Blog of Wade Making Connexions

Cells, Self, and I

Over the past week or so, there’s been a bit of talk on twitter about cell regeneration and the Self that continues to exist. I’ve been reading The Post Corporate World, and happened to come across a page that hits this perfectly.

It points out that we are living proof that cooperation is a greater force than competition. Thanks to @wayupnorth for motivating me to post.

Each of us is a composite of more than 30 trillion individual living cells. Yet even these cells constitute less than half of our dry weight. The remainder consists of microorganisms, such as the enteric bacteria and yeasts of our gut that manufacture vitamins and help metabolize our food. These symbiotic creatures are as necessary to our survival and healthful function as our own cells. Each cell and microorganism in our body is an individual, self-directing entity, yet by joining together they are able as well to function as a single being with abilities far beyond those of its parts.

Throughout its life span, each organism constantly renews its physical structures through cell death and replacement. Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in our bodies are replaced each year. Yet the identity, function, and coherence of the body and its individual organs are self-maintained - suggesting that each cell, organ, and body possesses some degree of inner knowledge and awareness of both self and the larger whole of which it is a part. Yet the identity, function, and coherence of each organ and the body as a whole are actively self-maintained year after year. The same is true for all living organisms—powerful evidence that every living being possesses an inner knowledge and awareness of self…

Although the whole plant or animal may complete with its own kind or other species for its external energy sources, its internal cells and organs freely share their available internal energy stores as required to support the healthy function of the whole on which they all depend. When a special need arises, such as in the case of an illness, injury, or need to flee from a potential predator, the available resources are instantly directed to the appropriate cells. When our body’s energy reserves have been exhausted, muscle tissue will be broken down to supply energy to the brain and maintain basic metabolic processes until danger has passed and food may be sought to replenish them. It is perhaps the ultimate expression of life’s capacity for cooperative teamwork.

Amazing stuff and obviously only half understood so far. How this inner knowledge and awareness is maintained when even e.g. the brain replaces all its cells, is a mystery. (Unless each dying cell passes on its knowledge before dying? … the entire brain structure obviously is not replaced at the same time.)

This inter-dependency and cooperation between cells, microorganisms, etc, is frequently disrupted and badly affected by the intervention of Big Pharma. Damage/illnesses caused by prescribed medications are legion.

“The same is true for all living organisms—powerful evidence that every living being possesses an inner knowledge and awareness of self…”

But haven’t we always been told that among all the animals on earth, only humans have self-awareness? Having been close to animals (mainly cats) all my life, I’ve often discounted much of what I’ve read about them.

Thanks for posting!

The bit about the ‘knowing’ is where I was talking to irlpol about Kymatica/The Earth Peopling (http://www.talismanicidols.org/video.html).

It’s about the best that I’ve got. Consciousness isn’t bound by humans, but by the cosmos itself. Hard to unwarp the head around. Sometimes feels that way. Quantum Entanglement points in that crazy direction too?

Both cats I’ve been around rather closely over long periods of time don’t seem as much like people to me as people do. Me warping them, or just the way they are? They Know, I’m sure

Hope/Glad you enjoyed