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| 1 2 3 4 Photos taken July 28 2013 with 10 seconds between each shot// Photos prises le 28 juillet 2013 avec 10 secondes d'intervalle entre chaque cliché © Lena Ghio |
FRANÇAIS app de traduction à gauche
part 2 CONSCIOUSNESS
« The brain is a tangible physical organ constituted from molecules; but that collection of molecules seems mockingly remote from the insubstantial, complex, transient thoughts that combine to endow us with conscious awareness. »
-Susan A. Greenfield
Journey to the center of the mind
© W.H. Freeman and company
In her insightful book, Susan A. Greenfield asks: "How exactly does nervous tissue cause consciousness?"
Today's technology is capable of observing very complex chemical and biological activity in the brain that reveal centers of consciousness and emotional states even social behavior. Yet what is that thing in us that allows us to comprehend, to reflect, to re-interpret what we learn?
If the only difference between the brain of an Albert Einstein and that of an average human is molecular composition, it would be possible for all of us to become geniuses by supplementing our brains with the same molecules. We can all observe that while certain chemicals and nutrients will benefit the brain, it will not make us geniuses. Intelligence is more than mere biochemical processes, even if its expression in the human realm is dependent upon them.
It is in Susan A. Greenfield's book that I read about the ancient Greek concept that a «special consciousness substance» was the cause of intelligence and consciousness. In particular Galen (129-199); a renowned physician employed to treat gladiators in Rome, he treated many brain injuries and was among the first to recognize the importance of the brain as the center of thought; who theorized that our mental faculties resided in the cerebrospinal fluid which he called the urine of the brain. This is the same fluid collected during lumbar punctures to diagnose various ailments of the body and brain. At that time the author wrote that the fluid contained nothing so special that it could be described as "psychic".
When I read Greenfield's book I was already familiar with flower essence therapy. In the 1930's Dr. Edward Bach discovered and developed a series of homeopathic treatments made from soaking flowers in water that healed emotional states and helped heal many physical ailments. The principle is that water retains the healing message from different flowers and then can transmit this message to us if we add a few drops of the essence to our drinking water. Each plant chosen by Bach has a different form, a different signature, and addresses a different negative emotional state. It seemed natural to me that our individuality, our intellect, could emerge from the fluids surrounding our brain that looks like a flower on top of an elaborate stem, the spine, and is uniquely shaped in each one of us.
A while later, I was looking at the movie What the bleep do we know? and was fascinated by the work of Japanese researcher Dr. Masaru Emoto on the molecular structure of water from different regions who, when exposed to various stimuli, created forms that reflected the ambience that surrounded it. His work proves the vitality of water, its intelligence and sensibility.
In my artistic practice I serendipitously stumbled upon the mysterious image making propensity of water. In this article I am showcasing this phenomena with the above sequence of images. Notice the similarity of water in the process of forging an image with our own intellectual problem solving processes.
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Image 1 shows a cloudy quality on both sides of the bowl while you can see an emergent activity at the center. The image is abstract. Image 2 is jumbled, but you can imagine a scenario. For example, I see two forms embracing in the center. Image 3 is a stunner! The composition is pure creation emerging from the water! Puppies and a little boy appear to be waiting. Image 4 is another stunner! Here the two figures are clearly drawn, an Angel appears to be comforting a man. There is an interval of only 10 seconds between each shot.
I conclude part 2 CONSCIOUSNESS with the clear hypothesis that bodily fluids must play a determining role in forging our individual intelligence and identity.
In the last part of this series I will look at the myths surrounding water and the prophecies of Nostradamus.
Part 3: Nostradamus / 3 e Partie: Nostradamus
-LENA GHIO
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