Romantic love is one of the most addictive substances on Earth.

According to anthropologist Helen Fisher, there are three distinct behaviours behind mating and reproduction, known as the three stages of love:<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Lust is the innate need for sexual gratification or the sex drive to pass on one's genes.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Attraction refers to an emotional connection with someone and romantic love, where you invest your energy in a particular partner.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Attachment is the long-term commitment to be with someone that provides feelings of security, calmness and a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.</li></ol>

The Three Stages Of Love

Lust refers to the inborn need for sexual gratification or the sex drive to pass on one's genes. It is about finding as many partners as possible to pass on your genes. Another word for this is libido, which comes from Latin and means "desire."Various factors influence a person's sexual motivation:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Cultural factors, such as upbringing, parents' views, circle of friends, and the media one is exposed to.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Psychological factors, such as stress, trauma, and thoughts about one's body image.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Biological factors, such as age, genetics, and hormone levels, can affect sex drive.</li></ul>

Stage 1: Lust

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The hypothalamus in the brain controls the sex drive. During puberty, the hypothalamus communicates with the pituitary gland, which in turn communicates with the testicles in males and ovaries in females.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This leads to the release of hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen, which increase the sex drive. Testosterone is also crucial in women.</li></ul>

Lust And The Brain

Attraction refers to an emotional connection with someone and romantic love, where you invest your energy in a particular partner.Conscious and unconscious factors play a role:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Physical attraction is related to a person's health and fertility. Other positive characteristics are also attributed to attractive people (halo effect).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The mere-exposure effect states that the more often we see people, the more we like and desire them.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Similarities also play a role.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Women can smell genetic differences and men can smell women ovulating.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">A deeper voice can signal to women that a man has more testosterone.</li></ul>

Stage 2: Attraction

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) is rich in dopaminergic neurons that release dopamine (pleasure, motivation, pursuit of fun things).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The VTA communicates with the nucleus accumbens (pleasure) and the prefrontal cortex (planning, decision-making).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">During the attraction phase, novelty and euphoria play a role: Novelty leads to a surge of dopamine, while euphoria is associated with noradrenaline.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">There is a decrease in serotonin levels, which can lead to obsession and rumination.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The prefrontal cortex and amygdala are deactivated, which can lead to poor decisions and overlooking negative traits.</li></ul>

Attraction And The Brain

Attachment is the long-term commitment to be with someone that provides feelings of security, calm and a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol. Another term for this phase, from Robert Sternberg's theories of love, is companionate love.There are a few reasons why people are monogamous in the first place:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">If the male is present, he can protect the child from predators.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">It's easier to be with a mate than to constantly fight for a mate.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Females needed more space to find more food, which forced males to spread out as well (spacing effect theory)</li></ul>

Stage 3: Attachment

The following hormones are responsible for bonding in the brain:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Oxytocin, also known as the cuddle hormone, is released during bonding, birth and orgasm.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Vasopressin is also involved in cuddling and bonding.</li></ul>Genetics also play a role.

Attachment And The Brain

An introduction to the psychology and neurobiology of love.

What is Love?!

In this video, Dr. Kushner examines three distinct, but interrelated brain circuits and behaviors surrounding love: lust, attraction, and attachment. These specific behaviors are based on the research of Anthropologist, Helen Fisher (https://helenfisher.com/).

Sources:
https://www.helenfisher.com/downloads/articles/14defining.pdf
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17118931/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7108710/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1088671/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41062200

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✅TIME STAMP:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 Lust
04:02 Brain circuitry of lust
06:11 Attraction
07:04 What makes someone attractive?
12:52 Brain circuitry of attraction
18:29 Attachment
19:22 Monogamy and evolutionary advantages 
22:05 Brain circuitry of attachment

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Psych Explained

What is Love? The Science Behind Lust, Attraction, and Attachment

Defining pseudoscience is difficult. Popper introduced the Falsifiability Criterion, which states that a statement can be considered pseudoscientific if it does not make falsifiable predictions that can be proven false, ultimately refuting the theory.A common example of pseudoscience is astrology, which attempts to predict one's life using vague descriptions that could apply to almost anyone in any circumstance.

What Is Pseudoscience?

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Many things considered to be pseudoscientific are not included in Popper's definition.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sometimes scientists reject the falsification of a theory for good reasons, as was the case with Newtonian mechanics and the discovery of Uranus.</li></ul>

Problems With Popper's Definition

"It seems the problem isn't necessarily that the statements are unfalsifiable but how people react to the statement's falsification. Do they accept it or do they unjustifiably reject it?"

The philosophers John Dupré and Mimo Puchi argue that pseudoscience can be thought of as a cluster concept, in which different pseudosciences fulfill different criteria to a greater or lesser extent.Martin Manner has proposed a set of criteria for determining whether something is a pseudoscience, such as whether the results of experiments can be independently reproduced, whether the theories make specific predictions, and whether they use valid argumentative structures.

The Cluster Concept

Epistemically closed groups ignore or invalidate alternative perspectives or evidence that contradict their beliefs.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">They favor people that share their ideas and show low tolerance of dissenting opinions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Statements or ideas are less critically scrutinized within the group and they have many taboo subjects. They cling to their beliefs despite new evidence refuting them.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">They follow authorities.</li></ul>

Closed Epistemic Groups

"The point is not that epistemic closeness is undesirable, but rather the reasons why it is closed to certain things and certain ideas is important."

A parasocial relationship is a one-sided bond with a person you regularly see online, such as an influencer.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">They can alleviate loneliness, but can also become inappropriate.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Influencers use authenticity and self-revelation to build trust. Trust can lead followers to view the influencer's advice as reliable, even in areas without expertise.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The emotional connection can lead to loyalty and defence of the influencer against criticism, which can contribute to the epistemic cohesion of the community.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Parasocial relationships can foster strong loyalties that suppress potentially dissenting opinions.</li></ul>

Parasocial Relationships

Cults represent an extreme example of epistemic closure. In cults, believers are encouraged to cut off friends and family who do not join and preemptively discredit evidence that contradicts the cult's beliefs.Influencers and social media can unintentionally promote epistemically closed systems through the formation of parasocial relationships.The isolation of dissenters in the digital space can lead to a strengthening of extreme opinions. A strong sense of belonging in online groups, including conspiracy groups, can also contribute to epistemic closure.

Cults & Social Media

Efforts are needed to open up epistemically closed groups. Important strategies are:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Strict scrutiny of ideas for precision, logic and reasoning.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Willingness to revise old ideas in the light of new findings.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Promoting a free and open exchange of ideas without fear of consequences.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoidance of political motivation in hypotheses.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Unbiased evaluation of research findings.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Questioning the reasons for trusting authorities.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Examination of taboo subjects and their reasons.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Active engagement with dissenters.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Strengthening awareness of peer pressure.</li></ul>

How To Open Up Closed Epistemic Groups

"It is not enough to dismiss pseudo scientists or cultists as fools, some extremely clever people have fallen into one or both of these camps. I think it is more fruitful to look at how these unreliable beliefs are proposed and maintained despite consistent evidence to the contrary and to avoid these social structures both in our own lives and in our societies."

‘Unsolicited Advice’ talks about pseudoscience, cults and the role social media plays in this.

Go to https://ground.news/unsolicited to understand how different perspectives shape our worldview. Save 40% on the Ground News unlimited access Vantage plan with my link.

Pseudoscience, Cults, and misinformation go hand in hand. But how do these communities come to be, and how are they so effective at spreading nonsense? Well, today let's find out. And let's discover the worrying way these dynamics are mirrored on social media and our everyday lives.

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Wisecrack Video: https://youtu.be/7LJyvmRn864?si=ukmTKVNo-4MmW3ss

Some sources on the disputes around echo chambers:
https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.06631
https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.09603
https://www.rcommunicationr.org/index.php/rcr/article/view/16
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10388309

00:00 Pseudoscience and Misinformation
03:30 Pseudoscience: A Brief Introduction
12:45 Cults and Epistemology
20:15 Influencers and Social Media
30:19 Knowledge, Truth, and Communities

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Unsolicited advice

Pseudoscience, Cults, and Social Media: Misinformation in the Modern Age

"And he came back after an hour, he came back after two hours, looked through the small window, saw Siddhartha standing, in the moon light, by the light of the stars, in the darkness."

Lesson 1: Patience

"A goal stood before Siddhartha, a single goal: to become empty, empty of thirst, empty of wishing, empty of dreams, empty of joy and sorrow. Dead to himself, not to be a self any more, to find tranquility with an emptied heart, to be open to miracles in unselfish thoughts, that was his goal. Once all of my self was overcome and had died, once every desire and every urge was silent in the heart, then the ultimate part of me had to awake, the innermost of my being, which is no longer my self, the great secret."

Lesson 2: Letting Go Of The Self

"What is meditation? What is leaving one’s body? What is fasting? What is holding one’s breath? It is fleeing from the self, it is a short escape of the agony of being a self, it is a short numbing of the senses against the pain and the pointlessness of life."

Lesson 3: Meditation

"It took me a long time and am not finished learning this yet, oh Govinda: that there is nothing to be learned! There is indeed no such thing, so I believe, as what we refer to as ‘learning’. There is, oh my friend, just one knowledge, this is everywhere, this is Atman, this is within me and within you and within every creature. And so I’m starting to believe that this knowledge has no worser enemy than the desire to know it, than learning."

Lesson 4: Learning

"[Salvation] has come to you in the course of your own search, on your own path, through thoughts, through meditation, through realizations, through enlightenment. It has not come to you by means of teachings! [...] nobody will obtain salvation by means of teachings! You will not be able to convey and say to anybody [...] in words and through teachings what has happened to you in the hour of enlightenment! [...] This is why I am continuing my travels—not to seek other, better teachings, for I know there are none, but to depart from all teachings and all teachers and to reach my goal by myself"

Lesson 5: Finding Your Own Path

"It was the self, the purpose and essence of which I sought to learn. It was the self, I wanted to free myself from, which I sought to overcome. But I was not able to overcome it, could only deceive it, could only flee from it, only hide from it. Truly, no thing in this world has kept my thoughts thus busy, as this my very own self, this mystery of me being alive, of me being one and being separated and isolated from all others, of me being Siddhartha! And there is no thing in this world I know less about than about me, about Siddhartha!"

Lesson 6: Knowing Yourself

"I do not want to kill and dissect myself any longer, to find a secret behind the ruins. Neither Yoga-Veda shall teach me any more, nor Atharva-Veda, nor the ascetics, nor any kind of teachings. I want to learn from myself, want to be my student, want to get to know myself, the secret of Siddhartha."

Lesson 7: Being Your Own Student

"He looked around, as if he was seeing the world for the first time. Beautiful was the world, colourful was the world, strange and mysterious was the world! Here was blue, here was yellow, here was green, the sky and the river flowed, the forest and the mountains were rigid, all of it was beautiful, all of it was mysterious and magical, and in its midst was he, Siddhartha, the awakening one, on the path to himself. […] The purpose and the essential properties were not somewhere behind the things, they were in them, in everything."

Lesson 8: The Purpose Of Everything

"When someone reads a text, wants to discover its meaning, he will not scorn the symbols and letters and call them deceptions, coincidence, and worthless hull, but he will read them, he will study and love them, letter by letter."

Lesson 9: Looking Deeper

"Both, the thoughts as well as the senses, were pretty things, the ultimate meaning was hidden behind both of them, both had to be listened to, both had to be played with, both neither had to be scorned nor overestimated, from both the secret voices of the innermost truth had to be attentively perceived. He wanted to strive for nothing, except for what the voice commanded him to strive for, dwell on nothing, except where the voice would advise him to do so. [...] To obey like this, not to an external command, only to the voice, to be ready like this, this was good, this was necessary [...]"

Lesson 10: Listening To Yourself

"[A] very beautiful river, I love it more than anything. Often I have listened to it, often I have looked into its eyes, and always I have learned from it. Much can be learned from a river. […] This too, I have learned from the river: everything is coming back! You too, Samana, will come back."

Lesson 11: Coming Back

"[L]ove can be obtained by begging, buying, receiving it as a gift, finding it in the street, but it cannot be stolen."

Lesson 12: Love

"This is how it is when Siddhartha has a goal [...]. Siddhartha does nothing, he waits, he thinks, he fasts, but he passes through the things of the world like a rock through water, without doing anything, without stirring; he is drawn, he lets himself fall. His goal attracts him, because he doesn’t let anything enter his soul which might oppose the goal. [...] This is what fools call magic and of which they think it would be effected by means of the daemons. [...] Everyone can perform magic, everyone can reach his goals, if he is able to think, if he is able to wait, if he is able to fast."

Lesson 13: Reaching A Goal

"She taught him, that lovers must not part from one another after celebrating love, without one admiring the other, without being just as defeated as they have been victorious, so that none of them should start feeling fed up or bored and get that evil feeling of having abused or having been abused."

Lesson 14: Admiring Each Other

"Too much knowledge had held him back [...] so much doing and striving for that goal! Full of arrogance, he had been [...]. Into this spirituality, his self had retreated, there it sat firmly and grew, while he thought he would kill it by fasting and penance. Now he saw it and saw that the secret voice had been right, that no teacher would ever have been able to bring about his salvation. Therefore, he had to go out into the world, lose himself to lust and power, to woman and money, [...] until Siddhartha the lustful, Siddhartha the greedy could also die."

Lesson 15: Embracing Your Path

"This was among the ferryman’s virtues one of the greatest: like only a few, he knew how to listen. Without him having spoken a word, the speaker sensed how Vasudeva let his words enter his mind, quiet, open, waiting, how he did not lose a single one, awaited not a single one with impatience, did not add his praise or rebuke, was just listening. Siddhartha felt, what a happy fortune it is, to confess to such a listener, to bury in his heart his own life, his own search, his own suffering."

Lesson 16: The Art Of Listening

"The river has taught me to listen, from it you will learn it as well. It knows everything, the river, everything can be learned from it.""But more than Vasudeva could teach him, he was taught by the river. Incessantly, he learned from it. Most of all, he learned from it to listen, to pay close attention with a quiet heart, with a waiting, opened soul, without passion, without a wish, without judgement, without an opinion."

Lesson 17: Learning From Nature

"Oh, was not all suffering time, were not all forms of tormenting oneself and being afraid time, was not everything hard, everything hostile in the world gone and overcome as soon as one had overcome time, as soon as time would have been put out of existence by one’s thoughts?"

Lesson 18: Time And Suffering

"And time after time, his smile became more similar to the ferryman’s, became almost just as bright, almost just as thoroughly glowing with bliss […]. There was something about this ferry and the two ferrymen which was transmitted to others, which many of the travellers felt. […] The curious people asked many questions, but they got no answers, and they found neither sorcerers nor wise men, they only found two friendly little old men, who seemed to be mute and to have become a bit strange and gaga."

Lesson 19: The Enlightened Smile

"For a long time he knew that there was nothing standing between Gotama and him any more, though he was still unable to accept his teachings. No, there was no teaching a truly searching person, someone who truly wanted to find, could accept. But he who had found, he could approve of any teachings, every path, every goal, there was nothing standing between him and all the other thousand any more who lived in that what is eternal, who breathed what is divine."

Lesson 20: Wisdom

"Kamala never stopped looking into his eyes. She thought about her pilgrimage to Gotama, which she wanted to take, in order to see the face of the perfected one, to breathe his peace, and she thought that she had now found him in his place, and that it was good, just as good, as if she had seen the other one."

Lesson 21: Divinity Is Everywhere

"[…] and the feeling of this both being present and at the same time real, the feeling of eternity, completely filled every aspect of his being. Deeply he felt, more deeply than ever before, in this hour, the indestructibility of every life, the eternity of every moment."

Lesson 22: Eternity

"'I sat here, I was listening to the river. A lot it has told me, deeply it has filled me with the healing thought, with the thought of oneness.' 'You’ve experienced suffering, Siddhartha, but I see: no sadness has entered your heart.' 'No, my dear, how should I be sad? I, who have been rich and happy, have become even richer and happier now. My son has been given to me.'"

Lesson 23: Happiness

"Kamala has died on the same bed on which my wife had died a long time ago. Let us also build Kamala’s funeral pile on the same hill on which I had then built my wife’s funeral pile."

Lesson 24: Honouring The Dead

"You don’t force him, don’t beat him, don’t give him orders, because you know that ‘soft’ is stronger than ‘hard’, water stronger than rocks, love stronger than force. [...] Don’t you shackle him with your love? Don’t you make him feel inferior every day, and don’t you make it even harder on him with your kindness and patience? Don’t you force him [...] to live in a hut with two old banana-eaters, to whom even rice is a delicacy, whose thoughts can’t be his, whose hearts are old and quiet and beat in a different pace than his? Isn’t he forced, isn’t he punished by all this?"

Lesson 25: When Love Is Too Much

"Which father, which teacher had been able to protect him from living his life for himself, from soiling himself with life, from burdening himself with guilt, from drinking the bitter drink for himself, from finding his path for himself? Would you think, my dear, anybody might perhaps be spared from taking this path? That perhaps your little son would be spared, because you love him, because you would like to keep him from suffering and pain and disappointment? But even if you would die ten times for him, you would not be able to take the slightest part of his destiny upon yourself."

Lesson 26: Protecting Someone

"But now, since his son was here, now he, Siddhartha, had also become completely a childlike person, suffering for the sake of another person, loving another person, lost to a love, having become a fool on account of love. Now he too felt, late, once in his lifetime, this strongest and strangest of all passions, suffered from it, suffered miserably, and was nevertheless in bliss, was nevertheless renewed in one respect, enriched by one thing."

Lesson 27: The Feeling Of Love

"But him, you shall let run along, my friend, he is no child any more, he knows how to get around. He’s looking for the path to the city, and he is right, don’t forget that. He’s doing what you’ve failed to do yourself. He’s taking care of himself, he’s taking his course. Alas, Siddhartha, I see you suffering, but you’re suffering a pain at which one would like to laugh, at which you’ll soon laugh for yourself."

Lesson 28: Letting Your Children Go

"Siddhartha realised that his desire was foolish, which had made him go up to this place, that he could not help his son, that he was not allowed to cling to him. Deeply, he felt the love for the run-away in his heart, like a wound, and he felt at the same time that this wound had not been given to him in order to turn the knife in it, that it had to become a blossom and had to shine."

Lesson 29: Loving Someone From Afar

"From this petrified state, he was awoken by a hand touching his shoulder. Instantly, he recognised this touch, this tender, bashful touch, and regained his senses. He rose and greeted Vasudeva, who had followed him. And when he looked into Vasudeva’s friendly face, into the small wrinkles, which were as if they were filled with nothing but his smile, into the happy eyes, then he smiled too. Now he saw the bananas lying in front of him, picked them up, gave one to the ferryman, ate the other one himself."

Lesson 30: Support

"Though he was near perfection and was bearing his final wound, it still seemed to him as if those childlike people were his brothers, their vanities, desires for possession, and ridiculous aspects were no longer ridiculous to him, became understandable, became lovable, even became worthy of veneration to him."

Lesson 31: Loving Everything

"[...] there was nothing the knowledgeable one, the thinker, had to put him above them except for one little thing, a single, tiny, small thing: the consciousness, the conscious thought of the oneness of all life. And Siddhartha even doubted in many an hour, whether this knowledge, this thought was to be valued thus highly [...]. In all other respects, the worldly people were of equal rank to the wise men, were often far superior to them, just as animals too can, after all, in some moments, seem to be superior to humans in their tough, unrelenting performance of what is necessary."

Lesson 32: Noone Is Above Or Below You

"Slowly blossomed, slowly ripened in Siddhartha the realisation, the knowledge, what wisdom actually was, what the goal of his long search was. It was nothing but a readiness of the soul, an ability, a secret art, to think every moment, while living his life, the thought of oneness, to be able to feel and inhale the oneness. Slowly this blossomed in him, was shining back at him from Vasudeva’s old, childlike face: harmony, knowledge of the eternal perfection of the world, smiling, oneness."

Lesson 33: Oneness

"[...] he remembered how he [...] had forced his father to let him go to the penitents, [...] how he had gone and had never come back. Had his father not also suffered the same pain for him, which he now suffered for his son? Had his father not long since died, alone, without having seen his son again? Did he not have to expect the same fate for himself? Was it not a comedy, a strange and stupid matter, this repetition, this running around in a fateful circle?""[...] everything came back, which had not been suffered and solved up to its end, the same pain was suffered over and over again."

Lesson 34: Suffering

"Siddhartha felt more and more that this was no longer Vasudeva, no longer a human being who was listening to him, that this motionless listener was absorbing his confession into himself like a tree the rain, that this motionless man was the river itself, that he was God himself, that he was the eternal itself. [...] He felt, that he was now seeing old Vasudeva as the people see the gods, and that this could not last; in his heart, he started bidding his farewell to Vasudeva."

Lesson 35: Experiencing Enlightenment

"And everything together, all voices, all goals, all yearning, all suffering, all pleasure, all that was good and evil, all of this together was the world. All of it together was the flow of events, was the music of life. [...] this song of a thousand voices, when he neither listened to the suffering nor the laughter, when he did not tie his soul to any particular voice and submerged his self into it, but when he heard them all, perceived the whole, the oneness, then the great song of the thousand voices consisted of a single word, which was Om: the perfection."

Lesson 36: Om

"His wound blossomed, his suffering was shining, his self had flown into the oneness. In this hour, Siddhartha stopped fighting his fate, stopped suffering. On his face flourished the cheerfulness of a knowledge, which is no longer opposed by any will, which knows perfection, which is in agreement with the flow of events, with the current of life, full of sympathy for the pain of others, full of sympathy for the pleasure of others, devoted to the flow, belonging to the oneness."

Lesson 37: Oneness

"When someone is searching, [...] then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that he is unable to find anything, to let anything enter his mind, because he always thinks of nothing but the object of his search, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed by the goal. Searching means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal. You, oh venerable one, are perhaps indeed a searcher, because, striving for your goal, there are many things you don’t see, which are directly in front of your eyes."

Lesson 38: Searching And Finding

"[W]isdom cannot be passed on. Wisdom which a wise man tries to pass on to someone always sounds like foolishness.""Knowledge can be conveyed, but not wisdom. It can be found, it can be lived, it is possible to be carried by it, miracles can be performed with it, but it cannot be expressed in words and taught."

Lesson 39: Knowledge Vs. Wisdom

"The opposite of every truth is just as true! [...] any truth can only be expressed and put into words when it is one-sided. Everything is one-sided which can be thought with thoughts and said with words [...] A person is never entirely holy or entirely sinful. It does really seem like this, because we are subject to deception, as if time was something real. Time is not real [...] And if time is not real, then the gap which seems to be between the world and the eternity, between suffering and blissfulness, between evil and good, is also a deception."

Lesson 40: Deception

"The sinner, which I am and which you are, is a sinner, but in times to come he will be Brahma again, he will reach the Nirvana, will be Buddha—and now see: these ‘times to come’ are a deception, are only a parable! [...] No, within the sinner is now and today already the future Buddha, his future is already all there, you have to worship in him, in you, in everyone the Buddha [...] All sin already carries the divine forgiveness in itself, all small children already have the old person in themselves, all infants already have death, all dying people the eternal life."

Lesson 41: Perfection Is In Everything

"In deep meditation, there is the possibility to put time out of existence, to see all life which was, is, and will be as if it was simultaneous, and there everything is good, everything is perfect, everything is Brahman. Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as it is [...]."

Lesson 42: Everything Exists Simultaneously

"I have experienced on my body and on my soul that I needed sin very much, I needed lust, the desire for possessions, vanity, and needed the most shameful despair, in order to learn how to give up all resistance, in order to learn how to love the world, in order to stop comparing it to some world I wished, I imagined, some kind of perfection I had made up, but to leave it as it is and to love it and to enjoy being a part of it."

Lesson 43: Everything Happens For A Reason

"Deeply, he bowed, touching the ground, before him who was sitting motionlessly, whose smile reminded him of everything he had ever loved in his life, what had ever been valuable and holy to him in his life."

Lesson 44: Seeing Perfection

A collection of my favourite quotes and lessons from the book – although no number of quotes could ever fully capture the magic of this inspiring masterpiece.

The classic novel of a quest for knowledge that has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers—a perennial favorite for graduation gifts. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Though set in a place and time far removed from the Germany of 1922, the year of the book’s debut, the novel is infused with the sensibilities of Hermann Hesse’s time, synthesizing disparate philosophies–Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism–into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man’s search for meaning. It is the story of the quest of Siddhartha, a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege and comfort to seek spiritual fulfillment and wisdom. On his journey, Siddhartha encounters wandering ascetics, Buddhist monks, and successful merchants, as well as a courtesan named Kamala and a simple ferryman who has attained enlightenment. Traveling among these people and experiencing life’s vital passages–love, work, friendship, and fatherhood–Siddhartha discovers that true knowledge is guided from within.

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

mindfulness

Mindfulness

books

Books

meditation

Meditation

Many works, including Siddhartha (1922) and Steppenwolf (1927), of German-born Swiss writer Hermann Hesse concern the struggle of the individual to find wholeness and meaning in life; he won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1946.Other best-known works of this poet, novelist, and painter include The Glass Bead Game, which, also known as Magister Ludi, explore a search of an individual for spirituality outside society. In his time, Hesse was a popular and influential author in the German-speaking world; worldwide fame only came later. 

Hermann Hesse

Siddhartha

Your skin consists of three layers:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Epidermis: The outermost layer provides a waterproof barrier and consists of several sublayers.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Dermis: It contains connective tissues, hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, and nerve endings for heat detection, etc. It also includes collagen fibers for strength, elasticity, and nutrition.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Hypodermis (Subcutaneous Tissue): It consists of fat and connective tissues that determine the thickness of the skin and that protect underlying muscles.</li></ul>

Skin Anatomy

Skin Cancer:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Sun exposure can cause skin cancer; however, skin cancer is not the most deadly cancer. Skin cancer is also determined by your genetics and DNA mutations in your family.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">There are many types of skin cancer, and it is best to have moles, areas of pimples, or acne checked by a dermatologist. You should see one at least once a year.</li></ul>Skin Ageing:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">UV light changes the DNA and its expression, disrupting collagen production and thus ageing the skin.</li></ul>Sunburn:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">There is no direct relationship between sunburns leading to skin cancer. Also, skin ageing is accelerated even without a sunburn.</li></ul>

Risks of Sun Exposure

Some sun exposure is good!<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">It can increase testosterone and estrogen, resulting in better mood or higher libido.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">It gives you a good feeling: Less stress, more energy (and hence more movement) etc.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sunlight early in the morning helps with sleeping well and is good for the circadian rhythm.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">It can increase life expectancy, but the relationship between these two is not clear, as the factors mentioned above might interfere.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sunlight gives you Vitamin D - and yes, even when wearing sunscreen! However, Vitamin D supplementation can be a good idea in areas with only a little sunlight.</li></ul>

Benefits of Sun Exposure & Vitamin D

Sunscreen helps protect the skin from skin cancer and skin aging.<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Physical protection is good such wearing hats or clothes.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">High UV should be avoided.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Mineral sunscreen includes, for instance, zinc oxide that reflects UV light back.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Organic/chemical sunscreen absorbs sunlight. Some chemicals in it are of concern and might disrupt the endocrine system but it also depends on the amounts used. Children under the age of 6 months should not use chemical sunscreen.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">My opinion, based on various sources, is that not wearing sunscreen is far more dangerous than wearing it.</li></ul>

Sun Protection and Sunscreens

These ingredients can be used as supplements or in skin care products:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Collagen is found in lots of foods and makes your skin look youthful!</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Vitamin C.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Peptides, BPC-157, Copper.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Niacinamide increases moisture, can help with rosacea, acne, and clogged pores.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the skin and provides a barrier for moisture.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Retinol/Retinoids/Tretinoids/Vitamin A can induce the formation of collagen and is the most effective incredient! But be careful: It should be avoided when pregnant and it can increase sensitivity to light and cause redness or dryness.</li></ul>

Increase Skin Beauty

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Get enough sleep.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid harmful substances: No alcohol, smoking, vaping or nicotine.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Stay hydrated: Drink enough water and electrolytes.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Reduce stress: Find ways to manage stress like exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Consider photo therapy: Red light therapy can promote collagen production and reduce inflammation. Consult a dermatologist for professional treatments.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Maintain good hygiene: Take a shower and cleanse after exercising; remove makeup before bed to prevent clogged pores.</li></ul>

Lifestyle Habits For Healthy Skin

Improve your diet:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Eat whole foods and proteins for essential nutrients.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid highly processed foods that can cause inflammation and skin issues.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Eat foods that are good for the gut microbiome like sauerkraut and pickles.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Incorporate collagen and vitamin C-rich foods for skin elasticity.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, especially red and orange ones.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid excess sugar, as it can cause premature aging and acne.</li></ul>

Nutrition

Acne:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">It results from a buildup of sebum around the hair follicles. Androgens (such as testosterone) increase sebum production, making acne common during puberty.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Insulin and glucose can also contribute to acne, so it is important to avoid inflammatory foods.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Do not over-cleanse! Cleansing twice a day with unscented washing lotion and lukewarm water is enough.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Do not pop pimples.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use salicylic acid.</li></ul>Rosacea:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Redness and inflammation are common symptoms of rosacea.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid consuming alcohol and anything that can cause heat, such as spicy foods.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Remember to use sunscreen and moisturizer.</li></ul>

Special Skin Conditions

Dr. Andrew Huberman shares knowledge on how to keep your skin healthy and beautiful. Remember to consult a doctor whenever noticing or making any drastic changes.

In this episode, I discuss skin health appearance and why both are important indicators of the health status of your immune system, gut microbiome, and other organ systems. I explain why sunlight is essential for skin and hormone health and how excessive sunlight can accelerate skin aging and cause certain skin cancers. I discuss the different types of sunscreens (physical, chemical, and mineral-based) and potential health concerns of the chemicals found in some (but not all) sunscreens.

I also discuss the importance of getting your skin (and not just moles) checked for pre-cancerous and cancer growths, the role of nutrition and lifestyle factors that improve skin health and appearance, and how to improve your skin by reducing local and systemic inflammation and supporting your microbiome. 

I explain what works to improve your skin's youthfulness and appearance, including reducing wrinkles, sagging, and pore size. I review the data on ingesting (or topically applied) collagen, vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinol, and what is known about the use of peptides (e.g., BPC-157, copper peptides) and red and far-red light phototherapies for improving skin health and appearance.

I also discuss the causes of acne, rosacea, and psoriasis and explain nutritional, skin care, and prescription-based approaches to treating these common skin conditions. 

This episode ought to help everyone better understand the biology of the skin and help them make the best possible decisions for their skin health, care, and appearance according to age, goals, and current skin conditions.

Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, books, people mentioned, and additional resources: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-improve-skin-health-appearance

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Skin Health
00:02:59 Sponsors: Joovv, BetterHelp & ROKA 
00:07:18 Skin Biology, Skin Layers
00:12:40 Sun Exposure, UV Light & Skin Cancers; Sunscreen
00:19:51 Aging, Sun Exposure, Skin Cancers, Physical Barriers
00:27:24 Sunburn & Skin Cancers
00:30:09 Sponsor: AG1
00:31:58 Vitamin D, Sun Exposure & Sunscreen
00:36:50 Organic (Chemical) Sunscreen & Inorganic (Mineral-Based) Sunscreen
00:49:20 Skin Cancers, Moles, Laser Resurfacing
00:53:59 Sponsor: LMNT
00:55:34 Sun Exposure, Melanoma & Life Expectancy
01:03:13 Tool: Youthful Skin, Collagen & Vitamin C
01:12:55 Peptides, BPC-157, Copper
01:20:58 Tool: Niacinamide (Nicotinamide), Youthful Skin, Dark Spots, Hyaluronic Acid
01:26:25 Tool: Retinol (Retin-A, Tretinoin, Retinyl Esters), Youthful Skin
01:33:07 Tool: Phototherapy, Youthful Skin, Treating Skin Conditions
01:41:10 Tool: Nutrition for Skin Health, Anti-Inflammatory Diets
01:47:54 Highly Processed Foods, Advanced Glycation End Products & Skin Health
01:52:08 Tools: Reduce Inflammation: Gut Microbiome, Sleep, Alcohol, Smoking, Stress
01:58:58 Acne, Hormones & Insulin; Tool: Low Glycemic Diet, Dairy
02:07:26 Tools: Face Cleansing & Acne; Scarring & Popping Pimples
02:13:29 Tool: Treating Rosacea, Alcohol, Skin Care, Nutrition
02:18:31 Stubborn Rosacea, Over Cleansing, Pulsed Dye Laser
02:21:04 Psoriasis Treatment, Immune System & Prescriptions
02:25:24 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #Health #SkinHealth

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

fashion

Fashion & Beauty

health

Health

habits

Habits

Welcome to the official Huberman Lab YouTube channel. 

The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.

Huberman Lab is frequently ranked in the Top 15 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of science, education, and health and fitness.


Andrew Huberman

How to Improve Skin Health & Appearance

Something that science has been confirming to us, and something that people often learn in therapy, is that we have more power to influence our emotions as we thought we have.

Our mood is not only influenced by our thoughts – yes, they might contribute to a low mood but they are not the only influence. Our mood is mainly made up by our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and our behaviour.It is hard to notice them separately but that it is exactly what we can do to deal with low mood: Break down how you feel into what thoughts you have, what emotions you feel, what your senses experience and how you were and are behaving. Then, you can pick one or a few of these things and change them.

Understanding Low Mood

When we experience low mood, it may have been influenced by several factors from our internal and external world, but when we understand what those influences are, we can use that knowledge to shift it in the direction we want it to go.

When dealing with mood, it is essential to remember that it is not all in your head. It’s also in your body state, your relationships, your past and present, your living conditions and lifestyle. It’s in everything you do and don’t do, in your diet and your thoughts, your movements and memories. How you feel is not simply a product of your brain.

We can’t just press a button and produce our desired set of emotions for the day. But we do know that how we feel is closely intertwined with the state of our body, the thoughts we spend time with and our actions. Those other parts of our experience are the ones that we can influence and change.

We often spiral into even more negative mood states because when feeling low, we often lack the energy to perform our favourite activities that delight us. Hence, after a certain period of time, we end up feeling worse. Engaging in activities that give us instant relief, such as scrolling through social media, are just as harmful.Reflect on how you deal with certain emotions and whether or not these coping strategies are actually helpful.

Breaking Low Mood Cycles

Thoughts influence our mood and our mood influences our thoughts, which is why we are even more prone to biased thinking when feeling low:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Mind-reading: Making assumptions about thoughts and feelings of other people.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Egocentric thinking: Thinking that everyone shares the same values etc. as you do and judging based on that assumption.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Emotional reasoning: Thinking that because you feel a certain way, it must be true.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Musts/shoulds: Having unrealistic expectations.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">All-or-nothing thinking: Thinking in extremes.</li></ul>

Thought Biases

Reflect on past moments that were good or bad. Do you recognise any of these biases?By reflecting on past moments regularly, with times it becomes easier to notice thought biases in the very moment they occur. With that comes the power to recognise that they are not facts but simply biases – they might not be true. You don’t have to find an answer, in fact, there might not even be one, so learn to be okay with not knowing.

Dealing With Thought Biases

“If we can acknowledge that each of our thoughts presents just one possible idea among many, then we open ourselves up to the possibility of considering others.”

It is almost impossible to control what thoughts arrive at your brain, but you can control how much attention you give them. Trying not to think about something is counterproductive. Instead, choose how long you want to stay with each thought.Metacognition (thinking about thinking) helps to create distance between you and your thoughts. With that, you can analyse them and think of where you would rather want them to go.When noticing any thought spirals and rumination, say stop, get up and move around a little. Practicing mindfulness and gratitude help with moving your attention consciously.

Controlling Your Thougths

Dr. Julie Smith offers tools and knowledge from therapy to deal with emotions and life circumstances effectively, covering a huge variety of topics such as stress, confidence, low mood, anxiety, motivation, relationships etc.

International bestseller "Smart, insightful, and warm. Dr. Julie is both the expert and wise friend we all need." -Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and co-host of the "Dear Therapists" podcast? Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, online sensation Dr Julie Smith provides the skills you need to navigate common life challenges and take charge of your emotional and mental health in her debut book. Filled with secrets from a therapist's toolkit, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before teaches you how to fortify and maintain your mental health, even in the most trying of times. Dr Julie Smith's expert advice and powerful coping techniques will help you stay resilient, whether you want to manage anxiety, deal with criticism, cope with depression, build self-confidence, find motivation, or learn to forgive yourself. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before tackles everyday issues and offers practical solutions in bite-sized, easy-to-digest entries which make it easy to quickly find specific information and guidance. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Packed with proven strategies, Dr. Julie's empathetic guide offers a deeper understanding of how your mind works and gives you the insights and help you need to nurture your mental health every day. Wise and practical, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before might just change your life.

What is Love? The Science Behind Lust, Attraction, and Attachment

Pseudoscience, Cults, and Social Media: Misinformation in the Modern Age

Siddhartha

How to Improve Skin Health & Appearance

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

S K