ageless body and timeless mind - Seminar Report

SEMINAR organized by Current Books and conducted by Ekkentros Forum on 25-9-09(Friday)

Venue: Currenr Books Premises, Thalassery.
Participants Present: Sri K.V.Kunhikrishnan, IRS(Retd), Chairman of the Forum,
Dr. Babu Ravindran, Prof. P.M.Sankarankutty, Dr. K.P.Thomas, Dr. Md.Abdulla, Prof. Mohanan Nair, all members of the Forum,
Sri. K.P.Kunhikrishnan Nair,
Mrs. Shobha Rajagopal Menon, Principal(Retd), St.Kabir High School, Ahemedabad.
Prof. Richard Hay, Member of the Forum arrived late as he was held up in his college. His paper is, however, added as an appendix.
Subject: Ageless Body and Timeless Mind

The function started with Sri Biju, Manager of the Tellicherry Branch of Current Books welcoming the members of the Ekkentros Forum, other participants, and the gathering. He then invited the chairman of the forum Sri K.V.Kunhikrishnan to conduct and moderate the seminar.

Sri. Kunhikrishnan: We are here today to participate in a seminar. The time available is very much limited. Usually a seminar will last for a whole day from ten to five. But here we have only two and a half hours for about twelve people to present papers or to speak. Therefore the time for each to present his papers and to explain his point briefly will be only eight to ten minutes. Those who are only speaking may take not more than five minutes, and those who have not so far given their names, may take only three minutes.
The language used can be English, Malayalam, or both.
Any arguments and controversies should be avoided. Each puts forward his point of view which may freely differ from any other point of view. In this regard it would be proper to bear in mind the invocation of the Forum, which I shall read out now.
Ekkentros Forum is a discussion forum constituted in Tellicherry about eleven years ago to discuss on various topics of a basic nature relating to man and the universe. The first twenty topics discussed were published in a book titled “Confessions of Eccentrics” by the New Delhi Publisher, M/s Somaiya Publications. Subsequent topics are published in the blog of the forum, www.ekkentrosthoughts.blogspot.com . There is also a blog of the chairman of the forum, www.kvkekkentros.blogspot.com the contents of which are published in a book recently released, ‘Ruminations and Reminiscences at Eighty Plus’. Let me read out the invocation which may be given some careful attention:

WITH THE KNOWLEDGE GATHERED ALL THROUGH OUR LIVES,
WITH THE WISDOM DAWNED THEREFORM,
WITH THE ABILITY OF EXPRESSION
ACQUIRED WITH CARE AND EFFORT,
AND OUR UNFATHOMED INTUITIVE FACULTIES,
WE NOW INVOKE,
FOR A FREE INQUIRY WITH NO HOLDS BARRED,
WITHIN THE VAST MENTAL SPACE IN THESE MOMENTS OF SILENCE

The subject today, Ageless body and Timeless mind’ is a very tough subject. It would have been very vague and intangible also but for the book by the same title of Deepak Chopra, a doctor and an endocrinologist. It is one of the best sellers, a wonderful book much appreciated in US as well as in India.
Deepak Chopra’s main point is that aging is a matter of choice or is optional, and not mandatory or inevitable. How the choice is exercised is a big question. It is exercised through belief. Aging happens because from birth onwards we believe that we have to age and die. We see also that others as well as animals and plants age and die. This belief has to be reversed. And the belief that aging is not inevitable has to be so rooted that it has to come from beyond the mind from the quantum field or domain. Deepak Chopra tries to prove through the latest findings in quantum physics that aging can actually be avoided. He approaches the source deep within all of through three different paths, through body that is matter, through mind which is the transition level, and time.
Body is made of material. But what is this material? If you go to the ultimate ingredients we find the individual cells and then the genetically coded DNA consisting of Nucleotides and then Amino Acids, Sugars etc. Material means cluster of energy. DNA contains information and energy. All the information for the functioning of the body is contained or coded in the DNA. But if you analyze the DNA we come across amino acids, sugars etc which are nothing but molecules and atoms. Atoms consist of quarks, neutrinos and electrons, all of which are photons in vibration. The material part ends at the atom. Beyond it, the quarks, leptons etc are energy photons in vibration with vast spaces in between. This is the quantum field or domain. There is tremendous intelligence functioning in the body for all the organs working in unison. Where is then this intelligence lying? Not in the material body. In between the neutrinos and electrons there is only vast space. In fact 99.9 per cent of material is space. There is intelligence and information functioning, directing, manipulating, guiding these constituents of the body to act in a particular manner in these quantum space or quantum field. It sees and supervises that a cell does not grow as a nail in the liver. Tremendous intelligence is at work without our conscious participation. The seat of this intelligence, the source of this information we cannot find in the cells or in the DNA. The coded information in the DNA functions alright but what intelligence creates it and makes it function we cannot fathom. The quantum field, the non-material mental stage, as already mentioned is composed of concentrations of energy waves and vast empty space. Therefore we can say that the whole universe is composed of empty space and energy, fluid energy. Energy and matter are convertible at quantum level. This is therefore the transition stage between mind and matter. Our body is mainly empty space at the quantum level. The intelligence, the source has to lie in that empty space at the quantum field level or beyond it at the virtual level. How to access that intelligence to stop ageing or slow down aging is the question.
Human thought happens when the neurons in the brain fires. Thought is thus matter. Memory is stored impressions of thought. But no storage device is found anywhere in the body or brain. The brain is all mainly liquid. Only thing I have left is my awareness, pure awareness. All the intelligence, all the information that the body needs must therefore be coming from the awareness or through the awareness. That must be the source and that must be the creator and the controller of the DNA and the very atom. Its seat need not be anywhere in particular. In the quantum field or beyond space and time has no meaning. The source can be anywhere or everywhere. The gap, the chink in the quantum world through which the access to intelligence is possible is the awareness. It is the window.
We know from modern science that billions of cells are dying in our body every day and billions are being replaced. Yet we all look and function as if the body is the same. That is to say that repair and replacements are happening every day, and by the time a year is out we have a completely new body. Then why should we age? It must be because the replacing mechanism does not function fully. Replacing and repairing or healing will work perfectly if the underlying intelligence of the awareness is taken recourse to without interference by thought. The thought has to be quiet, still. Attention and intention of pure awareness can do the trick says Deepak Chopra.
According to Einstein’s theory time is not absolute. That is, time is a make believe, an illusion. It is relative. We have chronological time, psychological time and biological time. While my chronological time is eighty-two, my biological or physiological time may be only seventy and my psychological time only fifty-five. Chronological time is because of earth’s change of position or rotation relative to the sun, our light. The duration is divided into twenty four hours etc. imagine a person in empty outer space far away from the sun. What is time for him? There may be changes in his position or bodily functions. But there is no time. There are only changes in the universe. And memory creates past and future. We metabolize time by thinking. But if we metabolize it by observing, perceiving, witnessing then we find that time stands still in the present. A timeless mind, a timeless awareness creates an ageless body. Natural rebuilding and replacing of the body happens and aging slows down. Even the bio-chemistry of the body actually arises from the awareness.

Prof. Dr..P.M.Sankarankutty: I intend to continue what Sri. Kunhikrishnan elaborated, namely, the idea of going beyond death, but connecting it at the level of mythology. A myth does not prove anything empirically, but it has its own warp in bringing out the immensity of the universe. In Hindu mythology death is represented by Yama who is also the lord of time. Most of us have come across the story of Nachiketas who went to Yama and had a discourse with him on Life and Death. Because of the deep devotion and penance of Nachikethas the Lord of death had to give/show him the secret of Life.
The most fascinating of all the myths about death is the story of Savitri-Sathyavan, adopting which sage Aurobindo wrote his famous epic poem “Savitri’, to bring out his idea of the supramental manifestation on earth, achieving immortality. The legend of Savitri is one of the side stories found in the Mahabharatha in its chapter or part relating to ‘ Forest ’ (Vanaparvam). The story in the Mahabharatha starts with the king of Madra, Ashwapathi and his wife Malathi living an ascetic life for years praying to the Sun God (savitur) for many years because they had no children. Finally they are blessed with a girl child who was given the name Savitri in honour of that God. When Savitri grew up she also became deeply devotional and ascetically bent. Beautiful and pure, she shunned all men. No suitor would dare approach her. Fed up, her father tells her to find out her own husband. She therefore goes on a pilgrimage and by chance meets Sathyavan and falls in love with him. Sathyavan, she learns, is the son of blind and destitute king of Salwa, Dyumatsena, who lived in exile in the forest because his kingdom was usurped by enemies. In spite of all that Savitri loved Sathyavan intensely and decided to marry him. But the blind king in exile was told by sage Narada that the choice made by Savitri was an erroneous one because Sathyavan was destined to die exactly after one year. Savitri was therefore asked to change her mind. Yet Savitri would no relent, and stuck to her decision to be the wife of Sathyavan, who was never told about his fate. They thus get married and live in the forest with Sathyavan’s parents. Few days before the foreseen death of Sathyavan, Savitri takes intense vows of fasting and vigil. On the morning of Sathyavan’s predicted death, Savitri accompanies her husband who is not aware of the impending doom, into the jungle. While splitting wood, Sathyavan collapses and dies on Savitri’s lap. When Yama comes and takes the soul of Sathyavan Savitri follows Yama. In spite of all coaxing and threatening Savitri refuses to turn back. With devotion, strength of feminine chastity and extreme love, she argues her case with Yama and wins him over. Impressed by her devotion and wisdom Yama allows her three boons, except the life of Sathyavan. She asks for the restoration of eyesight for her father, children for her parents, and also children for herself by Sathyavan. Yama could not break his promise and thus she indirectly got back the life of Sathyavan. Savitri is thus able to overcome the death of her husband. That was the original story in Mahabharatha. But its spiritual and mystic meaning comes out in Aurobindo’s epic poem by the same title.
The Savitri story held an irresistible fascination for Sri Aurobindo, because Sathyavan stood for Truth and Savitri for a wife’s devotion and power. When they come together, the union gets charged with enormous possibilities, ready to dare even Death. On the material plane his poem begins on the day Sathyavan is fated to die. And the poem ends with the resolution of the crisis, that is, wresting satyavan from the clutches of Yama, the lord of death. In her final confrontation with Yama, Savitri assumes her cosmic form (Viswaroopa). In Aurobindo’s words, I quote:

A mighty transformation came upon her
In a flashing moment of apocalypse
The incarnation thrust aside its veil
Eternity looked into the eyes of death.

Now the fateful day has surpassed its fate and the poem concludes magnificently.

Night splendid with the moon dreaming in heaven
In silver peace, passed her luminous region
She brooded the stillness on a thought
Deep-guarded by the mystic folds of light
And in her nursed a greater dawn

Savitri became a supramental being by expansion of her consciousness to claim extension of life for her husband. In short through the evolution of consciousness, space, time and death can be defeated by supra-mental manifestation.


Sri. K.P.Kunhikrishnan Nair: (Sri Kunhikrishnan nair opened his talk by saying that he had gone through the book of Dr.Deepak Chopra on the subject, but unfortunately he could not find anything practical in it. The paper he presented in Malayalam is given below.)

Dr. Md Abdulla:In the course of the evolution of Man, since the dawn of the human race, there has been no change in the anatomy of the human body, but for the difference between male and female (Sex difference). The structure, and the functions of human body in terms of Anatomy and Physiology remain the same, unaltered through millions of years of their existence in nature. In short, Human Beings Have an Ageless Body. Here the reference is not the life span of an individual but the Human Body as such through the ages. Hence we can refer to it as the Ageless Body.

There are infinite potentialities for the human mind. It is so vast that we cannot find any boundaries for it. No amount of calculation will suffice to determine its speed or any other parameters. For example, mentally I can reach my children who are abroad far off in Australia in no time. Here the distance and speed are of no concern. It takes no time for the mind to reach them, nor does the distance delay the speed. That would mean that the mind reaches its object near or far at the same time. One can reach the top of Mount Everest in no time when you think of it. The distance and speed are totally irrelevant.

Where exactly is the seat of the mind in human body, is it in the brain, the heart, or in every cell or gene? Scientists are unable to locate it till today. And to where does it leave from the body when a living creature dies?

We never know when the life enters the foetus inside the mother’s uterus. It is a timeless entry – only when the fetal heart is heard beating we know that the body inside is alive.
The human mind has wondrous capabilities. Among the various capacities of the mind two are very important, the capacity to dream, and the capacity to imagine. They both have no borders in space or time. It is timeless and thus we have the timeless mind.
Dream and Imagination are also not much influenced by your knowledge or intelligence. Even uneducated and ignorant people can have wonderful imagination or dreams. The difference between dream and sleep is that dream occurs in the sleeping state while imagination including fantasies is active while one is in the waking state. These are phenomena which are secrets of the human mind beyond measurement and beyond time. Hence Timeless Mind.

Mrs.Shobha Rajagopal Menon: Healing From Within
(Health Through Spiritual Practice)
It is widely believed that the people of ancient times, the Vedic period and before were taller and larger and had much longer life-span than humans today. Even today, off and on we hear someone or the other mention that such and such a recluse living in the mountains or forest is already above 200 years of age or so. I myself have heard a well known spiritual Guru mention such an individual among his own acquaintances who has crossed the age of 300!
Everyone has heard of the miraculous disappearance of diseases, sicknesses and even wounds in the presence of saints and other spiritually advanced persons. The phenomenon is common to all religions be it Hinduism, Christianity, or Mohammedan. Christ is known to have cured many by mere touch, Mata Amrithanandamayi, popularly known as ‘The Hugging Saint’ does so in her own benevolent way, Yogi Ram Dev does so through his widely popular yogaasanas. ‘Reiki’ is another popular system of healing by the use of Cosmic Energy. You on your part probably know of many other instances of healing through spiritual methods. It is well known that in large spiritual gatherings, many people go back feeling healthier and happier. Often there are instances of miraculous cure of serious sicknesses. In my own personal experience during serious and sincere practice of meditation for over eight years I have witnessed many instances of healing taking place through spirituality.
If the presence of spiritually evolved persons can make these phenomena happen, isn’t it clear that if we ourselves evolved spiritually we can, each of us, tap the healing power within us. Incarnations and saints are but humans who have taken the initiative to evolve their spiritual selves to the utmost and tap the wonderful potential within themselves to the fullest.
The truth is that the human race has long forgotten to look within themselves. The whole attitude has become objective. Most are ready to bestow all their faith on to a stone idol, but cannot believe in their own living breathing self! Man has been quite effective in harnessing the external resources and has accomplished immense material advancement, but has failed miserably in tapping the powers inherent in his own self,
Everyone is familiar with the concept of the left and the right brain. The right brain represent those qualities which are considered ‘feminine’ and include imagination, intuition, love, compassion, artistic perception etc. humanity is at present tapping the left brain containing the intellectual, mathematical and material abilities, ignoring the finer qualities of his ‘better half’ to a great extent. A human being with the left brain highly advanced and the right neglected is not properly balanced and hence is only partly healthy. When both the objective and subjective aspects of the individual are fully developed he is healthy and happy, mentally, physically and emotionally. This can happen only by giving a chance to the hitherto neglected intuitive, aesthetic and spiritual aspect of the individual through yoga and meditation. But the problem with us is that we are not ready to practice spiritual systems sincerely and methodically. We are not ready to discover and accomplish this inner wealth. We want ready made solutions dished out on a platter. The fact is that spiritual rejuvenation is available only in one form: the ‘do it yourself kit’!
All religions have in some way or the other discovered the presence of what are called ‘energy centers’ in the human body. When one undertakes spiritual practice in some form, these centers are activated. Each of these energy centers within the human body are associated with certain parts of the body and certain specific organs. When each of these centers get activated through yoga and other spiritual systems, cosmic energy gets transmitted to these organs and healing of different kinds take place in these areas. The more advanced spiritualists like yogis and saints produce such healing energy in surplus quantity. This surplus energy flows out into the surroundings and touches those present around causing healing in them too. This healing is need based; it may be physical, mental or emotional as per your personal condition. Also, the degree to which this healing energy is received by one depends on one’s receptivity. Devotion and dedication to the spiritual path prepares one to receive this blessing in equivalent proportion.
Nothing I have said here is mere assumption or theory. It is the essence of the spiritual knowledge I have gained through years of dedication to the spiritual quest. What I intend to stress here is that our body, during what we call ‘old age’ has capabilities to heal itself. But we have to reap these blessings within us with our own efforts. Try practicing yoga, whichever kind you choose, with total dedication and faith and you will find new wonders opening before you as you progress.
Often people are reluctant to take up spiritual exercises because we feel we may have to give up our favorite addictions like smoking, drinking etc. I assure you, you do not have to give them up; they drop off you most naturally, like old and spent hobbies. They dull out and fade-out before the new addiction to spiritual well-being.
The proof of whatever I have said is within yourself alone. So I cannot prove it to you. All you can do to convince yourself is to begin practice with whichever spiritual system suits you.

Dr.Babu Ravindran: Aging is the accumulation of changes in an organism or object over time. Aging in humans refer to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social changes. Some dimensions of aging grow and expand over time, while others decline. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events, wisdom may expand.
Aging is the progressive, universal decline first in functional reserve and then in the function that occurs in organism over time. So it is heterogeneous. Aging is not a disease. But the risk of developing disease is increased, often dramatically as a function of age. The biological composition of tissues changes with age, physiological capacity decreases, the ability to maintain homeostasis in adapting to stresses decrease, vulnerability to disease process increase.
Population world wide are aging. Improvement in environmental (clear water and improved sanitation) and behavioral factors (nutrition, reduced risk exposures), and treatment and prevention of infectious disease are largely responsible for the 30 year increase in life expectancy since 1900.
Women outlive men. In the world only 15% of centenarians are men.
As we age, we become increasingly unlike one another. The ability to maintain stable functions in the face of change in environment is called ACCOSTASIS, and it declines with age.
One problem as we age is NOSOLOGIC. It is a question when exactly is a peculiar change considered a normal age related alteration, and when does it become a disease.
Earlier 75years BP of 170/90 was considered an age related increase in systolic BP which need not be interfered. Now we know it is a reflection of increased vascular stiffness, one of the major cardio-vascular risk factor.
The term ‘aging’ is again some what ambiguous. Distinction may be made between Universal aging,- changes that all people share,
Rehabilistic Aging,- age changes that may happen to some, but not to all e.g., T2 DM(type II Diabetes Mellitus)
Chronological aging, - how old a person is
Social aging, - Society expectations of how people should act as they grow old
Biological aging, - A person’s physical state as he ages
We quite often see that age does not correlate perfectly with functional age.
Aging is a very personal experience. No two individuals age in the same way. It is because each one has unique experience and genes. Nobody dies of age.

Mind refers to the aspect of intellect and consciousness manifested as thoughts, perception, memory, emotion, will, imaginations etc. including all of the brain’s conscious and unconscious cognition process. Mind is often used to refer especially to the thought process of reason. Subjectively, mind manifests itself as a stream of consciousness.
The question as to which attributes make up the mind is also much debated. Some argue that only the ‘higher’ intellectual functions constitute the mind, particularly reason and memory. The emotions – love, hate, fear, joy – are more primitive or subjective in nature and should be seen as different from the mind. some argue that it cannot be differentiated.
In popular usage ‘Mind’ is frequently synonymous with ‘Thought’. No one else can know our mind. they can only interpret what we consciously or unconsciously communicate.
We can see that individuals are prisoners of thought. He is what he thinks he is.
The development of the body is greatly decided by the mind. the fears, stress, emotion, jealousy, rivalry, enmity, are all manifestations of one’s thoughts and that affect the body to a great extend. Our bodies are constantly exchanging information and energy from our environment.
If one thinks that he is old and has to retire from activity he is as good as dead. So a refreshing mind is very essential for a comfortable life.
I think that it was the actor Thikkurissi who said that man passes though five phases of life. First is that of a monkey playing pranks and running about. Next is the horse galloping away on its energy. Then as a donkey he suffers all the burdens of life and family. After that he has the life of a faithful dog serving as watch-man. And in the end he just sits like an owl looking this way and that, and responding with only h’m for everything. Deepak Chopra compares human body to a river. It appears to be still but is constantly changing every moment with its flowing waters.
To know himself fully man has to understand his mind. Breathing is definitely helpful as any change in the rhythm of breathing changes the mood and emotions of the person. For example when the breathing is regular and slow one cannot get angry. When you are angry or agitated you breathe very fast. Breath control can therefore definitely help. And I believe that a good meditation method is a way by which one can perceive and understand one’s own mind.

Dr. Thomas: The theme today relates to time, thought, meditation, and aging. One main factor that controls our aging is the genetic configuration inherited from our parents. Then there is the environmental factors that modify our thoughts and life. There is aging occurring in all objects around us, for example, cloths when old will tear easily. Paper becomes fragile after a few years, whereas a living object, though subject to aging will be renovated. The hormonal mechanisms will swing into action for this purpose. The renovation is related to the mind and thoughts, and Serotonin, the chemical transmitter between neurons that activate the mechanism.
Overeating is one sin that can damage our frame of health. From the thought processes in the brain hormones and the other body secretions are controlled and produced. Exercise and meditation induced pheramones increase the sense of well being. The harmony in life with love produces oxytocin (love hormone). For example, oxytocin is enhanced by the mother’s touch on an infant.
The aim of religious practices through the ages had been to promote these states of the mind in the brain. Words and actions can stimulate ‘God spot’ and the ‘Pleasure spot’ in the brain. Kundalini is the force derived through the vagus nerve which runs down supplying the heart, stomach, and intestines. The balance we obtain with the opposing nervous system through practiced prayer or meditation will give the solace and freedom from fear. Understanding capabilities by the mind that is thus sharpened will be the cutting edge against any problem.
Possibility of renovation on aging is very much there as has been noticed in nature. The study on bees showed that when a hive is full of aged worker bees, and insufficiency of young bees to collect honey or fight enemies is felt, they put the aged bees in special cells and feed them and look after them till they become young and energetic again.
Alzhiemers disease affecting the brain and cancer are the two killers that have puzzled man for the past 17 years ever since publication of Alzhiemer’s book in 1992. Reversing the onslaught of these diseases may give some path breaking clue on aging.

Prof. M.V.Mohanan Nair: The extension of human life span has been one of the oldest preoccupations and greatest dreams of man! The Indian concept of rebirth and elixir are only extensions of man’s eternal craving for immortality. In the modern world this desire for longevity has resulted in the establishment of hundreds of thousands of anti-aging clinics in most of the developed countries as early as the beginning of the second half of the 20th century. Millions are being spent on anti-aging research projects. The discovery of the structure of the DNA was a great stride in this direction. The Human Genome Project which identified all the genes in the human body and which was completed in 2003 was the greatest effort in this direction. Man has now taken over the control of all the genes in the human body. He has succeeded in removing the genes that cause aging and replacing them with non-aging ones. The American company which produced tomatoes which do not ripe and rot had removed the genes that cause ripening. If this is possible in a fruit why not in man? It is as simple as this – remove the genes that cause aging and replace them with genes that cause youthfulness and vigor, and man achieves immortality! And the social consequences when man never dies? Dead bodies which are preserved using the cryogenic technique come back to life. Will they be ghosts or human beings? Science has to give an answer.
Let us now pass from modern science to certain ancient branches of knowledge which had advocated a healthy body and healthy life-style for the extension of human life span. It is said that during his wanderings in search of ultimate knowledge Gauthama Buddha gave himself up to fasting and terrible penance. Consequently his body became so weak that one day he fell unconscious. That brought him the realization that Truth could be reached only by a nourished brain in a healthy body.
Modern man often finds it difficult to cope with the hurry and stress of modern life. Relaxation, both physical and mental has become impossible, even in bed. Recognizing man’s need for discipline to prevent mental and physical deterioration the ancient saints of India evolved the Yoga cult which embodies the secrets of successful living. Yoga combines in itself Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation. It provides an effective remedy to the problems that plague modern man. Dr. Deepak Chopra, in his book “Ageless Body and Timeless Mind” has stated that meditation lowers the biological age. It provides the much needed basic harmony in the mind of man.
However, I think that no man would desire an infinite extension of his life. A day may come when he will be overtaken by the desire for death, like the Sibyl of Cumae. When the Sibyl of Cumae was asked, ‘Sibyl, Sibyl, what do you want?’ the Sibyl’s answer was “I want to die” because her longevity had caused a sort of death wish.


At the end of the program, three members among the audience gave their comments. Sri Raghavan Vengad pointed out the twelve stages (four plus eight) of man in his life’s journey mentioned by Nithya Chaithanya Yathi in his works, and said that finally Man carries his burden like an ass. The ass or donkey was shown in a cartoon some years back. Sri P.V. Ramachandran who spoke in detail, extensively reviewed the talks of the various participants in the seminar but said that he had missed the talks of the first few speakers. He was all praise for what was said by Sri. K.P.Kunhikrishnan Nair.

Appendix :
Prof. Richard Hay: Whatever be the incantations of poets and authors on ‘ageless body’, man is destined to perish after having lived a certain period of time. No doubt about it. The concept of ageless body is a mere myth or the flight of imagination. The oldest man in human history is Seanne Calment who lived for 122½ years. In non-human longevity, the 460 year old bristlecone pine in the mountains of California, called Methuselah, -I had occasion to see this during my visit to Mount Sastha in California-, steals the lime light. I have also seen the great tortoises, near the Velliankallu off the coast of Payyoli, which would have lived for more than 150 years or more according to eye-witness reports of generations of fishermen of the area. Whales do live longer.
Why human beings are destined to die in a short life-span? The main reason is said to be the death of millions of cells in our body, which results in aging and finally death. Scientist Leonard Hayflick, in his study on Human Cells demonstrated that a population of normal human fetal cells in a cell culture divide 40to60 times, and then it enters a senescence phase that increases aging. Each cell division (mitosis) shortens the telomeres on the DNA of the cell. Telomere shortening in human beings eventually blocks cell division and the action correlates with aging.
Along with the death of cells, impairment of physiological systems like the homeostatic system or immune system, expedite the aging process.
The oxidation – inflammation theory states that the chronic oxidation stress which affect the neurons, endocrine and immune system is adding to the process of aging. Hence the role of anti-oxidants in ensuring a healthier life.
Gerontology, Geriatrics, and other ares of modern medicine are constantly developing newer and newer medicines for the treatment of the aged. Alzeimers’, Dementia, Parkinson’s are diseases for which no permanent cure is discovered. Scientists and doctors practicing in the field of modern medicine can throw light on these aspects of aging. We can only leave it to them to ponder over this central area in the survival of our species.
Nanotechnology, stem cell research, etc. are being considered as tools or methods by which span of life could be increased. Before we extend the span of life of humans, let us first prove our capacity by proving that the span of life of our pets could be increased.
In Kerala, the aging process is accentuated by the fact that the retirement of Govt.servants takes place at the age of 55. elsewhere in India it varies from state to state between 58 to 62 and 65. judges retire at the age of sixty-five, university professors too. in USA and Europe the age of legal retirement is 65. taking into account these figures, the hapless Govt.servant in Kerala is a big loser. He starts thinking of old age when he attains the year of retirement, ie. 55. age of retirement casts a negative influence on Keralites.
Recently in an Oprah Winfry Show, Winfry interviewed centenarians from different countries to find our whether their life-styles had an impact on the aging process. The show revealed that the centenarians led an active life and ate lots of vegetables and fruits instead of meat. But, that being the case, here in our country we see that cent per cent of the octogenarians die around eighty plus or seventy plus. Hence, it can be stated that there are some factors other than vegetarianism which decides the faster aging process.
Some say that ‘Reservetrol’, a chemical found in red grapes can help extend life span. Hence in the west, people are drinking red wine to avail this boon. Some new drugs are being developed for extending life span, but so far those drugs have not resulted in slowing the aging process. Some say we can extend life by consuming fewer calories.
In a TV show the other day, an actor with Alzheimers’ appeared and talked at length about his physical and mental disabilities. One doctor stated that due to lack of lubrication inside the brain, all those dysfunctions were caused. As you grow old, the brain shows a decline in its function. Our memory fades considerably.
Cloning and stem-cell research may one day find a method of regenerating the cells or even parts of the body. But, the question is whether these new bodies will have the capability to ensure consciousness and enable them to think like a human being. By the way, consciousness, it seems, is some form of energy which could be transferred from one body to another. Are these only whimsical ideas?
In Christianity it is believed that when Jesus returned, the resurrection of the just will take place in which all believers who died would be raised again and the unfaithful would also be resurrected, judged and condemned to eternal punishment and alienated from God. Hence, for the just and the unjust, there would be life after death. In this sense, timeless mind is not a quixotic idea.
But some believe that consciousness ends once a person dies and the physical death of body and mind takes place simultaneously. In this sense, such believers do not subscribe to the idea that there is life after death or immortality of life. In such a situation the scope of religion becomes dimmer and dimmer. Spiritualists too would be annoyed if one argues that life after death or deathless soul is a non-starter.
All religious interpretations about life after death which ensures a timeless mind, are a manifestation of intuitive thinking, used for the purpose of teaching everyone to lead a virtuous life.
It is easy to make us believe that there is a timeless mind and so a life after death since most of us are carried away by the thought of the fear of the unknown. We are confounded every moment by the concept of eternal life. For some it gives immense joy to follow a life of piety and virtuousness and to subjugate oneself to the judgment of a supreme being.
At this point, I can only say that the mysteries of life, whether it is timeless mind or imperishable soul, will confuse mankind for years to come until the Truth is revealed.
To me consciousness is like a transient light of candle, when the light of which is blown out, the candle remains in its physical form for some time and disintegrates. Likewise, when life ceases, consciousness and the body disintegrate.
Also the concept of ageless body itself would create a mammoth problem for humanity when with five billions of people on earth, the earth suffocates with the alarming situation of needing to feed such a big swarm of people. The depletion of huge natural resources would be alarmingly huge.
Deepak Chopra fascinates us with his interesting theory which as I understand it is that through some awareness one could tilt the biological clock in one’s favor to enable himself to live longer. He too is a wishful thinker spreading his message throughout the world like any Indian Sanyasin, especially to a world of stress, strain, confusion and miseries, more often in a state of mayhem.
As far as the quest for life and passion of life inspire us to live longer, man would desire and seek new methods and practices that ensure longevity.