My High School teacher will tell you I was not adept in scientific realms, preferring the gentle art of calligraphy and printing fabric. I was not a member of the phys-chem-bio clan destined for medical school or further scientific study, I was a member of the English lit-art-geography clan destined, so my career advisors suggested, for becoming a secretary or teacher. Yikes. Rather than disappear down that particular rabbit hole, I will tell you about the particular rabbit hole I am currently exploring: human consciousness in the cosmos.
Many avenues full of fascinating rabbit holes have brought me here, and just like the sense of belonging I felt when I stepped on the dojo mat at Strozzi Institute, and more latterly entered the study of Gene Gendlin’s philosophy, I found myself at the door of the Institute of Noetic Sciences. IONS was established in 1973 by the astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell.
He was a member of the Apollo 14 space mission, becoming the sixth person to walk on the moon in 1971. Viewing planet earth from afar, he had an epiphany:
“I realized that the story of ourselves as told by science—our cosmology, our religion—was incomplete and likely flawed. I recognized that the Newtonian idea of separate, independent, discrete things in the universe wasn’t a fully accurate description. What was needed was a new story of who we are and what we are capable of becoming.” Dr. Edgar Mitchell (1930-2016)
Intrigued by IONS mission to “research the intersection of science and profound human experience…reveal(ing) the interconnected nature of reality” I have been delving into their vast cache of resources ever since. It is truly wondrous. At least to me. One particular study caught my eye and I discovered their research participants were either meditators or martial artists – the meditators chosen for their well developed inner awareness, the martial artists for their well developed outer awareness. It happens to be Dr. Richard Strozzi-Heckler’s birthday as I write this, and I reflect on my tremendous good fortune crossing his path all those years ago. No wonder I found him so enchanting, he’s both a meditator and martial artist. Full-circle. I love when this happens. I wonder if you notice synchronicities in your life too?
PS Now I’m reflecting on “I am large, I contain multitudes” from Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself – if you’re intrigued go see the movie Life of Chuck…
[My private practice is full at the moment, so you’re welcome to reach out for an update on my availability in the future].