Friday, December 9, 2011

Oh, these bodies and minds of ours

A couple nights ago, Fraser and I got to see the Bodyworlds exhibit at OMSI. Even though we'd both seen it before, it was still amazingly fascinating. Our bodies are absolutely incredible; perfectly designed to work so efficiently. And yet so fragile and impermanent. It can be so easy to get caught up in our bodies in this world. We must treasure them, yes, and care for them, but not for superficial reasons. Our bodies will fade and decay over time; this is inevitable. But they are the vessels of the soul on its ongoing journey. It is for this reason that we must take care. 

This exhibit also focused a lot on the brain and how that organ is what differentiates us in the animal kingdom. Consciousness is a bunch of signals, all over the brain, nothing precise. Music triggers five (maybe six) different parts of the brain, including those areas connected with arousal and exaltation. Just so very interesting to ponder. 

There were a few quotes that stood out for me and, amazingly, my brain has been able to remember them (although I might be paraphrasing slightly).

-- You can give your children your love but not your thoughts. For they have thoughts of their own.

-- We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.

-- Happiness does not come already made. Our actions create our happiness. 

Also, a bit on creativity I found... intriguing; The creative process is founded on wonder and is fed by the ability to pursue something simply out of curiosity. When we are creating something the frontal cortex is connected to the back of the brain, where long term memories are stored. These two areas are not often connected. But when they are during the creative process is gives us the feeling of exaltation. Pretty cool.

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