Category: 500words

I Sweat; Therefore, I Am Becoming

I’m really beginning to question the experience of my existence before this last 5 months of daily sauna.

The substance of what I am experiencing from this self-experiment just keeps pushing out a boundary of hydration that I could have never imagined. And I know I am not unique in the hydration experience that I was previously living, before June 22, 2023, any more than anyone else who has been living a life without profuse sweating. Most of humanity is no longer sweating because of our advances in technology. And if we are not allowing hydration to flow throughout our body in this manner then it should really be no wonder that we as a species are suffering the ill fate of our joyously celebrated industrial and technological revolutions that have brought us to this leisurely place in time.

The Role of Protein on Cardiovascular Disease and Associated Cardiac Events

How does protein deamination affect atherosclerotic plaque, cardiovascular health, and arterial calcification?

Protein deamination, a process where amino groups are removed from amino acids, can have several implications for cardiovascular health, particularly in the context of atherosclerotic plaque formation and arterial calcification. Here’s how these processes are interconnected:

  1. Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation:
    • Role of Amino Acids: Certain amino acids, especially those containing sulfur (like homocysteine), can influence atherosclerotic processes. Elevated levels of homocysteine, which can result from abnormal protein deamination, are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis.
    • Inflammatory Response: Deaminated proteins or amino acids might be seen as foreign by the body, triggering an immune and inflammatory response. This inflammation can contribute to the development of atherosclerotic plaques.
  2. Cardiovascular Health:
    • Endothelial Dysfunction: Abnormal protein deamination can lead to the production of substances that are harmful to the endothelial lining of blood vessels. This can result in endothelial dysfunction, a precursor to atherosclerosis.
    • Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: The by-products of protein deamination can contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation, which are key factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases.
  3. Arterial Calcification:
    • Calcium Deposition: Certain by-products of protein deamination can contribute to the calcification process in arteries. This calcification can make the arterial walls stiff and less elastic, increasing the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular problems.
    • Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: Protein deamination influences the behavior of vascular smooth muscle cells, promoting their transformation into a type that deposits calcium, thus contributing to arterial calcification.
What role do protein deamination and excess circulating phosphorus that results from deamination play in atherosclerosis?

Protein deamination and excess circulating phosphorus, both arising from metabolic processes in the body, can have significant roles in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Here’s how these factors are interlinked:

  1. Protein Deamination:
    • Endothelial Dysfunction: Protein deamination results in the formation of various by-products, such as ammonia and keto acids. These by-products can cause endothelial dysfunction, a key factor in the initiation of atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells line the inner walls of blood vessels, and their dysfunction can lead to reduced nitric oxide availability, increased oxidative stress, and inflammatory response, all of which contribute to atherosclerotic plaque formation.
    • Inflammatory Response: The by-products of protein deamination can also trigger an immune response, leading to chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a crucial element in developing atherosclerotic plaques, contributing to their growth and instability.
  2. Excess Circulating Phosphorus:
    • Vascular Calcification: High levels of phosphorus in the blood, often a consequence of impaired kidney function or dietary factors, can lead to vascular calcification. This process involves the deposition of calcium and phosphorus in the arterial walls, making them stiffer and more prone to damage. Vascular calcification is a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
    • Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Dysfunction: Excess phosphorus can induce oxidative stress and further exacerbate endothelial dysfunction. This creates a cycle where impaired endothelial function leads to more plaque formation and arterial stiffness, escalating the progression of atherosclerosis.

The relationship between protein deamination, phosphorus levels, and atherosclerosis highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and proper kidney function, as kidneys play a crucial role in regulating phosphorus levels. Individuals with chronic kidney disease are particularly at risk, as they often have elevated phosphorus levels and altered amino acid metabolism, which can accelerate the development of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis.

Therefore, in the context of cardiovascular health, it’s essential to monitor and manage factors like protein intake and phosphorus levels, especially in individuals with pre-existing health conditions that might predispose them to these metabolic imbalances.

What amino acids contain sulfur?

Sulfur-containing amino acids are primarily characterized by the presence of sulfur in their molecular structure. The most commonly known sulfur-containing amino acids are:

  1. Methionine: This is an essential amino acid, meaning that the human body cannot synthesize it, and it must be obtained from the diet. Methionine plays a critical role in many cellular processes, including the initiation of protein synthesis.
  2. Cysteine: Unlike methionine, cysteine can be synthesized in the human body, although its synthesis depends on the availability of methionine. Cysteine is important for protein structure, as it can form disulfide bonds that help maintain the three-dimensional structure of proteins.
  3. Homocysteine: This is a non-protein amino acid, typically formed as an intermediate in the metabolism of methionine and cysteine. Elevated levels of homocysteine in the blood are considered a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
  4. Taurine: Although not incorporated into proteins, taurine is an important sulfur-containing amino acid found in many tissues, playing a role in bile salt conjugation, eye health, cardiac function, and the development and function of skeletal muscle, the central nervous system, and the cardiovascular system.
  5. Cystine: This is a dimeric amino acid formed by the oxidation of two cysteine molecules, which are linked by a disulfide bond. Cystine is more stable than cysteine and plays a role in the structural and functional aspects of various proteins and enzymes.

What foods are highest in methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, taurine, and cystine?

Different foods are rich in various sulfur-containing amino acids like methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, taurine, and cystine. Here’s a breakdown of foods high in each of these amino acids:

  1. Methionine:
    • Animal Proteins: Chicken, turkey, beef, pork, and fish are excellent methionine sources. Eggs, particularly egg whites, are also rich in this amino acid.
    • Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, and yogurt contain good amounts of methionine.
    • Plant-Based Sources: For vegetarians and vegans, soy products (like tofu and soybeans), nuts (such as Brazil nuts and almonds), and seeds (like sesame and sunflower) are good plant-based sources.
  2. Cysteine:
    • Animal-Based Foods: Like methionine, cysteine is high in meats (chicken, pork, beef), eggs, and dairy products.
    • Plant Sources: Whole grains (like wheat germ and oatmeal), legumes (such as lentils and chickpeas), and seeds are good plant sources of cysteine.
  3. Homocysteine:
    • Homocysteine is not typically obtained directly from the diet. Instead, it is produced in the body from methionine. Therefore, foods high in methionine can indirectly contribute to homocysteine levels.
  4. Taurine:
    • Seafood and Fish: Particularly high in taurine, with shellfish (like clams, scallops, and shrimp) and fish (such as salmon and mackerel) being excellent sources.
    • Meat: Chicken and beef also contain taurine but in lower amounts compared to seafood.
    • Dairy: Some dairy products have taurine but in smaller quantities.
  5. Cystine:
    • As with cysteine, cystine is found in high-protein foods like meats, eggs, and dairy products.
    • Plant Sources: Beans, lentils, and whole grains also provide cystine, albeit in smaller amounts compared to animal sources.

What foods are highest in methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, taurine, and cystine? Please list them in descending order by volume.

  1. Methionine (from highest to lowest content):
    • Eggs (especially egg whites)
    • Fish (such as salmon, cod)
    • Chicken and turkey
    • Beef and pork
    • Dairy products (like cheese and milk)
    • Nuts and seeds (like Brazil nuts, sesame seeds)
    • Soy products (tofu, soybeans)
  2. Cysteine (from highest to lowest content):
    • Pork, beef, poultry
    • Eggs
    • Dairy products (cheese, milk)
    • Whole grains (wheat germ, oats)
    • Legumes (lentils, chickpeas)
    • Nuts and seeds
  3. Homocysteine:
    • Homocysteine is not typically found in foods. It’s a by-product of methionine metabolism in the body. Thus, foods high in methionine can influence homocysteine levels.
  4. Taurine (from highest to lowest content):
    • Shellfish (clams, scallops, shrimp)
    • Fish (mackerel, salmon)
    • Meat (chicken, beef)
    • Dairy (in smaller amounts)
  5. Cystine (from highest to lowest content):
    • Meats (beef, pork, chicken)
    • Eggs
    • Dairy products
    • Beans and lentils
    • Whole grains

What role do protein deamination and excess circulating nitrogen that results from deamination play in atherosclerosis?

Protein deamination and the resulting excess circulating nitrogen play roles in the development of atherosclerosis through several mechanisms:

  1. Protein Deamination:
    • Formation of Ammonia and Urea: Protein deamination leads to the release of ammonia, which is then converted to urea in the liver. Elevated levels of these nitrogenous compounds can have systemic effects on the body.
    • Endothelial Dysfunction: The by-products of protein deamination, including ammonia and urea, can contribute to endothelial dysfunction. The endothelium is the inner lining of blood vessels, and its dysfunction is a key early step in the development of atherosclerosis. This dysfunction can impair the regulation of vascular tone, promote inflammation, and enhance the susceptibility of blood vessels to atherosclerotic changes.
  2. Excess Circulating Nitrogen:
    • Oxidative Stress: An excess of nitrogenous compounds can contribute to oxidative stress, which is a state of imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Oxidative stress damages cells and is a major factor in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.
    • Inflammation: Chronic exposure to high levels of nitrogenous waste products can induce inflammation, another critical factor in the development of atherosclerotic plaques. Inflammatory processes contribute to the progression of these plaques and their potential to cause cardiovascular events.
  3. Other Metabolic Impacts:
    • Impaired Kidney Function: Excess nitrogen compounds can strain the kidneys, which are responsible for filtering and excreting these waste products. Impaired kidney function is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, partly because it leads to an accumulation of harmful substances in the blood, including those resulting from protein deamination.
  4. Interactions with Other Risk Factors:
    • Synergistic Effects with Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors: The effects of protein deamination and excess circulating nitrogen can be exacerbated when combined with other cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes.

Could Sweating in a Sauna(Diaphoresis) Spell the End of Dialysis?

How much sweat is produced in a 30-minute sauna session?

The amount of sweat produced during a sauna session can vary widely between individuals and depends on a number of factors, including the temperature and humidity of the sauna, the individual’s physiology, their acclimation to the sauna, and personal hydration levels before entering.

On average, a person might sweat out approximately one pint (which is roughly 16 ounces or about 0.47 liters) of fluid during a typical 30-minute sauna session. However, some people may sweat out more than this—up to 2 pints or more, especially in an intense sauna environment or if they are particularly sensitive to heat.

It’s important to note that the primary purpose of sweating in a sauna is to cool the body down, but it also has the effect of increasing blood circulation and can help with relaxation and detoxification. Due to the significant loss of fluids through sweating in the sauna, it is crucial to rehydrate before, during (if possible), and after the sauna session to prevent dehydration. Users are often advised to drink water or electrolyte-replenishing drinks after using the sauna to replace lost fluids and minerals.

Can diaphoresis be used as an adjunct with dialysis?

Diaphoresis, or excessive sweating, is not currently a treatment modality used in conjunction with dialysis. Dialysis is a medical procedure that primarily acts as a substitute for the normal function of the kidneys, removing waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer perform those functions effectively.

While sweating also removes waste products through the skin, it is not currently considered a therapeutic adjunct in the context of kidney failure or dialysis. Diaphoresis is not currently considered efficient or reliable for this purpose, especially considering that many patients on dialysis have limited fluid removal capabilities, and inducing sweat could potentially lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

However, maintaining a healthy fluid balance is crucial for patients undergoing dialysis, and avoiding excessive fluid gain between dialysis sessions is an integral part of managing their condition. It’s always best for patients with renal issues to follow the fluid intake guidelines provided by their healthcare team.

How many ounces of plasma are removed from the human body during a dialysis session?

In hemodialysis, the process primarily removes waste products and excess fluid from the blood; it doesn’t typically remove plasma as a separate component. The amount of fluid removed during a dialysis session can vary greatly depending on the fluid status of the patient, which is influenced by their fluid intake and residual kidney function.

The amount of fluid targeted for removal is called the “fluid removal goal” or “ultrafiltration goal,” and it is customized for each patient depending on their needs. This can range from less than a liter to several liters during a single session. Since there are about 33.8 ounces in a liter, removing 2 liters of fluid would equate to approximately 67.6 ounces.

It’s important to note that this fluid is not just plasma but all extracellular fluid, which includes interstitial fluid as well. Plasma volume is only a part of the total blood volume, and the primary aim is to balance the fluid status, not to remove a specific amount of plasma.

Is sweat taken from our extracellular fluids?

Yes, sweat is primarily composed of water and electrolytes, such as sodium and chloride, and it comes from the body’s extracellular fluid. Specifically, the fluid that comprises sweat is initially taken from the plasma in the blood. As blood circulates through the sweat glands, these glands filter the plasma, removing some substances and adding others to produce sweat, which is then secreted onto the skin’s surface. Sweat production can lead to a minor loss of extracellular fluid, but it is not a significant route for fluid clearance compared to renal filtration as occurs in the kidneys.

Is interstitial fluid extracellular fluid?

Yes, interstitial fluid is a type of extracellular fluid. Extracellular fluid (ECF) refers to all body fluid outside of cells, and it is divided into several compartments, including:

  1. Interstitial fluid, which bathes and surrounds the tissue cells. It’s found in the spaces between cells and is directly involved in the exchange of nutrients and waste products between blood and tissue cells.
  2. Intravascular fluid, which is the fluid within blood vessels, consisting mainly of plasma. Plasma serves as the carrier for blood cells and nutrients within the circulatory system.
  3. Transcellular fluid, which is the fluid contained within specialized body spaces, such as cerebrospinal fluid in the central nervous system, ocular fluids in the eyes, synovial fluid in joints, and pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal fluids in the respective cavities.

The distinction between these types of extracellular fluids is important because they each serve different physiological roles. However, they are all outside of and surrounding cells, thus they are considered part of the extracellular space.

What does plasma consist of?

Plasma is the liquid component of blood, in which blood cells are suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume and is composed of roughly 90% water. The other 10% consists of various substances vital to the body’s functions, which include:

  1. Proteins: Plasma proteins are the most abundant solid components of plasma, comprising 6-8% of the plasma volume. These proteins include:
    • Albumin, which helps maintain blood’s osmotic balance and transport substances.
    • Globulins, which are involved in immune responses and also act as transport proteins.
    • Fibrinogen, which is essential for blood clotting.
    • Regulatory proteins, including enzymes and hormones.
  2. Electrolytes: These charged particles are crucial for maintaining the body’s pH balance, transmitting electrical charges necessary for muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission, and regulating fluid balance. They include:
    • Sodium
    • Potassium
    • Calcium
    • Magnesium
    • Chloride
    • Bicarbonate
    • Phosphate
  3. Gases: Plasma transports respiratory gases. Oxygen is bound to hemoglobin in red blood cells, but some is also dissolved in plasma. Carbon dioxide is also carried in plasma, partly dissolved, partly as bicarbonate, and partly in association with blood proteins.
  4. Nutrients: These are substances absorbed from the digestive tract and transported to the tissues for use or storage. They include:
    • Glucose
    • Amino acids
    • Fatty acids and triglycerides
    • Cholesterol
    • Vitamins
  5. Waste Products: These are substances produced by the body that need to be excreted. They include:
    • Urea
    • Creatinine
    • Bilirubin
    • Ammonia
  6. Hormones: Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, and plasma carries them to their target organs.

Thus, plasma serves as a transport medium for these components and plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis, defending against disease, and healing injuries through blood clotting mechanisms. The composition of plasma makes it critical for supporting cell function and allows it to serve as a medium for exchanging substances between blood and body tissues.

What does extracellular fluid consist of?

Extracellular fluid (ECF) refers to all body fluids outside the cells and is a significant component of the body’s fluid environment, ensuring that cells are bathed in a medium that allows them to survive and function. The ECF comprises several components:

  1. Interstitial Fluid: This is the fluid that surrounds body cells and provides the immediate microenvironment that allows for movement of ions, proteins, and nutrients across the cell membrane. It is similar in composition to plasma but has lower concentrations of proteins because the capillary walls are generally less permeable to large molecules like proteins.
  2. Plasma: As the liquid component of blood, plasma carries the blood cells and is rich in nutrients, hormones, proteins, and waste products. Its composition is more complex than interstitial fluid due to the higher protein content.
  3. Transcellular Fluid: This includes the specialized fluids that are contained in body spaces, such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, aqueous humor, saliva, bile, and fluid secreted by the digestive tract. Although these fluids may have distinct compositions specific to their locations and functions, they are also part of the ECF.

The composition of extracellular fluid is maintained by various physiological processes and typically includes:

  • Water: As the primary solvent in which all the solutes are dissolved.
  • Electrolytes: These are important for maintaining membrane potentials and fluid balance and include ions such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, and phosphates.
  • Nutrients: Like glucose and fatty acids, which are delivered to cells for energy and growth.
  • Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide: Gases that are critical for cellular respiration.
  • Waste Products: Such as urea, which cells need to dispose of.
  • Proteins: Although the protein concentration is much lower in the interstitial fluid than in plasma, some proteins are present in all compartments of the ECF.

The balance of the ECF composition is crucial for various physiological processes, including osmoregulation, pH balance, and the proper functioning of cells. The kidneys play a significant role in maintaining this balance by adjusting the volume and concentration of urine excreted, which in turn regulates the composition of the ECF.

What does interstitial fluid consist of?

Interstitial fluid, which is part of the extracellular fluid, surrounds the cells of tissues. This fluid provides a medium for the exchange of substances between the blood and cell environment, enabling the transport of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products.

The composition of interstitial fluid is similar to that of blood plasma, but it generally contains lower concentrations of proteins because the capillary walls are semi-permeable and restrict the passage of large molecules. Here are the key components of interstitial fluid:

  • Water: The main component, acting as a solvent for other molecules.
  • Electrolytes: Including ions such as sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphate. The concentrations of these ions are similar to those in plasma but can vary depending on tissue activity and capillary exchange dynamics.
  • Nutrients: Glucose, fatty acids, amino acids, and other small molecules that have passed through the capillary wall are present and available for use by the cells.
  • Gases: Oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse between the blood and interstitial fluid based on concentration gradients.
  • Waste Products: Metabolic wastes like urea and lactate are present before they are carried away by the blood to be processed or excreted by the body.

Because proteins are present in lower amounts in the interstitial fluid than in the plasma, the oncotic pressure (colloid osmotic pressure) is lower in the interstitial space than in the blood vessels. This difference in oncotic pressure is one factor that allows for the osmotic exchange of water and solutes across the capillary walls.

The lymphatic system also plays a crucial role in the management of interstitial fluid. It drains excess fluid and proteins from the interstitial spaces and returns them to the bloodstream, maintaining fluid balance and preventing edema, which is the accumulation of excess fluid in tissues.

 

A Preview of What is to Come From Chew Digest

The Power of Natural Hygiene: Honoring the Body’s Innate Wisdom

Imagine for a moment a world where we truly understand the boundless capabilities of our bodies. A world where, instead of seeking external solutions, we harness the innate healing powers within us. This is the essence of Natural Hygiene or Life Science.

Natural Hygiene is not merely an alternative approach to health. It’s a profound philosophy that emphasizes the body’s inherent ability to maintain and restore its own health. It’s about recognizing that, given the right conditions and care, our bodies can find their way back to equilibrium.

1. The Wisdom of the Body:
The cornerstone of Natural Hygiene is the belief that the body possesses an intrinsic intelligence. Just as it knows how to grow, digest, breathe, and heal a wound without conscious input from us, it knows how to combat imbalances and diseases. It is designed to thrive, and when it doesn’t, it often signals a need to return to natural practices and rhythms.

2. Prevention Over Cure:
While modern medicine often focuses on treating symptoms, Natural Hygiene emphasizes the importance of prevention. It’s about creating an environment, both internally and externally, that promotes well-being. This includes a balanced diet, ample hydration, regular exercise, proper rest, and a stress-free environment.

3. The Role of Toxemia:
Central to the Life Science approach is the understanding of toxemia, the accumulation of toxins in the body. It posits that many diseases arise from the body’s efforts to rid itself of these toxins. By identifying and removing the sources of these toxins, be it from diet, environment, or lifestyle, one can pave the way for genuine healing.

4. Nature’s Three Doctors:
Sunlight, fresh air, and pure water are often referred to as nature’s three doctors in the realm of Natural Hygiene. These elements, so fundamental yet so often overlooked, play a crucial role in maintaining and restoring health.

5. The Importance of Mental Well-being:
Physical health and mental well-being are inextricably linked. Stress, anxiety, and negative emotions can create imbalances within the body. Natural Hygiene emphasizes the importance of mental peace, positivity, and a supportive environment for holistic health.

6. The Body’s Self-Healing Mechanism:
When we cut our finger, we don’t need to consciously direct our body to heal; it does so automatically. Similarly, when given the right conditions, our body can combat more complex issues. Rest, fasting, and a return to natural practices often allow the body to reset and rejuvenate.

7. Collaboration, Not Confrontation:
Instead of waging war against diseases and pathogens, Natural Hygiene focuses on creating harmony. It’s about understanding that bacteria and viruses are a part of our ecosystem. By maintaining a balanced internal environment, we can coexist with these microorganisms in symbiotic harmony.

In embracing Natural Hygiene or Life Science, we are not just choosing an alternative health path. We are opting for a holistic lifestyle that recognizes the deep connection between us, our environment, and the natural world. It’s about returning to the basics, honoring the wisdom of our bodies, and fostering an environment where true healing can occur from the inside out.

Stay Tuned!!!

Your host and editor of Chew Digest: Michael J. Loomis

How Smart Are We?

We humans are akin to naked mole rats that recently made a quantum leap in evolution, waking up one morning to discover that they have sight. At our best, we are mostly blind to the universe we live in. At our worst we are blinded by our own lack of knowledge and skills in many areas, resulting in a grand overestimation of our own competence.

-Michael J. Loomis

Sauna Magic

Imagine stepping into a sanctuary of warmth, where the air gently embraces you with temperatures soaring from 113°F to a toasty 212°F. This magical place is none other than the traditional sauna – an age-old treasure that’s not just about relaxation but an exciting journey to rejuvenate and recharge.

Every moment you spend in a sauna is like giving your body a vibrant, musical symphony of healing. Your body dances in response to the heat, sparking a series of powerful reactions from your heart to your hormones. It’s as if every cell comes alive, working together harmoniously, fighting to keep the delicate balance we call ‘homeostasis.’ And guess what? The more you bask in this warmth, the better your body becomes at handling it, adapting, and evolving, thanks to the magic of hormesis.

But the truly exhilarating news? Over the years, scientists and researchers have dived deep into the world of saunas and have resurfaced with golden nuggets of information. Saunas aren’t just a luxury; they’re a passport to longer, healthier lives! Groundbreaking studies have shown that regular sauna-goers are less likely to fall prey to various ailments. Even better? The more you indulge, the brighter the health benefits shine.

Embrace the heat. Dive into the world of sauna bathing and unlock a life bursting with energy, vitality, and unparalleled wellness your radiant future self wants and awaits!

In The Zone

For the last six years, I have been studying human physiology and disease pathology. As a survivor of cancer, I found myself wanting to learn everything I could about how that happened and how I could avoid ever hearing that word again. Disease(cancer) has been an incredible motivator to improve all areas of my life. Diet, exercise, sleep, you name it. Nothing stands in my way of doing everything I can to improve my odds of making my way to 120 years of age with a body that functions like a healthy middle-aged me. I don’t want to grow old or infirmed, and I surely don’t want to be physically burdensome. I want full functionality of all my physical and cognitive resources until the day I breathe my last breath.

What this means is that I have embarked in all manner of self-experimentation over the last six-plus years to figure out how to achieve my goals best.

Back in June, I added daily sauna use to my long list of self-experiment projects. Within a week, I was up to thirty(30) minutes per day, sweating profusely. Literally wringing, like a sponge, the hydration and toxins out of my body so that I could make room for new, fresh, clean, hydrating water. My goal is to do this every single day for nine months straight to simply see what there is to see, considering sauna bathing has emerged as a probable means of extending healthspan, based on compelling data from observational, interventional, and mechanistic studies. All this to improve not only my physical fitness but also the overall appearance of age in my skin through the act of sweating profusely.

What I discovered is that this is not an easy thing to do. Fifteen minutes. Twenty minutes. Easy peasy. But Thirty minutes is hard, and it takes some serious meditative focus. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to start focusing a LOT more on my breathing to see if that would help me better be able to withstand the self-imposed torture. Sure enough, it has, but still, I have struggled. And then, on Wednesday, I found it. The Zone. To my surprise, the thirty minutes actually flew by like it was fifteen. Blew me away.

I thought I had arrived and that it would be smooth sailing from here on out. But alas, one experience of finding myself in the zone did not mean that I had mastered it, and yesterday’s trip to the sauna whooped my posterior. Fortunately, though, it did teach me that I may, through practice, be able to find myself spending more time in the zone as the future unfolds. And I really hope so because thirty minutes of sauna is torture.

Embarking on a Sweaty Journey of Discovery

UPDATE: As of June 21, 2024, I just completed one full year of daily sauna sessions. I only missed two(2) days I believe. Maybe a third. One of those days they were closed(Christmas).

Just over three months ago, I embarked on a thrilling voyage—one that would push the boundaries of conventional health wisdom. For 110 days, without fail, I surrendered myself to the soothing embrace of a dry sauna, basking in its warmth for 30 minutes each day. It was more than just a regimen; it was a daily ritual that has rejuvenated my soul and appears to be reshaping my body.

In this process, I feel as though I am transforming into something akin to a sweat maestro. My body is singing out with joy, celebrating its innate capacity to perspire, chuckling at the sheer intensity of it all!

What I’ve unearthed through this endeavor could very well be the long-lost key to optimal health, overlooked by many health enthusiasts. It feels as though my body is undergoing a profound architectural metamorphosis. It’s as if my entire system is recalibrating, reopening old, long-forgotten pathways for detoxification and hydration that have lain dormant in our mad dash toward innovation and the future.

Imagine a sponge—every pore, every fiber, every crevice—soaked, then wrung out, refreshed, and ready to absorb cleansing hydration anew. Now, visualize our skin in the same way—a meticulously designed system that has evolved over countless millennia to filter, purify, and balance our internal fluids.

Yet, as we glance back at history, the Industrial Revolution brought with it not just technological marvels but also a seismic shift in our natural environments and the ways we work, live, and interact. The conveniences of automation, refrigeration, and modern climate control, while groundbreaking, may have inadvertently nudged us away from our body’s evolutionary path.

Could it be that our meteoric rise in technology has raced ahead of our body’s ability to acclimatize? That through our quest for advancement, we’ve inadvertently steeped ourselves in a sea of toxins and waste that our bodies now struggle to eliminate in a manner that they didn’t before?

Every morning, as I sip on my elixir, pure, clean water, I feel the hydration literally coursing through me, rejuvenating every cell, every pore. There’s a palpable joy, a tingling euphoria, a sparkling, if you will, that envelops me, reminding me of the wonders of the human body and its boundless potential.

I challenge you to join with me on this journey of rediscovery. Dive headfirst into the healing power of sweat, and together, we can celebrate this daily euphoria of truly living in tune with nature and our bodies!

A Recasting of René Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy

MEDITATION I

A while back, I realized that I believed in many things that might not be true, and these false beliefs affected everything I thought afterward. I knew I had to question all my beliefs and start fresh, building my knowledge from the ground up, so I could be sure that my beliefs were true. But this seemed like a huge task, so I waited until I felt I was mature enough to tackle it.

Now that I have the time and the peace of mind, I’m ready to question everything I believe. I don’t need to prove that all my beliefs are false; I just need to find a reason to doubt each one of them. I don’t have to examine each belief one by one; I can just question the foundations of my beliefs, and if those foundations are shaky, then all the beliefs built on them are questionable too.

I realized that all the things I was most certain about came from my senses, but sometimes our senses deceive us, so I can’t completely trust them. But even when I’m dreaming, and my senses are creating a false reality, there must be some truth to the objects and concepts I perceive, like the ideas of shape, quantity, time, and existence.

So, even if all the things I perceive with my senses are illusions, there must be some real, basic elements forming those illusions, like real colors forming a painting. Because of this, I think that even if the physical world is doubtful, the studies of simple and general things, like math and geometry, have some certainty, because whether I’m awake or dreaming, two plus three always equals five, and a square always has four sides.

But then, I wonder, what if there’s a powerful being who created me and controls my thoughts, making me believe in a false reality? Or what if everything I know is just the result of fate or chance? Then, all the things I believe, no matter how simple and certain they seem, could be false. But I will try to remember these doubts and avoid accepting any belief without thorough examination.

To really challenge my beliefs, I will imagine that an evil, powerful, and deceptive being is creating illusions to deceive me. I will resist believing in the reality of my senses and try to avoid being deceived. But this is hard, and sometimes I would rather continue in my old beliefs and ignore these unsettling doubts.

MEDITATION II

These doubts have really disturbed me, and I don’t see how I can solve them. It’s like I’m in deep water, unable to touch the bottom or to swim to the surface. But I will keep trying, by rejecting anything that can be doubted until I find something certain.

This revision tries to retain the core philosophical ideas of Descartes while simplifying the language and structure to make it more accessible for younger readers. What follows is the original work.

[ORIGINAL]Meditation I: Of the things of which we may doubt

SEVERAL years have now elapsed since I first became aware that I had
accepted, even from my youth, many false opinions for true, and that consequently what I afterward based on such principles was highly doubtful; and from that time I was convinced of the necessity of undertaking once in my life to rid myself of all the opinions I had adopted, and of commencing anew the work of building from the foundation, if I desired to establish a firm and abiding superstructure in the sciences.

But as this enterprise appeared to me to be one of great magnitude, I waited until I had attained an age so mature as to leave me no hope that at any stage of life more advanced I should be better able to execute my design. On this account, I have delayed so long that I should henceforth consider I was doing wrong were I still to consume in deliberation any of the time that now remains for action. To-day, then, since I have opportunely freed my mind from all cares [and am happily disturbed by no passions], and since I am in the secure possession of leisure in a peaceable retirement, I will at length apply myself earnestly and freely to the general overthrow of all my former opinions.

But, to this end, it will not be necessary for me to show that the whole of these are false–a point, perhaps, which I shall never reach; but as even now my reason convinces me that I ought not the less carefully to withhold belief from what is not entirely certain and indubitable, than from what is manifestly false, it will be sufficient to justify the rejection of the whole if I shall find in each some ground for doubt. Nor for this purpose will it be necessary even to deal with each belief individually, which would be truly an endless labor; but, as the removal from below of the foundation necessarily involves the downfall of the whole edifice, I will at once approach the criticism of the principles on which all my former beliefs rested. All that I have, up to this moment, accepted as possessed of the highest truth and certainty, I received either from or through the senses. I observed, however, that these sometimes misled us; and it is the part of prudence not to place absolute confidence in that by which we have even once been deceived.

But it may be said, perhaps, that, although the senses occasionally mislead us respecting minute objects, and such as are so far removed from us as to be beyond the reach of close observation, there are yet many other of their information (presentations), of the truth of which it is manifestly impossible to doubt; as for example, that I am in this place, seated by the fire, clothed in a winter dressing gown, that I hold in my hands this piece of paper, with other intimations of the same nature. But how could I deny that I possess these hands and this body, and withal escape being classed with persons in a state of insanity, whose brains are so disordered and clouded by dark bilious vapors as to cause them pertinaciously to assert that they are monarchs when they are in the greatest poverty; or clothed [in gold] and purple when destitute of any covering; or that their head is made of clay, their body of glass, or that they are gourds? I should certainly be not less insane than they, were I to regulate my procedure according to examples so extravagant.

Though this be true, I must nevertheless here consider that I am a man, and that, consequently, I am in the habit of sleeping, and representing to myself in dreams those same things, or even sometimes others less probable, which the insane think are presented to them in their waking moments. How often have I dreamt that I was in these familiar circumstances, that I was dressed, and occupied this place by the fire, when I was lying undressed in bed? At the present moment, however, I certainly look upon this paper with eyes wide awake; the head which I now move is not asleep; I extend this hand consciously and with express purpose, and I perceive it; the occurrences in sleep are not so distinct as all this. But I cannot forget that, at other times I have been deceived in sleep by similar illusions; and, attentively considering those cases, I perceive so clearly that there exist no certain marks by which the state of waking can ever be distinguished from sleep, that I feel greatly astonished; and in amazement I almost persuade myself that I am now dreaming.

Let us suppose, then, that we are dreaming, and that all these particulars–namely, the opening of the eyes, the motion of the head, the forth- putting of the hands–are merely illusions; and even that we really possess neither an entire body nor hands such as we see. Nevertheless it must be admitted at least that the objects which appear to us in sleep are, as it were, painted representations which could not have been formed unless in the likeness of realities; and, therefore, that those general objects, at all events, namely, eyes, a head, hands, and an entire body, are not simply imaginary, but really existent. For, in truth, painters themselves, even when they study to represent sirens and satyrs by forms the most fantastic and extraordinary, cannot bestow upon them natures absolutely new, but can only make a certain medley of the members of different animals; or if they chance to imagine something so novel that nothing at all similar has ever been seen before, and such as is, therefore, purely fictitious and absolutely false, it is at least certain that the colors of which this is composed are real. And on the same principle, although these general objects, viz. [a body], eyes, a head, hands, and the like, be imaginary, we are nevertheless absolutely necessitated to admit the reality at least of some other objects still more simple and universal than these, of which, just as of certain real colors, all those images of things, whether true and real, or false and fantastic, that are found in our consciousness (cogitatio) are formed.

To this class of objects seem to belong corporeal nature in general and its extension; the figure of extended things, their quantity or magnitude, and their number, as also the place in, and the time during, which they exist, and other things of the same sort.

We will not, therefore, perhaps reason illegitimately if we conclude from this that physics, Astronomy, Medicine, and all the other sciences that have for their end the consideration of composite objects, are indeed of a doubtful character; but that Arithmetic, Geometry, and the other sciences of the same class, which regard merely the simplest and most general objects, and scarcely inquire whether or not these are really existent, contain somewhat that is certain and indubitable: for whether I am awake or dreaming, it remains true that two and three make five, and that a square has but four sides; nor does it seem possible that truths so apparent can ever fall under a suspicion of falsity [or incertitude].

Nevertheless, the belief that there is a God who is all powerful, and who created me, such as I am, has, for a long time, obtained steady possession of my mind. How, then, do I know that he has not arranged that there should be neither earth, nor sky, nor any extended thing, nor figure, nor magnitude, nor place, providing at the same time, however, for [the rise in me of the perceptions of all these objects, and] the persuasion that these do not exist otherwise than as I perceive them? And further, as I sometimes think that others are in error respecting matters of which they believe themselves to possess a perfect knowledge, how do I know that I am not also deceived each time I add together two and three, or number the sides of a square, or form some judgment still more simple, if more simple indeed can be imagined? But perhaps Deity has not been willing that I should be thus deceived, for he is said to be supremely good. If, however, it were repugnant to the goodness of Deity to have created me subject to constant deception, it would seem likewise to be contrary to his goodness to allow me to be occasionally deceived; and yet it is clear that this is permitted.

Some, indeed, might perhaps be found who would be disposed rather to deny the existence of a being so powerful than to believe that there is nothing certain. But let us for the present refrain from opposing this opinion, and grant that all which is here said of a Deity is fabulous: nevertheless, in whatever way it be supposed that I reach the state in which I exist, whether by fate, or chance, or by an endless series of antecedents and consequents, or by any other means, it is clear (since to be deceived and to err is a certain defect ) that the probability of my being so imperfect as to be the constant victim of deception, will be increased exactly in proportion as the power possessed by the cause, to which they assign my origin, is lessened. To these reasonings I have assuredly nothing to reply, but am constrained at last to avow that there is nothing of all that I formerly believed to be true of which it is impossible to doubt, and that not through thoughtlessness or levity, but from cogent and maturely considered reasons; so that henceforward, if I desire to discover anything certain, I ought not the less carefully to refrain from assenting to those same opinions than to what might be shown to be manifestly false.

But it is not sufficient to have made these observations; care must be taken
likewise to keep them in remembrance. For those old and customary opinions perpetually recur– long and familiar usage giving them the right of occupying my mind, even almost against my will, and subduing my belief; nor will I lose the habit of deferring to them and confiding in them so long as I shall consider them to be what in truth they are, viz., opinions to some extent doubtful, as I have already shown, but still highly probable, and such as it is much more reasonable to believe than deny. It is for this reason I am persuaded that I shall not be doing wrong, if, taking an opposite judgment of deliberate design, I become my own deceiver, by supposing, for a time, that all those opinions are entirely false and imaginary, until at length, having thus balanced my old by my new prejudices, my judgment shall no longer be turned aside by perverted usage from the path that may conduct to the perception of truth. For I am assured that, meanwhile, there will arise neither peril nor error from this course, and that I cannot for the present yield too much to distrust, since the end I now seek is not action but knowledge.

I will suppose, then, not that Deity, who is sovereignly good and the fountain of truth, but that some malignant demon, who is at once exceedingly potent and deceitful, has employed all his artifice to deceive me; t will suppose that the sky, the air, the earth, colors, figures, sounds, and all external things, are nothing better than the illusions of dreams, by means of which this being has laid snares for my credulity; I will consider myself as without hands, eyes, flesh, blood, or any of the senses, and as falsely believing that I am possessed of these; I will continue resolutely fixed in this belief, and if indeed by this means it be not in my power to arrive at the knowledge of truth, I shall at least do what is in my power, viz., [ suspend my judgment ], and guard with settled purpose against giving my assent to what is false, and being imposed upon by this deceiver, whatever be his power and artifice. But this undertaking is arduous, and a certain indolence insensibly leads me back to my ordinary course of life; and just as the captive, who, perchance, was enjoying in his dreams an imaginary liberty, when he begins to suspect that it is but a vision, dreads awakening, and conspires with the agreeable illusions that the deception may be prolonged; so I, of my own accord, fall back into the train of my former beliefs, and fear to arouse myself from my slumber, lest the time of laborious wakefulness that would succeed this quiet rest, in place of bringing any light of day, should prove inadequate to dispel the darkness that will arise from the difficulties that have now been raised.

MEDITATION II – Of the nature of the human mind; and that it is more easily known than the body

The Meditation of yesterday has filled my mind with so many doubts, that it is no longer in my power to forget them. Nor do I see, meanwhile, any principle on which they can be resolved; and, just as if I had fallen all of a sudden into very deep water, I am so greatly disconcerted as to be unable either to plant my feet firmly on the bottom or sustain myself by swimming on the surface. I will, nevertheless, make an effort, and try anew the same path on which I had entered yesterday, that is, proceed by casting aside all that admits of the slightest doubt, not less than if I had discovered it to be absolutely false; and I will continue always in this track until I shall find something that is certain, or at least, if I can do nothing more, until I shall know with certainty that there is nothing certain. Archimedes, that he might transport the entire globe from the place it occupied to another, demanded only a point that was firm and immovable; so, also, I shall be entitled to entertain the highest expectations, if I am fortunate enough to discover only one thing that is certain and indubitable. I suppose, accordingly, that all the things which I see are false (fictitious); I believe that none of those objects which my fallacious memory represents ever existed; I suppose that I possess no senses; I believe that body, figure, extension, motion, and place are merely fictions of my mind. What is there, then, that can be esteemed true ? Perhaps this only, that there is absolutely nothing certain.

But how do I know that there is not something different altogether from the objects I have now enumerated, of which it is impossible to entertain the slightest doubt? Is there not a God, or some being, by whatever name I may designate him, who causes these thoughts to arise in my mind ? But why suppose such a being, for it may be I myself am capable of producing them? Am I, then, at least not something?

But I before denied that I possessed senses or a body; I hesitate, however, for what follows from that? Am I so dependent on the body and the senses that without these I cannot exist? But I had the persuasion that there was absolutely nothing in the world, that there was no sky and no earth, neither minds nor bodies; was I not, therefore, at the same time, persuaded that I did not exist? Far from it; I assuredly existed, since I was persuaded. But there is I know not what being, who is possessed at once of the highest power and the deepest cunning, who is constantly employing all his ingenuity in deceiving me. Doubtless, then, I exist, since I am deceived; and, let him deceive me as he may, he can never bring it about that I am nothing, so long as I shall be conscious that I am something. So that it must, in fine, be maintained, all things being maturely and carefully considered, that this proposition (pronunciatum ) I am, I exist, is necessarily true each time it is expressed by me, or conceived in my mind.

A Good Read: John (Fire) Lame Deer Seeing Through Symbols

Life to us is a symbol to be lived.– John Fire Lame Deer

Historical Background:

John (Fire) Lame Deer – Tahca Ushte in Lakota – (1900 or 1903 – 1976) was a Minneconjou-Lakota Sioux, born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, although there is some uncertainty surrounding the exact date of his birth. Lame Deer was a wićaśa wakan or “medicine man.” He was a healer, a spiritual guide, and preserver of the ancient ways of the Lakota people of the American Plains.

Lame Deer’s life was transformed by a vision quest he took at sixteen years old. Alone on a hilltop for four days and nights without food or water, he beheld a vision of his great-grandfather, the original Lame Deer, old man chief of the Minneconjou, dripping with blood from where a white soldier had shot him in the chest. From this vision he knew that his great-grandfather wanted him to take his name, and that he would become a medicine man. After a rather raucous period as a young man, when he worked the rodeo circuit as a clown and became a heavy drinker, gambler, and womanizer, Lame Deer had another somewhat mystical encounter that put him back on track with his destiny. He came upon the house where the original peace pipe, given to the Lakota people by the mystical Buffalo Calf Woman, was kept. The keeper of the pipe told Lame Deer that she had been waiting for him for quite some time. This encounter led him to take his life seriously and become a true wićaśa wakan and to become a leader in the American Indian movement.

The selections below come from Lame Deer’s autobiography, Lame Deer Seeker of Visions: The Life of a Sioux Medicine Man, written with Richard Erdoes. In this reflective account of his life and the harsh circumstances confronting American Natives, Lame Deer beautifully expresses the values and perspective of the Sioux and provides a penetrating critique of modernity.

In Lame Deer’s Words:

Medicine, Good and Bad

I am a medicine man – a wićaśa wakan. “Medicine man” – that’s a white man’s word like squaw, papoose, Sioux, tomahawk – words that don’t exist in the Indian language. I wish there were better words to make clear what “medicine man” stands for, but I can’t find any, and you can’t either, so I guess medicine man will have to do. But it doesn’t convey the many different meanings that come to an Indian’s mind when you say “medicine man”…

The wićaśa wakan wants to be by himself. He want to be away from the crowd, from everyday matters. He likes to meditate, leaning against a tree or rock, feeling the earth move beneath him, feeling the weight of that big flaming sky upon him. That way he can figure things out. Closing his eyes, he sees many things clearly. What you see with your eyes shut is what counts. The wićaśa wakan loves the silence, wrapping it around himself like a blanket – a loud silence with a voice like thunder which tells him of many things. Such a man likes to be in a place where there is no sound but the humming of insects. He sits facing the west, asking for help. He talks to the plants and they answer him. He listens to the voices of the wama kaśkan – all those who move upon the earth, the animals. He is as one with them. From all living beings something flows into him all the time, and something flows from him. I don’t know where or what, but it’s there. I know.

This kind of medicine man is neither good nor bad. He lives – and that’s it, that’s enough. White people pay a preacher to be “good,” to behave himself in public, to wear a collar, to keep away from certain kinds of women. But nobody pays an Indian medicine man to be good, to behave himself and act respectable. The wićaśa wakan just acts like himself. He has been given the freedom – the freedom of a tree or bird. That freedom can be beautiful or ugly; it doesn’t matter much.

Medicine men – the herb healers as well as our holy men – all have their own personal ways of acting according to their visions. The Great Spirit wants people to be different. He makes a person love a particular animal, tree, or herb. He makes people feel drawn to certain favorite spots on this earth where they experience a special sense of well-being, saying to themselves, “That’s a spot which makes me happy, where I belong”…

Even animals of the same kind – two deer, two owls – will behave differently from each other… I have studied many plants. The leaves of one plant, on the same stem – none is exactly alike. On all the earth there is not one leaf that is exactly like another. The Great Spirit likes it that way. He only sketches out the path of life roughly for all the creatures on earth, shows them where to go, where to arrive at, but leaves them to find their own way to get there. He wants them to act independently according to their nature, to the urges in each of them.

If Wakan Tanka [The Great Spirit] likes the plants, the animals, even little mice and bugs, to do this, how much more will he abhor people being alike, doing the same thing, getting up at the same time, putting on the same store-bought clothes, riding the same subway, working in the same office at the same job with their eyes on the same clock and, worst of all, thinking alike all the time. All creatures exist for a purpose. Even an ant knows what that purpose is – not with its brain, but somehow it knows. Only human beings have come to a point where they no longer know why they exist. They don’t use their brains and they have forgotten the secret knowledge of their bodies, their senses, or their dreams. They don’t use the knowledge the spirit has put into every one of them; they are not even aware of this, and so they stumble along blindly on the road to nowhere – a paved highway which they themselves bulldoze and make smooth so that they can get faster to the big, empty whole which they’ll find at the end, waiting to swallow them up. It’s a quick, comfortable superhighway, but I know where it leads to. I have seen it. I’ve been there in my vision and it makes me shudder to think about…

The Green Frog Skin

The green frog skin – that’s what I call a dollar bill. In our attitude toward it lies the biggest difference between Indians and whites… The green frog skin – that was what the fight [The Battle of Little Bighorn] was all about. The gold of the Black Hills, the gold in every clump of grass. Each day you can see ranch hands riding over this land. They have a bagful of grain hanging from their saddle horns, and whenever they see a prairie-dog hole they toss a handful of oats in it, like a kind little old lady feeding the pigeons in one of your city parks. Only the oats for the prairie dogs are poisoned with strychnine. What happens to the prairie dog after he has eaten this grain is not a pleasant thing to watch. The prairie dogs are poisoned, because they eat grass. A thousand of them eat up as much grass in a year as a cow. So if the rancher can kill that many prairie dogs he can run one more head of cattle, make a little more money. When he looks at a prairie dog he only sees a green frog skin getting away from him.

For the white man each blade of grass or spring of water has a price tag on it. And that is the trouble, because look at what happens. The bobcats and coyotes which used to feed on prairie dogs now have to go after a stray lamb or a crippled calf. The rancher calls the pest-control officer to kill these animals. This man shoots some rabbits and puts them out as bait with a piece of wood stuck in them That stick has an explosive charge which shoots some cyanide into the mouth of the coyote who tugs at it. The officer has been trained to be careful. He puts a printed warning on each stick reading, “Danger, Explosive, Poison!” The trouble is that our dogs can’t read, and some of our children can’t either.

And the prairie becomes a thing without life – no more prairie dogs, no more badgers, foxes, coyotes. The big birds of prey used to feed on prairie dogs, too. So you hardly see an eagle these days. The bald eagle is your symbol. You see him on your money, but your money is killing him. When a people start killing off their own symbols they are in a bad way.

The Sioux have a name for white men. They call them wsicun – fat-takers. It is a good name, because you have taken the fat of the land. But it does not seem to have agreed with you. Right now you don’t look so healthy – overweight, yes, but not healthy. Americans are bred like stuffed geese – to be consumers, not human beings. The moment they stop consuming and buying, this frog-skin world has no more use for them. They have become frogs themselves… Fat-taking is a bad thing even for the taker. It is especially bad for Indians who are forced to live in this frog-skin world which they did not make and for which they have no use…

You put “In God We Trust” on your money. I’m glad you left the Great Spirit out of it. What you want to use your God for is your own business. I tried to show you that the green frog skin is something that keeps whites and Indians apart. But even a medicine man like myself has to have some money, because you force me to live in your make-believe world where I can’t get along without it. Which means that I have to be two persons living in two different worlds. I don’t like it, but I can’t help it…As long I still had some of the horses and cattle left which my father had given me, I had no thought about earning money… Then the day came when I swapped or sold the last of my livestock. I was almost happy. Now I no longer had any property to take care of, to tie me down. Now I could be what I wanted – a real Sioux, an ikce wicasa, a common, wild, natural human being. How such a creature could survive in a frog-skin land was something I would have to find out. I thought I’d do some hunting to keep meat on my table. I found out that I needed a hunting license if I wanted to go after deer or antelope. The idea of an Indian having to pay for a fancy piece of paper in order to be allowed to hunt on his own land to feed his own, genuine, red man’s belly seemed like a bad joke to me. It made me laugh, but it also made me angry. The same people who had killed off the buffalo, who were chopping up the last wild horses into dog food, now were telling me that I was a danger to wildlife preservation if I wanted some red meat on my table, that I had to be regulated. Why couldn’t I be satisfied with the starches they were handing out to us? They told me I should be flattered, that having to buy a license put me up there on the same level with the white gentleman hunter. I answered, through an interpreter, that I was no goddam sportsman, just a hungry, common, natural Indian who did not like fancy stamped papers and knew of only one way he could use them…

No matter how much I hated it I had to face up to the fact that I would have to earn some money. I was like many other full-bloods. I didn’t want a steady job in an office or factory. I thought myself too good for that, not because I was stuck up but simply because any human being is too good for that kind of no-life, even white people. I trained myself to need and want as little as could be so that I wouldn’t have to work except when I felt like it…

The Circle and the Square

What do you see here, my friend? Just an ordinary cooking pot, black with soot and full of dents.

  • is standing on the fire on top of that old wood stove, and the water bubbles and moves the lid as the white steam rises to the ceiling. Inside the pot is boiling water, chunks of meat with bone and fat, plenty of potatoes.
  • doesn’t seem to have a message, that old pot, and I guess you don’t give it a thought. Except the soup smells good and reminds you that you are hungry….But I’m an Indian. I think about ordinary, common things like this pot. The bubbling water comes from the rain cloud. It represents the sky. The fire comes from the sun which warms us all – men, animals, trees. The meat stands for the four-legged creatures, our animal brothers, who gave of themselves so that we should live. The steam is living breath. It was water; now it goes up to the sky, becomes a cloud again. These things are sacred. Looking at the pot full of good soup, I am thinking how, in this simple manner, Wakan Tanka takes care of me. We Sioux spend a lot of time thinking about everyday things, which in our mind are mixed up with the spiritual. We see in the world around us many symbols that teach us the meaning of life. We have a saying that the white man sees so little, he must see with only one eye. We see a lot that you no longer notice. You could notice if you wanted to, but you are usually too busy. We Indians live in a world of symbols and images where the spiritual and the commonplace are one. To you symbols are just words, spoken or written in a book. To us they are part of nature, part of ourselves – the earth, the sun, the wind and the rain, stones, trees, animals, and even little insects like ants and grasshoppers. We try to understand them not with the head but with the heart, and we need no more than a hint to give us meaning.

What to you seems commonplace to us appears wondrous through symbolism. This is funny, because we don’t even have a word for symbolism, yet we are all wrapped up in it. You have the word, but that is all…

You know, it always makes me laugh when I hear young white kids speak of some people as “squares” or “straights” – old people hardened in their ways, in their minds, in their hearts. They don’t even have to be old. You can be an “old square” at eighteen. Anyway, calling these people “squares” – an Indian could have thought it up. To our way of thinking the Indians’ symbol is the circle, the hoop. Nature wants things to be round. The bodies of human beings and animals have no corners. With us the circle stand for the togetherness of people who sit with one another around the campfire, relatives and friends united in peace while the pipe passes from hand to hand. The camp in which every tipi had its place was also a ring. The tipi was a ring in which people sat in a circle and all the families in the village were in turn circles within a larger circle, part of the larger hoop which was the seven campfires of the Sioux, representing one nation. The nation was only a part of the universe, in itself circular and made of the earth, which is round, of the sun, which is round, of the stars which are round. The moon, the horizon, the rainbow – circles within circles, with no beginning and no end.

To us this is beautiful and fitting, symbol of reality at the same time, expressing the harmony of life and nature. Our circle is timeless, flowing; it is new life emerging from death – life winning out over death.

The white man’s symbol is the square. Square is his house, his office buildings with walls that separate people from one another. Square is the door which keeps strangers out, the dollar bill, the jail. Square are the white man’s gadgets – boxes, boxes, boxes and more boxes – TV sets, radios, washing machines, computers, cars. These all have corners and sharp edges – points in time, white man’s time, with appointments, time clocks and rush hours – that’s what the corners mean to me. You become a prisoner inside all these boxes.

More and more young white people want to stop being “straight” and “square” and try to become more round, join our circle. That is good.

From birth to death we Indians are enfolded in symbols as in a blanket. An infant’s cradle board is covered with designs to ensure a happy, healthy life for the child. The moccasins of the dead have their soles beaded in a certain way to ease the journey to the hereafter…Every day in my life I see symbols in the shape of certain roots or branches. I read messages in the stones. I pay special attention to them, because I am a Yuwipi man [a distinctive type of medicine man who works with stones] and that is my work. But I am not the only one. Many Indians do this…

Words too are symbols and convey great powers, especially names. Not Charles, Dick and George. There’s not much power in those. But Red Cloud, Black Elk, Whirlwind, Two Moons, Lame Deer – these names have a relationship to the Great Spirit. Each Indian name has a story behind it, a vision, a quest for dreams. We receive great gifts from the source of a name; it links us to nature, to the animal nations. It gives power. You can lean on a name, get strength from it. It is a special name for you and you alone – not a Dick, George, Charles kind of thing…

To a white man symbols are just that: pleasant things to speculate about, to toy with in your mind. To us they are much, much more. Life to us is a symbol to be lived.1

Analysis:

Good and Bad

Lame Deer contends that there is no literal way to translate wićaśa wakan into the English language. This is in part because it is a general term that covers a variety of roles within the Sioux culture. It includes the healer, the spiritual guide, the herbalist, the leader of spiritual ceremonies and more. Some suggest that the best translation is “holy man,” but Lame deer opts for the traditional, though greatly inadequate term “medicine man.” One reason why even “holy man” is misleading is due to modern associations with the term. Typically, when we think of a “holy” person, we image a sort of saint who is above sin. Or, in the case of a priest or pastor, one is at least striving to avoid the temptation to sin wherever it arises. But the wićaśa wakan, he tells us, is “neither good nor bad.” Instead of striving to be good, he strives to simply be himself, and that is all that the community expects of him. For example, you may have been surprised to read that Lame Deer was a drinker, a gambler, a womanizer, etc. Lame Deer sees no contradiction between these acts and his role as a medicine man. In fact, he sees these experiences as a valuable tool. He says that a medicine man shouldn’t strive to be a saint. Instead, “he should experience and feel all the ups and downs, the despair and joy, the magic and the reality, the courage and the fear, of his people. He should be able to sink as low as a bug, or soar as high as an eagle. Unless he can experience both, he is no good as a medicine man.” 2

This outlook is both practical and spiritual. It is practical, because in order to help the community, one must be able to relate and connect deeply to the community and its trials and tribulations. It is spiritual, because it reflects a greater metaphysical outlook. Lame Deer contends that neither nature nor the Great Spirit are perfect. To strive for perfection is to be out of touch with the way things are. “The world couldn’t stand that perfection,” he says.3 From this perspective, the saint’s attempt to be without sin is an attempt to rise above nature – to contradict the way in which the Great Spirit wants things to be. The bottom line is that all people including the wićaśa wakan, ought to simply be themselves instead of striving to be something that they are not. None of us are pure, nor were we meant to be.

To be clear, this is not to condone or encourage all the sorts of behavior that Lame Deer engaged in over his life. Alcoholism, for example, is a huge problem among American Indians.4 Lame Deer reflects on the reasons for this:

They drink to forget, I think, to forget the great days when this land was ours and when it was beautiful, without highways, billboards, fences and factories. They try to forget the pitiful shacks and rusting trailers which are their homes. They try to forget that they are treated like children…We drink to forget that there is nothing worthwhile for a man to do, nothing that would bring honor or make him feel good inside. There are only a handful of jobs [in or by the reservation] for a few thousand people. These are all Government jobs, tribal or federal. You have to be a good house Indian, an Uncle Tomahawk, a real apple – red on the outside, white on the inside – to get a job like this. You have to behave yourself, and never talk back, to keep it. If you have such a job, you drink to forget what kind of person it has made of you. If you don’t have it, you drink because there’s nothing to look forward to but a few weeks of spud-picking, if you are lucky. You drink because you don’t live; you just exist. That may be enough for some people; it’s not enough for us.5

The fact that he was a medicine man did not exempt Lame Deer from this sort of life (or “no-life” as he sometimes calls it) and the sense of hopelessness that it tends to leave. And he found it no more shameful for him to go on a drinking binge than it would be for anyone else in the community.

The emphasis on the importance of simply being yourself also figures into Lame Deer’s critique of modernity. In a powerful analogy he states that no two leaves even on the same plant are exactly alike. The Great Spirit must like it that way – each thing in the universe fulfilling its own unique and individual nature. So he finds it appalling that people today are “putting on the same store-bought clothes, riding the same subway, working in the same office at the same job with their eyes on the same clock and, worst of all, thinking alike all the time.” There are many forces that have led to increased conformity in our society. Three of the most significant are advertising, career specialization, and globalization. Two hundred years ago, an American Indian could live their whole life without seeing as single advertisement for anything. Today it is estimated that the typical child sees about 20,000 thirty second television commercials each year. These ads send strong messages (the strongest they can muster) about what we should want, what we should wear, how we should smell, and how we should act. The power of advertising is so strong and so pervasive, it is impossible to imagine what a modern society would be like without it.6 Consider also, that the American Indian had to be a “jack of all trades.” In any given week one might be a hunter, a fisherman, a butcher, a home builder, a trader, a craftsman a cook, and so on. In contrast, contemporary “modern” culture is all about specialization. Most people tend to spend 40+ hours every week at the same kind of task – and in some occupations this task can be incredibly narrow, such as assembling the same part of a product on an assembly line or reviewing the same government form, one after another, for hours on end. And to top it off, we find that even the cultural diversity that developed through being part of a particular tribe, city, or nation has been rubbed out by globalization. While television and the internet are bringing people together with many positive effects, these shared influences, shared products, and shared advertising are also creating more conformity, as people all around the globe increasingly eat alike, dress alike, and think alike.

Green Frog Skins

Lame Deer contends that the biggest difference between Indians and whites pertains to the role of money in their lives. From his perspective, money is at the root of most of the evils in the world. Arguably, the most significant of these evils is the destruction and exploitation of nature. From large scale desecration, such blowing the very tops off of the Appalachian Mountains to get at the coal seams beneath, the slashing and burning of the rainforests to create more pastureland for cattle, to the extermination of the prairie dogs as well as their natural predators, nature has become simply a means to a monetary end. As Lame Deer poignantly puts it, when the cowboy looks at a prairie dog he only sees “a green frog skin getting away from him.”.The destruction of nature is just one aspect of what we might describe as “the monetization of everything.” Today, we see land as money, water as money, animals as money and people as money. The list of things that can be bought and sold seems to be growing on a daily basis. The Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel describes this in terms of a shift from having a “market economy” to being a “market society.” For example, he notes that if you go to jail in Santa Barbara California, you can purchase a “cell upgrade” for $90.00 a night. Or, suppose you want to sit in on an important congressional hearing or Supreme Court case, but don’t want to spend hours in line. There are now companies that hire out “line standers” who can do the waiting for you. In many cities we are even paying children to do well in school. Some schools in Dallas Texas for example, pay kids $2.00 for each book that they read.7 As a college professor, I get paid by the number of courses I teach. But due to the fact that some professors have lower enrollments, or higher student drop-out rates, some administrators would like to move toward a “per student” compensation system. One has to wonder whether this would encourage professors to see students as green frog skins, and their courses as simply additional objects for sale in our market society. The primary relationship becomes an exchange of goods for services, rather than true mentorship, or the shared engagement in a quest for a deeper understanding of the world around us.

The Circle and the Square

Lame Deer’s world is infused with a deeper meaning that lies behind even the most common-place things. “From birth to death,” he tells us, “we Indians are enfolded in symbols as in a blanket.”8

Modern culture is not without its symbols, but it certainly seems to encourage a more literal way of thinking. But perhaps even more important than the scarcity of our symbols is how our symbolic meaning is infused. For example, the cowboy who sees the prairie dogs as a “dollar bills slipping away”, is thinking symbolically. But his symbolism is destroying the local ecosystem and his own spirit in the process. Not only is this kind of symbolism destructive, it is reductive. It reduces the complex (the biological ecosystem of the Great Plains) to something simple (dollar bills). Compare this to the symbolic interpretation that Lame Deer gives to the pot of stew. He sees it as more than a simple cooking pot filled with meat and broth. By seeing it symbolically as the sun, the clouds, breath, his animal brothers, and as Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, caring for him, his symbols expand his universe and makes it richer, more complex, more nourishing, and more spiritual. In his world there is much more than meets the eye – not less. He encourages us to consider that perhaps we do not take our symbols as seriously as we should. There is a sad irony in the fact that American environmental policies nearly led to the extinction of the Bald Eagle, the very symbol of our nation.

  • tells us that a key symbol for the Sioux is the circle, while for the white man it is the square. Each symbol both reflects and enforces a way of seeing and living within the world. For the Lakota, the circle represents nature. To live within the framework of a circle is natural for humans, since they are a part of nature. Lakota homes (teepees) were round, and set up within the larger circle of their encampment. The focal point of the community, the campfire, is also round, as people sit in a circle to tell stories, to remember their ancestors, to sing, and to pray. It is easy to see how a circle fosters community. Everyone can be seen and heard regardless of their location within the circle. There is no privileged place – no “front” to which all eyes constantly point. Compare this to our classrooms, in which every student faces the front, toward the teacher, the one with authority. Or consider our living rooms, where most, if not all seats point in a singular direction – toward the television set.
  • in regards to architecture and social spaces, the circle represents togetherness and equality, the “white man’s symbol,” “the square,” embodies efficiency. Squares make maximal use of space. If a piece of land is carved up into square parcels, every inch can be bought and sold with nothing wasted. School classrooms can be side by side with no space lost between them. Desks can be lined up in rows to fit more students and to make efficient pathways — again maximizing the use of space.

The Indian way comes at a cost when viewed in terms of efficiency, but our love of the square seems to carry a loss in terms of community relationships. I’ve seen this first-hand in the classroom. I used to teach in rooms with individual desks that could be moved into a circle whenever I wanted. And, I quite often found that the circular format tended to increase student discussion. Lately I’ve been teaching in rooms with rectangular tables, all facing forward, that are quite difficult to move. The impact from this was immediately apparent. The fact that all eyes are constantly positioned to the front, (to me, the authority figure, standing in the privileged position) often harms the learning process and impacts the sense of a classroom “community” and a shared engagement in learning.

The circle and the square can also be applied to our conceptions of time. Indians tend to visualize time as cyclical. It is a circle (or spiral) of returning seasons, of phases of the moon, and of rituals that follow these seasons and phases; of life moving toward death, and back to life again (as the tree that falls in the forest that becomes the fertilizing nutrients for future trees.) In contrast, modern cultures tend to see time as linear – constantly marching ahead to the drum of progress. We envision “blocks” of time, to be filled in order to maximize efficiency and profit. We put great importance on being “on time” – which Indians tend to regard as a beguiling notion, with no correspondence to reality.9 Again both have costs and benefits. Linear time enhances productivity. It enables us to set up conference calls, to book flights months in advance, and so on. But the cost again seems to hit our personal relationships. We never seem to have enough time to talk with friends, to spend with family, or to walk in nature.

In closing we should note that seeing the world symbolically in the manner that Lame Deer does, ultimately creates a sense of connectedness, not only with other people, but with the natural world. In his epilogue to Lame Deer Seeker of Visions, Richard Erodes puts the point nicely:

“Some of my Indian friends tend to look upon life as a long series of symbolic images forming definite, harmonic patterns. They see man not as a separate entity viewed against a background, but as part of the earth upon which he walks. They see him as a kind of plant, almost, which extends roots and fibers in a number of directions, taking nourishment from different sources, exchanging juices with other plants, being perhaps eaten by some other creature and thereby becoming something else in the process, a living organism gaining strength from his surroundings as well as from certain powers inherent in nature. They see man as a small but essential particle of the universe, linked to all other living things by a number of what – for lack of a better word – I would describe as unseen but strongly perceived umbilical cords. It is difficult to look in this way upon a white man living in a city apartment.”10

Notes:

  1. All of the passages above are taken from Lame Deer Seeker of Visions:The Life of a Sioux Medicine Man by John (Fire) Lame Deer and Richard Erodes, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1972.
  2. Ibid., pg. 79.
  3. Ibid.
  4. The use of the term “Indian” to refer to the indigenous peoples of North America is considered “politically incorrect” by some, because, of course, they are not from India. Some have pushed for the use of “Native American” as a replacement. I’ve chosen to use “Indian” nevertheless, because many (perhaps the majority) of the present day Lakota seem to prefer it.
  5. Ibid., pg. 77.
  6. New York Times columnist Louise Story notes: “Supermarket eggs have been stamped with the names of CBS television shows. Subway turnstiles bear messages from Geico auto insurance. Chinese food cartons promote Continental Airways.US Airways is selling ads on motion sickness bags. And the trays used in airport security lines have been hawking Rolodexes.”http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/business/media/15everywhere.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
  7. These examples are all described in What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of the Market by Michael Sandel, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, New York, 2012.
  8. Lame Deer 1972, pg. 113.
  9. For more on these contrasting conceptions of time, see The Primal Mind, the classic documentary by Jamake Highwater, Wellspring Media 1984.
  10. Lame Deer 1972, pg. 274