Day: 01/30/2015

8 Famous People Whose Creativity & Innovation Was Inspired By LSD .

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Growing up, I was conditioned to believe that LSD was one of the worse drugs, with its dangers and addictive properties following close behind those of heroin.

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This would all change when I fell severely ill in my twenties. After conventional medicine had failed me, I decided to embark on a journey with plant medicine. This eventually led to an interest in the healing properties of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, which ultimately cured my depression.

However, at the time I vowed never to explore LSD, as it was ‘synthetic’ and in my opinion could not be considered a natural medicine.

So, imagine the surprise of those closest to me when I announced the inevitable –my interest in psychedelics finally piqued my interest in LSD.

What I learned was that although LSD may not exactly be “natural,” when it opens the doors of perception, it simultaneously opens much more. It awakens something deep in the heart, essentially opening a door to a deeper connection with the earth and with the universe as a whole, assuming it is used for spiritual and/or healing reasons in an attempt to expand one’s reality.

So, what is not considered a natural medicine nonetheless helps many forge deeper relationships with the natural world, ultimately resulting in an instinctual urge to explore the invisibles of the world. The invisibles inspire creativity, thus provoking creation and the ability to turn the invisible into the tangible.images

That we have been told LSD damages the brain is highly confusing considering some of the greatest artists, scientists, mathematicians, writers, and inventors in history credit LSD for their ability to create. Among them are individuals such as Aldous Huxley, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates.

When LSD hit the scene in the 1960s, a shift in the connection between psychedelics and artistic expression became blatantly obvious. Its impact on creative expression emerged full force, promoting a dramatic rise in new creations and inventions in fields such as music, painting, fashion, architecture, technology, and more. The following list includes some of the most influential inventors and artists who were inspired by LSD.

Famous People Inspired by LSD

Douglas Engelbart

Engelbart –whose invention of the computer mouse, along with his creation of the “copy and paste” technique, considered a major advancement in collective intelligence- was inspired by LSD. He was one of many engineers who participated in guided LSD sessions in studies on the connection between LSD and enhanced creativity at the International Foundation for Advanced Study (IFAS), which was founded by Myron Stolaroff  after an LSD trip inspired him to quit his job and devote his life to studying LSD alongside Al Hubbard  (aka the “Johnny Appleseed of LSD”).

“In one day I learned more about reality and who we are as human beings than I had ever imagined before. I considered it the most important discovery I would ever make and that there was nothing more important for me to do than to realize the entire potential LSD offered.”

-Myron Stolaroff

Steve Jobs

Jobs, who stated LSD was “one of the two or three most important things I ever did in my life,” was not shy about his affinity for LSD, and was known to ask potential Apple employees if they had ever done LSD during interviews.

“Taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life. LSD shows you that there’sanother side to the coin, and you can’t remember it when it wears off, but you know it. It reinforced my sense of what was important—creating great things instead of making money, putting things back into the stream of history and of human consciousness as much as I could.”

-Steve Jobs

Aldous Huxley

Psychedelics had a major impact on the work of famous author Aldous Huxley. A profound experience with LSD inspired him to write one of his most famous pieces, The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell.

His connection with psychedelics showed up in some of his other books, such as his most popular novel, Brave New World, in the form of a drug called “soma.” In his novel Island, Huxley wrote about “moksha medicine” –a magical drug given to citizens of Pala (the Island where the story is set) during critical periods of their lives, as well as when they were dying to help them relinquish their mortal coils.

Ironically, Huxley himself took LSD while on his deathbed. Huxley sent Albert Hoffman, the discoverer of LSD, a copy of Island with the following message inscribed: “To Dr. Albert Hoffman, the original discoverer of the moksha medicine, from Aldous Huxley.” [5]

Alex Grey

Grey, artist of the infamous series of paintings showing the body’s meridians and chakras, called “sacred mirrors,” used his experiences with LSD to fuel his creative expression. Apparently, out of all his LSD trips, one in 1976 was particularly life changing. According to Grey, “the vision I had in 1976 changed my work and the focus of my life.” [4]

Francis Crick

The famous molecular biologist who claimed to have “perceived double-helix shapes while on LSD.”

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Kary Banks Mullis

Mullis, the biochemist who won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his improvements to the polymerase chain reaction technique, stated in a 1994 interview with “California Monthly” that he “took plenty of LSD.” He also went on to say, “It [LSD] was certainly much more important than any courses I ever took.”

Ralph Abraham

The well known American mathematician Ralph Abraham claimed the insights he had while on psychedelics such as LSD profoundly influenced the development of his mathematical theories.

Swiss Artist H.R. Giger

Giger became internationally recognized in the 1960s for his visionary airbrushed art. “Necronomicon,” an overview of his most creative work, prompted film director Ridley Scott to hire him as the artistic designer for the extraterrestrial monsters in Alien, a well-known collection of sci-fi films. As a result, Giger won the 1980 Academy Award for special effects.

Note: Of course with anything, these things are meant to be used responsibly and should not be taken lightly. We are not condoning the use of psychedelics but more so opening up our minds to a new perspective on them.

 

Sources:

  1. http://www.psychedelic-library.org/artist.htm
  2. http://www.psychedelic-library.org/dreams2.htm
  3. https://www.erowid.org/culture/characters/stolaroff_myron/stolaroff_myron_obituary1.shtml
  4. “Mystic Chemist: The Life of Albert Hoffman and His Discovery of LSD” by Dieter Hagenbach and Luciys Wethmuller
  5. http://www.psychedelic-library.org/child8.htm

Role of Translocator Protein Density, a Marker of Neuroinflammation, in the Brain During Major Depressive EpisodesTranslocator Protein Density in MDETranslocator Protein Density in MDE

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Importance  The neuroinflammatory hypothesis of major depressive disorder is supported by several main findings. First, in humans and animals, activation of the immune system causes sickness behaviors that present during a major depressive episode (MDE), such as low mood, anhedonia, anorexia, and weight loss. Second, peripheral markers of inflammation are frequently reported in major depressive disorder. Third, neuroinflammatory illnesses are associated with high rates of MDEs. However, a fundamental limitation of the neuroinflammatory hypothesis is a paucity of evidence of brain inflammation during MDE. Translocator protein density measured by distribution volume (TSPO VT) is increased in activated microglia, an important aspect of neuroinflammation.

Objective  To determine whether TSPO VT is elevated in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula in patients with MDE secondary to major depressive disorder.

Design, Setting, and Participants  Case-control study in a tertiary care psychiatric hospital from May 1, 2010, through February 1, 2014. Twenty patients with MDE secondary to major depressive disorder and 20 healthy control participants underwent positron emission tomography with fluorine F 18–labeled N-(2-(2-fluoroethoxy)benzyl)-N-(4-phenoxypyridin-3-yl)acetamide ([18F]FEPPA). Patients with MDE were medication free for at least 6 weeks. All participants were otherwise healthy and nonsmokers.

Main Outcomes and Measures  Values of TSPO VT in the prefrontal cortex, ACC, and insula.

Results  In MDE, TSPO VT was significantly elevated in all brain regions examined (multivariate analysis of variance, F15,23 = 4.5 [P = .001]). The magnitude of TSPO VT elevation was 26% in the prefrontal cortex (mean [SD] TSPO VT, 12.5 [3.6] in patients with MDE and 10.0 [2.4] in controls), 32% in the ACC (mean [SD] TSPO VT, 12.3 [3.5] in patients with MDE and 9.3 [2.2] in controls), and 33% in the insula (mean [SD] TSPO VT, 12.9 [3.7] in patients with MDE and 9.7 [2.3] in controls). In MDE, greater TSPO VT in the ACC correlated with greater depression severity (r = 0.63 [P = .005]).

Conclusions and Relevance  This finding provides the most compelling evidence to date of brain inflammation, and more specifically microglial activation, in MDE. This finding is important for improving treatment because it implies that therapeutics that reduce microglial activation should be promising for MDE. The correlation between higher ACC TSPO VT and the severity of MDE is consistent with the concept that neuroinflammation in specific regions may contribute to sickness behaviors that overlap with the symptoms of MDE.

Warm Lemon Water & Turmeric – Powerful Healing Drink And Perfect Morning Elixir .

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By mixing a warm lemon water and turmeric, you will get a powerful healing drink and a perfect morning elixir. This drink has the same effect as turmeric milk. In case you didn’t knew the positive effects of turmeric, here is something new to find out:

Warm Lemon Water & Turmeric – Powerful Healing Drink And Perfect Morning Elixir

Turmeric is a yellow-orange spice, coming from India. It belongs to the same family as ginger. It is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals known as carcinogens. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects.

This spice is used widely in the Indian cuisine. Even though you don’t eat Indian food every day, you can include this spice in your diet. You can do something really simple. You can add this spice to a warm lemon water.

You can add a pinch of cinnamon to increase the effects. The cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties and it can regulate blood sugar levels. This means you will eat less, but still feel satisfied.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of warm (not hot) water; you can use a cup of warm milk if desired (almond, soy or regular cow’s milk)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • a pinch of cinnamon, optional
  • 1/8 tsp honey

Preparation:

First of all heat the water. Then add the turmeric, the honey and the lemon juice. Stir it well. After a while the turmeric will settle on the bottom of the cup. So you need to stir it all the time while you are drinking this beverage, so that you will utilize all of the benefits of turmeric. Drink this beverage while it is still warm.

Turmeric will give the lemon water a mild flavor. It also has positive effect on every system in your body. One of the best things you can do for your health is adding this spice to your diet.

 

Quantum Experiment Helps Prove Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

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Building a quantum computer can sometimes yield unexpected benefits — like providing the right environment to demonstrate that Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity is, in fact, correct.
Using atoms in certain quantum states, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, were able to show that space does not appear squeezed in one direction compared to another, as it would if relativity were not correct. Rather, space looks the same from any direction, as relativity predicts. The experiment used partially entangled atoms that were a byproduct of an attempt to build quantum computers.
Special relativity is a cornerstone of modern physics, and was formulated by Einstein in 1905. The theory states two things: the laws of physics are the same everywhere, and the speed of light is a constant, provided that you’re not accelerating when you’re measuring such phenomena. It can be used to explain the behavior of objects in space and time. (It’s companion, the general relativity includes the effects of gravity and acceleration). [Twisted Physics: 7 Mind-Blowing Findings]

Since relativity says the speed of light in a vacuum is constant, space should look the same in every direction, no matter what. For instance, if you move at half the speed of light toward or away from a flashlight, you will see the beam always move at about 186,000 miles per second, no more or less. The concept of time dilation, in which time slows down the faster you go (for example, if you are in a speeding spaceship), is a direct consequence of this phenomenon — it’s something that has to happen in order for the speed of light to look the same to everyone in the universe.
Early experiments measuring the speed of light used perpendicular light beams to generate interference patterns — alternating bands of light and dark. Most famous is the Michelson-Morely experiment in 1887, which bounced two light beams between mirrors and showed the speed of light was constant – there was no change in the interference pattern no matter how the apparatus was oriented, which showed there is no “ether” for light waves to pass through, and thus no preferred direction in space. Light speed in a vacuum has one value and one only.
The new study, researchers led by Hartmut Häffner, an assistant professor of physics at UC Berkeley, used atoms. The scientists put two calcium atoms in a vacuum chamber and applied an alternating voltage, which trapped the atoms in place.
Each of the atoms had two electrons, whose energies could be measured. The electrons moved perpendicularly to each other. One in an up-and-down motion, tracing out a volume that looked like a bowling pin around the nucleus, while the other revolved around the nucleus in a toruslike region. In the experiment, the team measured the kinetic energy of the electrons 10 times every second, for a day. If the theory of relativity is correct, then the difference between the electrons’ energies should be a constant. [Images: The World’s Most Beautiful Equations]
This may seem like a strange way to test a well-established theory, but Häffner said experiments like this have been done with other particles. Electrons, however, give more precise results, he said.
The findings are also important for other areas of physics, including the Standard Model, the reigning theory of particle physics, which describes how particles behave and why the universe appears the way that it does. “The Standard Model depends heavily on special relativity to be correct,” Häffner said.
The study also demonstrates how different areas of science are connected, since the experiment started with quantum computing. To make a quantum computer, you need to trap atoms and put them in a special quantum state called superposition. This means that you haven’t measured what state the atoms are in, so they can be in two states at once. According to quantum mechanics, until an atom’s state is measured, it has no definite value. This is what gives quantum computers their power to solve complex problems much faster than traditional computers can.
It was quantum computing that inspired Häffner to use atoms in such a dual state to test the theory of relativity, he said.
Researchers can use this type of experiment to probe other mysteries in physics and cosmology, the researchers said. For instance, “we can use it to look for dark matter,” Häffner said. If there is a lot of dark matter surrounding Earth, the relative energies of the electrons would change, because the presence of the dark matter’s mass would alter the surrounding space, he said.

Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know .

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Watch the video.URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Vp0CYZ2s_cQ&x-yt-cl=85114404&x-yt-ts=1422579428

10 Breakfast Foods You Should Really Stop Eating .

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Low- or no-fiber cereals

Cereal that is high in carbohydrates and sugar and low in fiber will cause your blood sugar to spike, then quickly drop—which can lead to mid-morning cravings and moodiness. Nutritionist Mitzi Dulan, RD, author of The Pinterest Diet, recommends choosing cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Boost the fiber further by adding berries, a sprinkle of wheat germ or flaxseed, or sliced almonds.

Breakfast bars

“Most are loaded with sugar and have little to no protein and fiber,” says Rania Batayneh, MPH, author of The One-One-One Diet. She recommends looking for those that combine protein, fiber, and healthy fats such as KIND bars, many of which have fewer than 5 grams of sugar and at least 5 grams of protein.

A cup of non-fat yogurt

It’s not a knock against dairy; this is a case of a too-small morning meal. “I see many people who eat too little for breakfast” and then are ravenous by mid-morning, says Batayneh. Depending on your weight and activity levels, she recommends a calorie range of 250 to 400. So to your yogurt, add a small bowl of oatmeal, for example, to make a more complete and energy-boosting meal.

A glass of juice

Dulan is surprised by how many non-breakfast eaters grab a glass of juice and call it a meal. “It’s all carbs, all sugar, and you’re not balancing it out with other nutrients,” she explains. Same goes for healthy-looking, cold-pressed green juices, too; just because it contains kale doesn’t makes it a solid breakfast. “These often don’t have enough protein, which will accelerate your hunger by mid-morning,” says Janet Helm, RD, a blogger at Nutrition Unplugged. She suggests taking in something with fiber, protein, and fat like an apple and peanut butter.

Coffee deluxe

Another popular choice among people who aren’t hungry for a morning meal is coffee. But many add-ons can be carb or sugar bombs, says Dulan: “Many people like their coffee with added syrups, sugar, and other ingredients that can add calories without protein or fiber.” The caffeine boost may give you an immediate energizing jolt, but it won’t provide all-morning nourishment.

Doughnut

With sugar, refined carbs, and deep-fried fat, doughnuts are another breakfast food to avoid. “These can be an occasional treat on a weekend, but should not be the foundation of your weekday breakfast,” says Helm. If you’re going to indulge, at least pair the doughnut with protein or fat, suggests Batayneh, to help stabilize your blood sugar and avoid an energy crash. Try a handful of nuts, or a hardboiled egg.

Muffins

“Muffins can look so virtuous, especially if they have ‘bran’ in the name or if they look dark,” says Helm. “But they tend to be cake in disguise. It’s hard to get much whole grain or fiber.” Plus big bakery muffins often have more calories than you realize—as many as 600 to 800. If you must have a store-bought muffin try to eat only half, and combine it with protein, like Greek yogurt. You can also make a healthy batch yourself; keep in the freezer and defrost one on hectic mornings.

A bagel with butter or cream cheese

Many bagels are the equivalent of four or more slices of white bread, says Dulan. “And where’s the protein?” she asks. Make this meal healthier by choosing a whole-wheat version, eating half, and spreading on a topping packed with protein and healthy fat, like mashed avocado and peanut butter.

Bacon and sausage

Processed meats are the most harmful type of meat, according to cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD, in The Holistic Heart Book. Harvard researchers have found that every 1.8 ounces of processed meat you eat raises your heart disease risk by 42 percent, for example. Helm recommends considering these foods as “condiments,” not the main meal, and Batayneh suggests you “save these breakfast meats for special occasions, like a family brunch.” If you do indulge, make sure the rest of your breakfast includes healthy ingredients.

No breakfast

“Eating almost anything for breakfast is better than skipping it,” says Helm, explaining that many people who try to bank morning calories to enjoy later often then overeat. If you miss out on healthy nutrients as milk, whole grains, and fruit in the morning, it can be challenging to consume enough of these essentials as the day goes on. If you’re one of the people who says you simply don’t feel hungry enough to eat when you wake, Batayneh encourages you to look at your overall eating habits. Eating too much at dinner or snacking heavily before bed may be one problem.

Selfie-obsessed men may be narcissistic psychopaths, study finds.

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Seemingly-harlmess selfies which clog up your social media newsfeed could actually be a sign that your friend has a more sinister problem, according to a new study.

Men who post many photos of themselves online scored higher on tests measuring narcissism and psychopathy, while those who edited those photos self-objectificatied more and had stronger narcissistic tendencies, according to researchers.

Jesse Fox, lead author of the study and assistant professor of communication at The Ohio State University, stressed that the results do not mean that men who post a lot of selfies are automatically narcissists or psychopaths.

Rather, the men who took part in the study all scored within the normal range of behaviour – but with higher than average levels of these anti-social traits.

To make their findings, researchers analysed data from an online survey completed by 800 men aged between 18 and 40.

Participants were asked how often they posted photos, whether they edited their photos before posting – by cropping, adding filters and or using picture-editing software. They also completed standard questionnaires for anti-social behaviours and for self-objectification.
According to the study, those who posted more photos showed signs of narcissism and psychopathy, but psychopathy was not related to editing photos.

“That makes sense because psychopathy is characterised by impulsivity. They are going to snap the photos and put them online right away. They want to see themselves. They don’t want to spend time editing,” Fox explained.

Editing photos was also related to higher levels of self-objectification, which has been rarely studied in heterosexual men, Fox said.

“We know that self-objectification leads to a lot of terrible things, like depression and eating disorders in women,” she added.

“With the growing use of social networks, everyone is more concerned with their appearance. That means self-objectification may become a bigger problem for men, as well as for women.”

Fox explained the study does not include women because the dataset received from a magazine did not have comparable data for women. But Fox said she is currently conducting follow-up work that suggests the same findings found in this research also apply to women.

The study, which Fox conducted Ohio State graduate student Margaret Rooney is published online in the journal ‘Personality and Individual Differences’.