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Divine Light In Grand Canyon

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“The Canyon is even more wonderful in color and atmosphere than in rock strata and countersunk River. It is not the eighth wonder of the world, but the first.” – John Van Dyke: Author, The Grand Canyon Of The Colorado

Thirty St. Helena High School Biodesign students shivered on a brisk February morning outside the Cantina at Grand Canyon’s Phantom Ranch. The sun had not risen above the South Rim of The Canyon and the sky was a perfect cobalt blue. The rarefied air converged with the desert elements and made it a great day to be alive.

The ethos of the group was a mélange of optimism, excitement and a bit of trepidation. After all, they were about to embark on what would likely be the greatest hike they would ever attempt. The 10-mile length was not unusually excessive, but the 4,500’ vertical gain challenges most seasoned hikers. I suspected that in the back of every hiker’s mind lurked the fear of not being able to make it out and have to be rescued by a mule. Even some of the chaperones seemed anxious about the hike. I had the benefit of 12 previous hikes and concluded that, ideally, a person should hike Grand Canyon twice; once to prove that it can be done and the second time to savor the mystery and wonders it offers.

Typically, I acted as “trail sweep” so as I strolled down to Bright Angel trailhead, I was surprised to see Sasha (exchange student from Croatia). He was smiling broadly and asked if I were up for the hike.

As we chatted along the trail, the difficult climb up Pipe Creek Canyon, seemed to breeze by. He looked up 1,000’ to the overlook at Plateau Point and asked if we would be going there. I replied that the overlook was on a side-branch trail that would add three miles to our demanding hike and I did not think we should risk it.

We eased up to Indian Gardens about an hour earlier than my normal schedule. Noting this, Sasha asked one more time if we could go out to “The Point.” I shrugged, grinned and said, “OK, let’s go for it.”

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at Plateau Point. Standing on the brink of the 1300’ inner gorge was breathtaking. The once-raging Colorado River, now lazed quietly along below us. However, after a few minutes Sasha did something very strange. He raised his arms heavenward and boldly exclaimed, “I want to see a storm!” I doubted that he had any Messianic powers, but I sidled a few feet away just in case. On our way out I noticed the clouds moving in, but with an average annual rainfall of <4”, I had no worries. Suddenly, however, the wind stiffened and began to blow; the sky darkened around us and it began to rain huge drops. This lasted several minutes and then, IT HAPPENED! The light around us turned brilliantly gold. I looked at Sasha and his face and body were gold. I held out my hand and it was gold. We were somehow engulfed in an otherworldly event. Then, in about the same amount of time the storm began, it subsided. The golden light vanished, the clouds scudded away and the sun shone brightly in a beautiful azure sky. Neither one of us knew what happened, but intuitively understood that miracles (by definition) are beyond human comprehension and render words useless.

 

As we trudged back to Bright Angel Trail, I recalled St. Paul’s mystical encounter on the road to Damascus and offered a silent prayer of thanksgiving. The experience put some pep in my step and the 3,000’ foot ascent up the outer gorge seemed easier than previous years.

We arrived at the South Rim about 2-3 hours after the first hikers topped out. My loving wife was there to greet us and the first thing she said was, “Did you find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”?  Both Sasha and I reflected bewilderment. Seeing our confusion, she continued. “When two ant-like creatures inched out to Plateau Point, I was pretty sure it was you two. Shortly after you got there a storm began to brew. The wind picked up, it got dark and gloomy and it began to rain. And then suddenly, a beautiful rainbow arched over The Canyon and one end seemed to be right over you guys.” Both of our faces effused euphoria, but we were still in a state of wordless shock.

And then I recalled one of my favorite Grand Canyon legends. Evidently two Caucasian cowboys were the first white people to discover Grand Canyon. They were rounding up some stray cows when they chanced upon the Canyon Rim. They sat in their saddles, spellbound for a while, before one of them muttered,

“Something happened here.”

Sasha nodded in approval and we tacitly agreed that those three words were perfect for our miracle: “Something happened there!”

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Photos:

Sunburst
Phantom Ranch
Plateau Point
Rainbow over GC
 

Love—Laughter—Playfulness Under Nevada Fall

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“Heaven knows that John the Baptist was not more eager to get all his fellow sinners into the Jordan than I to baptize all of mine in the beauty of God’s mountains.” – John Muir

No other naturalist, before or after John Muir has reached his lofty status of being able to decipher and communicate the physical, mental and spiritual essences of Yosemite National Park. He could not have known English poet, W.H. Auden, but by writing, “Yosemite is a place to play and a place to pray,” he clearly understood Auden’s premise that “carnival” (the human world of Laughter and Play) is closely related to the world of Worship and Prayer.

Many of the most sacred moments in Biodesign occurred through laughter. Their laughter was of the highest order, showing no signs of being grubby, pornographic, cruel, or mean-spirited. They laughed easily and often, especially at the intimately embarrassing moments that occurred while traveling, hiking and camping together. Their laughter was contagious and healing.

Typically, on warm autumn days, the nearly 5,000 ft. descent from the top of Half Dome to the base camp in Yosemite Valley produced hot and sweaty hikers. A dip in the snow-melt pool beneath Nevada Fall usually offered refreshing relief.   On one of visits the guys were the first to jump in. The icy-cold water produced yelps and gasps. One of them asked his buddy; “Are you squinching?” Whether they had heard the term or not, all the guys immediately understood and burst into boisterous belly-laughter. The girls looked on with puzzled expressions. One of them finally asked, “What is “squinching?” This produced more laughter, and finally, one of the guys said, “You should ask Mr. Young.”

I remembered a conversation with a teacher-colleague of mine who spent a summer in France. When I asked about the highlight of her trip, she said, “I was standing in the Louvre, admiring Michelangelo’s statue of David, and I suddenly burst into rapturous laughter. It occurred to me that after God created Adam, he said, ‘Oops, I almost forgot! You will need two of these and one of these.’ The people around me must have thought I was a nut.” I shared her story and said she might be right.

The event provided a natural opportunity to describe, but not explain, one of nature’s most intriguing mysteries. Human embryonic male testicles originate in the same area that ovaries originate in females. During gestation they are programmed to migrate down and out of the lower abdomen. In cases where this does not happen, the organs will not function properly. Apparently, the normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees is too warm for sperm production. The problem was solved by moving them out of the body, allowing them to cool slightly. They can, however, become overly cold, and when this happens, males “squinch.” The scrotum shrinks and draws the testicles close to, or even up into, the lower abdomen. It was too much information for some of the girls, but most joined the guys in hilarious laughter.

Although the event was uproariously funny, at a deeper level it pointed to the quintessential mystery of how every human being began his/her journey on Planet Earth. Against unfathomable odds of time and space, each one of us began during an extraordinarily mysterious moment when one sperm (out of approximately 300 million) united with one egg (out of about 400) to emerge as a once-in-a-universe zygote. Lewis Thomas, MD, author of “Lives Of A Cell,” suggests that the biomolecular mysteries of forming a zygote are so vast and complex that they may remain forever beyond human comprehension; ergo, the miracle of life.

Just like the theoretical impossibility of any two snowflakes being alike, no two humans will ever be identical. Even so-called identical twins are not identical because they begin to affect each other’s behavior very early in their respective embryonic development (epigenesis). People who get to know identical twins often regard them as only slightly more alike than sisters or brothers.

Twenty years after the waterfall event, the world-famous Dahm triplets rocked the scientific world. They opted to have their ancestry analyzed to confirm their Nordic heritage. The results confirmed their theory but revealed a blockbuster clue. All three have British/Irish genes as well as French/German genes. That was not so surprising, but what was intriguing was that each had a different percentage of the minority genes.

It is doubtless that the original sperm and ovum that produced the triplets contained latent genetic information that dated back thousands of years. It is likely that the mitotic process that produced them involved replicating over 1 billion nucleotides, some of which were not transcribed identically. This means that the “identical triplets” are not perfectly identical. This closely relates to Charles Darwin’s discovery of genetic variation which is a key component of evolution.

During the evening, after the momentous event, the students were huddled together around the campfire sharing reflections of their day. One of the girls read from her journal, “I have never felt cleaner in my life!”

Little wonder Muir wanted all of his followers to be baptized in Yosemite’s waterfalls.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

 

Socrates-Jesus Bugs

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“The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.”  Socrates

I suspect that this is one of Socrates’ most commonly misunderstood quotes. When I posted it in the bio lab, it usually sparked lively discussions. It was not uncommon for a student to quip, “If this is so, then why bother?”

The answer was that Socrates was not saying that knowledge wasn’t important, quite the contrary. He was saying that the more he learned, the more his sense of mystery, awe and wonder of the Universe grew.

This thought emerged when I watched the intriguing Nature Conservancy video on water striders produced by entomologist Matt Miller.

https://blog.nature.org/science/2017/04/10/7-cool-facts-water-striders-skippers-pond-skaters-weird-nature/

Water striders are common residents of ponds, streams and marshes throughout Europe and North America. There are about 1700 known species and some live in ocean ecosystems. To the casual observer, striders are interesting because they are among the few animals that can walk on water, ergo; Jesus Bugs. Few observers, however, can even begin to comprehend just what they are seeing, especially if the insects are mating.

Firstly, every strider is made up of approximately 500 million cells. Each cell is made up of 20 trillion atoms, which is 100X the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. All of these trillions of atoms have to be organized to perfection in order for the strider to survive. The atoms are arranged into molecules, cells, tissues, organs and at least 10 systems that allow the animal to eat, breath, excrete waste and reproduce.

However, the overarching Socratic question is, “What do these animals know?” Or, more precisely, what level of consciousness and or free will do they possess? Are the striders totally preprogrammed by the mostly unknown phenomenon called instinct? If so, what is the origin of the controlling organizational force? Biologists have made huge strides in describing the role of DNA in creating biological structures, however, almost nothing has been discovered as to how DNA can be pre-programed to organize perhaps terabytes or exabytes of incoming sensory impulses necessary for behavioral activities. This astronomical amount of information must be processed, and decisions must be made in order to direct another astronomical number of motor responses necessary for the striders to survive.

Although most biological functions are done independently, mating greatly complicates the task because two animals are involved.  Miller explains some of the rudiments of the mating act, however, he does not approach the mystery of what (if any) consciousness the insects possess. Furthermore, he implies that, during mating, the female is forced into submission due to fear of being eaten, however, it is well known that striders secret a pheromone that serves as a repellant to predators.  Fish will typically only eat striders to avoid starvation.

Other accounts indicate that, by tapping her legs on the water, the female can communicate at least three different messages, including her intention to mate.  Having done this, she removes her prophylactic shield and allows mating to occur. Does this mean that she can make a judgment about the genetic fitness of her mate; which would better guarantee the success of her offspring?

And of course the two greatest questions are:

Are the water striders, with all of their complex and wondrous structures and functional behavior, totally unaware automatons that evolved through a process of random chance and competition?” Or perhaps, paraphrasing anthropologist Loren Eiseley, the striders are the result of, “the eternal mystery, the careful finger of God.”

In either case, far more questions than answers remain about water striders. Socrates would have celebrated the mystery and joyfully proclaimed:

“The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.”

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Photo credits:

Wasserlaufer.com

www.musicof nature.com

www.deviatedart.com

www.mathias-lenke.jpeg

Dewitt Jones—John Muir—Synchronicity

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Before a very bright student planted the seed that grew into the Biodesign experience, I was unaware of the Jungian phenomenon known as “synchronicity.”  These are events (scientific or other) that converge simultaneously with no known cause.

When I decided to break with tradition and initiate a high school advanced biology program, that did not focus on “massive memorization of minutiae,” there was no model to follow. However, as a student of John Muir, I was aware of one of his many famous quotes; “One day’s exposure to mountains is worth a cartload of books,” so I decided to employ the adage as a primary goal for the new class. The first semester curriculum would involve studying the life and work of Muir and include a 6-day trip into the Yosemite wilderness. If Muir were correct, the six days the students spent in Yosemite could provide visions, marvels and wonders that could help shape their lives. I am not so sure that the same could be said about memorizing all the parts of a fetal pig.

As a long-time follower of National Geographic magazine, I decided that another major theme of the Class would be to emulate the editors whose goal was to send photographers out into the world in search for the platonic values of Truth, Beauty and Goodness. The Geographic also championed the noble virtue of being dedicated to “the illimitable freedom of the human mind.”

During one of the early trips to the Yosemite wilderness a synchronicity began that conflated the two goals and it took 42 years to come full circle.

It was the last day of a 6-day Biodesign trip and the students gifted me with a copy of, “John Muir’s America.” The book featured stunning wilderness photos by Dewitt Jones and a brilliant text by T.H. Watkins. I was unaware of either man, but the book became a treasure trove of knowledge and beautiful images that I eagerly shared for nearly 30 years.

Several months ago, on a total whim, I decided to try to track Jones down in order to thank him for the huge contribution he made to my life and career. Through the magic of the internet, I found his beautiful website and a contact address at Molokai, Hawaii. By browsing through it I discovered that his extraordinary career went ballistic when National Geographic commissioned him to go out into the world and find “things to celebrate.” He became the magazine’s lead photographer for 20 years. Since then, he has written nine books, created several films and became, “a voice calling from the wilderness,” proclaiming the healing powers of Mother Nature. He also became a motivational speaker and produced extraordinary promotional ads for multinational corporations. More photos HERE.

I sent him a heartfelt thank-you letter and referred him to our book (and website) which he helped inspire. I could see by his website that he must be extremely busy and I did not expect a reply.

Several days ago, I was shocked beyond belief to see the following e-mail.

Lowell,

It’s ben far too long since you sent your lovely e-mail to me.  I set it aside to be answered “in depth” and you know what happened? Life got in the way.

I reread your letter about a month ago and decided I would read the book before answering.

It took Amazon one month to get the book to me here in Hawaii. But it did arrive and I have been wandering through it delighting in the stories, mysteries and epiphanies. What an accomplishment.

I am delighted to be considered part of the inspiration for all of this. My love for Nature and the wilderness runs deep and I too have spent my life sharing its spiritual aspect with others.

I imagine if you follow me you will know about my tedx talk. If not, you can watch it here. https://dewittjones.com/pages/tedx-dewitt-jones

Let me know about your continued journey and I will let you know about mine.

Aloha from Molokai, Hawaii

As it turns out, Jones has become one of the most extraordinary people I have ever encountered. He belongs to a pantheon of a few of the finest Nature photographers in the world. I was deeply moved that a man of his stature (likely with a hectic schedule) would take the time to read about the wilderness adventures of a scattered group of high school students. Perhaps, like me, they resonated with his soul because they found a multitude of things in Nature to celebrate. Their individual celebrations were contagious and became group celebrations.

However, in my case, although visiting Yosemite, Grand Canyon and the Mendocino Coast provided countless scenic wonders, marvels, even miracles of Nature, none of the places compared to the mystery and magnificence of each one of the students I was so richly blessed to journey with. They transformed my life.

Paraphrasing John Muir, to me those students are immortal.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

 

Butterflies and Human Existence

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Greetings valued friends,

We are experiencing an exciting upsurge of readers from around the world. We reckon that some have missed some of our favorite blogs ergo, we will revise and repost a few of them. Thanks for supporting Biodesign Out For A Walk. LY

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Maya Angelou

Never before in human history has there been such a wealth of knowledge that has allowed man to contemplate the great panoply of mysteries and miracles including, the origin of The Universe—Life—Human Spirituality. Anthropologists suggest that the first faint stirrings of human spirituality began about 100,000 years ago. Perhaps this is why anthropologist Loren Eiseley wrote in The Immense Journey:

“The story of Eden is a greater allegory than man has ever guessed. For it was man walking memoryless through bars of sunlight and shade in the morning of the world, sat down and passed a wondering hand across his heavy forehead. Time and darkness, knowledge of good and evil have walked with him ever since.”

Eiseley is tacitly alluding to the origin of human values, consciousness and free will and not so tacitly suggesting that modern men (including scientists) still have very little understanding of their origin. He leaves us with two tantalizing mysteries.

When was the “light” turned on in human beings?
Who were the first humans with a soul?

Is it not logical to assume that, before the emergence of consciousness, our ancestors were totally controlled by instinctive behavior? The mere fact that millions of life forms have succeeded for approximately four billion years by instinctive behavior suggests that there was no need for consciousness or self-awareness. In other words, there was no need for modern man to evolve.

If people are unable to fully appreciate the changes every butterfly must go through, perhaps it is because they simply cannot fathom the billions of cellular/molecular modifications involved. They are not alone. Anthropologists are at a loss to explain the symbolic (and spiritual) importance of the Eden story and trained entomologists are basically clueless about the instinctive biochemical process of butterfly metamorphosis.

In simple terms, after the moth spins a cocoon or the butterfly secrets a chrysalis, the larvae dissolve themselves into a cellular/molecular “soup.” All of the larval structures are dismantled and molecule-by-molecule reassembled into a moth or butterfly. This means that even the larval brain dissolves and is reconfigured into a totally different creation with radically different functions including directing the miracle of flight.

As a biological process this may be extraordinary, but it does not threaten us. However, when metamorphosis is used as a metaphor for spiritual growth, it can become terrifying and reason enough to not welcome the changes necessary to achieve a higher awareness.

It should not surprise us to note that the words metamorphosis and metaphor are similar. Metamorphosis= ‘transform, change shape,’ and metaphor= transfer the meaning of a word into a figure of speech. When people feel internal “butterflies” it is highly likely that they are experiencing spiritual stirrings involving love or fear.

This is fascinating because human childbirth just may be the closest example of metamorphosis, whereby each infant leaves a “saline marine ecosystem” and becomes an air-breathing land mammal. From the infant’s perspective the ordeal of birth must be traumatic and may explain why many newborns scream in protest.

Little wonder it is called, “The Miracle of Life,” and why females all over the world (regardless of race, religion or ethnicity) often share an innate awareness of human spirituality that is associated with motherhood.

Intriguingly, R.W. Emerson (1803), Henry Thoreau (1817), and John Muir (1838) were born within 35 years of each other. They all became literary giants who championed the emergent spiritual philosophy of Human Transcendence. In an interesting paradox, transcendentalism proposes that in order to become fully human, people must “transcend” their physical and mental limitations in order to be “reborn;” metamorphosis!

Emerson, Thoreau and Muir all believed that people contemplating nature, especially wilderness areas, increase their odds of “born again” experiences.

Either that, or perhaps they can take a cue from Maya Angelou’s metaphorical butterflies and muster up the courage to become “spiritual soup” and embrace the changes that they must undergo to become more sensitive and enlightened beings.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Photo credit: Joseph Lacy, Natalija Mislevicha

Foxes And The Art Of Playing

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Photo credit: reddit.com

“Surely all God’s people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes – all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them.” – John Muir- The Story of My Boyhood and Youth, (1913)

Native Americans hold a deep respect for animal life, especially birds and mammals. They are often celebrated in their art, legends, totems and folklore. Many shamans believe that animals provide a window into the spirit world. They also provide a source of allegorical humor as in the case of the coyote that chased his tail so fast that he ran right up his own rectum. The story reveals the Indian’s awareness of the foolishness of circular logic and the danger of avoiding opportunities for spiritual growth.

Photo credit: www.goodwp.com

Paradoxically, one of the most important and least understood spiritual gifts is the art of playing. Stoic Charles Darwin had no clue where, why and how playfulness originated. The only explanation he and other scientists have offered is that it helps prepare youngsters for the task of hunting. Collectively, they ignore the fact that many young and adult birds and mammals seem to play, simply for the joy of playing and it has nothing to do with survival skills. Frolicking dolphins are the epitome of playfulness, river otters can spend hours daily sliding down riverbanks, coyotes are masterful pranksters, ravens and crows are notorious players and John Muir described the water ouzel as wonderfully playful.

Photo credit: Laury @laury33_

Unlike cats who bury their scat and dogs who squat and poop at the nearest convenient spot, foxes seem to be more playful and creative where they leave their calling card. Favorite places on our property are on our redwood deck, at our back door and under our clothesline. However, they often choose large rocks that they have to climb to do their business. Some of these require a good deal of athletic ability to place the poop in just the right spot. Many of the pooping spots seem to be whimsical.

Photo credit: www.tumbler

Whenever we have leftover chicken, pork or beef bones, my wife puts them on a familiar rock in our back yard and without exception one of the resident foxes will retrieve them. We often see them making their rounds, which include stopping at the “bone rock.”

Recently, an adult fox chased our cat across our back yard and up on our back porch. The cat scampered up a corner post and rested on a crossbeam. The fox stood on the porch and helplessly looked up. Our back door was open and the fox looked into our kitchen as if he were thinking about inviting himself in.

Photo credit: wildonarran.blogspot.com

Great naturalists are often great storytellers. John Muir’s story of “Stickeen” ranks among the best “people/dog” stories ever told. However, anthropologist Loren Eiseley wrote a story about a fox pup that rivals the great naturalist raconteurs of the world.

‘The creature was very young. He was alone in a dread universe. I crept on my knees around the prow and crouched beside him. It was a small fox pup from under the timbers who looked up at me. God knows what happened to his brothers and sisters. His parent must not have been home from hunting.

Photo credit: motherearthnews.com

He innocently selected what I think was a chicken bone from an untidy pile of splintered rubbish and shook it at me invitingly. There was a vast and playful humor in his face…Here was the thing in the midst of the bones, the wide-eyed, innocent fox inviting me to play, with the innate courtesy of his two forepaws placed appealingly together, along with a mock shake of the head. The universe was swinging in some fantastic fashion around to present its face, and the face was so small that the universe itself was laughing.

It was not a time for human dignity. It was a time only for the careful observance of amenities written behind the stars. Gravely I arranged my forepaws while the puppy whimpered with ill-concealed excitement. I drew the breath of a fox’s den into my nostrils. On impulse, I picked clumsily a whiter bone and shook it in teeth that that had not entirely forgotten their original purpose. Round and round we tumbled for one ecstatic moment.   For just a moment I held the universe at bay by the simple expedient of sitting on my haunches before a fox den and tumbling about with a chicken bone. It is the gravest, most meaningful act I shall ever accomplish but, as Thoreau once remarked of some peculiar errand of his own, there is no use reporting it to the Royal Society.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

High School Biology Class Freezes To Death In Yosemite

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Dateline: 10-15-76

Headline: High School Biology Class Freezes To Death In Yosemite

 

When I decided to follow John Muir into the mountain wilderness, I was naively unaware that the closer I got to his living spirit, the greater the risk of experiencing one of his near-death events. When I decided to encourage groups of 30 students to follow his footsteps, my naiveté increased along with the risks.

Recently, ex-Biodesigner, Karen Amick Buscher indicated that she was about to join our caravan of retro-hikers, time-traveling back in search of the roots and branches of the Biodesign program. What she did not know was that she triggered an eerie coincidence that connected Gibran’s quote:

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars,” to an event that happened in the Class of ‘76, that ranked at or near the top of the list of the most terrifying events in Biodesign history.

The Class began the 10-mile ascent of Half Dome at 7:00 AM, at the Yosemite Stables, with fully loaded backpacks. They labored up The Mist Trail and arrived at Little Yosemite Valley about 1:00 PM for a lunch break. All the while the clouds were thickening as snow flurries had been predicted. Two hours later and a thousand feet higher it began to snow. We decided to make a primitive campsite on a wide opening in the trail. Many of the hikers were exhausted and were relieved to be able to rest. However, about half of the hikers were athletically inclined and pleaded for me to dodge the flurries and hopefully arrive at the top of Half Dome.

If I were born in Africa, I would have said, “God is playing with us” as we played a cat-and-mouse-game up the trail. It would start to snow and we would stop; it would stop snowing and we would start. When we reached the famous stairway, we would take two steps up and stop in the snow. Half way up, it really began to snow and we were forced to turn back. We slipped and slid over treacherous stairs until we reached the bottom and saw a blood-curdling sight. The snow had totally obliterated the trail; the light was fading and we were lost. The gravity of our peril was nearly overwhelming. In my mind’s eye I saw the headlines of our local newspaper:

High School Biology Class Freezes To Death In Yosemite NP.

However, after a few panic-stricken moments, my mental fog abated and I took two or three students on a recon mission, hoping to find the trail. The rest agreed to stay put until we returned. We followed the natural declination of the mountain to where we thought the trail should be. Fortunately, within several hundred yards we found a trail marker in the snow. Depending on the reader, our deliverance could have been due to chance, dumb luck or Divine guidance. John Muir would have credited the third option.

As we descended, the snow thinned out and the trail became clearly visible. We returned to Classmates who were understandably anxious about our well-being and although we were grateful, we were too shaken for any celebration.

Although we were disappointed about not topping out at Half Dome, we were grateful to be alive and gladly returned to our base-camp on The Valley floor. That night our sleeping bags were exceptionally warm and comforting, in sharp contrast to the horrifying experience on Half Dome; joy and terror flowing from the same cup.

For many nights after the trip I awakened with the recurring nightmare of the vision I saw on the trail up Half Dome. Over all these years I sincerely hope Gibran was correct:

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”

Were it not for Karen, this daunting story would not likely have been told. Strangely, it did not occur to me while I was writing BOFAW. I don’t know if I blocked it out because it was too scary to write or that I was too embarrassed for foolishly leading students into harms way. Christie reminds me occasionally that John Muir only had himself to be responsible for; my situation was quite different. There were some parents, colleagues and administrators who though that I was a bit of a “wildman.” If so, it was a wonder that any parents entrusted their precious children into my care.

However, over a 24-year period and 63 trips into the wilderness, the only significant injury was a broken pinkie-finger caused by too many girls trying to squeeze into two bathroom stalls at McDonald’s Restaurant in Oakdale, Ca.

Invoking the Spirit of John Muir, I can only conclude that, “Only by the Grace of God” did we all survive to tell the tale.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

Kahlil Gibran: The Teaching/Learning Paradox

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Of the 50 (more or less) books that were used to formulate the Biodesign curriculum, one of my favorites was, The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. The book contains 26 stellar meditations on the holistic nature of human beings, including intimate topics ranging from love, joy/sorrow, death and everything in between.

Conservative estimates are that the book has sold upward of 50 million copies (nine million in the US) and has been translated into over 100 languages. During the last 95 years it has undergone 188 consecutive print runs, longer that any other book except the Holy Bible. I have quoted the book 1000s of times.

So poets have concluded that everything is ironic, get over it! I suppose a corollary could be that everything is a paradox that I get to celebrate.

Ergo: In a splendid irony, the one line in The Prophet, that has been a stunning paradox for me, is in his meditation on “Teaching.”

“For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.”

WHAT? The thought should send chills down every teacher’s spine. Did he really believe that? If so, why would he write a book of his visions that have influenced millions of people? I understand Zola Hurston’s, “You got to go there to know there,” but what if people have no clue where the “where” is they are supposed go? John Muir understood the enigma when he wrote, “No amount of word-making will ever make a single soul to know these mountains.” However, just as Muir understood that it is impossible to define the mystique of the mountains, using words like visions and wings as spiritual metaphors can be equally illusive and impossible to define.

As for sharing visions, Christie Young has been my helpmate and spiritual guide for over 57 years. Together we have formed a triangular relationship with God at the apex. One of the earlier trips, after we were married, was to Yosemite National Park. We were drawn to the wilderness and met spiritual giants like John Muir, H-D Thoreau and RW Emerson. The men all agreed that all designs in Nature are reflections of a living God: ergo; Biodesigns. With her help and guidance, eventually the Biodesign Class emerged as a gift from God and brought us into contact with thousands of people to share visions with.

Finally, after 50 years of discussions, contemplation and inner turmoil, I have arrived at a resolution to Gibran’s paradox. He may be partly correct, but also partly incorrect.  It occurs to me that an alternative synonym for vision could be inspiration. All people, even children, are capable of inspiring others to reach for higher ground. Heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King, JFK, Abe Lincoln and John Muir have inspired countless millions of people to soar to physical, mental and spiritual heights beyond their wildest dreams. They might be a grocery clerk, shopkeeper or taxi cab driver, but all can arrive at a grateful (and graceful) state of living.

While discussing Biodesign Out For A Walk, I am not being disingenuous by stating that I was not the author. I just happened to be along on 63 trips into the wilderness and mentally recorded a very tiny sample of the millions of thoughts and emotions that over 700 young adults experienced. Their thoughts and reflections were so vividly real that they were etched into my soul so that I did not need a journal or notebook to arrange the stories into a loosely formatted manuscript.  Ex-colleague Linda Williamson (English teacher extraordinaire) lovingly rescued me and gathered up 280 pages and deftly segregated them into 31 chapters between two covers. Without her vision and guidance the book would never have happened.

Lowell H. Young

“Editor”: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

 

Gregor Mendel Comes to Biology Classes

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One of my favorite days of the year was the day Gregor Mendel came to Class as a guest lecturer. He did much of his work on sweet pea plants, but the basic principles apply to most plants and animals.  Usually, he worked in solitude in a monastery with no one understanding what he was doing.

Interestingly, he decided not to publish his results and after he died his exhaustive notes and journals were stored in the attic of the monastery. 50 years later, a newly appointed Abbot directed a major spring-cleaning operation. A bon fire was built to incinerate the unwanted clutter.

Thankfully, just before Mendel’s work was about to be tossed on the fire, the Abbot decided to look into the folders. He didn’t understand what Mendel had done, but packed up all the files and sent them to the local university. The biology professors were shocked and elated with his discoveries, which later earned him the title of: “Father of genetics.”

In a funny coincidence, the term “selective breeding” (shown on the chalk board) relates to the placard on the bookshelf.

Getting anything done around here is like mating elephants. There is a lot of pushing and shoving and loud trumpeting and 18 months later the results are revealed.

The reality of the elephants became a metaphor for each year of Biodesign sans reproduction. LOL As we explored the interrelatedness of Nature and human spirituality, there was often a lot of mental pushing and shoving and loud trumpeting. All metaphors break down and typically, the results were not magically evident at nine months, but would take a lifetime to be revealed.

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com

St. Valentine’s Day: The Miracle of Love.

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One of my favorite learning activities of each Biodesign Class was to consider the socio-cultural importance of the plants, animals and people associated with secular and religious holidays, including Valentine’s Day.

Valentino of Terni was a 3rd century Catholic Bishop who was beheaded by Roman soldiers under the order of Claudius II. His “crimes” included secretly marrying couples in Christian nuptial ceremonies, which were contrary to pagan Roman law. Also, he boldly and publicly cited the apostle Paul by claiming that love was God’s greatest gift to humankind. When given the choice of renouncing his faith or face execution, he opted for death. He died at the age of 42.

Although Valentine lived before microscopes were invented, they would eventually play an instrumental role in unlocking some of the biological secrets that lead to the sacred act of procreation.

In 1590, Zacharias Janssen invented the first microscope. In 1677, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, was the first to describe, “wee cavorting beasties,” which included  human spermatozoa.

Discoveries in this area led to the discovery of perhaps one of the greatest human mysteries; the union of a single sperm and ovum to produce the human zygote.

According to Lewis Thomas, M.D./ author of The Medusa and the Snail; “The mere existence of that cell should be one of the greatest astonishments of earth. People ought to be walking around all day, all through their waking hours, talking of nothing but that cell.”

Each sperm contains about 3 billion bases of genetic information, representing 750 Mbytes of digital information. The average human ejaculate contains around 180 million sperm cells. So, that’s 180 x 10^6 haploid cells x 750 Mbytes/haploid cell = 135 x10^9 Mbytes=135000 Terabytes!!!! Without this process happening, the human race would die out in one generation.

Contemplating this reminded me of Roger Sperry, M.D./neurobiologist and Nobel laureate, author of, “Science and Moral Priority,” and “Yoking Science and Religion.” We were connected by a huge synchronicity, which occurred in August 1983.  Omni Magazine published an issue that included Sperry’s discoveries of the human right-brain/ left-brain phenomena and a related article, “The Superiority of the Female Brain.”

The article focused on the cerebral hemispheres and corpus collosum, which essentially is a wall between the two sides of the brain. Stated briefly, female brains have verbal centers in both hemispheres with more connections between words, memories, and feelings. Male brains tend to only have verbal centers in the left hemisphere with fewer connections between words, memories, and feelings. This has led to the facetious reference to males as having “reptilian” brains. LOL

During the early years of the Biodesign Class, it dawned on me that the girls had an inside track on spirituality. This was confirmed many times in class, but especially following each epic field trip. When the students presented their post-trip reflections, the girls were often better at describing transcending moments involving mystery, wonder and awe. On those occasions a typical male response was; “That’s exactly how I felt, but I couldn’t find the words to express myself adequately.” They had sincerely identified and described the limitations of their own brains.

PBS aired a program focused on love and the human brain. The speaker was a psychiatrist/marriage counselor, with a record of successfully helping many dysfunctional couples avoid the devastating trip to a divorce court. He asserted that many of the problems that they encounter (including matters of intimacy) are due to their failure to understand the differences between female and male brains. He proceeded to offer some techniques that could be used to improve looking, listening and feeling that would hopefully improve communication skills and not only save, but enrich their marriage.

One example he cited was that most men understand that a box of chocolates (preferably dark) can often spark a romantic interlude.  However, he observed, most men have not made the connection that a trip to a women’s shoe boutique can also trigger a similar favorable result. He admitted that he had no scientific evidence of the connection of new shoes to female libido, but opined that mysteries were always beyond the purview of science.

While the Catholic Church has waffled over whether Valentine is a legitimate saint or not, his living spirit continues to empower millions of lovers to say, “I Love You,” right out loud.

It is a message that has found favor in the retail sector. Valentine greeting card, candy and flower sales exceed 20 billion dollars annually in the US.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day

Lowell H. Young
Author: Biodesign Out For A Walk

young.lowell@gmail.com