and

a blog with cultural bulimia.

Saturday, September 13, 2003

FATE vs. PREDESTINATION.

between the logarithm formula that tells me how many friends i can have
(log(N) = 0.093 3.389 log(CR) (1) (r2=0.764, t34=10.35, p<0.001))
and the bellow text on the chemicals our body releases when at the west side club, i ask, in 'carrie' mode:
FATE vs. PREDESTINATION:how much freedom there is from dna?

from:
If the Buddha Dated
by Charlotte Kasl

BIOCHEMISTRY 101:
INTIMACY, THE LACK THEREOF, AND OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

According to Paul Pearsall, author of Sexual Healing, the biochemical response to constant infatuation, being "in-love", or seeking a sexual high without an authentic persona; connection leads us to produce large amounts of epinephrine, which creates chronic autonomic agitation or feelings of restlessness and nervousness. This, in turn, can result in irritability, fatigue, and the breakdown of the immune system, leading to chronic anxiety and depression. This experience truly is love-sickness. When people get hooked on the epinephrine high and seek only the thrill, just about anyone will do. Pearsall writes,"Hot reactive sex followed by cool feelings of regret or loneliness can eventually teach our immune system to be as... disconnected as we have been in our intimate decisions."

On the other hand, when we create a mindful, loving, personal connection with another, and we are sexually attracted to that person, our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin, which contributes to feelings of intense closeness, thrust and sensual feelings.Incidentally, oxytocin is the same hormone that is secreted when a mother nurses her baby. According to Pearsall, "it's the neurochemical of intimate connection that also helps balance the immune system". It takes nearly four years of a growing, reciprocal, loving union for our bodies to stop creating a epinephrine high and secret oxytocin instead, which means that many people never have the experience of intense intimacy.

When we combine the knowledge of our biochemistry with our spiritual knowledge, we can see that what is good for our spiritual journey is good for our relationships and for our immune system. There is no separation between the three. It's as is our bodies are begging us to love well, use our intelligence, and be wise in our choices.