Quantum Mechanics

In American culture we are encouraged to believe that we are the rulers of our destiny, that we can create ourself and our life to be whatever we desire. We like to have a sense of control over outcomes, and have a certainty that a particular action will lead to a particular result. Yet when things don't go the way we expected, we have a contrary attitude, quickly placing responsibility and blame for what happened outside of ourselves. The incongruence lies in that while there is certainty that an action or change in one aspect has an affect on another aspect, we do not really have complete control or understanding of what that change will be, and therefore there in uncertainty. In our own lives, in society, in the environment, I think it is important to accept the limited perspective and knowledge we have, and confirm that while we have an understanding of patterns and can make probable predictions, to more or less of a degree, we cannot have complete certainty about anything in our lives or the universe, even though the universe itself has an equation of balance and inter-transformation. I feel that Eastern culture has more acknowledgement of this concept of certainty in the universe although much of it is unknown to us. Eastern philosophy and medicine points to how patterns across ancestral generations, constitutions, arrangements, seasons, years, star alignment etc can have an influence on the individual and provide a greater degree of probability into what is unknown and uncertain.

To measure something is to define it's state by a previously defined concept of measurement. Particles simply exist, and our understanding of particles at a particular moment and in a particular form gives it a definition that falls in line with our framework of understanding.

Observing the effect of something and attempting to understanding the cause can be of much challenge. This makes me think of the process of trying to understand physical and emotional patterns. We observe a physical injury, illness, or disease and we analyze emotional triggers, reactivity, and propensities. Then we try to figure out what habit, incident, or experience caused the imbalance, pain, or suffering. The truth is that we can never fully understand or be certain about the cause, although we can make inferences and probable guesses, and subsequently offer treatment that is likely to support healing. Although ultimately healing is a multifactorial and mysterious process that cannot be control by one or a few factors. It is a reminder to be aware of the expectation we have of cause and affect, but also let go of attachment to that expectation.

The meaning of time

Time is our construction and the speed of time is perceived in our experience. I believe that by attuning our awareness and senses, we can perceive more input in frequency and quantity, and therefore experience the illusion that time is slowing down.

I think that the cultural implications of time have a greater impact on our interactions than we acknowledge. Having lived and worked in multi-national environments, I have seen how understanding of time shapes our experience and interpersonal relations. Our unspoken understanding of time governs the basis of assumptions, fluidity of interactions, and creation of expectations. Time also reflects values and social norms. As the world becomes more global, I believe that it is ever more important to have an awareness of how time is understood across different cultures and to have a flexibility in navigating around different concepts of time.

I believe in the possibility and existence of parallel universes. Dark matter is a wonderful example of how human logic and intelligence is limited. I think that patterns across time, which Chinese Medicine is based on, is a clue to how there is an underlying force that is influencing the manifestation of reality that we see but have an incomplete understanding of.

The beginning

Hello, my name is Ivy.

What attracts me to Chinese Medicine is that it is a holistic and integrative philosophy to medicine and life. Chinese Medicine aligns with my belief that the physical, emotional, and spiritual is interconnected. It also supports the notion that nothing exists in isolation but rather has a relational cause and effect with other things. I am drawn to Chinese Medicine as a method of healing that addresses problems at the root in order to resolve them, in contrast to Western Medicine that often addresses just the symptoms, which consequently fails to truly resolve problems and causes more problems by externality. Personally I have seen and experienced incredible benefit of Chinese Medicine and learning the art is a way for me to express my intention to be of service to others.

I think physics is fascinating as a way to understand our human experience. I don't particularly like math, but I enjoy learning about the theory in physics. I find it interesting to think about the facets of our experience that we typically don't think about, or have assumptions about, or aren't able to have straightforward understanding or clear answers.

An experience I had of time "slowing down" was when I was in a bike accident last fall. As I was hit and felt my trajectory shift, coming closer and closer to impacting the ground, it seemed that things were happening in slow motion. I was able to have more awareness and perceive more subtleties of my movements and thoughts. Within this heightened experience of the present happening, I also simultaneously sensed a flashback to the set up of the past and prediction of unfolding in the future.