RNA and
Deep Body MeditationThis short paper is a companion to the
discussion I began in
"The Phenomenology of the Implicate Order." Interested readers are
directed to that paper, also located on the SSS website under the general
heading of "Research."
Visualize the DNA comprising human genes as long strands of proteins,
twisted in the famous double helix. Individual proteins appear as
individual segments along the strands; the order of their appearance is
the stuff of life. This order, this sequence shows up the unique
characteristics of every smallest and largest detail of us. If these
strands change, so must we change.
Some thinkers have considered the possibility of intentional change to
DNA. Evolution then could take a direction under will. Yet, what wisdom
directs what changes? We as yet do not understand the molecular biology
sufficiently well to guide our manipulations of proteins along the DNA.
The Human Genome Project promises a map. Medical science points the way to
a growing number of genetic anomalies thought to produce disease.
Researchers are able to manually remove and insert genetic material
altering cell function and phenotypic expression. Still, we remain far
short of comprehensive knowledge of where and what DNA changes will
promote human evolution.
Yet, perhaps change as humans with love under will brings the necessary
products to our DNA? Perhaps it is not to manually change a guanine
protein for an adenine along the DNA strands, but rather to be more fully
aware and love as more fully human? We might then allow the wisdom of the
body to direct the molecular alchemy. If we change, so must these strands
change.
The role of RNA has so far been missing from the considerations I have
seen of willed, intentional change on this sub-cellular level. While the
grand sweep of species evolution and the sheer power of DNA draw us like
moths, can we hold back to a less dramatic but perhaps easier and less
perilous path? RNA modulates and softens the loud messages of DNA. RNA
translates the profound code of DNA into more immediate action. Can we
access this action on the level of intention?
My experience suggests we can do this. For a period of nineteen months
I injected a drug called interferon (alpha-2b) in amounts of three million
units per dose three times each week. Interferon changes the RNA action
processes. These changes from the original processes created a window of
perception to the internal workings of the RNA.
The cells in my body were infected with the virus known as hepatitis C
[HCV.] The sub-cellular effect of this and other viruses is to take over
command of the RNA translation of DNA code. Very simply put, while the
order of proteins on the DNA strand directs the RNA action to reproduce
what is vital to the healthy cell and to the organism, the virus redirects
the action in an infected cell to reproduce the virus. Copies upon copies
of the now virally ordered protein strands accumulate in the cell until
the cell wall bursts releasing the viral strands that can go on to infect
formerly healthy cells.
Deep body meditation focussed on the RNA action quickly distilled for
me a question: what is me, and what is not me? That is to say, if the RNA
in my healthy cells was acting to reproduce elements of me, the virally
controlled cellular RNA was acting to reproduce what was not me (but was
instead the HCV.) Coming to this required that I know, or can recognize
the difference. Is this believable?
Were it not for the interferon I would never have imagined it
believable. Again, the interferon changes the RNA actions. It "interferes"
with the RNA (hence the name.) It interferes with RNA in both the healthy
cell and the infected cell. It interferes both with the reproduction of
the strands of ordered proteins recognizable as me, and with the
reproduction of the virally ordered strands. Moreover, the action of the
drug is unique, and it feels unique on a deep body level.
The distillate from exploring my deep body feeling the unique effects
of the interferon contained the messages allowing me to isolate the
phenomenologic field of the RNA processes. As the changes made by the
interferon were embedded in the field of RNA action, the messages showing
change revealed something of the ground of the RNA processes themselves.
That is to say, I could perceive and reflect on bodily sensations that
were distinguishable as native, healthy RNA on one hand, or virally
controlled RNA on the other. The distinction between the two revealed
itself in the phenomenal ground turned-up by the unique sensation of the
effect of interferon in my body.
The technique I used to turn the ground, to break the furrows showing
up the unique sensations created by the interferon is analogous to the
alchemical metaphor introduced in "The Phenomenology of the Implicate
Order." My body was the two-chambered vessel of Indian alchemical lore.
One chamber contained the raw sensation ingredients of interferon, the RNA
processes, and the viral load. The other chamber collects the distillate
of the alchemical process. The heat for the transformation came from the
operations of psychosexual ecstasy, combusting the ingredients of
sensation and moving the results through the throat connecting the two
chambers of the vessel. I found that the distillate condensed in the form
of the phenomena of my thoughts, or reflections remaining after the
operation.
My reflections left me with two clearly different thought phenomena;
one was of me, the other was not of me, but was instead of the virus. It
became a relatively straightforward exercise to hold on to that part of
the distillate that was of me, and to discard that part with a viral
signature. I experienced the viral as spectacularly different from the
human! My body is now free of the virus.
November 1999
kamanath