The Darwin and Wallace Debate Continues http://www.birdsofparadiseproject.org/content.php?page=61 This video fascinates me at many levels. A geophysicist wrote a book about Grand Canyon rock formations and called the process “miraculous.” An ornithologist wrote a book on feathers and called their structure and function miraculous. Gordon Taylor (British anthropologist) suggests that Darwin’s theory … [Read more…]
Birthdays, Baptisms, and John Muir’s America: Part I “Come next year, all of you. Come to the purest of terrestrial fountains. Come and receive baptism and absolution from civilized sins. You were but sprinkled last year. Come and be immersed.” Excerpt: BOFAW, chap. 19, Carnival. I was saddened by the fact … [Read more…]
The Labor of Living—Loving—Learning “Your daily life is your temple and religion.” The Prophet, Gibran For many people this means that careers, jobs and professions become their “temple and religion.” The word religion derives from the Latin: re-ligare, to apply a ligament. I have long been fascinated that the origin … [Read more…]
In The Immense Journey, Loren Eiseley describes the boisterous reunion of a mated pair of sparrow hawks that may have revealed that they understand, and feel more compassion than scientists have ever guessed. “I saw both now. He was rising fast to meet her. They met in a great soaring gyre that turned into a … [Read more…]
No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. John Donne Having Patti Rosellini discover BOFAW reminded me of Elton John’s “Golden Oldie,” “Michelle’s Song.” A very, very long time ago (1975) I was not aware of the song until students used … [Read more…]
Mike Dunn posted an amazing video of a singer arguably reaching the lowest known notes recorded buy a human. It sounds very much like the lowest note capable of being played on the grand organ at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. The organ has over 7,000 pipes; one is about … [Read more…]
Excerpt: Biodesign Out For A Walk, Introduction. “They learned that Albert Einstein and Loren Eiseley agreed that every branch of science was cloaked in mystery and that it would be their challenge and privilege to contemplate those mysteries.” Einstein: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of … [Read more…]
Excerpt: Biodesign out For A Walk, Chap. ;21. Simple Gifts. One of nature’s most outlandish displays of mystery is demonstrated billions of time each year and goes mostly unnoticed and never fully understood. It involves the “common” caterpillar. Whether it spins a cocoon or secrets a chrysalis, what happens next is … [Read more…]
I Want To be In America Excerpt: BOFAW, Chap. 20, Sasha “There is a principle which is pure, and placed In the human mind, which in different places and ages has had different names. It is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no forms of religion, nor excluded … [Read more…]
It is possible that the ultimate example of the Taoist concept of yin and yang may be contemporary science and religion. Yin and yang are actually complementary, not opposing, forces, interacting to form a whole greater than either separate part; in effect, a dynamic system. Everything has both yin and yang aspects, (for instance shadow … [Read more…]