YOU BODY AND BRAIN.
April 25, 2018
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Revised:
Imagine your personal triangle: you, represented at the top corner, with the body and the brain at the bottom corners. Are you just the brain, just the body, or is there a third entity, a “you,” that lives in the body? Is the body connected to the brain to function, or do you direct the brain and body to function? As “you,” your task is to convert spiritual tasks into physical actions. For instance, if I ask you to wiggle your finger, you can do so with minimal effort, yet this simple action involves a complex process. You hear the command with your ears, it is processed by your brain, and then your brain instructs your body to move your finger.
What does this mean? It means that if you were just the brain and the body, you wouldn’t be able to command the brain to make the body move. The brain functions like a computer—it has abilities but needs someone to direct it. There is a clear distinction between you, the brain, and the body. You live in a physical body with a brain, and all three components are interdependent. If you leave the body, both the brain and the body would cease to function. Similarly, if something happens to either the body or the brain, they cannot function properly. Without you, the brain and body cannot survive, and you cannot function in a body that is impaired.
For example, if someone has a stroke, moving a finger can become nearly impossible. Despite a strong desire to move, the body might not comply. Achieving even simple tasks can be challenging if everything isn’t functioning properly. The point is that we are not just physical beings; we are spiritual as well. If you were only a spiritual being, you couldn’t manifest actions in the physical world without the brain and body. Conversely, the brain and body cannot function without you. Thus, spirituality depends on physicality, and physicality depends on spirituality. To experience life fully, you need all three components.
With your brain and body, you form an entity that cannot survive without the others. While you may exist in another dimension without this combination, it is not clearly known. People often hold passionate and egotistical beliefs about their systems of belief, which are strongly rooted in imagination. This zone of imagination requires extensive exploration, as it holds limitless potential for human progress. Much of what humanity has achieved stems from imagination, underscoring its immense power. From practical wisdom to placebo effects and various forms of healing, all these aspects originate from this imaginative zone.
Focusing exclusively on physical existence only nurtures one part of the triangle. Neglecting or ignoring the “you” part can lead to consequences, such as feelings of unfulfillment and discontent, especially in fast-paced societies. This imbalance becomes more apparent as one loses control over the body and brain with aging. For instance, a young schoolgirl who dresses to attract attention may learn that the body is a powerful tool, and exposure can be rewarding. As she ages and loses control over her body and appearance, she might panic and become insecure, undermining her previous blessings and potentially losing her happiness and contentment. It’s worth noting that I have read that one in three women has experienced some form of depression or mental health issue. I strongly believe in living a balanced mortal life. We encounter difficulties when we try to control the uncontrollable. Modern science confirms that mental and physical health issues exist, but spiritual problems are linked to the “you” part. Observing the relationship among all three components can provide insight. If you only feel happy when everything aligns with your desires, life—especially mortal life—can be hellish. Happiness and contentment are what make life worth living. Success is unattainable without happiness and health, which is another triangle I’ve discussed.
It is inevitable for a mortal to face the realities of life, so it is imperative to strive for a balanced existence. If you feel insecure and attempt to secure yourself, particularly concerning the body and brain, it is unlikely to succeed. This has not happened in the past, is not happening now, and will not happen for a long time. Shouldn’t we at least try to fully experience mortal life? Our mortality should logically make us humble, but evidence suggests we have been heading in the wrong direction. The only explanation I can offer is that we attempt to live as if we were immortal, striving to secure everything, which leads to a “dog-eat-dog” philosophy.
When things go wrong with the body and brain, we suffer internally. There is an intricate connection between all three—yourself, the body, and the brain. Separation of these components can be devastating, particularly for the body and brain. When our physical experiences of life come to an absolute halt, we refer to it as being deceased or dead. This means the absence of life, so while you might be living, your understanding of life might be lacking. Being a living being is the most important aspect of existence. If you believe that you will go to heaven and be comfortable, it’s a misguided belief. If you have developed a habit of living in discomfort and discontent, even God cannot and will not make you happy. Therefore, it is crucial to find comfort in your skin, regardless of its appearance, age, or discomforts. Living comfortably in all circumstances is a personal responsibility that comes with free will. Since you already have the gift of free will, God has done His part. Now it is your responsibility to reciprocate and enjoy life’s experiences.
If you are uncomfortable, find the reasons. You might discover that you are a victim of dissatisfaction or discontent. However, don’t let material living turn you into a dishonest person because it harms not only those around you but also yourself. Remember, you are not just a physical being; you live in a body and brain, which should compel you to live comfortably physically. But being dishonest to the real part of you—the spiritual “you”—will only lead to discomfort. If you don’t nurture the spiritual part of yourself, even the most heavenly realms will not be comfortable for you because you have neglected your true self.
Physical food sustains the body, while satisfaction, contentment, and peace of mind are necessary for spiritual well-being. You are responsible for nurturing the “you” part, which in turn completes the triangle of life. Living in balance is your personal responsibility and can only be achieved with the free will you have been blessed with. Living for heaven is driven by greed, and avoiding hell is driven by fear—both are based on a “carrot and stick” philosophy. God is neither a politician nor a being with insecurities, so fearing God and bowing down for personal security is not meaningful worship. If you are doing God’s work during your lifetime, you have fulfilled your share, and there is no need to feel guilty simply for being born. Therefore, you shouldn’t live in fear. Fear is related to the politics of reward and punishment. Reflect on why you were born: to reciprocate in your living years. It doesn’t make sense to live only for the life after death. This life is your chance to help humanity, not by constructing grand architectural wonders but by assisting humanity in survival, as Mother Teresa did. The real places of worship are the living human beings; God resides within us as the spiritual “you.” Creating comfort for those in need is related to spirituality. Majestic buildings where people gather can become political, preaching separation, discrimination, and prejudice, and thus creating suffering for others.
To live a successful mortal life, you must consider how to achieve balance. If you only think of yourself as a physical being, you will focus on nurturing your body and brain, but you will miss out on the true treasures of physical experiences. Satisfaction, contentment, and peace of mind are tied to your spiritual side. Living without these elements means you have lived a mortal life, but it is incomplete. Discontentment, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness represent a failure in mortal living. Not only is this approach detrimental to you, but it also harms your body and brain, leading to diseases that cause mental and physical stress.
Balance is essential for a successful mortal life. Human beings and other living creatures cannot be happy if they are only aware of their mortality. It is challenging to know what to want or achieve in a temporary life. Despite the awareness of mortality and discomfort, happy people can be found all over the world. If we view life narrowly, focusing only on physical comfort for the body and brain, we neglect to nourish our soul. We eat to enjoy food and live in houses to impress others. We fit in or seek admiration, build our bodies for appearance, and pursue higher education for the same reasons. We intentionally or unintentionally focus only on physical living. However, the real and deeper enjoyment of life comes from giving love, feeding, and helping others. Consider the joy a mother or father experiences in nurturing and the powerful desire to have children. All of this relates to the “you” part.
It’s not just about nurturing or spiritual healing; it’s about healing in general. In mortal life, we all need peace of mind, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Without these, our temporary journey can become fearfully painful rather than rewarding.
Hoarding is about maintaining comfort for the body and brain, while spending is aimed at personal satisfaction. The ancient Egyptians even believed in bringing material possessions to the afterlife, as if the spiritual realm were material as well. Our education focuses on physical living rather than on enjoying the journey of mortality, leading us to concentrate on material and physical comfort. We fear losing these comforts, even though they are inevitably temporary. The true essence lies in nourishing your soul without fear, which reveals the incomplete nature of our common education that emphasizes only physical living. This incomplete understanding robs us of the full benefits that a mortal life has to offer.
You live in a way that may cause you to miss out on trust, love, satisfaction, and peace of mind—precious jewels of life that you cannot afford to sacrifice. Mortal life is not solely about the body, brain, or yourself alone. It encompasses the whole of you, where suffering in one area affects the others. A sick body cannot have a happy brain or soul, and a sick soul will drain the brain and body of vitality.
Extreme approaches are related to partial knowledge, whether in belief systems, medicine, or social interactions. Neglecting the main component—yourself—means viewing mortal life through incorrect lenses.
The fundamentals of mortal life are balance. Mortality, peace of mind, happiness, and contentment should be considered equally. Living solely for spiritual purposes or focusing only on the body and brain is also an extreme approach. It’s about experiencing life in its entirety, not just one aspect. After death, God needs living people to continue His physical work joyfully. If you are not enjoying the mortal journey, it is not due to God but rather the controlling forces of religions that seek to keep you weak and vulnerable for their own control. God has granted us the free will to enjoy the journey of reciprocation if we understand that life is about reciprocation.
Societal rules, morality, and ethics have their place, but we need to see the bigger picture. If everyone became a monk, our physical world would grind to a halt, and humanity would stagnate. Conversely, focusing solely on physical living can also harm the spiritual world.
The “dog-eat-dog” mentality is an animalistic way of living. Humans are superior because we possess spirituality, which leads to giving. The body and brain without the soul represent only half of the equation, and the soul without the body and brain is also incomplete. In simple terms, the “dog-eat-dog” philosophy is about living only for physical needs. Humans are complete beings because of their soul.
God’s physical work is carried out by living human individuals. Disrespecting, disregarding, belittling, or rejecting the importance of individuals is linked to political control. Those in power preach a “carrot and stick” philosophy derived from religious teachings to keep individuals uneducated, weaker, and self-degrading for easier control. We are more than just animals; we are human beings with free will and the ability to self-regulate. Heaven and hell are often used for political purposes to instill fear and greed. True goodness arises not from fear or greed but from achieving deep satisfaction and peace of mind during our lives. We can only do this by transcending the “carrot and stick” philosophy. If you view yourself solely as a physical entity, you will fear hell because of its physical pain and seek comfort in heaven based on physical comforts. However, if you do good without the fear of hell or the greed for heaven, you will experience the benefits of heaven in your lifetime through personal and complete mortal experiences.
As evolving beings, humans continually discover, understand, and utilize information—from building streets and highways to exploring other planets, decoding genetic material, and cloning. All these advancements come from God-given imagination, which is part of the “you” component. Our egotistical sense often makes us believe these achievements are solely due to our brain and body. We fail to acknowledge that we have no control over our next breath. We want to take credit for our efforts but neglect to understand that every moment depends on the intricate dance of life, over which we have little to no control. Internal and external spaces are not governed by human willpower. Claiming control is like assuming a body part can function without the brain. Just ask someone who has suffered a stroke.
Knowledge is closely related to our imagination, which I connect to the “you” part of the triangle. Dreams and imagination, though not fully understood, are integral to our daily lives. Without the brain and body, ideas cannot emerge. They facilitate turning ideas into reality, so creativity should be associated with the “you” part.
If everyone is blessed with the same “you,” brain, and body, why can’t everyone excel in the same areas? Despite having similar genetics or makeup, we each contribute differently to humanity according to our destiny.
One can become an engineer, doctor, preacher, warrior, or athlete by choice or necessity, but ultimately, the responsibility for humanity’s functioning and for personal happiness and contentment rests on the individual.
A preacher might say that everything is done by God, while an atheist might argue against this. Both are victims of what I term “complete knowledge syndrome.” This affliction has plagued humanity since the dawn of civilization. Yet human beings have always been, are, and will always be an essence of God because spirituality and physicality are intertwined within each individual. While we have historically killed each other over our conflicting views, there has been and continues to be ongoing evolution. Personally, I am an optimist and believe that as evolving entities, our knowledge will adapt over time.
We should strive to understand our core knowledge and embrace our evolving nature rather than strictly adhering to religious texts written thousands of years ago. In the meantime, we need to explore the “you” part of our personal triangle. If this aspect is responsible for our imagination and dreams, then we, as individuals and as societies, owe it significant gratitude. Whether you believe in God or not is beside the point; what matters is how we perceive and engage with the concept of God and how we sometimes devalue ourselves in the process.
Religions, much like political systems, are designed to control individuals for the smooth functioning of society. The problem arises when the promised divine punishments fail to materialize, undermining the belief system’s effectiveness. Adding strict rules and harsh punishments in the name of God only worsens the situation, making God appear malevolent. It becomes difficult to understand God when human failings and political motives are attached to the divine, leading to a disconnect between spirituality and religion. A religion without spirituality is an impotent system. The true essence lies in spirituality. This is why equal human rights and justice are inherently linked to the individual rather than the group. Groups often lean towards politics, which can corrupt and pollute governance with prejudice and discrimination. The struggle for equal human rights worldwide stems not from individuals but from political affiliations and the sense of belonging to groups.
All of humanity’s progress comes from individual imagination. Whether this progress results from divine intervention through dreams or purely human imagination is debatable. Should one be an atheist or a religious extremist? And why do we behave the way we do? Why do we kill each other in the name of our affiliations? If everything is connected to politics, what about the “you” within you? I question all forms of extremism and wonder why people become so passionate about political belonging. Where do you stand as an individual? Who is God in the truest sense? Shouldn’t you have a personal sense of justice? After all, you came into existence as an independent entity. You use your free will to make daily decisions in everything you do. Why does this sense of autonomy diminish when it comes to taking charge of your own life? Why can’t you question the status quo? Are you conditioned to believe that you personally should not have a sense of justice? You may claim to hold extreme views on life, yet fail to examine how you are made and how you function.
From carbon to oxygen, to body and brain, all are utilized by the “you” part of yourself. However, if you do not nurture and feed this “you” part by taking charge as an independent entity, feelings of insecurity may arise. These feelings are a sign of living exclusively within the confines of the body and brain, without acknowledging the “YOU” part. Your group may not want you to recognize yourself as a significant aspect of their society or even of God, so you can be controlled and manipulated according to political beliefs. It is only by questioning yourself about yourself that you can truly see the real you and escape the politics of belonging to groups. The color of your skin, your gender, nationality, or religious beliefs do not touch the “YOU” part because they are not your true identity.
You are a being who transcends these categories, regardless of where or how you were born. All human beings possess the “YOU” part, so they are not merely bodies and brains. Reducing yourself to just these physical aspects means living with only the knowledge you have been given, without the identity that God intended for you.
Nurturing only physical existence without questioning is limited living for any individual. We need to examine the whole picture individually because our political identities have not helped us evolve spiritually. In material terms, we may be well-off, but personally, we suffer a great loss related to the “YOU” part, resulting in a lack of inner and external peace. Internal peace is connected to your personal sense of justice. Ignoring and losing peace of mind can lead to various internal turmoils that cannot be resolved by neglecting the “YOU” part. It is essential to consider all three aspects of the triangle, not just one or two.
