Blocking progress?

Two decades back when I got a chance to meet the legend in Endodontics Prof. Herbert Schilder during our official visit to the Boston University, my joy knew no bounds. We had a leisurely discussion on Endodontics, exchanged publications. He gave his publication and I gifted him a copy of the dental publication of which I was the editor at that time. 

He told me that he used to be referred to as ‘Enfant Terrible’, which means a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox and innovative.

A Pioneer's work

His article ‘Filling root canals in three dimensions’ was published in the DCNA of November 1967. During that time, we had only stainless instruments and they were rigid. Beyond # 25, each instrument will be transporting the canal. In spite of the knowledge that the apical sizes were always larger than #25, instrumentation with larger instruments beyond this size in severely curved canals was not possible. So it was # 25 that instrumented to the full working length in many curved canals. This Prof. Schilder described as ‘keeping the apical size as small as practical’ and this was due to the rigidity of the instruments.

Then there were two methods of obturation technique that dentists followed. One group used silver points, as a # 25 silver point could be pushed to the working length due to its rigidity (same size gutta percha will buckle and won’t go the full length), and lateral condensation with gutta percah points. The other group followed Schilder’s technique of vertical condensation. Silver point is not the material of choice for obturation as it corrodes with time, and the vertical condensation also had its limitation since the heated gutta percha when cools, there will always be shrinkage. 

We discussed that it will be nice if the apical sizes could be enlarged and cleaned without compromising other parts of the canal system. That he was very much concerned about the cleaning and disinfection is the canal is proven by his colleague, Harold J. Levin, a professor of Endodontics at Boston University, who recalled that Dr. Schilder had stressed the importance of thoroughly cleaning out a tooth's infected interior.

Meeting another Legend

When I had the good fortune to attend a five day Endodontics course by Prof. Steve Senia in San Antonio, Texas  in 2004, I was introduced to the LightSpeed instruments which were non tapered and extremely flexible, which could finally give a biologically optimal apical preparation. Immediately I thought that Prof. Schilder would be happy to incorporate this in root canal treatment. I did not know at that time that he retired from Boston University in 2003.

Another revolution subdued

Prof. Schilder brought a revolution in Endodontics in the 60’s, and I am sure he would have helped to bring in the next revolution when non tapered, extremely flexible root canal rotary instruments became available. That was not to happen, as his health deteriorated in his later years and he died of  Lewy body disease, a brain malady, on 25 January 2006.

Those who admire and respect Prof. Schilder should appreciate he was for the progress of Science and open up their minds. Instead if we just adhere to what he propagated, which was relevant at one point in time, it will be blocking progress!

Violating your body’s rhythm

On 21^st November 2018 at around 8 pm, two days before the full moon day, I was standing with my husband on the terrace to enjoy the moon light and to absorb energy of the almost full moon. When we came down, I got this message on whatsapp, “Hi Mam, I stay a few houses down the lane from your home… I noticed that your home has no light outside..why is it like that Mam? The whole colony is lighted up and you are very spiritual...”

I asked her, “Can you imagine how the street would have looked, bathed in the cool moon light, if only they hadn’t put on those harsh artificial lights?”

We are in the solar system

Since we are in the solar system, our bodily functions are regulated by the circadian rhythm. We know the importance of endocrine glands in maintaining our health and moods. Pineal gland (third eye) is a tiny, yet very important gland that produces various hormones and chemicals that keep us healthy and functioning well. One such hormone is melatonin, which controls our body’s sleep and wake patterns.

Pineal gland has more blood flow per cubic volume than any other organ and it is bathed in highly charged cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). So it may be the gland with the highest concentration of energy in the body. Pineal gland is also the dominant source of the body’s melatonin, which is a hormone that helps regulate circadian rhythms.

Importance of Melatonin, Serotonin

Serotonin influences your mood, cognition and behavior, while melatonin influences your sleep-wake cycle.The precursor to melatonin is serotonin, a neurotransmitter that itself is derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Within the pineal gland, serotonin is acetylated and then methylated to yield melatonin.Thus, low tryptophan levels may decrease serotonin and melatonin levels, leading to detrimental effects.Tryptophan is present in most protein-based foods or dietary proteins. It is particularly plentiful in milk, dried dates, yogurt, cottage cheese, oats, eggs, fish, sesame, chickpeas, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, spirulina, and peanuts.

The pineal gland receives and interprets light and darkness signals from the eyes. Chemical messengers translate these signals into the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. 

Synthesis and secretion of melatonin is dramatically affected by light exposure to the eyes.Exposure to artificial light after dusk and before bedtime may reduce sleep quality by suppressing production of the hormone melatonin and may also have other negative health effects.

Melatonin- much more to it

Melatonin plays a role in the body's antioxidant defenses and helps regulate blood pressure, body temperature and cortisol levels, as well as sexual and immune function. The main causes of melatonin deficiency are a lack of sleep or anything that disrupts sleep e.g. shift work, late nights, jet lag, alcohol, caffeine, blood sugar imbalances, stress, exposure to light electromagnetic waves and age (some older adults produce no melatonin at all).

This hormone may also influence a wide variety of cellular processes that affect cancer and heart disease.

Increasing infertility in recent times

Melatonin also protects women’s eggs from “oxidative stress,” according to Live Science. A 2014 study found that melatonin has “strong antioxidant properties” that safeguards the egg from “free-radical damage.” Artificial light signals to the pineal gland that it’s time to be awake and causes a decrease in melatonin production, which in turn leaves a woman’s egg with less protection than normal.

Because healthy egg production is the first step to conception and a healthy pregnancy, healthy melatonin levels are crucial to fertility. In fact, poor egg quality is one of the most common causes of infertility.

In an interview with Live Science, RusselJ. Reiter, a professor of cellular biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, advised, “If women are trying to get pregnant, maintain at least eight hours of a dark period at night. The light-dark cycle should be regular from one day to the next; otherwise, a woman's biological clock is confused.

Melatonin is also essential to embryonic and fetal development. Thus, a poorly regulated circadian rhythm can have negative effects on both fertility and pregnancy.

Partying hard is damaging our lives

Late night parties at very frequent intervals can play havoc with your body. When you don't get enough sleep, your body naturally releases the stress hormone cortisol.  Too much cortisol in the body starts to break down collagen, a protein that promotes smooth skin and elasticity. Sleep deprivation also may decrease the production of the growth hormones in your body that strengthen the skin and fend off wrinkles, says Dr. David Bank, dermatologist and director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic, and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, NY, and author of Beautiful Skin – Every Woman's Guide to Looking Her Best at Any Age. Skimp on sleep and you'll lose the restorative effects that make your skin look young and healthy.

People who suffer from insomnia are found more likely to suffer from major depression than people who sleep regularly, and they are more likely to be overweight. That's probably because sleep deprivation messes with the hormones that regulate your appetite (ghrelin) and tell your brain you're full (leptin), which can lead to chronic overeating.      

Decision-making involves many parts of the brain, and when you don't give your brain enough rest, it functions at half-mast, and you'll end up making poor decisions in life. Brain spontaneously reorganizes information when you rest, which could explain why it's so much harder to focus and come up with ideas when you haven't slept. Sleep loss stresses out your body and mind in a way that causes your blood pressure to spike. Over time, this could damage your arteries, heart, kidneys, and even bring about stroke, loss of vision.

Leading life without discipline has a heavy price to pay!

Duration of daily Reiki healing

When one learns Reiki, unless daily self healing is done, it serves no purpose. Reiki balances every aspect of life, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and economical. It balances the five elements which the physical body comprises of, balances the right and left side of brain, balances the presence of people in your life to promote spiritual growth etc.,

Equivalent to daily bath

I consider Reiki healing equivalent to daily bath. A bath cleanses the body of dirt and grime. Reiki healing cleanses the mental and emotional bodies of the dirt and impurities accumulated during the day. Since we are in the solar system and our bodily functions follow the circadian rhythm, whatever we do need to be done on a daily basis.

With the rampant use of electronic media, human mind and emotional fields accumulate a lot of impurities and usually they are so much corrupted and hacked. Reiki healing just before going to sleep cleanses the system and a relaxed, rejuvenating sleep is assured. This facilitates repair of the body cells.

Reiki healing in the morning charges the body, mind and soul and fills one with enthusiasm and energy to take on the daily responsibilities with a calm and balanced mind.

Healing time for each chakra

A full body Reiki healing involves passing the healing energy to the crown chakra, and the front and back of the remaining six major chakras, that is, total of 13 points.

On an average, three minutes per chakra is the healing time recommended. Many people who learn Reiki are sensitive to the energy flow. They get sensations of heat, cold, air movement, or sort of numb feeling during the energy flow.

When the hands are kept on the chakra, energy starts to flow, it increases, reaching a peak (when the sensation will be maximum) and then it decreases and finally stops. It is like a wave. When the flow stops, hands can move to the next chakra.

Daily energy requirement varies

Daily energy requirement for all chakras is not same. If somebody had an argument with the boss, and he couldn’t answer back, which he badly wanted to, he would need more Reiki healing to the throat chakra (seat of communication) that day to bring balance.

If a close friend lets you down one day, making you very sad, you need to give more healing to the heart chakra. So each chakra point would need different amount of energy, and hence different period of healing on a daily basis. But this approach is possible only for those who are sensitive to the energy flow.

Average 3 minutes per chakra for others

Three minutes of healing per chakra is advised for others. How to do the timing of three minutes? Listening to music that rings a bell every 3 minutes is used by many.

We do not recommend any external device to help you keep the timing. The ultimate aim of Reiki healing is to reach a stage of total surrender to Reiki, which leads to oneness with the Universe.

The first step in this process is to get in touch with your body, and then your inner self. Once you get used to external guidance, you will never be able to get rid of it.

So, what is the way out?

Multiple approaches are given to people who are not sensitive to the energy flow.

1.       When your hands are at one chakra point for some time, you just feel ‘it is enough now’. Then move to the next point.

2.       On the other hand, you feel like moving to the next point, but the hands don’t feel like moving, that is an indication that more energy is needed for that particular point.

3.       Your hands are in one position for some time, then you heave a sigh- Yes, time to move to the next point.

4.       In your mind you feel that three minutes are over, without looking at the watch or anything. You can move to the next chakra.

‘I need help’

Recently, a Reiki student came with a problem. Though she knew the total Reiki healing time should be 39 minutes, she was finishing in about 5 minutes. She needed some method to time it.

I came up with this solution: I told her to find her breathing rate first. Generally people have 16 breaths (one breath= one inhalation + one exhalation) per minute. Then counting 48 breaths is 3 minutes.

With continuous Reiki practice, we have seen that the breaths become deeper and longer. So I cautioned her to check the breathing rate after two weeks and then make the necessary adjustment

Awareness of breath

 Counting the breaths is not like depending on any external device. This brings awareness of breath, which in turn leads to the awareness of your body. This is equivalent to a meditative state, which further deepens the healing, and lead you on to your spiritual path.

Intuition vs Wishful thinking

When we teach Reiki II to students, it is emphasized that intuition starts developing once Reiki self-healing progresses. If one is already intuitive, it gets a boost. Those who start getting intuitive messages for the first time, it is difficult to distinguish between intuition and wishful thinking, and it is a commonly asked question.

Birds before Tsunami

Birds and animals can sense natural calamities and they move away. Before a Tsunami when the birds are about to fly away, they are not thinking and analyzing, “Is this a wishful thinking or should we really fly away?”

Caught on radar: Thousands of birds took flight minutes before Oklahoma earthquake. 

Although scientists disagree as to whether animal behavior can be used to predict earthquakes and natural disasters, they all agree that it is possible for animals to sense changes in the environment before humans. 

Cats and dogs eating grass

I was amused as a kid when I watched our pet cat eating grass one day. Dogs are also seen eating grass once in a while. It is assumed that dogs eat grass when their stomach is irritated or upset.

Isn’t interesting that animals know what to consume to set their health right, but humans don’t? Every living being is part of Nature and they always get guidance to protect their health and lives.

Dichotomy in humans

Being intellectuals, humans have started to think they are above nature and gradually the layers of ego developed, shutting down the communication. We think we have great powers over Nature and we can manifest things through ‘Law of attraction.’

Through this thinking process, a dichotomy happened between the heart and the head. An intuition gets dropped into the heart and when one is in tune with the body and Nature, action follows immediately. When the intellect or thinking from the brain interferes, there is conflict. One is not able to differentiate whether it is an intuition or a wishful thinking.

It is not easy, but comes with practice

In the earlier stages when one is introduced into the wonderful world of intuition, it is not easy to differentiate between the two. One has to be vigilant and learn from experience. With practice you can be adept at recognizing an intuitive message and will act confidently.

There are some things that can help you in the earlier stages.

1.    When you get an intuition, your mind or innerself will be calm, not agitated.

2.    If you are able to tune into your body, scan your body from head to foot after taking five deep breaths, with closed eyes. If you feel agitation or restlessness in any part, it is a wishful thinking

3.    Close your eyes and go deep inside. Do you experience peace within, then it is an intuition.

4.    If your mind is trying to find justification to follow through, it is just a wishful thinking