00:22:27,270 --> 00:22:25,039 and actually change their world view 585 00:22:29,350 --> 00:22:27,280 opening up to the idea of greater 586 00:22:32,390 --> 00:22:29,360 spiritual realities 587 00:22:36,070 --> 00:22:32,400 well um just to get into uh 588 00:22:38,070 --> 00:22:36,080 the concept of it being either 589 00:22:39,990 --> 00:22:38,080 a you know an atheist can do it a 590 00:22:43,110 --> 00:22:40,000 spiritual person can do it or a 591 00:22:46,149 --> 00:22:43,120 religious person can do it 592 00:22:49,510 --> 00:22:46,159 it does seem to me to be that 593 00:22:50,789 --> 00:22:49,520 the religious person would have a 594 00:22:53,590 --> 00:22:50,799 framework 595 00:22:54,789 --> 00:22:53,600 already in existence with most major 596 00:22:57,750 --> 00:22:54,799 religions 597 00:22:59,430 --> 00:22:57,760 in which to practice it whereas a 598 00:23:02,549 --> 00:22:59,440 spiritual person 599 00:23:05,909 --> 00:23:02,559 may be able to meditate very well 600 00:23:09,430 --> 00:23:05,919 but lack the community uh to 601 00:23:10,070 --> 00:23:09,440 work with and that might be a hindrance 602 00:23:13,430 --> 00:23:10,080 on some 603 00:23:16,549 --> 00:23:13,440 level on the other hand 604 00:23:19,270 --> 00:23:16,559 talking about different methods of 605 00:23:20,549 --> 00:23:19,280 of meditation one of which is a 606 00:23:23,990 --> 00:23:20,559 repetition 607 00:23:25,669 --> 00:23:24,000 of a mantra a a small 608 00:23:28,070 --> 00:23:25,679 prayer you know as just a sort of 609 00:23:30,149 --> 00:23:28,080 statement prayer that could be repeated 610 00:23:33,029 --> 00:23:30,159 that's one way to get into it that 611 00:23:34,870 --> 00:23:33,039 uh you have mentioned and i have 612 00:23:37,990 --> 00:23:34,880 experienced another is 613 00:23:38,870 --> 00:23:38,000 the breathing method uh using certain 614 00:23:41,350 --> 00:23:38,880 kinds of breath 615 00:23:42,310 --> 00:23:41,360 which i find very troubling for me 616 00:23:45,669 --> 00:23:42,320 because i 617 00:23:48,390 --> 00:23:45,679 i i it's doesn't work for me at all but 618 00:23:49,669 --> 00:23:48,400 i wanted i wanted to suggest a third 619 00:23:52,470 --> 00:23:49,679 method 620 00:23:53,430 --> 00:23:52,480 which would be entering through the body 621 00:23:58,549 --> 00:23:53,440 like becoming 622 00:23:59,430 --> 00:23:58,559 aware of a a graduated relaxation method 623 00:24:02,549 --> 00:23:59,440 or even 624 00:24:04,710 --> 00:24:02,559 i get very joyful simply by 625 00:24:07,029 --> 00:24:04,720 thinking about the souls of my feet and 626 00:24:08,390 --> 00:24:07,039 putting my consciousness into the souls 627 00:24:10,950 --> 00:24:08,400 of my feet it gives me 628 00:24:11,590 --> 00:24:10,960 i can't explain it but it gives me great 629 00:24:13,190 --> 00:24:11,600 joy 630 00:24:15,110 --> 00:24:13,200 do you want to speak a little bit about 631 00:24:16,789 --> 00:24:15,120 about that 632 00:24:19,750 --> 00:24:16,799 well i've never tried putting my 633 00:24:23,750 --> 00:24:19,760 consciousness in the souls of my feet 634 00:24:27,750 --> 00:24:23,760 i i do meditate regularly but i i 635 00:24:30,070 --> 00:24:27,760 um yes i think the point about 636 00:24:32,310 --> 00:24:30,080 meditation is that 637 00:24:33,510 --> 00:24:32,320 you set up a focus of concentration or 638 00:24:35,669 --> 00:24:33,520 retention 639 00:24:38,390 --> 00:24:35,679 different from the chatter that's going 640 00:24:40,549 --> 00:24:38,400 on in your mind which is 641 00:24:42,870 --> 00:24:40,559 an activity of the so-called default 642 00:24:43,430 --> 00:24:42,880 mode network which is a series of brain 643 00:24:45,510 --> 00:24:43,440 act 644 00:24:47,750 --> 00:24:45,520 regions that are linked up together 645 00:24:51,269 --> 00:24:47,760 involved in rumination or internal 646 00:24:53,590 --> 00:24:51,279 dialogue mantras 647 00:24:55,350 --> 00:24:53,600 provide one focus by focusing on the 648 00:24:56,149 --> 00:24:55,360 mantra it sort of takes you away from 649 00:24:58,149 --> 00:24:56,159 all that 650 00:24:59,669 --> 00:24:58,159 breathing is another and obviously in 651 00:25:02,870 --> 00:24:59,679 your case 652 00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:02,880 the cells of the feet are another method 653 00:25:07,029 --> 00:25:05,600 i mean mindful meditative walking is 654 00:25:09,510 --> 00:25:07,039 another practice that 655 00:25:12,870 --> 00:25:09,520 happens in sons and traditions in other 656 00:25:15,590 --> 00:25:12,880 oriental traditions as well 657 00:25:17,269 --> 00:25:15,600 it doesn't seem to matter too much where 658 00:25:19,510 --> 00:25:17,279 you put your attention 659 00:25:21,430 --> 00:25:19,520 as long as it's taken away from the it 660 00:25:22,310 --> 00:25:21,440 drains the energy out of the normal 661 00:25:24,950 --> 00:25:22,320 obsessive 662 00:25:25,750 --> 00:25:24,960 thought processes that we're trapped in 663 00:25:28,870 --> 00:25:25,760 and 664 00:25:29,669 --> 00:25:28,880 opens up a space a gap where we can be 665 00:25:31,830 --> 00:25:29,679 aware 666 00:25:33,590 --> 00:25:31,840 that our minds are larger than the 667 00:25:37,029 --> 00:25:33,600 thoughts that are going through them 668 00:25:38,950 --> 00:25:37,039 it's as if our normal thoughts are like 669 00:25:40,950 --> 00:25:38,960 clouds going through the sky and we're 670 00:25:43,590 --> 00:25:40,960 normally completely 671 00:25:44,870 --> 00:25:43,600 en enclosed in them and and sweat and 672 00:25:47,190 --> 00:25:44,880 caught up with them 673 00:25:47,990 --> 00:25:47,200 but meditative techniques and they want 674 00:25:50,630 --> 00:25:48,000 to sort of step 675 00:25:52,549 --> 00:25:50,640 back and then realize that there's the 676 00:25:53,669 --> 00:25:52,559 ground of our consciousness is more like 677 00:25:55,909 --> 00:25:53,679 the sky itself 678 00:25:56,950 --> 00:25:55,919 rather than the clouds going through it 679 00:25:59,190 --> 00:25:56,960 the basis 680 00:26:00,470 --> 00:25:59,200 of our whole conscious life and that 681 00:26:03,110 --> 00:26:00,480 connects with 682 00:26:04,070 --> 00:26:03,120 uh the ultimate source of consciousness 683 00:26:07,269 --> 00:26:04,080 um 684 00:26:09,350 --> 00:26:07,279 of the ground of all being yes 685 00:26:12,149 --> 00:26:09,360 which could be thought of as god or the 686 00:26:15,269 --> 00:26:12,159 universal consciousness or all that is 687 00:26:18,310 --> 00:26:15,279 or any of that those sorts of words 688 00:26:20,470 --> 00:26:18,320 um and uh we get at this point 689 00:26:22,950 --> 00:26:20,480 i have two thoughts here the walking 690 00:26:24,390 --> 00:26:22,960 meditation kind of brings us into your 691 00:26:26,630 --> 00:26:24,400 last um 692 00:26:29,110 --> 00:26:26,640 your last spiritual practice the 693 00:26:31,750 --> 00:26:29,120 pilgrimage because a lot of a pilgrimage 694 00:26:32,549 --> 00:26:31,760 could be uh walking meditation but we're 695 00:26:34,470 --> 00:26:32,559 gonna 696 00:26:35,750 --> 00:26:34,480 we'll leave that for a little bit later 697 00:26:38,230 --> 00:26:35,760 in our discussion 698 00:26:39,430 --> 00:26:38,240 the other thing is of course the 699 00:26:41,430 --> 00:26:39,440 argument 700 00:26:43,430 --> 00:26:41,440 what is known as the hard problem of 701 00:26:46,710 --> 00:26:43,440 consciousness and 702 00:26:50,149 --> 00:26:46,720 whether we shall decide or think 703 00:26:53,750 --> 00:26:50,159 that the the physical brain 704 00:26:55,750 --> 00:26:53,760 is a reducing valve for uh consciousness 705 00:26:58,230 --> 00:26:55,760 to be expressed through our bodies 706 00:26:58,870 --> 00:26:58,240 and that the greater consciousness lies 707 00:27:01,510 --> 00:26:58,880 beyond 708 00:27:01,909 --> 00:27:01,520 the actual brain the mind hooking up 709 00:27:05,269 --> 00:27:01,919 with 710 00:27:06,549 --> 00:27:05,279 um higher self universal consciousness 711 00:27:09,029 --> 00:27:06,559 god 712 00:27:12,870 --> 00:27:09,039 other perhaps other entities 713 00:27:16,710 --> 00:27:15,350 yes well i think i think that puts it 714 00:27:20,389 --> 00:27:16,720 very well yes 715 00:27:22,789 --> 00:27:20,399 and i think you you see i 716 00:27:25,110 --> 00:27:22,799 your point about this um being rather 717 00:27:27,830 --> 00:27:25,120 individualistic practice is is also 718 00:27:28,389 --> 00:27:27,840 true and that's why in my book i also 719 00:27:30,230 --> 00:27:28,399 discuss 720 00:27:31,590 --> 00:27:30,240 other spiritual practices which are more 721 00:27:34,630 --> 00:27:31,600 collective than 722 00:27:37,269 --> 00:27:34,640 linkers or connectors to other people 723 00:27:38,470 --> 00:27:37,279 one of them is chanting and singing and 724 00:27:40,710 --> 00:27:38,480 this is part of all 725 00:27:42,310 --> 00:27:40,720 religious traditions um they all have 726 00:27:44,389 --> 00:27:42,320 singing and chanting 727 00:27:45,750 --> 00:27:44,399 and there have been a lot of studies now 728 00:27:49,350 --> 00:27:45,760 which show that when you're singing 729 00:27:51,750 --> 00:27:49,360 together or chanting together 730 00:27:52,389 --> 00:27:51,760 you your whole body resonates with the 731 00:27:53,909 --> 00:27:52,399 sand 732 00:27:55,510 --> 00:27:53,919 you resonate with other people because 733 00:27:57,269 --> 00:27:55,520 you're doing it together you take 734 00:28:00,470 --> 00:27:57,279 breaths at the same time you 735 00:28:01,190 --> 00:28:00,480 make the same sounds and if you're 736 00:28:04,389 --> 00:28:01,200 chanting 737 00:28:05,909 --> 00:28:04,399 a sacred song or sound or mantra then 738 00:28:07,990 --> 00:28:05,919 biomorphic resonance 739 00:28:09,269 --> 00:28:08,000 which we've already discussed but 740 00:28:10,870 --> 00:28:09,279 because it's similar 741 00:28:12,870 --> 00:28:10,880 you connect up with those who've done it 742 00:28:14,149 --> 00:28:12,880 before so there's a connection across 743 00:28:16,149 --> 00:28:14,159 time 744 00:28:17,350 --> 00:28:16,159 and the same goes for rituals all 745 00:28:21,190 --> 00:28:17,360 religions and 746 00:28:24,389 --> 00:28:21,200 many secular social groups have rituals 747 00:28:25,430 --> 00:28:24,399 and by repeating the ritual the way it's 748 00:28:27,269 --> 00:28:25,440 been done before 749 00:28:29,510 --> 00:28:27,279 more or less the same way it's been done 750 00:28:31,029 --> 00:28:29,520 in the past you create the conditions 751 00:28:32,389 --> 00:28:31,039 for morphic resonance so there's a 752 00:28:34,950 --> 00:28:32,399 presence of the past 753 00:28:37,430 --> 00:28:34,960 a connection across time with previous 754 00:28:39,909 --> 00:28:37,440 generations right back to the first time 755 00:28:41,990 --> 00:28:39,919 the ritual happened and this is 756 00:28:44,630 --> 00:28:42,000 something that happens in 757 00:28:45,590 --> 00:28:44,640 religious rituals like the jewish 758 00:28:48,389 --> 00:28:45,600 passover 759 00:28:49,269 --> 00:28:48,399 or the christian holy communion also in 760 00:28:51,269 --> 00:28:49,279 national 761 00:28:52,310 --> 00:28:51,279 rituals like the american thanksgiving 762 00:28:55,190 --> 00:28:52,320 dinner 763 00:28:55,830 --> 00:28:55,200 where people reenact a particular event 764 00:28:57,669 --> 00:28:55,840 that was 765 00:29:00,310 --> 00:28:57,679 of key importance in the history of the 766 00:29:02,950 --> 00:29:00,320 group in the case of america the first 767 00:29:03,590 --> 00:29:02,960 settlers in new england uh giving thanks 768 00:29:07,029 --> 00:29:03,600 for 769 00:29:13,190 --> 00:29:07,039 and 770 00:29:16,310 --> 00:29:13,200 over the first year um 771 00:29:16,789 --> 00:29:16,320 these uh rituals uh connect us with each 772 00:29:18,870 --> 00:29:16,799 other 773 00:29:20,230 --> 00:29:18,880 and with those before so they're much 774 00:29:23,430 --> 00:29:20,240 more connected 775 00:29:26,630 --> 00:29:23,440 socially um whereas meditation is more 776 00:29:28,710 --> 00:29:26,640 individualistic so it's not in my view 777 00:29:29,669 --> 00:29:28,720 these are these practices not either or 778 00:29:31,510 --> 00:29:29,679 it's both and 779 00:29:32,789 --> 00:29:31,520 which is why these are three of the 780 00:29:36,470 --> 00:29:32,799 practices i include 781 00:29:40,389 --> 00:29:36,480 in my book yes uh and and and very 782 00:29:43,669 --> 00:29:40,399 well done i must say in terms of rituals 783 00:29:46,710 --> 00:29:43,679 i have a particular 784 00:29:50,710 --> 00:29:46,720 relationship to rituals that um 785 00:29:54,549 --> 00:29:50,720 might be even new for people to do 786 00:29:56,389 --> 00:29:54,559 i find that i you know i have clients 787 00:29:57,909 --> 00:29:56,399 who come and ask me for advice in 788 00:30:01,190 --> 00:29:57,919 various ways and 789 00:30:01,990 --> 00:30:01,200 are not able to train their minds very 790 00:30:04,950 --> 00:30:02,000 easily 791 00:30:06,389 --> 00:30:04,960 uh they're not able to just lay down and 792 00:30:09,669 --> 00:30:06,399 meditate for instance 793 00:30:13,190 --> 00:30:09,679 but um if you give a person a small 794 00:30:16,310 --> 00:30:13,200 ritual to do like gazing into a candle 795 00:30:16,950 --> 00:30:16,320 uh having certain objects in front of 796 00:30:20,310 --> 00:30:16,960 them 797 00:30:22,389 --> 00:30:20,320 they are forced to to concentrate on 798 00:30:25,430 --> 00:30:22,399 something and therefore 799 00:30:26,149 --> 00:30:25,440 what they intend their intention is more 800 00:30:29,269 --> 00:30:26,159 likely 801 00:30:30,549 --> 00:30:29,279 to happen also if you do an intention 802 00:30:32,950 --> 00:30:30,559 with a group 803 00:30:35,029 --> 00:30:32,960 it would seem that the intention is 804 00:30:36,149 --> 00:30:35,039 pushed a little bit further now this is 805 00:30:38,870 --> 00:30:36,159 not the same as 806 00:30:39,510 --> 00:30:38,880 a meditation obviously because there is 807 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:39,520 um 808 00:30:46,389 --> 00:30:42,640 a purpose to it a specific purpose like 809 00:30:48,950 --> 00:30:46,399 you wanna you want to find a partner 810 00:30:49,669 --> 00:30:48,960 let's say in life as many of my clients 811 00:30:52,950 --> 00:30:49,679 do 812 00:30:56,470 --> 00:30:52,960 an 813 00:30:59,750 --> 00:30:56,480 intention multiplies the 814 00:31:03,190 --> 00:30:59,760 effects of the the intention and 815 00:31:07,830 --> 00:31:03,200 the mind is focused on 816 00:31:10,230 --> 00:31:07,840 on the ritual and thereby the 817 00:31:12,389 --> 00:31:10,240 affirmation is pushed further the 818 00:31:16,070 --> 00:31:12,399 intention is pushed further i think 819 00:31:18,630 --> 00:31:16,080 that some of the uh the people 820 00:31:19,909 --> 00:31:18,640 at the society for scientific 821 00:31:22,389 --> 00:31:19,919 exploration which i 822 00:31:23,269 --> 00:31:22,399 assume you're familiar with uh the dean 823 00:31:26,549 --> 00:31:23,279 raiden 824 00:31:29,110 --> 00:31:26,559 julia mossberg bridge group um 825 00:31:31,269 --> 00:31:29,120 somebody measured the amount and i wish 826 00:31:32,310 --> 00:31:31,279 i i knew this who did but measured the 827 00:31:35,590 --> 00:31:32,320 amount 828 00:31:37,990 --> 00:31:35,600 uh that was improved 829 00:31:39,830 --> 00:31:38,000 of having more than one person do an 830 00:31:40,789 --> 00:31:39,840 intention like if you have one person 831 00:31:42,950 --> 00:31:40,799 intending 832 00:31:44,710 --> 00:31:42,960 uh strongly maybe there's an eight 833 00:31:47,029 --> 00:31:44,720 percent better chance that 834 00:31:50,070 --> 00:31:47,039 that will happen but if you start adding 835 00:31:53,029 --> 00:31:50,080 people it can go up to 12 or 15 836 00:31:53,430 --> 00:31:53,039 i wish i knew the person that actually 837 00:31:55,590 --> 00:31:53,440 did 838 00:31:57,350 --> 00:31:55,600 that experiment it may have been 839 00:32:01,110 --> 00:31:57,360 replicated as well but it 840 00:32:02,710 --> 00:32:01,120 seems to come out of that general group 841 00:32:04,710 --> 00:32:02,720 i'm not familiar with that particular 842 00:32:05,830 --> 00:32:04,720 experiment i am familiar with the group 843 00:32:07,830 --> 00:32:05,840 i'm a member of the 844 00:32:09,590 --> 00:32:07,840 society for scientific exploration 845 00:32:12,830 --> 00:32:09,600 myself you and me both 846 00:32:16,789 --> 00:32:12,840 hey okay so 847 00:32:19,909 --> 00:32:16,799 um well i think that this 848 00:32:22,389 --> 00:32:19,919 you know all traditional societies um 849 00:32:25,029 --> 00:32:22,399 have these collective practices which is 850 00:32:28,789 --> 00:32:25,039 what going to church or to synagogue 851 00:32:30,149 --> 00:32:28,799 or taking part in a buddhist new moon 852 00:32:33,190 --> 00:32:30,159 ceremony or 853 00:32:35,269 --> 00:32:33,200 um or shamanic ceremonies in tribal 854 00:32:36,549 --> 00:32:35,279 cultures where they celebrate and dance 855 00:32:38,870 --> 00:32:36,559 and sing together 856 00:32:40,230 --> 00:32:38,880 all of these are ways of linking 857 00:32:43,110 --> 00:32:40,240 people's intentions 858 00:32:44,789 --> 00:32:43,120 together and you know in church services 859 00:32:45,750 --> 00:32:44,799 and in synagogues people are praying 860 00:32:49,509 --> 00:32:45,760 together 861 00:32:51,990 --> 00:32:49,519 um and in mosques and i think that these 862 00:32:53,110 --> 00:32:52,000 are very traditional ways of linking up 863 00:32:56,710 --> 00:32:53,120 with others 864 00:32:59,830 --> 00:32:56,720 basically these spiritual practices are 865 00:33:01,990 --> 00:32:59,840 about connection and 866 00:33:03,750 --> 00:33:02,000 they connect us with the ground of being 867 00:33:05,830 --> 00:33:03,760 they connect us with other people they 868 00:33:07,190 --> 00:33:05,840 connect us with ancestors they connect 869 00:33:10,630 --> 00:33:07,200 us with places 870 00:33:12,470 --> 00:33:10,640 as in pilgrimage so they're always of 871 00:33:15,350 --> 00:33:12,480 making us more connected 872 00:33:16,549 --> 00:33:15,360 and typically people feel happier when 873 00:33:18,950 --> 00:33:16,559 they're connected and 874 00:33:19,990 --> 00:33:18,960 unhappier when they're not so they also 875 00:33:23,190 --> 00:33:20,000 have the effect of 876 00:33:27,269 --> 00:33:23,200 making people happier indeed as 877 00:33:30,549 --> 00:33:27,279 as does your second your second 878 00:33:34,710 --> 00:33:30,559 uh spiritual practice which 879 00:33:36,070 --> 00:33:34,720 is gratitude and um my suggestion and i 880 00:33:38,549 --> 00:33:36,080 think this is probably 881 00:33:40,310 --> 00:33:38,559 i believe is your suggestion also i have 882 00:33:40,950 --> 00:33:40,320 a little gratitude when you wake up in 883 00:33:42,549 --> 00:33:40,960 the morning 884 00:33:44,870 --> 00:33:42,559 and a little gratitude when you go to 885 00:33:47,110 --> 00:33:44,880 sleep at night and it does 886 00:33:49,190 --> 00:33:47,120 tend to make you a happier person one a 887 00:33:51,269 --> 00:33:49,200 happier person 888 00:33:52,470 --> 00:33:51,279 definitely i mean there's now a lot of 889 00:33:54,310 --> 00:33:52,480 research done by 890 00:33:56,389 --> 00:33:54,320 psychologists particularly in the school 891 00:33:58,230 --> 00:33:56,399 of positive psychology 892 00:34:00,950 --> 00:33:58,240 which is the branch of psychology 893 00:34:04,230 --> 00:34:00,960 studying well-being and happiness 894 00:34:07,110 --> 00:34:04,240 that by being more grateful you 895 00:34:09,510 --> 00:34:07,120 can become happier uh there are now 896 00:34:10,310 --> 00:34:09,520 experiments and exercises that people do 897 00:34:12,950 --> 00:34:10,320 that make people 898 00:34:15,109 --> 00:34:12,960 measurably happier um through the 899 00:34:16,950 --> 00:34:15,119 practice of gratitude 900 00:34:19,669 --> 00:34:16,960 and this is something all religions 901 00:34:22,790 --> 00:34:19,679 encourage they all have thanksgiving 902 00:34:26,790 --> 00:34:22,800 for our blen the blessings in our lives 903 00:34:28,950 --> 00:34:26,800 um and it's now scientifically 904 00:34:31,030 --> 00:34:28,960 shown that this is really does work 905 00:34:32,230 --> 00:34:31,040 people really are happier and i think 906 00:34:35,270 --> 00:34:32,240 it's because they feel 907 00:34:37,270 --> 00:34:35,280 more connected if you receive something 908 00:34:38,389 --> 00:34:37,280 and you don't give thanks basically it 909 00:34:40,389 --> 00:34:38,399 stops with you 910 00:34:42,869 --> 00:34:40,399 if you receive something and give thanks 911 00:34:46,389 --> 00:34:42,879 it's it creates a circuit of flow 912 00:34:47,190 --> 00:34:46,399 and being part of a flow is is essential 913 00:34:49,829 --> 00:34:47,200 really for 914 00:34:51,270 --> 00:34:49,839 for well-being in humans and i suppose 915 00:34:54,550 --> 00:34:51,280 in all nature 916 00:34:58,150 --> 00:34:54,560 um so and 917 00:35:00,150 --> 00:34:58,160 i myself find that um the practice of 918 00:35:00,710 --> 00:35:00,160 gratitude is a really important thing i 919 00:35:03,349 --> 00:35:00,720 try 920 00:35:03,990 --> 00:35:03,359 before i go to bed in the evenings at 921 00:35:06,390 --> 00:35:04,000 night i 922 00:35:08,390 --> 00:35:06,400 i pray every evening and i always start 923 00:35:09,670 --> 00:35:08,400 by giving thanks 924 00:35:12,230 --> 00:35:09,680 for the things that have happened that 925 00:35:14,870 --> 00:35:12,240 day and for which i feel grateful 926 00:35:16,870 --> 00:35:14,880 and the simplest way to bring this into 927 00:35:19,190 --> 00:35:16,880 one's life as i suggest in my book 928 00:35:21,750 --> 00:35:19,200 science and spiritual practices 929 00:35:23,270 --> 00:35:21,760 um is to give thanks before meals then 930 00:35:26,069 --> 00:35:23,280 we can do it with other people 931 00:35:28,470 --> 00:35:26,079 and saying grace before meals is 932 00:35:31,430 --> 00:35:28,480 extremely traditional practice in 933 00:35:33,109 --> 00:35:31,440 all traditions but many people in the 934 00:35:35,510 --> 00:35:33,119 modern secular world have 935 00:35:36,710 --> 00:35:35,520 stopped doing it or embarrassed by doing 936 00:35:39,109 --> 00:35:36,720 it or 937 00:35:40,069 --> 00:35:39,119 whatever but this is i think is a loss 938 00:35:42,230 --> 00:35:40,079 and 939 00:35:44,950 --> 00:35:42,240 the simplest way of doing it without 940 00:35:45,750 --> 00:35:44,960 causing controversy is simply to hold 941 00:35:48,630 --> 00:35:45,760 hands 942 00:35:50,230 --> 00:35:48,640 round the table silently um then 943 00:35:51,349 --> 00:35:50,240 everyone can give thanks in their own 944 00:35:53,589 --> 00:35:51,359 way 945 00:35:55,349 --> 00:35:53,599 or to sing a grace together or for 946 00:35:56,230 --> 00:35:55,359 someone to say a grace but doing it 947 00:35:59,430 --> 00:35:56,240 silently 948 00:36:02,550 --> 00:35:59,440 is the easiest uh way of doing it 949 00:36:03,510 --> 00:36:02,560 um without sort of embarrassing anyone 950 00:36:05,990 --> 00:36:03,520 or raising 951 00:36:06,870 --> 00:36:06,000 any issues and then it can move on from 952 00:36:11,829 --> 00:36:06,880 that to 953 00:36:13,910 --> 00:36:11,839 uh expression through words or song 954 00:36:16,069 --> 00:36:13,920 anyway i think this is a very helpful 955 00:36:19,109 --> 00:36:16,079 and simple practice and we always do it 956 00:36:21,030 --> 00:36:19,119 before meals in my home here in london 957 00:36:23,270 --> 00:36:21,040 well i think that is that is an 958 00:36:25,750 --> 00:36:23,280 excellent idea as well as 959 00:36:26,790 --> 00:36:25,760 uh the morning practice of of greeting 960 00:36:30,150 --> 00:36:26,800 the sun 961 00:36:33,190 --> 00:36:30,160 through the gaitrea mantra or um 962 00:36:37,510 --> 00:36:33,200 a uh a sun salutation 963 00:36:37,829 --> 00:36:37,520 or both uh and i'm i'm i'm a yogini so i 964 00:36:41,829 --> 00:36:37,839 do 965 00:36:44,390 --> 00:36:41,839 sort of thing and i 966 00:36:45,990 --> 00:36:44,400 i can tell you that it does absolutely 967 00:36:48,710 --> 00:36:46,000 make you feel better 968 00:36:50,310 --> 00:36:48,720 but i wanted to just take a look at the 969 00:36:52,950 --> 00:36:50,320 other side of that 970 00:36:54,069 --> 00:36:52,960 um which is that you know we all have 971 00:36:56,310 --> 00:36:54,079 complaints in life 972 00:36:57,910 --> 00:36:56,320 there are things that go wrong and we we 973 00:37:00,069 --> 00:36:57,920 have every right to mention when 974 00:37:03,270 --> 00:37:00,079 something goes wrong but there are those 975 00:37:06,870 --> 00:37:03,280 folks out there who have through habit 976 00:37:10,550 --> 00:37:06,880 um decided that a a life 977 00:37:13,910 --> 00:37:10,560 of verbal complaints or expressing 978 00:37:16,950 --> 00:37:13,920 what they feel is missing constantly to 979 00:37:19,589 --> 00:37:16,960 all who come and hear uh 980 00:37:22,230 --> 00:37:19,599 this gives them a little more attention 981 00:37:23,030 --> 00:37:22,240 for the moment but in the long run i 982 00:37:27,510 --> 00:37:23,040 believe they 983 00:37:29,670 --> 00:37:27,520 end up being losers in the situation 984 00:37:31,670 --> 00:37:29,680 well that's certainly what the data show 985 00:37:33,589 --> 00:37:31,680 the positive psychology people have 986 00:37:35,430 --> 00:37:33,599 found that people who are grateful 987 00:37:37,670 --> 00:37:35,440 are not only happier but they're more 988 00:37:39,670 --> 00:37:37,680 popular i mean it's more fun being with 989 00:37:42,630 --> 00:37:39,680 someone who's happier and positive 990 00:37:43,430 --> 00:37:42,640 than someone who's feels entitled and 991 00:37:45,990 --> 00:37:43,440 miserable 992 00:37:47,510 --> 00:37:46,000 and is complaining all the time and of 993 00:37:48,150 --> 00:37:47,520 course it's important to be able to 994 00:37:50,630 --> 00:37:48,160 share 995 00:37:52,230 --> 00:37:50,640 our problems with others that's part of 996 00:37:54,390 --> 00:37:52,240 being part of a social group 997 00:37:56,390 --> 00:37:54,400 and that means we don't have to bear all 998 00:37:59,109 --> 00:37:56,400 our burdens by ourselves but 999 00:38:01,190 --> 00:37:59,119 uh not many people enjoy hanging out 1000 00:38:03,430 --> 00:38:01,200 with people who just complain or moan 1001 00:38:06,710 --> 00:38:03,440 all the time 1002 00:38:09,430 --> 00:38:06,720 indeed indeed so um 1003 00:38:10,470 --> 00:38:09,440 basically uh we're going to move towards 1004 00:38:13,510 --> 00:38:10,480 uh 1005 00:38:17,510 --> 00:38:13,520 your concept of more than the human 1006 00:38:19,470 --> 00:38:17,520 world and a word that is new to me 1007 00:38:21,510 --> 00:38:19,480 uh which i believe is pronounced 1008 00:38:24,550 --> 00:38:21,520 pan-enthism 1009 00:38:27,750 --> 00:38:24,560 yes that's right um 1010 00:38:30,069 --> 00:38:27,760 well in in in the um my chapter on 1011 00:38:31,190 --> 00:38:30,079 the um in science and spiritual 1012 00:38:33,910 --> 00:38:31,200 practices 1013 00:38:34,870 --> 00:38:33,920 on reconnecting with the more than human 1014 00:38:37,750 --> 00:38:34,880 world 1015 00:38:38,390 --> 00:38:37,760 um it's basically about relating to 1016 00:38:42,069 --> 00:38:38,400 nature 1017 00:38:46,069 --> 00:38:42,079 and for many people um being outdoors 1018 00:38:49,349 --> 00:38:46,079 hiking in park in parks being in gardens 1019 00:38:52,310 --> 00:38:49,359 um and just being out in nature 1020 00:38:53,109 --> 00:38:52,320 on the seaside by a river sailing on the 1021 00:38:55,829 --> 00:38:53,119 sea 1022 00:38:57,829 --> 00:38:55,839 um these are all ways of connecting with 1023 00:38:59,670 --> 00:38:57,839 the more than human world because after 1024 00:38:59,990 --> 00:38:59,680 all we're pretty small compared with the 1025 00:39:05,990 --> 00:39:00,000 whole 1026 00:39:14,230 --> 00:39:11,270 and for many people these exercises 1027 00:39:16,310 --> 00:39:14,240 or just practices give them a sense that 1028 00:39:19,270 --> 00:39:16,320 there's a greater life in nature 1029 00:39:20,550 --> 00:39:19,280 that that plants are truly alive animals 1030 00:39:25,510 --> 00:39:20,560 are truly alive 1031 00:39:28,230 --> 00:39:25,520 just living in a dead mechanical 1032 00:39:29,670 --> 00:39:28,240 world the world that mechanistic science 1033 00:39:32,310 --> 00:39:29,680 portrays 1034 00:39:34,710 --> 00:39:32,320 there's much more to it than that and 1035 00:39:36,790 --> 00:39:34,720 when we feel that sense of connection 1036 00:39:38,310 --> 00:39:36,800 with nature and connection with that 1037 00:39:40,310 --> 00:39:38,320 which is beyond us 1038 00:39:42,390 --> 00:39:40,320 um we have the feeling that we're 1039 00:39:45,109 --> 00:39:42,400 there's a larger form of life 1040 00:39:46,470 --> 00:39:45,119 in the world it's the the conventional 1041 00:39:48,710 --> 00:39:46,480 scientific view is that 1042 00:39:50,390 --> 00:39:48,720 consciousness is just a kind of bubble 1043 00:39:51,990 --> 00:39:50,400 inside human brains 1044 00:39:53,750 --> 00:39:52,000 and the rest of nature is dead 1045 00:39:56,470 --> 00:39:53,760 mechanical um and 1046 00:39:57,589 --> 00:39:56,480 inanimate but that's not how it feels 1047 00:40:01,030 --> 00:39:57,599 when you relate 1048 00:40:03,829 --> 00:40:01,040 to nature in this kind of living way so 1049 00:40:05,109 --> 00:40:03,839 um even within science there's a growing 1050 00:40:07,750 --> 00:40:05,119 movement to 1051 00:40:08,829 --> 00:40:07,760 understand the natural world in terms of 1052 00:40:11,589 --> 00:40:08,839 what's called 1053 00:40:14,150 --> 00:40:11,599 pan-psychism is 1054 00:40:15,750 --> 00:40:14,160 pan means everywhere psyche means mind 1055 00:40:19,430 --> 00:40:15,760 or as in psychology 1056 00:40:22,710 --> 00:40:19,440 from the greek word psyche meaning soul 1057 00:40:24,790 --> 00:40:22,720 so pan psychism is the idea that 1058 00:40:26,470 --> 00:40:24,800 nature is actually alive it's very 1059 00:40:28,230 --> 00:40:26,480 similar to what's always been called 1060 00:40:31,430 --> 00:40:28,240 animism 1061 00:40:34,470 --> 00:40:31,440 the belief that nature is alive not dead 1062 00:40:35,510 --> 00:40:34,480 um and if you take the view that the 1063 00:40:37,750 --> 00:40:35,520 earth is alive 1064 00:40:39,030 --> 00:40:37,760 gaia many people believe that and i 1065 00:40:41,190 --> 00:40:39,040 rightly so i think 1066 00:40:43,030 --> 00:40:41,200 that the solar system is a living 1067 00:40:45,430 --> 00:40:43,040 organism the whole galaxy 1068 00:40:46,550 --> 00:40:45,440 is like a gigantic organism the whole 1069 00:40:49,990 --> 00:40:46,560 cosmos 1070 00:40:50,550 --> 00:40:50,000 is like a vast living being with its own 1071 00:40:57,030 --> 00:40:50,560 mind 1072 00:40:59,430 --> 00:40:57,040 animism or pan-psychism um 1073 00:41:00,710 --> 00:40:59,440 it's sometimes also called pantheism the 1074 00:41:03,510 --> 00:41:00,720 idea that 1075 00:41:04,790 --> 00:41:03,520 nature is god and god is nature and god 1076 00:41:08,230 --> 00:41:04,800 is like the mind 1077 00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:08,240 of nature but there's a further view 1078 00:41:14,950 --> 00:41:12,560 um pan-enthusiasm which you asked about 1079 00:41:16,309 --> 00:41:14,960 which which goes further it says yes 1080 00:41:18,790 --> 00:41:16,319 nature is alive yes 1081 00:41:19,589 --> 00:41:18,800 god is in nature yes all these things 1082 00:41:22,950 --> 00:41:19,599 reflect 1083 00:41:25,670 --> 00:41:22,960 divine being the trees the rivers the 1084 00:41:28,710 --> 00:41:25,680 seas the skies the stars 1085 00:41:31,510 --> 00:41:28,720 but it's not just nature that 1086 00:41:32,550 --> 00:41:31,520 god is not just in nature but nature is 1087 00:41:35,030 --> 00:41:32,560 in god 1088 00:41:35,589 --> 00:41:35,040 so god transcends nature as well as 1089 00:41:38,390 --> 00:41:35,599 being 1090 00:41:39,750 --> 00:41:38,400 in nature god is both transcendent and 1091 00:41:43,589 --> 00:41:39,760 imminent 1092 00:41:45,430 --> 00:41:43,599 and so that's the view i take myself and 1093 00:41:47,670 --> 00:41:45,440 i think it's a 1094 00:41:49,670 --> 00:41:47,680 better view than there are three 1095 00:41:50,069 --> 00:41:49,680 alternative views that we have come 1096 00:41:52,630 --> 00:41:50,079 across 1097 00:41:53,349 --> 00:41:52,640 one is materialist atheist view there's 1098 00:41:55,430 --> 00:41:53,359 no god 1099 00:41:56,550 --> 00:41:55,440 there's no mind or spirit in nature it's 1100 00:41:58,230 --> 00:41:56,560 just machinery 1101 00:42:00,309 --> 00:41:58,240 and our own minds are nothing but the 1102 00:42:03,349 --> 00:42:00,319 activity of our brains 1103 00:42:05,430 --> 00:42:03,359 how depressing that is 1104 00:42:06,550 --> 00:42:05,440 that's the default view of most 1105 00:42:09,670 --> 00:42:06,560 scientists and 1106 00:42:11,589 --> 00:42:09,680 uh indeed many educated people is very 1107 00:42:13,829 --> 00:42:11,599 very depressing yes 1108 00:42:16,309 --> 00:42:13,839 then there's the view you you a view 1109 00:42:19,190 --> 00:42:16,319 that you sometimes get with 1110 00:42:21,349 --> 00:42:19,200 a certain kind of theistic religion that 1111 00:42:23,030 --> 00:42:21,359 nature is automatic and 1112 00:42:25,190 --> 00:42:23,040 just like the materialists think is 1113 00:42:26,790 --> 00:42:25,200 mechanical but there's a god beyond 1114 00:42:28,710 --> 00:42:26,800 nature who may have designed the 1115 00:42:30,390 --> 00:42:28,720 machinery of nature in the first place 1116 00:42:32,470 --> 00:42:30,400 and started it off 1117 00:42:33,910 --> 00:42:32,480 and that god is totally transcendent 1118 00:42:37,910 --> 00:42:33,920 outside nature 1119 00:42:41,349 --> 00:42:37,920 and nature itself is not divine it's not 1120 00:42:42,870 --> 00:42:41,359 it's not has no spiritual value that's a 1121 00:42:43,829 --> 00:42:42,880 view that you encounter with some 1122 00:42:47,990 --> 00:42:43,839 theists 1123 00:42:49,829 --> 00:42:48,000 some religious people have that view um 1124 00:42:51,430 --> 00:42:49,839 then you have the animist view that 1125 00:42:53,430 --> 00:42:51,440 nature is alive and 1126 00:42:54,790 --> 00:42:53,440 god there isn't a god out there beyond 1127 00:42:58,630 --> 00:42:54,800 nature there's just 1128 00:43:01,990 --> 00:42:58,640 nature that's a kind of romantic 1129 00:43:03,910 --> 00:43:02,000 religion of nature so we've got these 1130 00:43:05,430 --> 00:43:03,920 different views but then the view that i 1131 00:43:08,230 --> 00:43:05,440 think is much more inclusive 1132 00:43:10,470 --> 00:43:08,240 is that yes god is immanent within 1133 00:43:11,430 --> 00:43:10,480 nature god your nature is alive god's 1134 00:43:14,069 --> 00:43:11,440 within nature 1135 00:43:15,030 --> 00:43:14,079 but god is also beyond nature including 1136 00:43:18,069 --> 00:43:15,040 nature 1137 00:43:19,349 --> 00:43:18,079 and so pan and theism pan means 1138 00:43:22,870 --> 00:43:19,359 everywhere 1139 00:43:26,069 --> 00:43:22,880 n means in theism means god so god is 1140 00:43:26,710 --> 00:43:26,079 in nature and nature is in god and i 1141 00:43:29,670 --> 00:43:26,720 think that's 1142 00:43:31,349 --> 00:43:29,680 by far the most satisfactory view um 1143 00:43:33,990 --> 00:43:31,359 it's also the view that 1144 00:43:34,550 --> 00:43:34,000 uh came naturally to christians and and 1145 00:43:37,430 --> 00:43:34,560 jews 1146 00:43:38,309 --> 00:43:37,440 uh before the scientific revolution in 1147 00:43:40,870 --> 00:43:38,319 in the 1148 00:43:42,870 --> 00:43:40,880 um middle ages in europe the ages that 1149 00:43:43,829 --> 00:43:42,880 gave us the great gothic cathedrals of 1150 00:43:46,710 --> 00:43:43,839 europe 1151 00:43:48,710 --> 00:43:46,720 and nature was seen as alive and god was 1152 00:43:51,190 --> 00:43:48,720 the god of the living world 1153 00:43:53,349 --> 00:43:51,200 and that i think is much the best view 1154 00:43:57,190 --> 00:43:53,359 and one that makes most sense to me 1155 00:43:58,950 --> 00:43:57,200 well is is could we extrapolate that to 1156 00:44:02,950 --> 00:43:58,960 something that i think about 1157 00:44:06,150 --> 00:44:02,960 in terms of when i think of christianity 1158 00:44:08,390 --> 00:44:06,160 and i think of the holy ghost uh what is 1159 00:44:10,870 --> 00:44:08,400 called the holy ghost which is if you 1160 00:44:11,910 --> 00:44:10,880 just uh you know go to sunday school 1161 00:44:15,190 --> 00:44:11,920 it's sort of like 1162 00:44:19,589 --> 00:44:15,200 a real mystery but when you think of 1163 00:44:23,109 --> 00:44:19,599 that aspect of of the of the godhead 1164 00:44:26,870 --> 00:44:23,119 as being what is inside 1165 00:44:28,790 --> 00:44:26,880 everyone and inside all plants all 1166 00:44:32,309 --> 00:44:28,800 animals the earth 1167 00:44:35,750 --> 00:44:32,319 the stars the solar system uh the galaxy 1168 00:44:38,950 --> 00:44:35,760 all of that stuff is sort of what 1169 00:44:41,589 --> 00:44:38,960 is the makeup of uh the holy ghost on 1170 00:44:43,109 --> 00:44:41,599 on some level you could equate it that's 1171 00:44:45,829 --> 00:44:43,119 that's somehow the way 1172 00:44:47,750 --> 00:44:45,839 the way that i see it um i i don't want 1173 00:44:50,470 --> 00:44:47,760 to go down the road too 1174 00:44:52,710 --> 00:44:50,480 too much of religion per se as you know 1175 00:44:55,829 --> 00:44:52,720 christianity as opposed to judaism 1176 00:44:56,710 --> 00:44:55,839 as opposed to islam or the eastern 1177 00:44:59,990 --> 00:44:56,720 religions 1178 00:45:02,630 --> 00:45:00,000 but rather to just sort of um think of 1179 00:45:06,950 --> 00:45:02,640 that in terms of the philosophy of it 1180 00:45:10,870 --> 00:45:06,960 and also um begin to talk about your 1181 00:45:13,270 --> 00:45:10,880 uh discussion uh which i heard online 1182 00:45:17,190 --> 00:45:13,280 is the sun conscious which i found to be 1183 00:45:18,870 --> 00:45:17,200 a wonderful wonderful discussion 1184 00:45:20,870 --> 00:45:18,880 yes well i i think first of all the 1185 00:45:21,829 --> 00:45:20,880 point about the holy ghost or the holy 1186 00:45:24,230 --> 00:45:21,839 spirit 1187 00:45:24,950 --> 00:45:24,240 is that there's an energetic principle 1188 00:45:27,510 --> 00:45:24,960 in nature 1189 00:45:29,190 --> 00:45:27,520 all all the great religions have the 1190 00:45:32,870 --> 00:45:29,200 idea that there's 1191 00:45:34,710 --> 00:45:32,880 the the divine nature has two main ways 1192 00:45:35,750 --> 00:45:34,720 of interfacing with the world one is 1193 00:45:38,470 --> 00:45:35,760 through forms 1194 00:45:39,190 --> 00:45:38,480 patterns structure meaning words the 1195 00:45:42,230 --> 00:45:39,200 logos 1196 00:45:44,069 --> 00:45:42,240 in the holy trinity or um you know the 1197 00:45:46,790 --> 00:45:44,079 word 1198 00:45:47,430 --> 00:45:46,800 and the other is through movement breath 1199 00:45:49,750 --> 00:45:47,440 change 1200 00:45:50,550 --> 00:45:49,760 wind and what we call energy within 1201 00:45:53,190 --> 00:45:50,560 science 1202 00:45:54,230 --> 00:45:53,200 all these different forms of energy and 1203 00:45:56,790 --> 00:45:54,240 these are both 1204 00:45:58,230 --> 00:45:56,800 uh ways in which the divine works 1205 00:46:01,589 --> 00:45:58,240 through the world 1206 00:46:03,670 --> 00:46:01,599 um and the 1207 00:46:06,390 --> 00:46:03,680 within modern science the formative 1208 00:46:09,430 --> 00:46:06,400 principle is expressed through fields 1209 00:46:10,870 --> 00:46:09,440 and the um spirit principle is expressed 1210 00:46:13,349 --> 00:46:10,880 through energy 1211 00:46:14,710 --> 00:46:13,359 and when we look at the sun uh most 1212 00:46:16,950 --> 00:46:14,720 people are 1213 00:46:18,550 --> 00:46:16,960 educated scientifically assume the sun 1214 00:46:20,870 --> 00:46:18,560 is just 1215 00:46:23,109 --> 00:46:20,880 a sort of a huge hydrogen bomb in the 1216 00:46:25,430 --> 00:46:23,119 sky working mechanically 1217 00:46:26,150 --> 00:46:25,440 but actually the sun itself is a source 1218 00:46:27,910 --> 00:46:26,160 of energy 1219 00:46:30,309 --> 00:46:27,920 all the energy we have here on earth 1220 00:46:33,670 --> 00:46:30,319 comes from this what nearly all of it 1221 00:46:36,069 --> 00:46:33,680 um but it and it represents just 1222 00:46:38,150 --> 00:46:36,079 these two principles it has a shape a 1223 00:46:38,950 --> 00:46:38,160 form which comes from its gravitational 1224 00:46:42,550 --> 00:46:38,960 field 1225 00:46:45,670 --> 00:46:42,560 the sun spots the flares of the 1226 00:46:46,150 --> 00:46:45,680 pulsing activity of the sun all comes 1227 00:46:48,309 --> 00:46:46,160 through 1228 00:46:49,190 --> 00:46:48,319 the electromagnetic fields which are 1229 00:46:52,150 --> 00:46:49,200 shaping it 1230 00:46:52,710 --> 00:46:52,160 so fields are what shape it give it form 1231 00:46:54,630 --> 00:46:52,720 um 1232 00:46:56,710 --> 00:46:54,640 and then it's emitting all this energy 1233 00:46:57,990 --> 00:46:56,720 the sunlight and the flares and all the 1234 00:47:00,790 --> 00:46:58,000 things that come 1235 00:47:03,109 --> 00:47:00,800 the power life on earth the constant 1236 00:47:06,309 --> 00:47:03,119 flow of energy from the sun 1237 00:47:09,430 --> 00:47:06,319 is as it were the spirit principle um 1238 00:47:10,069 --> 00:47:09,440 and the flow of energy if we have a view 1239 00:47:13,109 --> 00:47:10,079 of a living 1240 00:47:15,030 --> 00:47:13,119 world it's not just inanimate energy 1241 00:47:16,150 --> 00:47:15,040 it's living spirit that's coming to us 1242 00:47:19,349 --> 00:47:16,160 from the sun 1243 00:47:21,750 --> 00:47:19,359 and traditional um 1244 00:47:23,430 --> 00:47:21,760 religious views have always seen the sun 1245 00:47:26,470 --> 00:47:23,440 as alive 1246 00:47:28,870 --> 00:47:26,480 that's why in the hindu tradition 1247 00:47:30,549 --> 00:47:28,880 the gayatri mantra which is a hymn to 1248 00:47:33,430 --> 00:47:30,559 the sun which you mentioned 1249 00:47:35,270 --> 00:47:33,440 earlier is one of the most fundamental 1250 00:47:38,309 --> 00:47:35,280 mantras in hinduism 1251 00:47:41,270 --> 00:47:38,319 and one of the most basic yoga exercises 1252 00:47:42,309 --> 00:47:41,280 salutation to the sun surya namaskar 1253 00:47:44,470 --> 00:47:42,319 which you do and 1254 00:47:46,630 --> 00:47:44,480 i which i do i do that every morning 1255 00:47:50,710 --> 00:47:46,640 have done for more than 40 years 1256 00:47:54,710 --> 00:47:50,720 um is a way of recognizing the source 1257 00:47:57,990 --> 00:47:54,720 of light and life here on earth um 1258 00:48:01,109 --> 00:47:58,000 i myself think that the sun 1259 00:48:01,990 --> 00:48:01,119 is a conscious being that and so the 1260 00:48:05,510 --> 00:48:02,000 other stars 1261 00:48:09,589 --> 00:48:05,520 and sows the entire galaxy 1262 00:48:11,430 --> 00:48:09,599 and um we're of course 1263 00:48:13,670 --> 00:48:11,440 schooled to think of the sun as just 1264 00:48:14,470 --> 00:48:13,680 being an inanimate mechanism that's the 1265 00:48:16,790 --> 00:48:14,480 standard 1266 00:48:19,190 --> 00:48:16,800 mechanistic materialist world view that 1267 00:48:22,230 --> 00:48:19,200 we're educated in at schools and in 1268 00:48:24,069 --> 00:48:22,240 colleges and universities um but all 1269 00:48:25,349 --> 00:48:24,079 traditional cultures have seen the sun 1270 00:48:29,750 --> 00:48:25,359 is alive and 1271 00:48:32,150 --> 00:48:29,760 the earth is alive too gaia mother earth 1272 00:48:33,910 --> 00:48:32,160 i think it makes more sense of what we 1273 00:48:36,069 --> 00:48:33,920 know about the sound and the stars to 1274 00:48:39,190 --> 00:48:36,079 think of them as alive as dead 1275 00:48:40,309 --> 00:48:39,200 and of course they don't reproduce in 1276 00:48:43,589 --> 00:48:40,319 the same way that 1277 00:48:45,670 --> 00:48:43,599 biological organisms do 1278 00:48:47,030 --> 00:48:45,680 but they do have life cycles they're 1279 00:48:49,589 --> 00:48:47,040 born they 1280 00:48:51,670 --> 00:48:49,599 grow through a phase of maturation and 1281 00:48:54,790 --> 00:48:51,680 and finally senescence and then 1282 00:48:55,910 --> 00:48:54,800 they die stars have a life cycle so do 1283 00:48:58,950 --> 00:48:55,920 planets 1284 00:49:01,750 --> 00:48:58,960 um so um 1285 00:49:03,670 --> 00:49:01,760 i think that it affects the way we 1286 00:49:05,430 --> 00:49:03,680 relate to the world around us when we 1287 00:49:08,630 --> 00:49:05,440 think of the more than human world 1288 00:49:11,510 --> 00:49:08,640 including the sun as alive 1289 00:49:12,470 --> 00:49:11,520 and as channels of the spirit which 1290 00:49:16,309 --> 00:49:12,480 works through 1291 00:49:20,390 --> 00:49:16,319 all nature and is part of 1292 00:49:24,390 --> 00:49:20,400 the the divine activity in all nature 1293 00:49:27,829 --> 00:49:24,400 i i agree uh with that point of view 1294 00:49:28,150 --> 00:49:27,839 very largely i agree i kind of feel when 1295 00:49:38,870 --> 00:49:28,160 i 1296 00:49:40,549 --> 00:49:38,880 not you know the sun doesn't have baby 1297 00:49:43,670 --> 00:49:40,559 sons necessarily 1298 00:49:44,470 --> 00:49:43,680 and uh so forth so that there is uh 1299 00:49:49,190 --> 00:49:44,480 there 1300 00:49:52,549 --> 00:49:49,200 alive which is one thing 1301 00:49:56,390 --> 00:49:52,559 that a biological organism breathes 1302 00:49:59,829 --> 00:49:56,400 or uh has uh respiration 1303 00:50:02,069 --> 00:49:59,839 in the case of plants and that is one 1304 00:50:04,670 --> 00:50:02,079 form of being alive then there's 1305 00:50:06,069 --> 00:50:04,680 consciousness and then there's 1306 00:50:08,710 --> 00:50:06,079 self-consciousness 1307 00:50:10,790 --> 00:50:08,720 so there's a lot of gradations in there 1308 00:50:14,470 --> 00:50:10,800 as to what we might mean 1309 00:50:15,750 --> 00:50:14,480 but moving into the science aspect which 1310 00:50:19,349 --> 00:50:15,760 you are better 1311 00:50:21,829 --> 00:50:19,359 uh better uh to speak of than i 1312 00:50:23,030 --> 00:50:21,839 can because it's just a little bit above 1313 00:50:26,069 --> 00:50:23,040 my pay grade 1314 00:50:26,710 --> 00:50:26,079 i do understand that much of the sun's 1315 00:50:30,309 --> 00:50:26,720 energy 1316 00:50:33,910 --> 00:50:30,319 in 1317 00:50:37,470 --> 00:50:33,920 is electromagnetic and we only 1318 00:50:39,430 --> 00:50:37,480 sense a certain bandwidth of the 1319 00:50:42,790 --> 00:50:39,440 electromagnetic spectrum 1320 00:50:45,910 --> 00:50:42,800 through our eyes and our ears so that 1321 00:50:48,150 --> 00:50:45,920 much of the communication let's say 1322 00:50:48,630 --> 00:50:48,160 between the sun and the earth which i 1323 00:50:51,750 --> 00:50:48,640 believe 1324 00:50:54,630 --> 00:50:51,760 is going on constantly and um you 1325 00:50:56,790 --> 00:50:54,640 made me think more about the uh the 1326 00:50:59,829 --> 00:50:56,800 communication between the sun 1327 00:51:01,030 --> 00:50:59,839 and other stars and the entire galaxy 1328 00:51:04,230 --> 00:51:01,040 when i heard 1329 00:51:07,270 --> 00:51:04,240 your uh your lecture there on that 1330 00:51:07,990 --> 00:51:07,280 um is it possible that there's a whole 1331 00:51:10,950 --> 00:51:08,000 lot of 1332 00:51:12,069 --> 00:51:10,960 communication going on that as 1333 00:51:14,870 --> 00:51:12,079 biological 1334 00:51:15,829 --> 00:51:14,880 entities we are not aware of but through 1335 00:51:18,630 --> 00:51:15,839 meditation 1336 00:51:19,589 --> 00:51:18,640 and and and getting out of out of the 1337 00:51:23,589 --> 00:51:19,599 body 1338 00:51:26,870 --> 00:51:23,599 in essence we are able to connect with 1339 00:51:30,230 --> 00:51:26,880 does that make sense well i think so 1340 00:51:33,349 --> 00:51:30,240 i mean the relating to nature is 1341 00:51:36,069 --> 00:51:33,359 is you know we can do it 1342 00:51:37,910 --> 00:51:36,079 sometimes by a direct experience very 1343 00:51:39,750 --> 00:51:37,920 often people have a kind of mystical 1344 00:51:40,870 --> 00:51:39,760 experience when they're outdoors in the 1345 00:51:43,349 --> 00:51:40,880 natural world 1346 00:51:43,990 --> 00:51:43,359 of connection with the earth with the 1347 00:51:46,790 --> 00:51:44,000 sky 1348 00:51:47,829 --> 00:51:46,800 with the sun with the stars and i think 1349 00:51:49,990 --> 00:51:47,839 that is a real 1350 00:51:51,349 --> 00:51:50,000 connection not just an imaginary thing 1351 00:51:54,390 --> 00:51:51,359 inside brains 1352 00:51:55,190 --> 00:51:54,400 i think we can have these connections we 1353 00:51:56,390 --> 00:51:55,200 are 1354 00:51:58,710 --> 00:51:56,400 everything in the universe is 1355 00:52:02,069 --> 00:51:58,720 interconnected and after all 1356 00:52:05,030 --> 00:52:02,079 at the very foundations of science in 1357 00:52:06,309 --> 00:52:05,040 the 17th century was newton's theory of 1358 00:52:08,549 --> 00:52:06,319 gravitation 1359 00:52:10,309 --> 00:52:08,559 and what newton was saying is that every 1360 00:52:12,549 --> 00:52:10,319 particle of matter in the universe 1361 00:52:13,910 --> 00:52:12,559 attracts every other particle of matter 1362 00:52:16,230 --> 00:52:13,920 in the entire universe 1363 00:52:17,750 --> 00:52:16,240 it was basically even at the heart of 1364 00:52:19,390 --> 00:52:17,760 conventional science 1365 00:52:21,190 --> 00:52:19,400 is this vision of universal 1366 00:52:24,230 --> 00:52:21,200 interconnectedness 1367 00:52:27,030 --> 00:52:24,240 and 1368 00:52:29,190 --> 00:52:27,040 interconnectedness at a distance the 1369 00:52:31,990 --> 00:52:29,200 into gravitational interconnectedness 1370 00:52:35,349 --> 00:52:32,000 works through empty space over 1371 00:52:37,750 --> 00:52:35,359 universal distances um so 1372 00:52:39,910 --> 00:52:37,760 um i don't think it's just simply a 1373 00:52:40,790 --> 00:52:39,920 fantasy or an illusion to think of these 1374 00:52:43,030 --> 00:52:40,800 connections 1375 00:52:45,109 --> 00:52:43,040 we really are connected and we really 1376 00:52:45,990 --> 00:52:45,119 are connected to distant stars by the 1377 00:52:47,470 --> 00:52:46,000 light they admit 1378 00:52:50,309 --> 00:52:47,480 which is means through the 1379 00:52:54,069 --> 00:52:50,319 electromagnetic field 1380 00:52:56,630 --> 00:52:54,079 so i think all of these things 1381 00:52:58,230 --> 00:52:56,640 we know through science and science has 1382 00:53:00,309 --> 00:52:58,240 helped us know them much better than 1383 00:53:01,670 --> 00:53:00,319 anyone knew them before but they're 1384 00:53:05,829 --> 00:53:01,680 usually dismissed as 1385 00:53:08,549 --> 00:53:05,839 just physical interconnections um 1386 00:53:09,190 --> 00:53:08,559 and the universe is usually regarded as 1387 00:53:12,630 --> 00:53:09,200 just 1388 00:53:15,829 --> 00:53:12,640 dead but you see i think that 1389 00:53:18,790 --> 00:53:15,839 life involves in biology it involves 1390 00:53:21,270 --> 00:53:18,800 things like reproduction excretion etc 1391 00:53:23,430 --> 00:53:21,280 um but i think that basically what it's 1392 00:53:26,630 --> 00:53:23,440 about is self-organization 1393 00:53:28,309 --> 00:53:26,640 and having an organism having its own 1394 00:53:31,349 --> 00:53:28,319 purposes and goals 1395 00:53:35,430 --> 00:53:31,359 and the ability to organize itself 1396 00:53:37,190 --> 00:53:35,440 it may or may not be conscious 1397 00:53:39,510 --> 00:53:37,200 and there are as you said different 1398 00:53:41,589 --> 00:53:39,520 levels or degrees of consciousness 1399 00:53:43,829 --> 00:53:41,599 and even in our own case most of our 1400 00:53:46,470 --> 00:53:43,839 mental activity is unconscious 1401 00:53:47,829 --> 00:53:46,480 and the unconscious mind plays a huge 1402 00:53:50,230 --> 00:53:47,839 part in our lives 1403 00:53:51,190 --> 00:53:50,240 our habits are usually unconscious when 1404 00:53:53,589 --> 00:53:51,200 we dream 1405 00:53:54,630 --> 00:53:53,599 suddenly amazing things happen to us or 1406 00:53:56,470 --> 00:53:54,640 we're within 1407 00:53:58,309 --> 00:53:56,480 these amazing dreams which we've not 1408 00:54:00,309 --> 00:53:58,319 consciously invented 1409 00:54:02,390 --> 00:54:00,319 yet they're coming to us through our 1410 00:54:04,630 --> 00:54:02,400 unconscious minds 1411 00:54:06,069 --> 00:54:04,640 so i think all of this is actually true 1412 00:54:08,309 --> 00:54:06,079 of all nature 1413 00:54:09,430 --> 00:54:08,319 and spiritual practices and ways of 1414 00:54:11,910 --> 00:54:09,440 breaking out 1415 00:54:13,510 --> 00:54:11,920 of our isolation the idea that it's all 1416 00:54:15,589 --> 00:54:13,520 just inside the head 1417 00:54:17,510 --> 00:54:15,599 into recognizing these much deeper and 1418 00:54:19,190 --> 00:54:17,520 wider connections 1419 00:54:21,190 --> 00:54:19,200 and that's really one of the reasons i 1420 00:54:22,309 --> 00:54:21,200 wrote this book science and spiritual 1421 00:54:25,349 --> 00:54:22,319 practices 1422 00:54:26,630 --> 00:54:25,359 well i can just say that it is a really 1423 00:54:29,829 --> 00:54:26,640 wonderful book 1424 00:54:33,750 --> 00:54:29,839 i have it in on the desk in front of me 1425 00:54:36,710 --> 00:54:33,760 right now and um i want to 1426 00:54:37,670 --> 00:54:36,720 thank you so much for being with us 1427 00:54:40,789 --> 00:54:37,680 today 1428 00:54:43,349 --> 00:54:40,799 on shattered reality podcast we have 1429 00:54:46,630 --> 00:54:43,359 rupert sheldrake 1430 00:54:49,349 --> 00:54:46,640 who has written 12 books and 1431 00:54:50,309 --> 00:54:49,359 his latest is science and spiritual 1432 00:54:53,430 --> 00:54:50,319 practice 1433 00:54:56,630 --> 00:54:53,440 i want to just close by telling you 1434 00:54:59,910 --> 00:54:56,640 a synchronicity that occurred i 1435 00:55:04,069 --> 00:54:59,920 belong to a an intentional group with 1436 00:55:08,069 --> 00:55:04,079 a group of um remote viewers 1437 00:55:11,990 --> 00:55:08,079 and one of while i was preparing 1438 00:55:15,030 --> 00:55:12,000 this uh interview for today 1439 00:55:18,630 --> 00:55:15,040 during this past week one of these uh 1440 00:55:21,270 --> 00:55:18,640 remote viewers put a um 1441 00:55:22,470 --> 00:55:21,280 a posting up to the the intentional 1442 00:55:25,910 --> 00:55:22,480 group's 1443 00:55:26,309 --> 00:55:25,920 uh facebook page which is private uh but 1444 00:55:28,789 --> 00:55:26,319 it's 1445 00:55:30,309 --> 00:55:28,799 i'm not i'm not letting any uh secrets 1446 00:55:34,470 --> 00:55:30,319 out of the bag so to speak 1447 00:55:37,750 --> 00:55:34,480 but what he put up was your lecture 1448 00:55:40,069 --> 00:55:37,760 from youtube is the sun conscious and 1449 00:55:41,270 --> 00:55:40,079 i just felt that this was an incredible 1450 00:55:43,990 --> 00:55:41,280 synchronicity 1451 00:55:47,030 --> 00:55:44,000 since the night before i had been 1452 00:55:50,870 --> 00:55:47,040 listening to the very same lecture 1453 00:55:52,870 --> 00:55:50,880 on youtube uh that you gave 1454 00:55:54,630 --> 00:55:52,880 very amazing that that coincidence 1455 00:55:57,910 --> 00:55:54,640 happened yes 1456 00:55:58,549 --> 00:55:57,920 i i'm all for synchronicities in in my 1457 00:56:00,870 --> 00:55:58,559 life 1458 00:56:02,069 --> 00:56:00,880 and so i want to thank you very very 1459 00:56:04,950 --> 00:56:02,079 much 1460 00:56:07,430 --> 00:56:04,960 dr rupert sheldrake for being our 1461 00:56:10,789 --> 00:56:07,440 honored guest i'm giving you 1462 00:56:12,549 --> 00:56:10,799 oodles of gratitude as per science and 1463 00:56:15,190 --> 00:56:12,559 spiritual practices 1464 00:56:16,630 --> 00:56:15,200 and um thank you so much for being with 1465 00:56:19,430 --> 00:56:16,640 us today 1466 00:56:20,549 --> 00:56:19,440 for doing this thank you for putting out 1467 00:56:24,230 --> 00:56:20,559 your series and 1468 00:56:29,109 --> 00:56:24,240 and helping to open up minds and 1469 00:56:31,030 --> 00:56:29,119 and indeed spread gratitude 1470 00:56:32,230 --> 00:56:31,040 and thank you and we're gonna say 1471 00:56:36,150 --> 00:56:32,240 goodbye now 1472 00:56:39,589 --> 00:56:36,160 uh to dr rupert sheldrake a fabulous 1473 00:56:40,390 --> 00:56:39,599 interesting scientist a biologist from 1474 00:56:43,270 --> 00:56:40,400 england 1475 00:56:44,390 --> 00:56:43,280 uh have a wonderful evening across the 1476 00:56:48,230 --> 00:56:44,400 pond 1477 00:56:51,829 --> 00:56:48,240 thanks very much okay bye now so 1478 00:56:52,150 --> 00:56:51,839 uh shattered reality listeners this was 1479 00:56:55,349 --> 00:56:52,160 a 1480 00:56:57,750 --> 00:56:55,359 very very wonderful um 1481 00:57:00,390 --> 00:56:57,760 experience to talk to dr rupert 1482 00:57:03,430 --> 00:57:00,400 sheldrake i had the honor of meeting him 1483 00:57:06,630 --> 00:57:03,440 back in november in new york city uh 1484 00:57:09,829 --> 00:57:06,640 thanks to a very dear friend of mine and 1485 00:57:12,470 --> 00:57:09,839 uh named karen page i hope she doesn't 1486 00:57:17,349 --> 00:57:15,910 stating her name here next up on 1487 00:57:21,349 --> 00:57:17,359 shattered reality 1488 00:57:24,470 --> 00:57:21,359 we will have a a discussion 1489 00:57:26,630 --> 00:57:24,480 about magic stores 1490 00:57:28,150 --> 00:57:26,640 not magic stores that sell tricks but 1491 00:57:31,829 --> 00:57:28,160 magic with the k 1492 00:57:33,270 --> 00:57:31,839 sometimes known as botanicas sometimes 1493 00:57:35,510 --> 00:57:33,280 known as grigri 1494 00:57:36,549 --> 00:57:35,520 shops and i'm sure there are various 1495 00:57:39,990 --> 00:57:36,559 other names in 1496 00:57:42,150 --> 00:57:40,000 other cultures but they're pervasive uh 1497 00:57:43,910 --> 00:57:42,160 in the world they sort of operate a 1498 00:57:47,349 --> 00:57:43,920 little bit subrosa 1499 00:57:48,230 --> 00:57:47,359 beneath the uh the radar of a lot of 1500 00:57:51,270 --> 00:57:48,240 people and 1501 00:57:53,349 --> 00:57:51,280 there's one in almost every uh major 1502 00:57:57,190 --> 00:57:53,359 city and generally more than one 1503 00:57:59,990 --> 00:57:57,200 we're going to talk to um one of the 1504 00:58:01,990 --> 00:58:00,000 uh one of the earliest botanicas in new 1505 00:58:05,270 --> 00:58:02,000 york city the owner 1506 00:58:08,630 --> 00:58:05,280 and of of that botanica 1507 00:58:11,190 --> 00:58:08,640 and uh we're gonna also have 1508 00:58:14,069 --> 00:58:11,200 david metcalfe who has studied 1509 00:58:16,390 --> 00:58:14,079 botanicals grigri shops magic stores 1510 00:58:17,510 --> 00:58:16,400 in other locations he's going to be our 1511 00:58:21,430 --> 00:58:17,520 guest along 1512 00:58:24,789 --> 00:58:21,440 with jason mizrahi of original products 1513 00:58:27,910 --> 00:58:24,799 so that's coming up next after that 1514 00:58:31,270 --> 00:58:27,920 we're hoping to have on um greg 1515 00:58:34,549 --> 00:58:31,280 bishop and his co-author uh 1516 00:58:36,390 --> 00:58:34,559 for a is for adamski i am 1517 00:58:38,230 --> 00:58:36,400 sorry it's going to come to me as soon 1518 00:58:38,549 --> 00:58:38,240 as i get off the air the co-author's 1519 00:58:41,750 --> 00:58:38,559 name 1520 00:58:45,109 --> 00:58:41,760 it's on the back of my tongue somewhere 1521 00:58:48,829 --> 00:58:45,119 and i'm also interested shattered 1522 00:58:51,510 --> 00:58:48,839 reality listeners if you have a 1523 00:58:55,030 --> 00:58:51,520 suggestion for a guest 1524 00:58:58,390 --> 00:58:55,040 uh who would be uh 1525 00:59:00,230 --> 00:58:58,400 good for the mandela effect discussion 1526 00:59:02,150 --> 00:59:00,240 it's been coming up more and more 1527 00:59:05,910 --> 00:59:02,160 recently and there are 1528 00:59:09,030 --> 00:59:05,920 some theories about it that are 1529 00:59:11,270 --> 00:59:09,040 really out out in left field and others 1530 00:59:13,670 --> 00:59:11,280 that are a little bit more mainstream 1531 00:59:14,470 --> 00:59:13,680 i'm looking for a guest that can discuss 1532 00:59:17,190 --> 00:59:14,480 all 1533 00:59:18,069 --> 00:59:17,200 of the aspects of the mandela effect 1534 00:59:21,030 --> 00:59:18,079 without 1535 00:59:21,670 --> 00:59:21,040 either being too pedantic about it or 1536 00:59:26,390 --> 00:59:21,680 too 1537 00:59:28,950 --> 00:59:26,400 of a better way to express it 1538 00:59:29,829 --> 00:59:28,960 also i wanted to ask all of you 1539 00:59:32,870 --> 00:59:29,839 listeners 1540 00:59:37,030 --> 00:59:32,880 to like us on facebook like us 1541 00:59:40,309 --> 00:59:37,040 on shatteredrealitypodcast.wordpress.com 1542 00:59:41,910 --> 00:59:40,319 and shatteredrealitypodcast.com our two 1543 00:59:44,950 --> 00:59:41,920 websites 1544 00:59:49,109 --> 00:59:44,960 as well many of our podcasts are 1545 00:59:52,309 --> 00:59:49,119 on youtube and you can make a comment on 1546 00:59:55,510 --> 00:59:52,319 any of these sites and we will hear it 1547 00:59:58,309 --> 00:59:55,520 but we have had requests for 1548 00:59:59,030 --> 00:59:58,319 a guest on the mandela effect and i 1549 01:00:02,789 --> 00:59:59,040 would 1550 01:00:05,829 --> 01:00:02,799 like to follow that path up 1551 01:00:08,870 --> 01:00:05,839 so hoping to greet 1552 01:00:12,309 --> 01:00:08,880 kate valentine as well on our next show 1553 01:00:14,230 --> 01:00:12,319 but certainly soon uh our co-host kate 1554 01:00:16,549 --> 01:00:14,240 valentine has been absent for a while 1555 01:00:19,750 --> 01:00:16,559 she will be coming back 1556 01:00:23,270 --> 01:00:19,760 eventually and um so 1557 01:00:36,090 --> 01:00:23,280 now i am going to do our final