The hard facts of decision making

Life is all about decisions. From the moment we begin the day right until we retire, we are constantly faced with the dilemma of choosing. The plethora of options seem to make the task formidable. Sometimes gratification, other times responsibility and quite often a mere adherence to the routine. The vacillations of the mind  do not simplify matters in any way. Very often, it compounds the dilemma . The mind after all is the naughty child within that quite often pushes us to the cookie jar to dip in just this one more time. It conjures all sorts of brilliant rationalism and justification for that moment. And this same devil later on unforgivingly assaults the conscience with strictures that dwarf the self-esteem. Life inevitably becomes a  see saw that rocks between hedonism and virtue, pleasure and duty, between self castigation and achievement.
Most of the decisions that we make are fraught with short term implications. And the stakes are not very high as well. The indulgence may at the most add a few pounds, or harden the arteries a bit. Might just prepone the inevitable.. Albeit, the extra pounds could pass off as a testimony to being well ensconced in our career.
There are times when we are faced with crunch situations. The points that have the potential to alter the course of our lives. The stakes could be high not only personally but also for those in the immediate vicinity. As the stakes rise, so does the hesitation. The head and the heart seem to wrestle for supremacy. The left brain keeps a strict debit and credit account of every alternative. The right brain pops up with very intuitive suggestions. The ego cautions one about what “the others” will say. The maverick within recommends the absurd.  Amidst this din and noise, the voice of the soul is totally hushed. Repeated attempts to evoke audibility makes it barely discernible..
This voice needs to be  amplified. It is a high fidelity(hi-fi) source that metes out an optimised option. Fidel to our true nature and personalities. The voice within is the voice that blends the reality with the dream. It harmonises the internal and the external. It is a holistic mix of practicality and possibility. It often gets discounted by seemingly wiser considerations, but wisdom is always in retrospect. The prospective is always speculation.
The feeling of being in total control while  make a decision is honestly an apparition. This is because our decisions are largely circumstance based. The circumstances are largely out of bound even for the most powerful and mighty. A decision is essentially a way out of the maze of circumstances. This maze is a construct that is unique in every situation. We certainly cannot position the maze as per our choice. The impact of the situational maze  restricts our decision  making  to a very narrow  bandwidth  of exercising our choice. Free will is restricted to an excursion on  this  turf  restricted by the circumstances . Priding ourselves about our achievements very often is a trespass of the uncontrolled  domain by our egos. It certainly makes for a heady high, but we must realise that the high is not solely because of our head.

Faith

Faith- An internal phenomenon
The existence of a fixed destiny has always been a source of speculation and fascination . The belief in the presence of an omniscient God who controls this destiny generates an environment of hope and the possibility of rewriting this indelible script. Factors that are beyond ones control contribute substantially to destiny . Faith, religious practices and spirituality serve as shock absorbers to negotiate the uncertainty and unpredictability in the journey of life. It is vital as a source of hope and optimism in trying times. Religion becomes a conduit between man and his faith- the tangible manifestation of the intangible. Faith modulates the internal rather than the external. Faith is fulcrum on which conviction and self-confidence are hoisted. This fulcrum can take any form. The objective is to derive mechanical advantage in accomplishing a task. Faith transforms the individual and not the environment. It lights up a lamp within to dispel darkness and gloom. The faith of an individual can hardly have any effect on this vast external universe, but it certainly is potent enough to transform the universe within. The external universe is largely a function of perception. Faith, effects a change in the perception rather than a change in environment or in the circumstances. Faith that is inherited as a legacy in the form of religious beliefs is a default setting. It is more a matter of conditioning and not necessarily founded on any elective choice. Such ritualistic faith can be a source of disharmony but that would be like arguing about the routes that have a common destination.
A new branch of research called Neurotheology attempts to provide a structural and neurobiological basis to faith, religious beliefs and spirituality. The SPECT images have brought scientists closer to investigating and documenting a transcendent experience. SPECT scanning of a subject in the midst of a prayer or whilst meditating lit up the prefrontal cortex- the seat of attention, situated in the frontal lobes lit up. More surprising was the inhibition or quietening of a bundle of neurons in the parietal lobe, situated near the top and back of the brain. This region, also called "orientation association area," processes information about space and time, and the orientation of the body in space. This area helps delineate the precise physical extent of the body .
The orientation area depends on sensory data to generate this sense of a discrete body. If the pathways carrying this sensory data are blocked, the brain is forced to perceive the self without any discrete limited existence. Deep faith and conviction modify cognition and induce harmony with the environment which mitigates apprehensions and fears. An ability to remain calm and unruffled in trying circumstances is very critical to work out a solution. Success is more often a matter of perseverance rather than performance. Faith and conviction in any benevolent power helps decrease the sense of helplessness and instil a positivity and emotional reinforcement . Meditation induces a state , where the individual self merges with the universe, leading to a so- called state of dissolution of discreteness and limited existence.
This emerging modality of Neurotheology suggests that irrespective of the object of faith and belief, the neural correlates and pathways for their perception are common across cultures, and across faiths. It underlines the fact that faith is generic. It is more an end and makes all arguments on the means superfluous.
Dr. Deepak M. Ranade.( The author is a consultant Neurosurgeon-deepakranade@hotmail.com)

NO COMEBACKS

It seemed impossible. Jumping over the barbed fence that was about waist high. He again traced back a few yards , took a run up but aborted his attempt on approaching the fence.
These attempts were leading nowhere and was making him increasingly frustrated and despondent. Eventually, he reached out for his wallet and threw it over the fence.
He deliberately forced himself to a point of no return. Cutting off all the options of not jumping the fence.
Often, our free will and sense of insecurity forces us to keep alternatives . Plan B, C and D to every plan A, a kind of insurance against failure of plan A. But this insurance may also tend to blunt the efforts to make plan A successful.
We often read about rags to riches stories of people who overcame odds from the brink of total destruction. Like the protagonist of “ Pursuit of Happiness”. The desire to succeed gets amplified in an inverse proportion to the available options. The ‘no other option’ mindset pushes one to the limit as it becomes a matter of survival. Action and reaction are equal and opposite states a fundamental law of motion. When the forces against are perceived as having the potential to threaten ones survival, the reaction generated is also one that matches these forces. Do we really strive to do our best in every endeavour of ours? Is it necessary for the circumstances to push us to a point of no return to really get the best out of us? The lord has spoken of doing ones best with scant regard to the outcome. When one is pushed to the ground, one is scarcely obsessed with the outcome as what remains is merely the instinct to survive. The success of ones endeavours in such situations is relegated to becoming just a by-product of ones efforts. The strength of our efforts lies in the conviction that we have in ourselves. Faith in oneself surpasses faith in any other, may it be a deity, or any object of worship. Embarking on anything new does involve exiting ones comfort zone. This comfort zone, becomes a sort of bondage. It raises imaginary fears of failure that stymie the will to rise and march forward. There is a very thin line dividing impulse and courage. Most incredible success stories certainly have an element of impulse. But they are also coupled with a strong self belief and never say die attitude. Problems are part perception , largely self doubt and a very tiny bit reality. That is precisely why what appears as a problem to one manifests as an opportunity to the other. Need is the mother of invention. Even serendipity blesses the one who is obsessed with his objective. This obsession might open the proverbial third eye that spots the obvious where conformism and comfort blind the two eyes. Leaving no escape route requires courage and conviction. Having a plan b is what wisdom would suggest. But then wisdom is the luxury of comfort. Security eliminates the thrill of going all out and blunts the cutting edge of all effort. The paradox of a no alternative mindset is that it opens up alternatives within ourselves. We become aware of facets within which we never knew existed. It develops a lateral thinking ability and pushes the bar of our own abilities. That is the reason adversity stimulates our own growth. And the ultimate silver edge to this cloud of ‘no alternative’ is the contribution by this huge unending universe as we tread on this path of no return. Serendipity and help from unexpected quarters are natures way of rewarding the courage and conviction to this traveller on the path of no return.

Dr Deepak Ranade

Bose Einstein Samadhi

Scientific Basis Of Mediataion

Matter and energy are interconvertible. This was a path –breaking contribution by Einstein and was unequivocally proven albeit in very morbid and destructive circumstances. Thus, matter is present in various energy states. These energy states were found to be temperature dependant. The higher the temperature, the greater the energy. A simple example of this would be water that boils upon heating to higher temperatures. This increases the disorder in the molecules as they are energized. This disorder is referred to as entropy. It represents the excitability and chaos of the molecules that constitute matter. Satyendra Bose, a reputed Indian scientist proposed to Einstein that if matter was cooled to very low temperatures (Absolute Kelvin- minus 273 degrees ) then the entropy of that matter should decrease and matter should come down to a zero energy state. This remained only in the realms of hypothetical speculation until it was proved much later on. This zero energy state is now known to physicists as the Bose –Einstein condensate. This state of matter is also called a superatom as the entire mass behaves as if it were a single atom. It loses all its characteristics of shape, charge, polarization etc. It probably reverts to a shapeless attributeless phenonomenon. De-evolution of matter, reverting back to just the potential to manifest as anything and everything.
Our brain is as aggregate of close to a 100 billion neurons. The various thoughts that constantly crowd our minds are the sum- total of simultaneous activity of different neurons. No wonder that there is such chaos in our awake state. These thoughts then translate into various biological changes mediated by the hormonal apparatus at the pituitary interfacing system. The complex interconnections that abound the nervous system ensure that even a small impulse rapidly spreads seismically via this dense network. Certain individuals have innate higher entropy levels and therefore find it harder to concentrate. They are known as distractible in common parlance. They have fleeting thoughts and are very restless. The sensory organs serve as an important pathway to increase the entropy as they stimulate various neuronal circuits adding to the entropy. Therefore closing the eyes helps in the process of concentration. Continuous stimulation of the neural networks is what happens in awake states.Sleep is therefore necessary for minimizing these constant excitatory inputs. Sleep deprivation leads to fatigue of the neural networks
When one concentrates, there is a resultant decrease in the disorder of the neural system. As concentration increases, the tendency of the mind to waver and scatter decreases. The mind is more sharp focused. We all have experienced the need to concentrate when we are studying or performing some important activity. So when we concentrate, we are increasing the synchronicity of a specific group of neurons and silencing unrelated neuronal activity. In scientific parlance, concentration decreases the entropy of the neuronal apparatus. Reverting to the earlier example, as we approach the Absolute Kelvin, just as the entropy of matter drops to near zero levels, similarly, the neuronal disorder keeps waning as we concentrate. The neuronal firing decreases in amplitude as well as frequency. So would the propagation across various networks.
In awake states, when one consciously attempts to decrease the entropy of the nervous system, it is referred to as meditation. As the entropy of the neurons keeps decreasing, a state of calmness is perceived. As this progresses further, the neurons start becoming synchronous. That is, they neither modulate or amplify any incoming signal. They just resonate in harmony. As this orchestra starts becoming more in synch the subject experiences varying states of bliss and happiness. Till what is presumably the final state of zero entropy, where all 100 billion neurons function in total unified quantum coherence . This Bose Einstein condensate equivalent of the neuronal system is what may be termed as Samadhi.

Dr Deepak Ranade
(The author is a consultant Neurosurgeon)

Moving On

Moving On.


One of the hallmarks of evolution has been the increase in the ability of the progressively evolved forms to move. Beginning from the single celled amoeba, which has very restricted motility, creation has ‘moved’ a long way in bestowing speed and agility to its descendants. One of the reasons for this mutative upgrade was to access a wider range of resources like food and water. Restricted motility puts immense strain on the limited resources in an area. When the particular life form moved on, it sought out newer pastures, water holes, and, possibly, a more varied genetic material to conjugate with. The ability to move on became a condition for survival. Movement assumed even greater significance as the various forms started depending on one another for their survival. The agility and speed settings of the predator and the prey having been set very precisely, both were given equal opportunity for survival. Life seemed to be measured by the ability to move.
‘Moving on’ is as critical to our own survival in today’s day and age. . However, man’s obsession with permanence tends to become the source of inertia that resists his ability to move on. An ever-looming uncertainty adds to this very strong desire to cling to the known and the familiar. . The ability to deal with change and adapting to it becomes a tool for survival. . Life , people and circumstances are as ephemeral as the designs in a kaleidoscope. We might love a particular design immensely but all that is needed is just a tap and the design changes, never to be the same ever again. Being emotionally mobile or in other words being able to move on could help us reach out to greener pastures. “ and to tap into better resources within ourselves.
Being constantly aware of change is best illustrated by the fable of this King. He was perpetually facing trying situations and hence consulted a learned sage about how he could deal with his problemsThe sage gave the King a piece of paper and asked him to open it and read the contents only if he was in the midst of an insurmountable difficulty.
As the days passed, there came many a moment when the King was tempted to open the paper but he desisted . Eventually, one day, when he was on the verge of ending his life because of a situation he was in, he finally opened the paper. In it was written, “This too shall pass”. If one doesn’t choose to move on, life anyway does. So our attempts to keep trying holding on to are also futile. As futile as probably scooping up water from the river and believing one has held it. Reluctance to move on makes us susceptible to predation by despair, despondence and pain. These are the emotional predators, that don’t deliver the killing bite. They just gorge on the vitality and render the victim helpless and incapacitated. Moving on assumes life- sustaining importance. If moving on is so crucial, we must find joy in the movement, which is very dynamic and therefore, refreshing. Movement is redemption. If inevitable, then it cannot be wrong. Evolution triggers changes that are meant for the betterment of the race and form.
If evolution demands movement, it must pave the road for our betterment. Perhaps, moving on is the prerequisite for transcending our consciousness to the next level. To realise and identify ourselves as being that which does not change, “the observer”.
Dr Deepak M. Ranade
( deepakranade@hotmail.com)

The Internal Jury

Despair and dejection are among the most common negative emotions that we have to deal with in our daily lives. . These emotions arise as a result of our own judgemental approach. We all have an in-built judicial system that conducts its own trials. The act of prosecution begins as soon as something unfavourable happens or when our ego gets hurt. There are usually one of four verdicts that are passed.
1) I am ok, you are not ok
2) I am not ok, you are ok
3) I am not ok and you are not ok either
4) I am ok, you are ok.

The ‘you’ in this verdict could be a person, a situation, an event, the planetary position, practically just anything outside of the self.

The people whose internal jury deliver the first verdict are typically egoistic, not introspective, rigid, and also slow learners. They are very confident but largely self indulgent and not easily amenable to suggestions. They may also be control freaks and are invariably complaining about most issues and people. They can be intimidating at times and very haughty. They are quite creative and innovative and they remain in a positive state of mind even after an occasional setback.
The individuals whose internal jury deliver the second verdict are the ones who are low on self-confidence. They are the ones who will introspect for hours, and are often more inclined toward some kind of persecution mania. They will learn from their mistakes as they have the sincere desire to learn. However, they are very prone to having bouts of despair and depression and take much longer to recover from a setback.
The ones in the third category are the pessimists, whose criticism can be annoying to those who are at the receiving end of it. . They just do not seem to find anything right. They could be among the nagging sorts and, often, non-creative. They are the least likely to venture out of their comfort zones for any reason and prefer the confines of whatever security is afforded by their reluctant, self- imposed contentment.
The last category are the ‘Edison’ category. These will never reprimand either themselves or anyone for their failures. They have an indomitable spirit and are very adventurous. They seem to have an inexhaustible appetite for life and could be very creative. They are incredibly positive and are extremely perseverant. However, they can become very egoistic when successful because, innately, they have a very high opinion of themselves.
The most advanced and philosophical are the ones that rise above this fourth category. They are the enlightened ones who never have an internal jury. The internal jury is replaced by an observer who merely observes without getting involved. They are the ones who do not believe in having any ‘doership’. Doership not as in ability to do or act. Doership is the conviction of having the wherewithal to effect the desired outcome of ones action.
Actions are most often directed towards a prefixed objective; the commonest being gratification of the senses or of the ego in some way or the other. The last category comprises of those who are less self-indulgent, more selfless. They set out doing what they have to but accept the outcome without any grudge or judgement irrespective of whether they sought the gratification or did not.
This intrinsic contentment is a state of realisation. Living life without passing a verdict of any sort either on people, circumstances or the self is deliverance from unhappiness and despair.
(This is not meant to be a verdict by the author)
Dr Deepak M Ranade
(The author is a consultant Neurosurgeon- deepakranade@hotmail.com

ENTANGLEMENT- A fascinating phenomenon

Entanglement- A state of Advaita.


Reductionism, as a means of solving the mysteries of creation has since long been the quest of physics. Molecules gave way to atoms, which paved the way for quarks, and then further on to bosons, the quest continues unabated. Presently the flavour of the reductionist approach is the ‘string theory’. It hypothesises all different types of particles being merely differing frequencies of the same elementary building block –‘the string’. The ‘string’ that weaves all creation.
Einstein, proved the inter-convertibility of matter and energy. His E= mc2 revealed the interconversion of matter and energy states. His amazing grey cells could have gone even further to integrate ‘consciousness’ in the equation. The entity that not only spawns energy and matter but along with the cognising entity , cognition itself. An equation that factors consciousness might just be the TOE (theory of everything) that has been the holy grail of Physicists.
Einstein could never digest the fact that “ God played dice”, and so he relentlessly proposed various hypotheses that questioned the integrity of Quantum Physics. One such attempt was the EPR paradox that he proposed along with Rosen and Podolsky . Heisenbergs principle of uncertainty precluded the possibility of accurately predicting both, the position and velocity of a particle. The EPR paradox suggested that if one knew the position of one of the two entangled particles, and the velocity of the other, then it would be possible to know exactly both the variables of the two particles. Since the two particles were entangled,( a term suggested by Schrodinger) they travelled at the same velocity but in opposing directions. The information about the other particle would be got instantly, faster than the speed of light. Einstein called this effect ‘spooky’ as it defied existing laws of Physics. This non-locality was scientific heresy, not just a paradox. It violated Heisenbergs theory and questioned the very foundations of quantum physics. This thought experiment subsequently got verified in the laboratory.
In 1997, Nicholas Gisin and colleagues at the University of Geneva used entangled photons to enable simple - but instantaneous - communication over a distance of seven miles. Quantum entanglement allows particles that are separated by incredible distances to interact with each other instantaneously, faster than the speed of light. The mechanism behind it cannot, be fully explained by any theory. One theory suggests that all matter was once compacted together in a unified state, and hence the connectedness. A oneness, a primordial non-dual state.
Entanglement may be the greatest testimony to Advaita or non-duality. Instant relay of information over a large distance presupposes a separation that may well be just illusory. Time and space could just be deceptive programs of the perceptive apparatus. The apparent duality being just a distortion of the observer. As the great scientist saint –Dnaneshwar has suggested – the trinity of the observer observed and observation is in reality a unity . A more astonishing aspect of entanglement is that the spin of the particle when not being observed is just one of many possibilities. It actually takes up a value only when it is measured. At that very instant this information is relayed to the entangled particle that instantaneously acquires the appropriate reciprocal value. Here, the observer, the observed and the process of observation are all mutually dependant and affect one another. The particle taking on a value when it realises it is being observed makes it as much conscious as the observer. Preposterous to imagine consciousness being an attribute of the sub-atomic world. Transmission of this information instantaneously to the entangled particle instantaneously might seem inexplicable in the realm of duality mediated by our perceptive senses. This apparent separateness may after all be the illusion that our scriptures allude to. Entanglement may eventually qualify the statement ‘Aham Brahmasami,” – I am Brahma, or “Tatvamasi”. I am that. There exists no separation, or difference in the myriad forms of consciousness. The state of realisation could very well be seeing the entire gamut of creation in another dimension – a state of quantum super-entanglement.

Dr Deepak M Ranade- (The author is a consultant Neurosurgeon- deepakranade@hotmail.com)