you mock my pain?!
I seem to have found a rather compelling explanation for my recent ill health. I have been reading this book that I am rather fond of, called, "If The Buddha Dated." In this book, I came across some crucial information, the accuracy of which I further confirmed in a discussion with a Psychiatrist friend...
` ` Interestingly, according to Paul Pearsall, author of Sexual Healing, the biochemical response to constant infatuation, being "in-love," or seeking a sexual high without an authentic personal connection leads us to produce large amounts of epinephrine (adrenaline), which creates chronic agitation or feelings of restlessness and nervousness. This, in turn, can result in irritability, fatigue, and the breakdown of the immune system, leading to chronic anxiety and depression. This experience is truly love-sickness. When people get hooked on the epinephrine high and seek only the thrill, just about anyone will do. Pearsall writes, "Hot reactive sex followed by cool feelings of regret or loneliness can eventually teach our immune system to be as ... disconnected as we have been in our intimate decisions."
On the other hand, when we create a mindful, loving, personal connection with another, and we are sexually attracted to that person, our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin, which contributes to feelings of intense closeness, trust, and sensual feelings. Incidentally, oxytocin is the same hormone that is secreted when a mother nurses her baby (q.v. the initially seemingly off-topic discussion about the relationships between milk & addiction in a previous post concerning the correlation between lies and disease). According to Pearsall, "it's the neurochemical of intimate connection that also helps balance the immune system." It takes considerable periods of time in a growing, reciprocal, loving union for our bodies to stop creating an epinephrine high and secrete oxytocin instead, which means that many people never have the experience of intense intimacy.
When we combine the knowledge of our biochemistry with our spiritual knowledge, we see that what is good for our spiritual journey is good for our relationships and for our immune system. There is no separation between the three. It's as if our bodies are begging us to love well, use our intelligence, and be wise in our choices. ' '
I am similarly reminded of one of my favorite mnemonics (which is also quite reminiscent of the recent psychology=physiology conversation):
"There is no separation between the material and the divine... and anybody that tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something."
I realize that I seem to have been utilizing my loving and sexual relationships with other people as coping mechanisms for too long... that i need to focus on personal rituals, rather than methods dependent upon another's participation to deal with my own life. Although I didn't consciously realize that I had been doing this, the results of my behaviour in this neurological context indicate to me that I must have been... which I think is a particularly bad idea, as this sort of thing could easily be construed as a violation of Kant's Categorical Imperative. Apparently, I have not used the best judgement in selecting partners who identify with my ideals, nor have I excercised the finest temperance in guiding my own behviour.
For my own growth and development, as well as improvement of my relationships with other people, it's time for me to get back to disciplines like meditation, chanting, yoga, and martial arts, as well as my divination and devotional practices. And I will be going an another solitary camping trip this week, to get back in touch with my own essential nature. Perhaps I will manage to find the cosmic reset button, while I'm at it...
` ` Interestingly, according to Paul Pearsall, author of Sexual Healing, the biochemical response to constant infatuation, being "in-love," or seeking a sexual high without an authentic personal connection leads us to produce large amounts of epinephrine (adrenaline), which creates chronic agitation or feelings of restlessness and nervousness. This, in turn, can result in irritability, fatigue, and the breakdown of the immune system, leading to chronic anxiety and depression. This experience is truly love-sickness. When people get hooked on the epinephrine high and seek only the thrill, just about anyone will do. Pearsall writes, "Hot reactive sex followed by cool feelings of regret or loneliness can eventually teach our immune system to be as ... disconnected as we have been in our intimate decisions."
On the other hand, when we create a mindful, loving, personal connection with another, and we are sexually attracted to that person, our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin, which contributes to feelings of intense closeness, trust, and sensual feelings. Incidentally, oxytocin is the same hormone that is secreted when a mother nurses her baby (q.v. the initially seemingly off-topic discussion about the relationships between milk & addiction in a previous post concerning the correlation between lies and disease). According to Pearsall, "it's the neurochemical of intimate connection that also helps balance the immune system." It takes considerable periods of time in a growing, reciprocal, loving union for our bodies to stop creating an epinephrine high and secrete oxytocin instead, which means that many people never have the experience of intense intimacy.
When we combine the knowledge of our biochemistry with our spiritual knowledge, we see that what is good for our spiritual journey is good for our relationships and for our immune system. There is no separation between the three. It's as if our bodies are begging us to love well, use our intelligence, and be wise in our choices. ' '
I am similarly reminded of one of my favorite mnemonics (which is also quite reminiscent of the recent psychology=physiology conversation):
"There is no separation between the material and the divine... and anybody that tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something."
I realize that I seem to have been utilizing my loving and sexual relationships with other people as coping mechanisms for too long... that i need to focus on personal rituals, rather than methods dependent upon another's participation to deal with my own life. Although I didn't consciously realize that I had been doing this, the results of my behaviour in this neurological context indicate to me that I must have been... which I think is a particularly bad idea, as this sort of thing could easily be construed as a violation of Kant's Categorical Imperative. Apparently, I have not used the best judgement in selecting partners who identify with my ideals, nor have I excercised the finest temperance in guiding my own behviour.
For my own growth and development, as well as improvement of my relationships with other people, it's time for me to get back to disciplines like meditation, chanting, yoga, and martial arts, as well as my divination and devotional practices. And I will be going an another solitary camping trip this week, to get back in touch with my own essential nature. Perhaps I will manage to find the cosmic reset button, while I'm at it...