Reading Philosophy

I know we're having this discussion sort of in another topic in Philosophy, but what I have to say here is kinda tangential.

The world has been so healing to me lately, and the minute I wondered when I'd have the opportunity to give back, there were several things happening right on my doorstep.

One of my friends is going through a lengthy breakup/get-back-together, and she wants to talk, and there I am. And she's been there for me so many times. It feels nice to return the kindness. And I think that should be enough of a reward, but then some guy comes along the other day after I left the meditation center, and he did some unsolicited Reiki healing on me in the parking lot of the center. By the time he was done, I was laughing and giddy with happiness. To the point that while I was at work last night, people kept coming up and asking what I was on. I said nothing. Maybe some residual THC, but I haven't smoked in 4 days...I just forgot to...and maybe it's because I've been carrying around that Botswana agate that's supposed to help people ease of the smoking thing.

For one, I never used to be able to smoke anything, and then before I even logged on here in 2004, a friend set up a hypnotism appointment that actually pretty much began the process of relieving me of all of the symptoms of breathing distress that I formerly had. That was a gift from nowhere.

Now, after thinking the world was out to get me with that attempted rape thing, my girlfriend did Reiki on me, and a total stranger did Reiki on me. I gave my girlfriend one of my favorite crystal beds as a thank you, and I gave the guy my favorite piece of Botswana agate. It's my worry stone.

I've been so happy to be alive lately. Just a warmth inside my heart. And I wonder, where did this come from? Has it been here all along and I was just fighting it? And people think I'm on drugs to be this happy. I'm not. Not even THC anymore. And even my dad said it doesn't feel manic, it just feels like warmth and kindness and gratitude. It feels like the way I used to feel 10 years ago before my mom died. Before I hated the world. No amount of drugs, legal or otherwise, has given me this kind of happiness.

And just yesterday, I fucked up my hand by slamming it into my car door so hard it cut the skin and started turning black and blue immediately. I didn't have time for ice packs, so I came upstairs and taped two pieces of malachite onto the bruise, wondering out loud if it would work. Today the bruise is gone! And there is no evidence of the cut in the skin. None.

Last night at work, I reinjured my left elbow swinging on the pole and came home and taped those pieces of malachite onto my arm. The soreness is greatly reduced, but I think I needed a larger piece. So today, I went to get a few large pieces of malachite at my favorite New Age store. On my way home, a friend called to say that she had a black eye from tripping at work and hitting her eyesocket on one of the metalposts. Jeez. She said that she needed to work because her guy just got word that he can get an appointment with this cardiologist whom he needs to see, because he has a particular form of heart disease. I wish I'd known sooner, because right now I don't have the money she needs.

But I do have an ear, and a shoulder, and a piece of malachite for her eyeball. And I told her that I'd work tomorrow for her guy if her family can't help. It's what I've got to give. And I'm grateful for the opportunity to give it.

It just seems to me that there really is an interconnectedness within the world. And that love can heal. That energy can heal even more than medication and drugs, at times. I was kind of wondering if anyone else has similar stories? This is just my personal experience. Has anyone had similar experiences?

My mind is made up...not like my bed, which is a mess.

I think I was under the wrong impression with the title, but I will put down my thoughts on the subject anyway.

Call me a scientist, but there has been significant evidence to suggest that "optimism" is a helpful thing when one wants to heal. They can't explain why or how exactly, but just believing you are getting better is helpful in of itself.

This can be shown with any study involving placebos, in which the patient, believing they are improving, will actually show signs when they should not be. It is so common, it is called the placebo effect.

Perhaps your malachite rock induced this placebo effect in you, causing you to believe it was doing good even if it wasn't. As a result, you actually benefited from it.

Then, that's just a hypothesis. I must admit the possibility that the rock was doing something for you, as well, since nothing can be proven for or against your claim.

If the world should blow itself up,the last audible voice would be an expert saying it can't be done

Yes, well, the "placebo effect" is a common explanation for a lot of things that the medical profession doesn't understand. It's too bad that there isn't enough scientific evidence to please the scientifically-minded. Optimism helps if you are taking Depakote for Manic-Depression too. ;P Aside: optimism in that case, certainly is needed, because it's about the only thing that will save you from freaking out when you gain 40 pds on the shit, like some people do with a condition called Depakote-hunger *tongue-in-cheek* Optimism, technically, has healed cancer patients. But you know, if the cancer is gone, I'm not one to argue. I'm not going to look a gift-horse in the mouth.

For that matter, almost anything could have a placebo effect. Best to try it for yourself, before you decide on that diagnosis. Personal experience is almost always the best judge, rather than just relying on what the medical community has to say. They aren't always right. Quite often they are dead wrong, and come up with some stuff that sounds like real quackery as well. For instance: the recent suggestion that smoking cigarettes could be useful in the treatment of schizophrenia. I'm not saying it isn't possible, but because I have no personal experience with schizophrenia, nor with smoking cigarettes...I really can't say, can I? But it sure does sound as wierd to me, as crystals probably do to you. ;-)

Aside from that, the placebo effect doesn't really explain how the malachite completely stopped the process of swelling in my hand where the malachite came into contact with it, while the area of the bruise that was not covered by malachite turned purple. I have to say, that was one of the things that has really convinced me about the usefulness of crystals. I just can't explain that one away. Also, there are several stones which contain lithium as part of their make-up, and people have placed those stones in water placed in sunlight to have the lithium leech out into the water, and be used to treat manic-depression sometimes more effectively than tablets of lithium. When you consider that we have warnings about cooking with iron pots, because of the leeching of iron into the water, and warnings against drinking soda from a can because of the "also theoretically supposed"(;P) link between Alzheimer's and aluminum....it's kinda hard to discredit anything.

And it's also true, that pessimism, when exploring esoteric or alternative methods of healing, or even traditional methods of healing, can have the reverse effect, and cause the treatment not to work. So there you go. Just my thoughts too.

But at any rate, the reference to "Energy Exchanges" in the title, that might have confused you, is actually a reference to how the people and situations that I described seemed to be about giving something to others, and getting something back in return without really expecting it.

Nice to see you. Just stopping by...my computer is almost on the trash heap. I do hope all is well and the wedding is going as planned. Please say "hi" sometime and drop an e-mail. I do miss you guys. :-D Happy April Fool's Day!!!!

My mind is made up...not like my bed, which is a mess.

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Apr 01, 2006.