Mind-body Interaction Involving Systems Thinking - Essay Example

 The question of mind-body interaction and their interdependence was raised by philosophers from ancient times, but still, there is no single and overall interpretation of this phenomenon. Different sciences treat differently the subject of their studies while examining mind-body interaction, but all of them try to prove that there is a strong dependence between spiritual and physical state of a person. A special interest to mind-body interaction was paid by Eastern tradition. This subject has been examined and widely discussed in Eastern philosophy, medicine, religion, and literature. To be objective, we should especially emphasize that eastern tradition in general and Daoism in particular, represents a strong and inseparable unity of philosophy, medicine and religion, and that is why the mind-body interaction will be discussed according to this principle. Daoism practice is closely connected with the traditional Chinese medical theory that views the body as “a complex system of interacting energy circuits” (Schipper, 1993). According to Daoism interpretation, illness is considered as a symptom of some defect of circulation, a blockage or “leakage” of vital energy. The main advantage of Daoism interpretation of mind-body interaction lies in the fact that it sees the world order and mind and body as a part of it in relation to nature and cosmic environment. Nature is not something outside of people to be dealt with after the fashion of a mechanic treatment, but is both a mental attitude to be carefully cultivated and the true condition of one’s body that contains the infinite dimensions of cosmic reality within itself. According to Daoism nature is to be constructed and visualized time and again. Its destiny lies more than anything else in the human powers of imagination (mind) and its influence on the physical state of a person (body). Taking into account historical analysis it is possible to say that the significant contribution to the theory of mind-body interaction was made by Descartes, who in 17th century introduced a dualistic ontological system explaining that a universe of mental substances and physical substances are closely connected. Descartes finds his personal identity as being tied to the thinking substance in which these psychological states inhere. The weak point of his interpretation of mind-body relation was the dominant role of God, which he explained as “being the substance in which thinking inheres, and bodies, which are extended, all else exists as properties of these two kinds of substances” (Mind-Body Interventions, 2005). The only exception to this rule is the union of mind and body that constitutes human nature and explains mind-body interaction. After Descartes many scientists and philosophers have made attempts to examine the subject of mind-body interaction and world view from different perspectives taking into account the demand of their time, but still their opinions on this problem differs greatly. Summarizing previous researchers and investigations on the problem is it possible to say that mind-body interaction is viewed as a complex creation consisting of both physical and un-located parts. Mind-body interaction is so fundamental to human existence that it normally goes unnoticed and is taken for granted. The present day science sees the interaction in the following way: when a person dies a natural death, his or her body is still whole but it is no longer active. Its heart no longer beats, its chest no longer breaths, and its eyes neither move nor show response to what people say. People came to believe that what animates the body and gives it life is an invisible spirit. Such a belief is especially comforting in the face of death. It would be possible to agree with this interpretation and cease the research on this field, as the irrefragable answer, but for new discoveries made in the area of new world ordering and understanding of the world (Varela, 1999). Unfortunately, living in the 21st century we cannot say that western medicine uses the progress of mind-body studies in corpore. Today, people enter a new era of technology and communication, which enlarge human’s understanding of themselves and the Universe. It is considered that “one of the foremost signs of present-day industrial society is the presence of massively complex systems that increasingly permeate almost every aspect of our lives” (Capra, 1998). Since humans first began to wonder about the nature of the mind and its relation to the body, they noticed that the mind sometimes seemed independence of the body. The mind, perhaps viewed as the spirit of the person, seemed to be able to travel without the body during dreams and trances. Indeed, the spirits of the deceased seem to visit people in their dreams. Even death itself seemed to suggest a departing of a spirit from the body. Taking into account this part of mind-body theory it is possible to say that western medicine employs it as the core principle of their “philosophy”. The difference between western and eastern tradition can be vividly explained using a popular western proverb: “Health body, health mind” so often repeated by western practitioners. In reality (or in accordance with eastern view), it is out of sense, because the relations between mind and body is opposite to those preached by western medicine. If such a proverb exists in the eastern tradition it could be sound like “with healthy mind to healthy body” reflecting the Daoism theory of indivisible unity of both. A vivid example of mind-body dependence involves interaction of the immune system towards our perception of objects or environment around us. For instance, some decade ago it was proved that merely a view of a plastic rose can provoke allergic response. This example shows that mind itself has a great influence on the body. If it can cause an illness, so it can cause a recovery. This was proved by interesting observations stated that sheer mental force of the patient’s will could help him to “outlive his physician”. Taking into account the facts mentioned above, it seems unbelievable that present day western medicine ignores Daoism knowledge in body treatment. Western practitioners prefer yo ignore eastern knowledge which suggests that it is possible to cure a body through mind. Examining this question in depth it is possible to point out some reasons preventing the adoption of Daoism tradition. On the one hand, Western science is too skeptical to the eastern knowledge, seeing it as fringe and unscientific. Schipper explains that Daoism is “the least understood, the most commonly ignored and maligned, of all the major religions of the world” (Schipper, 1993). On the other hand, the western medicine is built on completely different base, which is in contrast to Daoism method of mind-body interaction, and that is why to adopt the new knowledge it would need to reconstruct the whole system of medical philosophy and world perception. It is much easier to make out a medicine than find “energy linkage” or appropriate treatment for a human’s soul. In Daoism the mind-body interaction or unity is reached with the help of mediation. It is used with the purpose to cultivate health and longevity and attain the highest level of spiritual development. So, mediation is the technique aims to reach the highest level of mind body interaction. As it explained by Lee: “The Daoist emphasis on “internal” alchemy or the distillation of the "Golden Elixir" based on ritual, meditation and breath techniques for personal spiritual transformation, as compared to the more “external” laboratory practices that emphasized personal transformation” (Lee, 2005). Meditation is considered as the best form to clear the mind, balance the emotions, and circulate internal energy. In the later stages, it is used to help the person to be united with the Dao (the origin of all). Conceptually new approach towards mind-body interaction was proposed by John Briggs and David Peat called the seven lessons for embracing chaos. They write: "Positive butterfly power involves a recognition that each individual is an indivisible aspect of the whole and that each chaotic moment of the present is a mirror of the chaos of the future." (Briggs, David, 2000). In “Seven Life Lessons” Briggs and Peat states that the control of what people think on everything is mostly an illusion. The universe is big and is beyond control of any kind. For instance, sensitive dependence upon initial conditions, or the butterfly effect as authors called it, is the phenomenon of a tiny action, when amplified throughout a system, having unexpectedly disproportionate effects. Authors clarify the understanding of systems thinking with the help of Chaos theory, examining to what extent Western worldview dominates and distorts sense of reality. They believe that only present day perception of the world sense and self, can provide understanding of mind-body interaction. Without attempting to replace one belief system with another and without telling people what to do, they shows that present day world is nothing but a misunderstanding of different ideologies. . The old wisdom says that: “We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” (Capra, 1998). New understanding of mind-body interaction can be explained by new scientific recoveries and philosophical knowledge in support to the systems theory. It mind-body interaction systems theory entails a new way of seeing the world and a new way of thinking like new mathematical language and invention of computer technology and new concepts which help to describe the complexity of living systems in general (Varela, 1999). The other recent studies suggest that, in mind-body interaction, the dominant role is played by thinking process and people’s attitudes towards environment. People need to re-learn, in some degree, relationship with ourselves and the web of life. The process of mind-body interaction begins with learning how to consciously make enjoyable, non-verbal, sensory contacts with Nature through the web of life, instead of trying to find what people are missing in the various substitutes they come to rely upon from shopping to over-eating (Capra, 1997). The contacts with environment makes it possible for people to consciously and sentiently, re-attach the strands that connect them to their origins within the web of life. Then, as peple begin to feel and enjoy these connections, the process helps to safely translate the sensory attractions people feel into verbal language so they can understand their meaning for lives, use them in decision-making and share them with others. In this way sensory connections with environemtn are validated in words and integrated into psyche and thinking (Keeney, Foerster, 2002). Daoism tradition sees all the processes mentioned above from the completely different perspective. According to Lee: “Daoism emphasizes bodily disciplines like T’ai Chi and Chi Gong, a healthy diet, and a natural life in harmony with nature and natural processes, it also emphasizes a paradigm of embodied spirituality that seeks to actualized various inner potentials that can lead to the radical transformation of the natural” (Lee, 2005). It is possible to reach this state employing spirit communication techniques and meditation. The two basic forms of mediation and spirit communication are concentrative and insight meditation. The lowest stage of mediation techniques is aimed to improve the body. In this case the adept's own body becomes the center of focus. The second one – to improve the Mind, the highest stage of mediation is aimed to cure the Spirit. This interdependency shows the correlation between mind and body, and necessity to have a health body with the help of Mind and Spirit. Traditional Daoism medicine suggests that illness is caused by blockages or lack of balance in the body's "chi" (intrinsic energy), and to improve this balance of energy Tai Chi body movements can be helpful (Smith, 1977). The well known Taoist Yin Yang symbol is the excellent example of interaction in the world: "It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray” (Taoism, 2005). Human bodies and brains are individual sub-systems within networks of larger biological, economic and socio-political systems without which people couldn't exist. Still people spend their lives enmeshed in interdependent living and non living systems. Systems manifest themselves in interacting relationships of energized particles, waves, people, ideas, forces, patterns, thresholds, feedback and cycles. Conscious living systems possess instinctive and cognitive capabilities that endow them with social, psychological and moral dimensions (Bateson, 2002). This can be illustrated with the help of Daoism which sees the world as not only transcendent, but as the immanent and observable way of the universe: "the norm, the rhythm, the driving power in all nature, the ordering principle behind all life" (Smith, 1977). The basic principle of Daoism is in the self-balancing nature and the flow of forces making up the universe. Daoism seeks to prove the supply of the powerwhich is found in the life-force through three means: movement, matter, and mind. Absence of systemic thinking prevents people from effectively planning ahead. If people are plagued by the uncertainties of accelerating change, for example, it becomes easy to argue that planning for an unpredictable future is an exercise in futility. It likewise becomes easier to choose cures over prevention, and to deny any connection between scientifically unproven causes and commonly observed, long term effects (Sheikh, 1983). Some researchers supposed that systems thinking is the cure for systems blindness. Knowledge of systems is a path to a better understanding of how nature and human nature work. Learning should be comprehensive and continuous because everything keeps changing, in small ways and large. Moreover, systems insights can instill within us more meaning and purpose. In a fully integrated curriculum, the understanding of relationships between systems and their parts is a fundamental goal (Sheikh, 1983). But, Daoism tradition proves that “rather than seeking to attain transcendence “beyond nature,” the value of nature as the ground of all transpersonal development should be adopted (Lee, 2005). The techniques of acupuncture are widely used in Daoism medicine. It is very effective treatment as matter (according to Daoism) has vital energy. The most rarity matter is air and famous breathing techniques are aimed to rejuvenate health and energize the body. The mind itself sees as the free flow of power. Smith summarizes that: "This practice involved shutting out distractions and emptying the mind to the point where the power of the Tao might bypass bodily filters and enter the self directly." According Daoism tradition the yogi could accumulate enough energy through meditation that it could be "transmitted psychically to a community to enhance its vitality and harmonize its affairs" (Smith, 1977). As humanity move toward a future of embedded, mobile computing, it is rather like a walking tree finding fertile ground, moving now toward an intelligent computer, now toward social computing. Social relationships and communication are central to this future world. The act of searching for information will be replaced by playful, adventurous discovery and sharing. Affordable, ubiquitous, ever-present communications devices will allow people to find and build a society of audience (Varela, 1999). Key element is a more sophisticated understanding and use of information. From DNA to television advertising, information is the feedstock of knowledge, attitudes and behavior, good and bad. Information has a great impact on the web of life and shapes the destiny of all interacting biotic, industrial and cultural ecosystems. Even if understanding of self and its place in the inverse has been changed. It is necessary to note that the basic interpretation of the mind-body interaction (at least at the physical level) is still the same. The major role here is played by sensation, which belongs to the union between mind and body, rather than to either one exclusively, because both mind and body are necessary for sensation to occur. The principles of ecology are the principles of organization that are common to all these living systems. “If you wish, they are the basic patterns of life. Indeed, in human communities, they could also be called the principles of community” (Capra, 1998). In his book, Capra (1997) takes a step, setting forth a new scientific language to describe interrelationships and interdependence of psychological, biological, physical, social, and cultural phenomena, the "web of life." The important discovery is that all things are connected in a giant web-work. Anyone responding to this intuition knows that no being can be understood without looking at both the patterns it comprises, as well as the greater patterns it is a part of (Capra, 1999). To illustrate the web living it is possible to remind the eastern medicine that can treat any diseases with the help of mind. Using yoga and mediation in order to “communicate and interact with the Universal wisdom”, they treat effectively such incurable diseases as cancer, blindness, paralysis, etc without drugs. This practice proves the theory of mind-body interaction, and great facilities of human’s mind that does not used in western medicine. In addition, mastering the essence of mind-body theory can give significant results for psychotherapy. For instance, in their book, Keeney and Foerster demonstrate that the therapy is not effective without understanding the concept of change. They demonstrate that conventional epistemology, in which cause and effect have a linear relationship, does not sufficiently accommodate the reciprocal nature of causation in experience. So, the models of mental processes can be used in a monitoring process of current mental activity. Without complex understanding of the interaction of mind and body, humanity cannot comprehend the changes occurred in the society, but on the other hand the change itself is also important to understand the nature and environment. The knowledge theory of system thinking supports understanding of mind-body theory involving such important sub-fields as the web of life, ecology of mind and spiritual wisdom. References 1. Bateson.G. (2000). Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology. University Of Chicago Press (March 10, 2000 2. Keeney, B., Foerster, von H. (2002). The aesthetics of change. The Guilford Press 3. Capra, F. (1997). The Web of life. Anchor. 4. Capra, F. (1998). Ecology, Systems Thinking and Project-Based Learning Available at: www.systemsthinkingpress.com/pdfs/ecology_sys_thnk_%20pbl.pdf 5. Lee, I. (2005). Daoist alchemy in the West: the Esoteric Paradigms. Available at: http://www.esoteric.msu.edu/VolumeVI/Dao.htm 6. Mind-Body Interventions. Field of Practice. Part I. (2005). Available at: http://www.naturalhealthvillage.com/reports/rpt2oam/mindbody.htm 7. Peat F. D., Briggs. J. (1999). Seven life lessons of chaos: Spiritual wisdom from the science of change. Harper Collins Publishers. 8. Schipper, K. (1993). The Taoist body. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 9. Sheikh, A.A. (1983). Imagery: Current Theory, Research, and Application. John Wiley, New York. 10. Smith, Huston. (1977). Forgotten Truth: The Primordial Tradition. NY: Harper Colophon Books. 11. "Taoism" (2005). Available at: http://ssd1.cas.pacificu.edu/ 12. Varela, F.J. (1999). Ethical Know-How: Action, Wisdom, and Cognition. Stanford University Press. Read More