Measuring energy

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: Many devotees observe some sort of 'energy' in temples, around holy men, in nature sometimes, in crowds, etc. It's not at all well defined, other that 'some sort of energy', but does have names like shakti, or darshan attached to it. Some people don't believe this energy even exists, just as 400 years ago, nobody would have believed electricity existed in wires. A time traveller with a couple of batteries probably would have been put to death for practicing sorcery.

200 years or so ago, we learned to harness electricity, a different type of energy. We learned how to measure it. Same with gravity, electromagnetic fields, etc. None are visible to the human eye.

When people talk of a murthi being 'alive' or had its eye-opening ceremony done, it means that this energy is activated, something like the electrical switch being turned on. When you approach a bare copper wire connected on both ends to 'something', in a house, or elsewhere, like in a physics lab, you cannot tell whether or not it is 'live'. Most people know enough from studying electricity in school not to touch it, certainly not if there are two wires.

There are other subtle energies like pheromones, perhaps not measurable yet.

So do you think there will there be a day when scientists, from some ingenious discovery, can measure and/or harness shakti, darshan, or whatever you want to call it?

Aum Namasivaya

[Jainarayan]

Namaste EMji.


So do you think there will there be a day when scientists, from some ingenious discovery, can measure and/or harness shakti, darshan, or whatever you want to call it?

Aum Namasivaya

You'll be happy to know, that day has arrived.

There is a scientist (his name escapes me, maybe my mind is too open and things fall out :D) who conducted an experiment.

Monitors/sensors were placed at specific and strategic locations around the world. At certain times: 9/11; major prayer vigils; or other events involving a large number of people, the monitors registered energy surges from those locations.

He attributed these energy spikes to the combined thought and prayer energy of people. This experiment and theory is an attempt to explain that we are all truly connected by some energy; call it a cosmic energy, quantum entanglement, or Brahman. I think it's fascinating and I believe it.

To that end, I do believe that it is the devotional and prayer energy of the devotees invoking the deities' darshan and/or shakti, which further enhances the energy. It's is a circular effect. I believe that there are persons and places around which this energy field exists, e.g. holy men and holy places.

Creation is energy; we are energy (electro-chemical); energy pervades the cosmos. Why shouldn't we be part of it, and concentrate it in a holy place? Unfortunately the opposite is true also, in my belief: the negative energy of a riot or panic in a disaster feeds on itself.

Edit: I found it. Through the Wormhole: Is There a Sixth Sense?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTThc4OOv_Q pt. 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoI1cI7QPZo pt. 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNtYCYSVRVk pt. 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84wga_qlq4Y pt. 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIcQ5KLIiio pt. 5

From the description of part 5:



This is pretty interesting and philosophical stuff. These are a few clips from the Discovery Series: "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman." An extension of quantum mechanics posits that there is no reality unless there is a conscious observer to observe the universe into reality. Taken to its fullest, this would imply the existence of a interconnected global, and perhaps, cosmic, consciousness that determines reality.

Dr. Roger Nelson founded the Global Consciousness Project with the goal of detecting a Global Consciousness. At this point, the science gets a bit questionable. Dr. Nelson and his team have placed random number generators (RNGs) around the world and record their activity. Random chance would cause the numbers, either a 1 or 0, to appear in a 50/50 ratio. Dr. Nelson believes that statistically significant deviations from this normal distribution is an indication of the global consciousness reacting to a world event. Of course, these views have drawn a large amount of criticism from the scientific community. While it is true that any pattern can be found in randomly distributed data if you look hard enough, many of Dr. Nelson's findings are quite astounding and are difficult to explain. Especially interesting is how the random number generators reacted during September 11th, 2001.

Whether random number generators are actually able to detect the presence of a global consciousness remains unclear. However, the possibility that a Global or even Cosmic Consciousness which links everyone and everything does exist is quite a profound notion. Feel free to comment with your thoughts and beliefs. This video is meant to facilitate discussion on the subject of a Cosmic Consciousness.

More information on The Global Consciousness Project, including how data is collect and analyzed, can be found at www.noosphere.princeton.edu (http://www.noosphere.princeton.edu) .

[Maya3]

That is a really good question.

The way I see it, is that the energy you feel in a temple is the vibration from humans chanting and meditating there. It is probably stronger in a temple because there is more feeling and concentration from the people who are visiting.

But there can be energy in any room that has had people in it. Though as I said I don't think that energy is as powerful as in a temple.

I would be really interested to know if you could measure the difference.

One thing I can say, is that I had two dogs who each lived to be 15.5, a very very old age for large breed dogs. They slept in front of my altar every night, and off and on during the day.
I really think that they absorbed the energy from my meditations there.

Maya

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: I'm thinking particularly about Hindu shrines and temples. Yes, animals can feel it ... at least certain ones can. The only place I've ever felt this energy other than in Hindu temples or home shrines of from Hindu holy men is in nature, and that only a couple of times.

I think scientist might have far more significant results if they went to Arunachala, Amarnath shrine, Kasi, or Palani.

Aum Namasivaya

[Mana]

हरिः ओम्


Namaste EM,


To my mind this is not far off at all; in this lecture, Harry Oldfield explains that it is already possible. Well worth investigation, bearing in mind that this guys microscopes have already won him serious acclaim within the field of microscopy.


The procedure, I believe, works by visualising the polarisation of light, in a whole new way ...

Harry Oldfield. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W45AkDHnsQ&feature=related)

See also:

Kirlian photography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirlian_photography)



pranāma

mana


ॐ नमः शिवाय
Aum Namaḥ Śivāya

[Shanti29]

Mind over Matter: Secrets of human aura revealed by Russian scientists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6NIUV24vcQ

Fascinating documentaries post so far. Hope I can have a look at them soon.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: For me there is no question at all as to whether or not it exists. It's more about whether or not it can be harnessed. Then there are some very dangerous possibilities imaginable, just as there was historically with the harnessing of gunpowder, nuclear energy, and more.

Aum Namasivaya

[Purana]

Maybe? Could it be the same energy that were used in the wars in Mahabharata?