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Multiple Intelligences and faith

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In my last entry on quantum faith, I briefly mentioned my fascination with the brain. I'm going to belabor it here because I believe it may help some folks as they study Christ and the Bible. I first started really studying the brain about 30 years ago. I felt that as a science teacher, I should know the science behind how we learn, so I could help my students learn. There are two ways to affect learning: presynaptic and postsynaptic. Literally, before and after the synapse, the two main ways to remember something postsynaptically are by rote and by association. Rote is where you repeat the material. To move information from short-term to long-term memory, the magic number is 7. This means you must repeat the new information a total of seven times to move it into long-term memory. You all remember this approach from learning your ABCs and your times tables.A quicker approach to long-term memory is associational memory, where you attach new information to something you already know ...
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Quantum faith

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I've been reading a book about spirituality and the brain. Now, I know I have not shown it here, but I am a brain geek. At a later date, I will discuss this book,  The Awakened Brain   by Dr Lisa Miller, because it makes some fascinating claims, but today I want to discuss a rabbit hole it sent me down, quantum physics. The first thing I did was look up quantum faith. Quantum faith is a concept blending the ideas of quantum physics with faith . It proposes that just as quantum particles react to observation, our focused faith and words can bring spiritual principles into tangible manifestation, seeing miracles (like Jesus walking on water) not as violations of physics, but as operating under different, deeper laws. In the late 1600s, Sir Isaac Newton published the foundation for classical physics. He described the laws of motion: inertia, F=m x a and action/reaction.  One force he was particularly interested in was gravity.  But classical physics doesn't explain ...
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Pockets

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I have a very dear friend who is delighted when her dresses have pockets. There is a childlike joy that overcomes her that I find delightful, but I am not a person to whom joy comes easily, Joy and happiness are often used interchangeably. However, happiness technically refers to the pleasurable feelings (emotions) that result from a situation, experience, or object; whereas, joy is a state of mind that can be found even in times of grief or uncertainty. Thus, we can cultivate joy independent of our circumstances. The neurobiology of joy is complex; a few neurotransmitters stand out in promoting positive feelings: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. The good news is that changes to our lives can increase these neurotransmitter levels. For example, running may produce a "runner's high;" spending time with a baby releases oxytocin, the "cuddle hormone" that makes you feel connected. Your ability to find joy may provide long-lasting health benefits. Your...
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Total communication

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I sign. I am okay at it, but I am fortunate to be able to worship in sign language. I'm not David, and I'm not much of a dancer, so I don't dance before God as several verses admonish. One of my favorite verses about dancing before God is Psalm 30:11-12, but when I sign, as I worship, my hands are dancing   11. You turned my mourning into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy 12. That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise You forever.  Signing got me thinking about body language. As a former public school teacher, I have mastered the "look" that can make people squirm in their seats, and as a signer I know the difference that posture and facial expressions can make to your language. Over ninety percent of our communication is non-verbal. It includes: Facial expressions: The face can convey a wide range of emotions. In signing, it can totally flip the meaning of your sign. Posture and movement : The way you...
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Dry bones, dry bones

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I recently had a fall and cracked a rib, and it has caused me to meditate on bones and their significance in the Bible. Our analysis of bones starts in Genesis, where Eve was literally made from Adam's rib. Adult humans have 206 bones of which 24 are ribs; 12 on each side. True ribs attach to the sternum, along with false ribs, which attach to the sternum via cartilage, creating a cage that protects our heart and lungs, but two pairs of ribs, the floating ribs, only attach at the spine. These are the most dangerous to break because they can pierce another object in the chest. In Genesis, bones represent unity and family.  Adam describes Eve as "bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh", symbolising their deep and fundamental connection. Bones are tied to our spirit      Proverbs 17:22:  "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones".      Proverbs 14:30:  "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy [or jealou...
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Masterpieces: Pottery the Touch of the Master's Hand

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  Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isa 64:8 I have been talking about our lives as masterpieces, and no such discussion would be complete without adding pottery. Pottery begins with the clay. Clay gets its color from the impurities added to kaolinite. These impurities are primarily metal oxides.  The specific minerals present, such as iron, manganese, and copper, determine the final color of the clay. For example,  iron oxides  create reds, browns, and oranges, while  cobalt  creates blues, and  chromium  can produce greens.  What are the colors of your life? Nowadays, most pots are literally thrown on a wheel. But before that, the clay is wedged.  To wedge, use either the  Rams Head  or  Spiral  method, which involves repeatedly pushing and pulling the clay. A master potter avoids pushing only, as this can push air pockets deeper into the clay; ins...
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