This journey moves between light and darkness. Along the way, one might come across small packages of epiphanies coming from the ultimate goal; but it is also possible that all destined rewards be put off until the completion of the journey, when one receives a special accolade.

During the trip, every traveler is sometimes filled with awe by an indistinct ray of light that flashes in the distance. Sometimes, as if being tested on the strength of their loyalty, one does not come across even a single ray of light their whole life; other times, one witnesses that the roads they pass have been illuminated with light all around. Sometimes, one is inspired as though they are being watched through unseen blinds, and with awe they grow attentive in all their senses. Considering this surveillance which has been opened to them by their faith as a sign of growing closer to the Divine Presence, one’s excitement and zeal grows even stronger, as in the case of a runner who has come close to the finish line. In fact, with the feeling of having joined the angels, their excitement grows to such heights that the harmony of the skies can be heard in the rhythm of their hearts.

During this journey, the manifestations that come to those who have understanding and insight are sometimes in the form of sprinkles and dew; other times, they are showers. They do not always arrive with the same degree, same quality, same color, same dialect, or even the same wavelength. Every rise and manifestation throughout the journey is a special gift to every traveler and giver of service.

The gifts are determined, first of all, by the extent of one’s faith and sincerity, then by the purity of one’s horizon, the clearness of one’s heart, the vastness of one’s understanding, and the depth of one’s metaphysical aspect. Some of these gifts are obvious through their outer packages and the instant they meet with one’s senses they transform into gratitude; others are packaged with certain motifs and symbols and can only be deciphered through the light of attention and insight. Still others crash into the limits of the body and physical world and clothe themselves in a black veil; they expect us to renew our relationship with God and open the doorways to positive interpretations. And while some others make it all the way down to one’s hopes – by virtue of the vastness of the Divine mercy – more often than not, they end up being imbued by one’s despair and sorrow, and flow as tar into one’s thoughts. This is in a way dependent on the victory of either “fear” (khawf) or “hope” (raja) over the other, the result of which may change the picture of the journey significantly.

No matter the wavelength of these gifts, this attitude shapes one’s behavior into a certain framework. These warnings and instructions happen to come through, and individuals consider the victory of traveling down such a road a kind of invitation to reunion. They will certainly wake up one day, even if they are in the deepest of sleep. They will hear the call of the Eternal that their souls have forever been acquainted with, and will, to the end of their lives, run towards this complimentary call. Like trained athletes ready for action, if every hero of the heart sees those nights, where the breeze of Divine manifestation blows gently as a pier, a harbor, a kind of launching platform for the journey leading to The Ultimate Truth and Ever-Constant, then there should be no doubt that the Divine throne of mercy will pour down its compliments upon them.

Is it ever possible that the Eternally Merciful One, who grants compliments to every individual many times above their merit, would remain indifferent to those faithful travelers who ardently run towards Him? Would He not treat with a particular favor and kindness those who turn towards His most special intimacy with their utmost sincerity?

Actually, even if there were not such a grant of Divine compliments, and no one was promised such a blessing, every individual should accept their connection with the Eternal Sovereign as an advance given beforehand, and, with each new breath of air should, like a hero of faith and loyalty, breathe Him in. One shouldn’t resort to childlike sulking, saying “Things didn’t go as planned; blessings and compliments didn’t rain down from the sky.” One shouldn’t grow sad or disappointed in a manner fit for characterless and ungrateful individuals. One shouldn’t be defeated by distances by thinking too much about the hardships and length of the journey.

Instead, one should “overflow like the waters, shed tears like Job,” setting one’s heart on Him and only Him in every place one wanders. One should live every moment with the thought of seeing, hearing, and knowing Him so that they do not waste their credits worthy of the Eternal on attaining certain childlike ambitions; so that they do not narrow through their own senses and fancies the vastness that God has bestowed upon them; so that by responding to the all-exceeding mercy with an all-embracing favor and zeal they are able to fulfill the requirements of the implicit treaty made with the Divine. All of this is done in accordance with His greatness and one’s smallness.

Every individual on this long journey leading to Him may sometimes change position due to the elements that give shape to their character. In fact, because they may be subject to certain slips during this change of position, one may not always be able to maintain their situation and may sometimes stray so far off center that they may crash into the most outward part of the circle. It’s possible that, while a world full of people are delighting in the showers of Divine compliment, they may regard the continuous developments as congestion, the conquests as retractions, the ceremonies of victory as a kind of show, and the chants of joy as the consolation of the defeated.

In almost every period of time, there have been, and there will always be, such bewildered individuals who have temporarily wandered away from the rest of the caravan. However, most have jumped back into their positions near the center, and, with the warmth that comes after a separation and longing, they have achieved a brand-new integration and maturity.

Yet, in order to attain such a spiritual awakening and alertness, one cannot approve a willful separation from the group, for every separation is a kind of slipping and can, in fact, result in one being caught in an irreversible current. Therefore, it is certainly not permissible for one to take up such an uncertain adventure by trusting in the thought of being able to horizontally overcome the abyss of distance that forms between them and the rest of the people. Though there is an aspect in every involuntary lapse and turnover that holds the promise of “revival after death,” as we have pointed out above, it may not always be possible to achieve the desired outcome. I believe that one’s conscience cannot say “yes” to such a seemingly certain disaster, only for the sake of a possible feeling of enlightenment and spiritual maturity.

Even if a person is sometimes shaken in their connection with the center, by staying within the community, maintaining the path, and following the signs and guides, they may come across certain enlightened souls whose gravity pulls them in. They may always stay alive, refreshed, and strong by sharpening their consciousness along the road. By virtue of moving together with a society that is always advancing, one may feel a new joy of revival effervescing in their souls every day, every hour, and every moment. They feel it as they jump from one peak to the other, and are filled with the desire to move towards the source of light that the sign and signals along the road point to.

Such a heroic traveler will never leave oneself to the wavering flow of coincidences. They reach out to those who utilize the innermost consciousness that will not lead to a troublesome path. They follow behind the ever serious, dignified, cautious leaders whose depths of their souls are visible in the smiling features of their faces, line by line. They line up behind the altruistic souls, the heroes of fidelity, responsibility, and duty. They strive hard in all their work with full sincerity as their hearts beat in palpitations of going forward. As they battle with both vertical and horizontal distances to the best of their skills, they are in full consciousness of the honors they are entitled. They experience multiple dimensions of time as their actions and thoughts are intertwined, and they feel they rotate around themselves like the North Star.

In short, one must have the patience to endure along the path. If thoughts of the journey can fulfill the hope of reaching the ultimate goal and the role of guidance, the whole group and the individuals acting as its molecules will, tomorrow if not today, reach the ocean that the river of these conscious and non-conscious groups all flow into. The drops of sweat and perseverance on their foreheads will turn into the fountain of Paradise which they will drink in. There have been many times where the collective advancing of the crowds who outwardly seemed as though they were being dragged on by the incentives of the masses rather than their own free will have won many victories and reunions they could not have achieved by any individual act, owing to the effect of a consciously conducted central plan of action.

These actions, which may seem still on the outside, are constantly repeated along the journey and thus are only able to be distinguished by conscious looks: these little motions squeezed into narrow spaces; light and quiet progress; these efforts that are appealing to people…

All of these feature in their apparent shallowness the chilling depths of the oceans; in their silence, the movements and vastness of the sky; and in their simplicity, the heavenliness of spiritual beings. They will no doubt eventually pay off to these heroes at an expected place with surprises that are beyond one’s expectations. All of these efforts, struggles, and sacrifices will flow and boil, and will come to the right consistency when the time comes. The truth for whose sake lives are given will rise like a full moon behind the hills in the distance, carrying hundreds of cheerful tidings of dawns that will break, slowly rising like the sun that we have awaited. It will smile into our eyes and will whisper the prosperity of our lives. It will flow into our beings with its beams of light and imbue our features with its own color. It will take and blend us into its world.   

Many scientists disregard the functions of the ego and the soul, considering the brain to be the only point of reference to explain our feelings and actions. The brain itself is a complex web of innumerable connections among its cortexes. For instance, while the prefrontal cortex is the trajectory of functions that relate to behavior and personality, Wernicke’s area, in the dominant temporal lobe, is concerned with the comprehension of language. The infralimbic cortex has been found to be critical in regulating habitual behavior, and it may be argued that this cortex might be the place we can observe the possible connections between our soul and why we behave in certain ways.

An overwhelming majority of our thoughts and behaviors manifest without us being aware them; we are only conscious of a small percentage of our actions. The minimum energy principle in the universe is evident in this process: we act as if on auto-pilot as we conduct habituated behaviors, and this is when our brain consumes a minimum amount of energy, as opposed to the much higher consumption needed during consciously-conducted actions. These require strenuous brain activity.

The human brain registers often-repeated behaviors and assigns each one a code defining its importance. This code becomes a reflex and in time a habit, done automatically. Even though we usually do day-to-day habits as if completely subconsciously, the habitual mechanisms in our brain actually have a set of algorithms that point to a certain level of consciousness. The infralimbic cortex, for instance, is active even we are on auto-pilot. The more frequent the action, the more settled it remains in our brain and soul. When the frequency increases, the communicator lobe, located in the center of the brain between sensorimotor cortex and striatum, becomes stronger.

Pleasure factor

Research on developing new habits has shown that the prefrontal cortex is in communication with the striatum, and the striatum with the midbrain. An increase in dopamine secretion also facilitates habit development. Serving as a chemical messenger, dopamine is a pleasure-related molecule. If dopamine is secreted as a result of an action, then the person wishes to do it again. This is usually how habits are formed.

“This is how I am; that’s how I got used to it; I can’t help it.­”

We tend to resist new things and changes. Overcoming our deeply settled habits is a multidimensional process, relying heavily on intentions and willful inclination.

One method that is useful for getting rid of our bad habits is to replace them with different behaviors. Directing ourselves to a new behavior instead of the old ones eventually makes the latter lose influence over time. Watching TV or smoking are not necessities, but a habit. It is always possible to replace a bad behavior with a good one, but again, the process is not easy; it requires willpower and patience. Moving to a new place and adopting new friends can usually be helpful when one has difficulty resisting inner urges. A strong willpower supported by patience will wither the communicator lobe between the sensorimotor cortex and striatum, which will squeeze the habit from the brain.

Saying, “I just cannot” is the easy path. It’s giving the carnal soul control over your whole existence. Perhaps it suggests the bad behavior has become something the person even enjoys.

Second nature

Clinical research focuses on curing habits through medicine applied in the cortex. However, human life has too many colors and manifest actions depending on the time and context, which makes medication insufficient for breaking bad habits. This is where nourishment of our soul comes in. Adopting role models, especially those who pioneered spiritual and ethical traditions and their teachings, are useful in regulating our habits. One of these teachings is to practice and develop a second nature. In mystical traditions, it is usually recommended to practice a certain behavior, for instance waking up early at night for prayer, at least for forty days before being able to permanently adopt it. While gaining new habits it is important to be aware of ourselves and not to go to extremes, which may cause an imbalance in our lives.

Many spiritual practices have also been confirmed by medical science to be supportive of a healthy life. Bodily cleanliness through washing is an essential part of prayer in almost all religious traditions around the world. Water does not only clean our bodies, but its cooling effect soothes us and helps rid us of our anger.

Another spiritual teaching is to engage in good work and spend time with those who do good work. Once a person “repents” and tries to stay away from his or her bad habits, it is important to fill up the vacuum with righteous actions; otherwise, there is always a risk of turning back to those habits.

Becoming too habituated with one action, be it a righteous work or even a prayer, is another slippery ground for every individual. Habituation may cause us to lose our enthusiasm and feel nothing for that action. When one feels too familiar with good habits and takes no pleasure from them, one then needs to diversify their behavior to bring full awareness to their practices. Mystical traditions call this awareness under the watchful eye of the divine, and they encourage always contemplating each and every step one takes along the way.

Medical studies have been incredible at curing certain bad habits. However, many of our addictions, which harm both individuals and general society, are still present; medication hasn’t worked. For enduring results, it is important to support medical solutions with prescriptions from religious traditions, which idealize well-being both physically and spiritually. Many ethical values that are highly regarded in such traditions present very useful guidelines for a healthy life in which bad habits can be efficiently contained, if not completely eradicated.

This new finding – new for me, at least – sparked in me a light which shone back to Rumi.

In the West, many of us know Rumi for his poetry and sema dance. But few of us know the fact that he was born in a city called Balkh, which is today a part of Afghanistan. And when one sees the images of today’s war-torn Afghanistan next to the image and message of Rumi from 800 years ago – one cannot help but think: “how unlikely could this have been?” Not many of us also know that Balkh was one of the leading, if not the top, centers of knowledge and progress in the world 800 years ago – until invaded by forces from the east.

Construction is so difficult, but destruction is so easy. Images of the ancient city of Aleppo in Syria, both before and after the recent heavy bombardment, serve as a living – or a dead – example of what could have happened to Balkh.

After his city became the new target for invaders – and due to what appear to be some internal political conflicts – young Rumi and his family had to leave Balkh. They journeyed west, to the center of what is now Turkey. His real name was Jalaladdin Muhammad; “Rumi” came from this new land – Diyar-i Rum, the land of Greeks.

And now many of us are asking: wait a second, is Dylan a Turk? Lithuanian? Was Rumi Persian or Turkish? Or did he say Greek? This is the nature of being an immigrant – one human with too many identities.

Rumi was an immigrant. Bob Dylan was born to an immigrant family. Rumi’s parents fled the massacre looming from the east. Dylan’s grandparents fled the pogroms in Odessa in 1905.

I sometimes think of the young Rumi in Balkh. Perhaps he was terrified, fearing an imminent attack; sleepless at night, waiting for a possible raid at dawn. It’s hard to imagine: fearing a massacre and losing loved ones, despite having committed no crime.

I also think of Dylan’s grandparents in Odessa. After decades of persecution and harassment, they surely feared for their lives and made plans for self-defense – and perhaps even to leave their homes.

Victor Hugo, another literary genius, had to spend many years in exile because of his advocacy for freedoms and opposition to tyranny in his homeland, France. This is what he wrote in one of his famous novels, Toilers of the Sea, itself a product of exile:

Volcanoes cast forth stones, and revolutions men, so families are removed to distant places; human beings come to pass their lives far from their native homes; groups of relatives and friends disperse and decay; strange people fall, as it were, from the clouds — some in Germany, some in England, some in America. The people of the country view them with surprise and curiosity. Whence come these strange faces? Yonder mountain, smoking with revolutionary fires, casts them out. These barren aërolites, these famished and ruined people, these footballs of destiny, are known as refugees, émigrés, adventurers. If they sojourn among strangers, they are tolerated; if they depart, there is a feeling of relief. Sometimes these wanderers are harmless, inoffensive people, strangers — at least, as regards the women — to the events which have led to their exile, objects of persecution, helpless and astonished at their fate. They take root again somewhere as they can. They have done no harm to any one, and scarcely comprehend the destiny that has befallen them.

The story of all humankind is no different, at least as narrated in holy scriptures. Adam and Eve’s descent was in a sense exile from home, from the Garden, from the Beloved. As sad as it was, there was a wisdom behind this exile, the fruits of which were the exceptional voices of love and compassion: Abraham the Friend of God, Moses whom God spoke to, Jesus the Word of God, Muhammad the Beloved of God… peace be upon them all. Ironically, these giants of love were never immune from exile: all had to flee their homelands to take root in another place.

But when you want your light to be visible centuries from today, you have to be prepared to pay the price: emigration from the heavens, emigration from your homeland, emigration from the beloved one; taking refuge in a foreign land, taking refuge in a lover, taking refuge in the Divine.

As Rumi tells of his own experience, this is a journey from “being raw to being cooked, and then to being burnt.”

In addition to Rumi’s extensive scholarship and spiritual friendship with Shams, the sun, it was perhaps his status as an immigrant that helped him transform his outer knowledge to inner wisdom; that enabled his liberation from the uncomfortable clothes of what we thought religion was and allowed him to attain its true essence. His exile enabled his specific alchemy of knowledge and love, helping him to go beyond metaphorical love (aşk-ı mecazi) to real love (aşk-ı hakiki).

It is a journey of awareness and appreciation of the favors of our Lord, none of which we can deny (Qur’an 55:13).

Immigrants and the sea

In his Mesnevi, Rumi narrates the story of a sailor and a linguist. An arrogant linguist boards a ship. He asks the sailor, “Do you know any grammar?” The sailor replies in the negative. “What a pity, says the linguist, you have spent half of your life in vain.” The sailor is sad, but he keeps quiet. After a while, a terrible storm breaks out and the ship begins to sink. The sailor asks the now-frantic linguist, “O grammarian, do you know how to swim?” To which the now-frantic linguist replies in the negative. “What a pity,” says the sailor, “For it means that you will lose your entire life!”

This story speaks a lot about immigrants. First, there are hundreds of them drowning in the sea every day. Second, these immigrants are more often than not thinking people, advocates of freedoms and rights, doctors, academics, and journalists who are risking their lives for an honorable life in peace. Perhaps there are many Rumis and Bob Dylans among them, great souls who might remind us of our common humanity.

Rumi was an immigrant.

According to the United Nations’ records, the number of refugees in 2016 is greater than at any other time in history.

For the many of us who are not close to active conflict zones, immigrants are nothing more than a news item. For many others, immigrants are fellow friends to remember in prayers and be concerned for. A very lovely couple from the latter camp, who are very dear to me, recently sent me a wonderful book of poetry, titled Looking for Home: Women Writing about Exile. My friends sent in their message one of Jesus’ liturgies, from Mark 10: 29-30: “‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.’”

Independent of this beautiful gift I received, my wife told me around the same time that she and her American friends from her book club had chosen a novel for the month. It is by a very young writer Yaa Gyasi, and it’s titled Homegoing.

I was far away from home when my father passed away. Comfort came in the form of flowers a dear friend picked from his garden, and in all my friends’ efforts to share my grief.

I am an immigrant. My friends make it feel like I am home.   

Whenever our father was upset, we would ask him to take us to Luna Park, and he would. We never took any of the rides; not the cars, nor the wheel we adored watching so much. But it would make dad happy again. All the troubles plaguing his mind would be gone. Perhaps he was thinking how funny we were, and as he silently chuckled to himself he was forgetting his distress. Perhaps he was being proud of our rather early display of maturity.

Whenever our father was upset, we would take him to Luna Park, not the other way around.

At this time, within these bands, plate-like structures called placodes, mark the positions of future teeth. Proliferation of cells in these areas continue to grow into the underlying mesenchymal tissue while other cells called ectomesynchymal cells begin to assemble around these swellings of cells.

This sets the stage for the development of the teeth. The process can now be divided into the bud, cap, and bell stages. These three stages only describe the shape of the developing tooth during each stage. An innumerable amount of genes and proteins are involved during each of these stages, some of which are yet to be discovered. During these stages, cells transform into other cells by interacting with each other and by various complex molecular signaling pathways.

An astonishing feature during development, not unique to tooth development, is the predetermination of the fate of every one of these countless cells.

The question of what initiates tooth development , and what determines the positions of the teeth in the developing oral cavity, continues to be a compelling one for researchers. As early as the eleventh day of gestation, signs of initiation emerge. To date, over ninety different genes and numerous other signaling molecules, including transcription factors from various cellular families, have been discovered and implicated in the initiation of tooth development. The intricate and complex interactions that occur during these processes are far from being fully understood.

The bud stage: Also referred to as the ectomesenchymal condensation stage, it is characterized by the invasion of epithelium into the surrounding cells (the ectomesenchyme). Proliferation of cells during this stage increases cellular thickness in the region, hence forming a bud-like structure. There are no significant cellular changes during this stage; however there is much activity surrounding the developing tooth during the transition between the bud and cap stages. Nerve fibers begin to enter the dental follicle, which later enter the dental pulp.

The cap stage: The passage from bud to cap stage is marked by the change in cellular form or shape (morphodifferentiation). These cellular changes are also determined and regulated by numerous signals and the expression of specific genes. The differences that occur at this stage also determine the tooth type that will be formed (incisor, canine, or molar).

The tooth bud continues to grow and pulls the dental lamina as it grows. It now appears like a bulge which rests on a conglomerate of ectomesenchymal cells, hence taking the shape of a cap positioned on a ‘head’ of ectomesenchyme.

At this stage, the future structures of the tooth can be distinguished. The ectomesenchymal portion, now called the dental papilla, will give rise to the dentine and pulp (the blood and nerve supply) of the tooth. The portion on the outside of the dental lamina and the cap (called the dental follicle) will give rise to the future supporting structures of the tooth (the bony socket and periodontal ligament). The cells making up this cap, which includes a lining of cells and the cells inside this lining, are called the enamel organ, and will give rise to the tooth enamel. This triad of structures is collectively termed the tooth germ (i.e., a collection of cells that will form the tooth).

During the latter part of the cap stage, cells begin to transform by altering their functions. The core of the enamel organ forms star shaped cells (the stellate, or star-like, reticulum). This occurs by a process whereby cells produce and discharge a hydrophilic protein which in turn increases water content between cells, thus separating them while they maintain links with each other, giving them the starry appearance.

Around this time a structure called the enamel knot arrives. It is thought to be the coordinating center for tooth cusp shape. It appears and disappears at different stages of development.

In the midst of the cellular changes taking place, clusters of blood vessels begin to penetrate the dental papilla, precisely in the positions of the future roots. It is thought that the blood vessels and nerves also play a role in the initiation of tooth development.

The bell stage: As the growth of the tooth germ proceeds, the inner portion deepens and it begins to bear resemblance to a bell. It is in the course of this stage that the tooth takes on its final shape (its crown form). In addition, the cells which will be responsible for the formation of the tooth’s enamel and dentine form at this stage.

The cells which make up the enamel organ begin to change their form, including their shape and size, while their function changes according to the role they are destined to perform. The cells interact with each other in an astonishingly coordinated way as they induce one cell to differentiate into another at precise stages of formation. Two distinct layers of cells form in this way, which are then separated by an intermediate layer. The outer layer of cells begins to manufacture and secrete the organic components which will later form mature mineralized enamel (ameloblasts), while the inner cellular layer will begin to manufacture and secrete substances which will be the building blocks for the formation of mature dentine (odontoblasts). At the point where the inner and outer cell layers meet at the edge of the bell, the cells continue to proliferate up to the time that the crown size is completed. Once this is complete, the cells then generate the cellular constituents for tooth root development.

By the end of bell stage, the developing tooth is separated from its original attachment to the surface of the developing oral cavity, and is now housed in its own developing crypt.

During the latter part of this stage, an offshoot of tissue forms on the tongue and palate facing the side of the developing tooth. These offshoots are the tooth buds of the future permanent teeth.

The subsequent maturation and mineralization of the tooth’s enamel and dentine are separate areas of study which are indeed as complex and intricate as one can imagine.

This exceedingly complex, orchestrated work of art, albeit simplified for the reader, must occur in harmony with the growth of other structures including the face, tongue, and jaws. The subsequent events that must take place for the appearance of the teeth is yet another area to be studied. This process is exquisitely timed with respect to development and function.

When considered how complicated all of this is, and how perfectly it functions, one can’t help but be awed.

References

• Antonio Nanci; Ten Cate’s Oral Histology, Development, Structure and Function.8th Edition, 2013.
• Beverly Kramer &John Allan; The Fundamentals of Human Embryology, Student Manual (2^nd Edition), 2010.   

A proper diet differs from person to person. It’s important to design your diet according to the genetic map of your family and characteristics of your body. By “dieting” I do not mean being undernourished, but eating a healthy balance of nutrients to supply your body’s daily energy needs. Balance is important, for if a person only eats protein, fat, or carbohydrates, after a while, the body’s organs can start to deteriorate.

Here are some aspects that should be taken into consideration while designing your personal diet:

Personalizing the diet

Not everyone should have the same diet. People come in different shapes and sizes, and they have different genetic makeups. A person must know how their body responds to certain foods. They must identify whether they (or their family) is prone to gain weight, whether they have a depressive or a nervous personality, or whether there is a family history of certain diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. Families that are genetically susceptible to heart attacks should eat vegetables and fruits instead of too much protein or foods high in fats.

Maintaining an ideal weight range is important. While certain foods should be eaten in smaller amounts, this does not mean eating nothing. For instance, if a person has diabetes, they can’t have too much sugar – but no sugar is also bad for them.

A person who works hard outdoors will have a different diet from a person who works in an office. Some people are allergic to certain foods. Other people have a low basal metabolism or suffer from psychological distress. Food preferences also change according to cultures: a preferred food in one society may not be accepted in another.

Determining your ideal weight

Each person’s ideal weight is different. It differs depending on a person’s height, as well as the weight of their fatty tissues, muscles, and bones. A rough way to figure out your ideal weight is to add or subtract five from the last two digits of your height in centimeters. For example, someone who is 180 cm (5.90 feet) tall should weigh between 75-85 kg (165-187 lb). The most important thing is to set a healthy, ideal weight, and stick to it for life. Going over your ideal weight can lead to obesity and a slew of other health problems.

Determining body mass index

Obesity means an extreme excess of fat in a person’s body. Therefore, if your ideal weight is 60 kg (132 lb.) but you weigh 80 kg (176 lb.), knowing how much of the excess 20kg is fat or muscle is possible by determining your body mass index. If this excess of 20 kg (44 lb.) is 5 kg (11 lb.) of muscle and 15 kg (33 lb.) of fat, you can lose 15 kg of excess fat with a better diet and exercise. Losing mass from one’s muscles is harmful to the body, as it causes protein loss. Protein loss shouldn’t happen while you’re also losing weight.

The basal metabolic rate

This is the total energy, per 24 hours, that one expends while at rest. This changes according to a person’s physiological and biochemical structure. 30% of basal metabolism is used by the liver, 19% by the brain, and 18% by the skeletal muscles. Those with higher muscle mass index have a higher basal metabolism. If fewer calories are taken in than the basal metabolism needs, weight is lost; if more calories are taken in, weight is gained. Those with a higher basal metabolic rate lose weight much easier. One must take this rate into consideration when building their ideal diet.

Climate

Climate has an effect on one’s organs and metabolism. A change in climate conditions changes the energy demands on the body. The colder the climate, the more calories one needs. Gastrointestinal diseases are common in Siberian children who have diet-related malnutrition. Conversely, those living near the poles are less likely to have heart and vascular diseases, even though they eat diets high in fat and protein.

Age and gender

In the elderly, losing weight can cause urinary tract infections. A child under five on a long-term, low-calorie diet is at risk of pneumonia, low blood pressure, hypocalcemia, and abdominal swelling. Supplementary micronutrients such as thiamine, folic acid, vitamins A, C, E, and K, and iron should be given, along with carbohydrates, to children suffering from malnutrition. Care should be taken not to disrupt the balance of the basic substances in the body.

Balanced diet

Unbalanced diets cause functional disorders and diseases in the organs. In high protein diets, which are preferable for terms of fat loss, especially in diabetic patients, cardiovascular and nephritic problems have been observed when the metabolism of carbohydrates and fat have deteriorated. In menopausal patients who lose weight through high protein diets there can be a significant decrease in bone density due to imbalances in protein, sodium, calcium, and potassium, which can lead to fractures.

Imbalanced diets are often accompanied by diseases. Moderately high protein diets may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Low fat, high carbohydrate diets may be more suitable for these people. Instead of a single type of food, the most favored diets are those which are more complex than others.

85gr protein + 116gr fat +   360gr carbohydrate/day   =   high carbohydrate diet
139gr protein + 82gr fat   + 181gr carbohydrate/day   = high protein diet
137gr protein +   140gr fat   + 42gr carbohydrate/day = high fat diet

Mixed diets do not reduce the risk of colon cancer. However, eating lots of fibrous, pulpy foods has been shown to reduce it.

Determining meal times

We eat more than we need to. True hunger is when stomach cramps begin, and this happens about 18-24 hours after one’s last meal. We should not confuse hunger and mild hunger. Mild hunger is not feeling full in the stomach. Long-term memory is facilitated in the case of mild hunger and molecular mechanisms are accelerated, and thus we become conditioned to eat at regimented times.

Physiological mealtimes should be preferred to traditional mealtimes. Foods that give energy, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, can only be metabolized after a certain period of time. Since it takes the longest (8 hours) for fat to metabolize, it should be at least 8 hours between meals; otherwise, the body stores that excess fat. So someone who sleeps for 8 hours can eat two meals a day.

Duration of meals

The relationship between hunger, nutrition, eating speed, and putting on weight was studied in obese children, and it was found that the feeling of hunger and eating speed were four times higher in obese children than normal children. Therefore, that’s why they eat more and the feeling of fullness takes longer to kick in. Meals should be chewed for a long time: a brain’s satiety center only registers a feeling of fullness after around 30 minutes.

Amount of food

The volume of a normal stomach is 1000-1500 cc. It is necessary to leave space for the stomach’s contents to shake easily and for the stomach to add the enzymes and the slurries that break the food down and carry it towards the intestines. In this case, it is necessary to leave 2/3 of the stomach for water and food, and 1/3 empty. The total amount of food and water should not exceed 700-1000 cc.

Personalized workouts

Exercise strengthens muscles. During a workout, biochemical events in the body are accelerated, toxins are excreted more easily from the body, and weight is lost. Before determining a workout program, it is important to make sure there isn’t any significant abnormality in the body’s biochemistry, or an injury. For the best results, it is important to know which muscles work more in terms of energy spent during a workout. For example, the energy spent by the front thigh muscles and the forearm muscles is not the same. A workout should proceed gradually, so as not to cause injury.

Drinking enough water

The water lost by daily metabolic activities and sweating should be recovered. The amount of water consumed per resting day is 1800-2000 cc. A person will need more water if they are exercising.

A Prophetic diet

Certain religions have guidelines for which foods to eat together at the same time. For instance, in Judaism, meat and dairy products should not be cooked together; some Orthodox Jews would not combine meat and fish. Many Muslims look at the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) diet and see that he did not eat the following kinds of food together: milk and sour food, milk and meat, or milk and eggs. He also avoided two hot or cold foods at the same time, as well as two fried or dried foods. The Prophet (pbuh) did not prefer to eat extremely hot food and said blessings would be with cooler food. Religious traditions also have certain dietary prohibitions. For instance, Judaism and Islam prohibit eating certain animals, and permitted animals have to be slaughtered according to the religious law.

Diet is an important part of one’s health, but it’s not the only factor. Health is determined by many things, including culture, genetics, education, and other lifestyle factors.  

Hizmet’s activities can be classified into four categories: business associations, interfaith/intercultural dialogue activities, education,[1] and relief work.[2] Its interfaith/intercultural dialogue activities provide safe zones where peoples of different backgrounds can come together and engage in friendly conversations in a peaceful atmosphere. Such meetings create constructive relationships and social capital.

The movement’s educational and relief work also engender dialogue, although indirectly. They have often helped communities who have historically had strained relationships come together under the tree of knowledge.

Hizmet pioneered dialogue activities in Turkey in the 1980s. This allowed different communities to search for solutions to common problems. When the movement spread worldwide in the 1990s, its dialogue activities reached beyond just the Turkish context and encompassed all major faiths and cultures.

With the growth of militant extremism dominating the international discourse about Muslims, Hizmet became a major moderate voice, condemning extremism and embodying Islam’s peaceful face.[3] It presents an alternative vision for Muslims, in stark contrast with the reactionary political Islamist movements. Hizmet encourages Muslims to peacefully but actively engage in all walks of life and with all types of people.

Fethullah Gülen, the key figure whose ideas have inspired the movement, “regards dialogue as an activity of forming a bond between two or more parties.” He also “specifies the humanitarian approach to dialogue, which manifests itself with tolerance and various tolerance-based concepts such as love, compassion, forgiveness, and humility” (Kim 2015, 35).

Kim has also called Gülen’s approach to dialogue “dialogic Sufism,” a reactivation of the Turkish Sufi tradition, one that has been specifically adapted for the contemporary world. “Dialogic Sufism opposes a dialectical approach to humanity which assumes an opposing and conflicting relationship between self and others,” Kim wrote (2015, 36). He adds that this approach is in contrast with the reactionary nature of political Islam: “Instead, it [Hizmet] interacts with any challenging condition and context to build a dialogical bridge between the past and the present, the East and the West, rationalism/materialism and spiritualism, and between different civilizations, religions and cultures, obliterating difference and distinctions between ‘[the] self and others’” (Kim 2015, 37).

Gülen has traced the idea of dialogue back to basic Islamic themes. Accordingly, he takes the “basmala,” the beginning of almost every chapter of the Qur’an, as a point of departure. The basmala is a recitation of God’s attributes, “the Compassionate and the Merciful.” According to Gülen, the recurrence of this phrase in the Qur’an is an indication “God wanted to teach Muslims, among other things, to be compassionate and merciful in their relations with their fellow human beings, and with nature” (Saritoprak and Griffith 2005, 333).

Furthermore, Gülen has been inspired by the writings of Ahmed Faruqi Sirhindi (1564-1624), an Indian Sufi, who introduced the concept of loving friendship (khillah) and that each believer is to cultivate a spiritual friendship with all those who profess the faith of Abraham, both Muslims or non-Muslims (Saritoprak and Griffith 2005). Referring to love in the Sufi tradition, Gülen emphasizes one of the “beautiful names” of God, “al-Wadud,” or the Beloved One, and asserts that Muslims are expected to reflect this attribute in their lives by being a people of love. Gülen has found the roots of these themes in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, quoting the hadith, “Whoever is humble, God exalts him; whoever is haughty, God humiliates him” (Saritoprak and Griffith 2005, 334). To Gülen, this idea is the heart of Islamic ethics. It is also the basis for interreligious dialogue, and he sees dialogue as the natural result of the practice of Islamic ethics. Humility leads to peace through dialogue, not violence through conflict.

According to Gülen, the Qur’anic verse 3:64, revealed in the ninth year of the Hijra (629 CE), represents one of the greatest ecumenical calls of Prophet Muhammad’s time and clearly indicates that Muslims are expected to treat People of the Book with respect and tolerance (Webb 2015; Saritoprak and Griffith 2005):

Tell them: ‘O people of the Book, let us come to an agreement on that which is common between us, that we worship no one but God, and make none his compeer, and that none of us take any others for Lord apart from God.’ If they turn away, you tell them: ‘Bear witness that we submit to Him’ (Al-Imran 3:64).

According to Esposito and Yılmaz (2010, 162), Gülen’s teachings are based on Turkish Islamic tradition inspired by Sufi figures like the poet and theologian Rumi (1207-1273) and the Ottoman Empire’s religious tolerance, as exemplified in the Empire’s community self-governance (also known as the millet system). In this respect, Saritoprak and Griffith (2005, 330) assert, “[t]he Ottoman Empire presented a great example of the Islamic understanding of tolerance towards non-Muslim subjects, in particular, the People of the Book. In our contemporary world, the issue has become even more relevant because of a tremendous need for interfaith dialogue and understanding.”

They argue that Gülen’s interfaith approach, in turn, is rooted in three Islamic principles: “a history of revelation and prophecy, the commonalities among faiths, and the Qur’an’s explicit sanction of interfaith dialogue” (Esposito and Yılmaz 2010, 162). The following paragraphs will present details of each of these, tracing them in Gülen’s writings.

First, Gülen’s commitment to interfaith dialogue emanates from his inclusive and singular approach to religion, in which Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, particularly – and even the non-Abrahamic religions of Hinduism and Buddhism – accept the same theistic source.[4]

Accordingly, a spiral understanding of history and religion in Gülen’s thought generates this approach, in which the universal principle of God’s existence is reaffirmed by messengers and revelations. “The divine revelation and prophecy establish both an axis for religious unity and a framework for religious diversity” (Esposito and Yılmaz 2010, 163). Since the Qur’an declares in verse 40:78 that God sent many prophets and the hadith tradition specifies their number as 124,000 messengers, Gülen is able to argue that the universality of religion is reflected by any religion, to a varying degree, and that all major religions are based on the shared divine revelation (Esposito and Yılmaz 2010).

Supporting his inclusive approach to religion and interfaith dialogue, Gülen draws parallels between the similarity of different religious teachings (Esposito and Yılmaz 2010). In this regard, he states that religions pursue the same universal goals. He also reiterates their shared source and emphasizes the commonality in generally accepted values across different religions, indicating the divine presence in all religions[5]:

The goal of dialogue among world religions is not simply to destroy scientific materialism and the destructive materialistic worldview; rather, the very nature of religion demands this dialogue. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and even Hinduism and other world religions accept the same source for themselves, and, including Buddhism, pursue the same goal. As a Muslim, I accept all Prophets and Books sent to different peoples throughout history, and regard belief in them as an essential principle of being Muslim. A Muslim is a true follower of Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and all other Prophets. Not believing in one Prophet or Book means that one is not a Muslim. Thus we acknowledge the oneness and basic unity of religion, which is a symphony of God’s blessings and mercy, and the universality of belief in religion. So, religion is a system of belief embracing all races and all beliefs, a road bringing everyone together in brotherhood.

Regardless of how their adherents implement their faith in their daily lives, such generally accepted values as love, respect, tolerance, forgiveness, mercy, human rights, peace, brotherhood, and freedom [are] exalted by religion. Most of them are accorded the highest precedence in the messages brought by Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, as well as in the messages of Buddha and even Zarathustra, Lao-Tzu, Confucius, and the Hindu prophets.

Lastly, Gülen believes in the Qur’an’s universal call for dialogue, though it primarily targets the Abrahamic religions and forms the first pillar of interfaith dialogue (Esposito and Yılmaz 2010). Verse 3:64 from the Qur’an is one example that Gülen quotes[6]: “O People of the Book, come to a word common between us and you, that we worship none but God, and associate none as partner with Him, and that none of us take others for Lords, apart from God.”

Gülen also emphasizes verses 2:3 and 2:4, which require Muslims to believe in scriptures that were sent to previous prophets as well as the Prophet of Islam (“…who believe in what is sent to you and what was sent before you”)[7]. Accordingly, by establishing the belief in earlier prophets and revelations, Islam lays out the foundation for interfaith dialogue. Further, based on verse 29:46, “And discuss you not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation),” Gülen contends that the Qur’an bases that dialogue on finding common points rather than disputing others’ religious beliefs.[8] Yücel (2013), quoting Seker, asserts that “Gülen’s dialogue work is not un-Islamic or something new to Islam, but is rather based on the spirit of the Medina Charter, an agreement drawn up between the Muslims and non-Muslims (Jews and pagans) in Medina that granted rights and respect towards non-Muslims.” Seker adds that Gülen also draws from the spirit of the final sermon of Prophet Muhammad (Yücel 2013, 204).

According to Webb (2015), for Gülen, being human is sufficient enough to earn respect. Webb (2015, 16), in this respect, points to Gülen’s use of the hadith to justify his universalistic principle:

[The Prophet] one day stood up as a Jewish funeral was passing by. One of the Companions at his side said, ‘O Messenger of God, that’s a Jew.’ Without any change in attitude or alteration of the lines on his face, the Prince of Prophets gave this answer: ‘But he is a human being!’

In this respect, by pointing to enlarging the circle of Hizmet from the Abrahamic faiths to include religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism on the basis of human-brotherhood, Erol (2012) asserts, “the Gülen movement is eager to create further bonds just because they are human beings regardless of their faith, colour, language, culture or ethnic background. It is simply implementing the aforementioned famous saying of Yunus Emre: ‘We love the created because of the Creator.’”[9]

According to Kim (2015, 39), “[i]n Gülen’s diagnosis, most of the problems that contemporary human beings face result from the loss of true humanism, which causes and appears with widespread hatred and enmity,” and “Gülen is convinced that the only way to disentangle the real and critical danger to human beings is to revitalize humanism by means of love and tolerance.” Hizmet means “service to humanity,” and based on Gülen’s philosophy, “the real path of Sufis is to seek their spiritual progress in the happiness of others by living for others. This exemplifies what hizmet is” (Kim 2015, 38). Similarly, Al-Mabuk (2015, 29) contends that in Gülen’s thought, “forgiveness holds the promise to transform hostility, resentment and hatred into peace, love and harmony among individuals and societies.”

Yücel (2013), on the other hand, links Gülen’s dialogue efforts to Said Nursi (1877-1960), an influential Ottoman-Kurdish Islamic scholar and activist. Gülen is an ardent follower of Nursi, who initiated the idea of dialogue in his Damascus sermon in 1911[10]: “Said Nursi proposed dialogue and collaboration between Muslims and Christians before a congregation of over 10,000 Muslims, including 100 prominent religious scholars, in the Umayyad Mosque, Damascus” (Yücel 2013, 197). Nursi believed in this cooperation against materialism, which he saw as the source of the international aggression of his time; to him, greed, driven by materialism, causes the major conflicts that lead to destruction on a worldwide scale. Nursi suggested that Muslims and Christians should cooperate against common threats, including poverty, ignorance, and enmity between peoples. According to Valkenburg (2015, 53), “[i]t can be found in Nursi’s Damascus sermon and in some parts of his Risale-i Nur as well, where Nursi showed that negative approaches to people of other religions in the Qur’an usually apply to specific situations only, whilst the more positive evaluations of others have a more universal value. Something similar can be said about the quotation about loving good deeds and detesting bad deeds, since in the same Damascus sermon from 1911, Said Nursi stated that ‘the thing most worthy of love is love, and that most deserving of enmity is enmity.’”

According to Yücel (2013, 200), “Gülen has two aims for interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Firstly, he seeks a world in which civilisations do not clash. Secondly, he pictures a world where religious, cultural and linguistic differences are not denied or repressed, but rather expressed freely in the form of a civilisation of love. He dreams of a world without conflict and enmity. In such a world, people avoid hurting or annoying each other.”

References

• Al-Mabuk, Radhi H. 2015. “Fethullah Gülen’s Perspectives on Forgiveness.” Hizmet Studies Review. 2(2): 21-31.
• Barton, Greg. 2014. “How Hizmet Works: Islam, Dialogue and the Gülen Movement in Australia.” Hizmet Studies Review. 1(1): 9-25.
• Kim, Heon C. 2015. “Sufism and Dialogue in the Hizmet Movement.” Hizmet Studies Review. 2(2): 33-49.
• Saritoprak, Zeki, and Sidney Griffith. 2005. “Fethullah Gülen and the People of the Book: A Voice from Turkey for Interfaith Dialogue.” The Muslim World. 95(3): 329–40.
• Webb, M. O. 2015. “Fethullah Gülen’s Use of Philosophical and Scriptural Resources for Tolerance.” Hizmet Studies Review. 2(2): 9-18.
• Yilmaz I and Esposito JL. 2010. Islam and Peacebuilding: Gülen Movement Initiatives. New York: Blue Dome Press.
• Yücel, S. 2013. “Muslim-Christian Dialogue: Nostra Aetate and Fethullah Gülen’s Philosophy of Dialogue.” Australian e-Journal of Theology, 20(3).

[1] http://gulenschools.org/

[2] http://embracerelief.org/

[3] http://rumiforum.org/gulen-condem-isis-new-york-times-washington-post/

[4] http://en.fgulen.com/questions-and-answers/599-what-is-the-role-of-prophethood-and-of-prophets

(Accessed July 5, 2015).

[5] http://en.fgulen.com/about-fethullah-gulen/251-fethullah-gulens-speeches-and-interviews-on-interfaith-dialogue/1334-introduction

(Accessed July 5, 2015).

[6] http://en.fgulen.com/reflections-on-the-quran/4286-al-imran-3-64

(Accessed July 5, 2015).

[7] http://en.fgulen.com/conference-papers/peaceful-coexistence/2486-sacred-scriptures-and-interfaith-dialogue

(Accessed July 5, 2015).

[8] http://en.fgulen.com/conference-papers/peaceful-coexistence/2512-gulens-paradigm-on-peaceful-coexistence-theoretical-insights-and-some-practical-perspectives

(Accessed July 5, 2015).

[9] http://www.fethullahgulenforum.org/articles/32/the-contribution-fethullah-gulen-on-christian-muslim-relations

[10] http://www.saidnur.com/foreign/en/risaleler/sermon1.htm

A tornado that is bigger than the Earth: The Great Red Spot

The storms of a gas giant like Jupiter, a planet 1300 times bigger than Earth, are very fierce. Scientists who have studied Jupiter discovered that its high rotational rate – a day is only approximately 10 hours – leads to the formation of moving gas zones and east-west air jets. The air currents in these bands wrap the planet like colorful belts and they move in opposite directions at around 600 km per hour. The collision of these horizontal cloud bands leads to giant storms.

The most famous giant storm on Jupiter is the Great Red Spot. This giant anticyclone is three times bigger than the Earth. It rotates counter-clockwise and has existed for 340 years. Since Jupiter is made only of gas, it doesn’t have a physical topography. Therefore, the storm can’t find a place to empty its energy. The winds around the Great Red Spot, which looks like a red oval eye, have a speed of 400 km per hour.

It’s still a matter of debate as to how the Great Red Spot reached such a giant size. Scientists have argued multiple theories. One theory states that this giant storm has been fed by an internal heat energy and engulfs all the other storms it comes across. As the hot gases that comprise Jupiter’s atmosphere rise from lower levels to higher levels, eddies form and converge. As cooler gas falls back to the planet’s surface, it causes a swirling motion. These eddies can last for a long time, because there is no solid surface to provide friction. Many adjacent eddies are engulfed and merge with the spot, adding to the energy of the storm and contributing to its longevity.

Other scientists mention that the Great Red Spot has begun to shrink. While the spot was about 41,000 km wide in the 1800s, it had shrunk to 23,300 km in 1979, according to the measurements of Voyager 1 and 2. Recent Hubble telescope measurements report the storm’s size as 16,500 km wide. Another large storm, whose diameter is as large as the Earth’s, was observed below the Great Red Spot.

Winds twice as fast as sound

During hurricanes and tornadoes, the winds on Earth are strong enough to demolish buildings. Yet if we spent a day on Neptune, where the fastest winds in the solar system occur, we wouldn’t be so impressed with the Earth’s winds. Winds on Neptune can reach speeds of 2400 km per hour. This is twice as fast as the speed of sound (1235.5 km per hour).

Astronomers think that freezing weather conditions may lead to the strong winds on Neptune. As on Jupiter, there is no friction to slow the currents down – though here the culprit is an icy planet, not a gaseous one. The fastest jet streams are visible as dark spots. The most important ones were the Great Dark Spot, located in the southern hemisphere, and the Small Dark Spot, which was south of the great dark spot.

The Great Dark Spot was an anticyclonic storm and was first discovered by Voyager 2 in 1989. It was about the same size as Earth, and was very cold and dark. There were silky cirrus clouds around the spot made up of crystals of frozen methane. However, the Great Dark Spot was not observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1994.

The Small Dark Spot, also called The Wizard’s Eye, was a southern cyclonic storm. It was also observed by Voyager 2. But again, when the Hubble observed Neptune in 1994, the storm had disappeared.

In lieu of these two storms, a new dark spot was discovered in the northern hemisphere. This storm, whose width is almost 2400 km, is still active. Apart from this storm, there are also speedy and comparatively small clouds called “scooters.”

When observed at a distance, Saturn and its giant rings seem quite taciturn. However, beneath the surface are rough storms like the Great White Spot, discovered in 1990, and the Giant Storm, discovered in 2010. Although cloud zones that are parallel to the equator are observed in Saturn’s atmosphere, the color and contrast between the bands are not as striking as on, say, Jupiter. In these neighboring zones the clouds move in opposite directions at enormous speed. White spots are observed when some of them interact, creating storms that can reach a truly gigantic size.

These storms can reach speeds of 1800 km per hour, making them the second fastest storms in the solar system after Neptune’s. The most striking storms on Saturn are those observed above the North Pole. These storms have an unusual hexagonal shape, which is due to atmospheric vortices in the polar regions. The biggest of these storms has a width of about 13,800 km. Once again, the existence of these huge storms was proved by Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in 1980 and 1981.

In 2009, the Giant Storm was observed more closely thanks to NASA’s Cassini Spacecraft. As a result of these observations, it has been revealed that the Giant Storm has existed for 30 years and has winds estimated at 480 km/ph.

When we look at other planets in the solar system, Venus has dramatic differences between high and low pressure in its atmosphere. The planet is covered by thick, heavy clouds made of sulfuric acid. Venus is made of active volcanoes, which produce toxic gases and constant heat; the planet is literally shaped by toxic smoke.

Mars is famous for giant red dust storms that blanket the entire planet and last for months. When Mariner 9 arrived on Mars in 1971, it found out that the atmosphere was thick with “a planet-wide robe of dust.” The only visible object was Mount Olympus Mons, which is nearly three times taller than Mount Everest.

Upon observing the atmospheres of nearby planets, and the enormous storms that torment them, it’s hard not to contemplate the enormous power that exists in the universe – and we find ourselves grateful that Earth was created in such a temperate manner. Without such an amenable climate, life wouldn’t be possible.   

However, the sun is not the only way humans can retrieve energy from nature. The use of fossil fuels as an alternative source of energy has been utilized by humans since the Industrial Revolution. Unfortunately, the use of fossil fuels has contributed to human-made climate change, which threatens all life as we know it. There are a number of effects of climate change, such as melting glaciers, a rise in ocean temperatures, drought and famine, and more frequent extreme weather events. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced.

Macquarie Island

Humanity can impact the ecology in myriad, profound ways. Macquarie Island in the southwest Pacific Ocean is an interesting case to exemplify this impact. After the discovery of Macquarie Island in 1810, people brought cats to the island to eat rats and mice that threatened the sailors’ grain stores. Later, in 1878, rabbits were introduced to provide food for the sailors. Unfortunately, the rabbits provided easy prey for the island’s cats, causing the cat population to grow; the rabbits also damaged the island’s native vegetation. People decided to reduce the rabbit population via a disease called myxomatosis, which was only fatal to rabbits. It did its work well and decreased the population from a peak of 130,000 to less than 20,000, and the vegetation recovered. However, with fewer rabbits, the cats began to hunt the island’s native birds, damaging their population. People decided to eradicate cats and the last cat was removed from the island in 2000. But with this move, the rabbit population increased dramatically and caused substantial damage to native vegetation. Human interference in the natural balance cost Macquarie Island around $16 million.

With the reserves of fossil fuels depleted, governments and companies have focused on alternative energy resources. In this regard, interest in renewable energy resources has increased, as they allow countries to both stay independent from fossil fuels and reduce the impact of climate change. Abundant energy from the sun, the wind, plants, and the Earth itself can provide some or all of our energy needs while also conserving the Earth’s natural resources without having any adverse effect on the environment.

Electrical energy

The need for renewables is more pressing than ever. With the Earth’s population continuing to grow, and many developing countries revamping their electrical grid, the need for electrical energy has continued to increase, too. In 2004, this demand was 17,450 TWh (terawatt-hour), but it is estimated that the world will consume 31,657 TWh by 2030. To date, most electricity has come from fossil fuels. To tackle this crisis, renewable energies such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric power will be necessary, and research must increase in proportion to need.

In the wind sector, energy management of power generated from wind turbines has become an important issue. Countries are already seeing the benefits – to their power grid and their employment numbers – from increasing their wind power capabilities.

Wind energy is another form of solar energy, as it is derived from the sunlight that heats up the Earth’s surface. Since land warms faster than the surface of water, the warm air above the land rises due to the lighter density of warm air. Cold air from the surface of the ocean moves in to the land to fill the gap generated by the rising warm air. This replacement creates wind, and it’s why we so often feel wind on the beach or lakefront. Moving air is strong and pushes the blades of the wind turbines, which are connected to the generator, which then produces electricity. Thanks to the low costs associated with wind power, wind energy is the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source.

Wind power has been used for decades, even centuries, in Europe, but it is only now catching on in the US. In March 2009, Vice President Joe Biden announced plans to invest $3.2 billion in energy efficiency and energy conservation projects in the United States. If implemented correctly, this plan could decrease the demand for electricity by 50% across the country. This would result in achieving more than $500 billion in net savings over 20 years and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 90 million vehicles.

Using wind energy would be a tremendous way to begin cleaning the Earth. Considering the population growth and increase in energy demand in the coming years, switching to wind energy is be a viable move. Countries like the USA, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Turkey, Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea are doing a good job developing energy policies that favor wind turbine manufacturers and encourage wind energy. These policies may include tax reductions or exemptions, a quota system, or research. Therefore, these policies may help develop awareness of the wind energy industry and help humanity stop the coming climate catastrophe.

Caring for the environment in the holy scriptures:

The Qur’an 2: 205: “When he leaves (you) or attains authority, he rushes about the land to foment disorder and corruption therein, and to ruin the sources of life and human generations. Surely God does not love disorder and corruption.”

Genesis 1: 26-28 and Psalm 8: 6-8: “Because they were created in His image, God gave men and women a privileged place among all creatures and commanded them to exercise stewardship over the earth.”

Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:28: “See My works, how fine they are; Now all that I have created, I created for your benefit. Think upon this and do not corrupt and destroy My world. For if you destroy it, there is no one to restore it after you.”

The Suka Sutra: “The taking of lives causes the soil to be saturated with saline, and plants cannot grow. Fourth, lying contaminates the physical environment, causing it to be filthy and smelly.”

Confucius: “Be lovingly disposed to people; be kind to creatures and things. Within three months of spring, none is allowed to cut trees during their growth period.”

References

• Federal Energy Management Program (2003). Retrieved from www.eere.energy.gov
• Graedel, T. & Crutzen, P. (1989). Policy options for stabilizing Global Climate. National Service Center for Environmental Publications.[Electronic version]. Retrieved June 16^th, 2011 form http://nepis.epa.gov
• Hyslop, B., Davies, M., Wallace, A., Gazey, N.& Holroyd S. (1997). Effects of colliery waste on littoral communities in north – east England. Environmental Pollution. [Electronic version]. Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com
• Jobert, A., Laborgne, P. & Mimler, S, (2007). Local acceptance of wind energy: Factors of success identified in French and German case studies. Journal of Energy Policy, Elsevier. [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 29^th, 2011, from www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol
• Leggett, M. (2006). An indicative costed plan for the mitigation of global risks. Elsevier. [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 29^th, 2011, from www.elsevier.com/locate/futures
• Milici, R. (2000). Depletion of Appalachian coal reserves – how soon? International Journal of Coal Geology.[Electronic version]. Retrieved September 15^th, 2011 from www.elsevier.com
• Stracher, G.& Taylor, T. (2004). Coal fires burning out of control around the world: thermodynamic recipe for environmental catastrophe. International Journal of Coal Geology. [Electronic version]. Retrieved January 29^th, 2011, from www.elsevier.com/locate/ijcoalgeo.
• CNN (2009). CNN world news network.
• Buddha (2011). Retrieved from http://www.blia.org/english/publications/booklet/pages/33.htm
• Judaism (2011). Retrieved from http://jewishveg.com/schwartz/hlydytu.html
• Confucius (2011). Retrieved from http://religion.answers.wikia.com/wiki/What_does_Confucianism_say_about_stewardship_and_the_environment    

Imagine the volume of learning that must take place while travelling from a dark and small room of several square inches to a most sophisticated world, which is beyond comprehension for even the most intelligent and educated human beings. But fortunately, she has somehow been granted the capital of enormous motivation allowing her to set out on this journey.

A great deal of learning takes place during the first couple of days or months, and it happens with almost no help from grownups. This initial burst of learning might never be equaled later in her life.

Her motivation and curiosity make such quick learning possible, but she is also aided by the gift of a wondrous computer with an excellent processor and vast memory – the human brain. These are the major resources in place when grownups begin to intervene in (or should we say interfere with?) the child’s learning.

There are two main possibilities for how parents, caretakers, teachers, and other adults might influence a child’s learning. The first is to optimize the use of the two capitals mentioned above, paving the way for continued and meaningful learning that has been going on successfully since birth. The second is to interfere with this natural progress with aimless, and sometimes forceful, attempts to feed the child with information. Parents or caretakers may not realize the enormous impact their approach will have on a child, especially one at the beginning of their journey. Yet the approach they choose significantly influences the habits of a child’s mind.

Let’s illustrate this with an analogy. If we think of every stimulus a child receives as a Lego piece, then the job in front of the child is to connect these pieces in a meaningful way. The goal for the child, then, is to continue to build a magnificent “knowledge palace” made up of these Lego pieces. Naturally, only the Lego formations toward this goal that are meaningful, self-coherent, and inspiring would be helpful and cognitively valuable.

Following the same analogy, it can be said that there are two main functions grownups can meaningfully perform in the child’s progress in building her knowledge palace. The first is to introduce the child to a great variety of Lego pieces, so that the palace does not become a narrow, dull, and uninspiring construction. This can be accomplished through providing the child with the most comprehensive sample of the world she will be experiencing and living in. Such a sample should include objects, phenomena, thoughts, and feelings reflecting as full a picture of our world as possible. The second is to be a role model and help the child connect the Lego pieces so that she learns to always make connections between the stimuli she comes across. By doing this, adults help the child meaningfully connect the Lego pieces, continually expanding and beautifying her knowledge palace. Otherwise, the stimuli will be left unprocessed, unconnected, and meaningless, cluttering the child’s mind.

What is worse is that for the child, piling up meaningless stimuli will become a habit of her mind. Such disorganization of the mind will, in turn, significantly damage the development of holistic and coherent thinking, undermining the child’s reasoning and problem solving skills. A thorough discussion of these extremely undesirable outcomes is beyond the scope of this article.

Grownups might facilitate the child’s true learning through a successful combination of the two functions mentioned above. Trying to keep the curiosity of the child high while not providing enough Lego pieces will not help. Dumping lots of Lego pieces in front of the child, but not caring about whether they are properly connected by the child, will not mean much, either. Parents, caretakers, teachers, and other adults should try to maintain the child’s motivation and curiosity while guiding her to connect the Lego pieces in a meaningful way. This is only possible through letting the child enjoy learning on her own terms. In other words, grownups should not try to build the knowledge palace for the child. They should not leave the child alone with the Lego pieces, either. Rather, they should serve as role models for learning and allow the child to become the architect of her own knowledge palace.

These guiding principles, though seemingly simple, have huge implications for raising children. Things like how a household is arranged, what toys parents choose for their child, and how to design classroom activities have a meaningful impact on how the child learns. Only two examples will be briefly given here. The child’s room or even the entire household should be a heaven for exploration, with a wide variety of toys or objects serving as a mini replica of what exists and happens in our world. Especially at the beginning of her exploration, the child should be served a full menu of materials, activities, games, hobbies, etc., so that she will have the opportunity to envisage as many different parts of her future knowledge palace as possible.

To present material to be learned while maintaining the curiosity of the child, the grownup should let the child taste the pleasure of learning. In this respect, an ideal setup for learning would be to present most of the material about the topic, while leaving room for the child to do some investigation on her own. Likewise, the child should be guided to do self-reflection after processing material, allowing her to reach her own conclusions and interpretations. This is an effective way for the child to connect the Lego pieces and beautify and expand her knowledge palace.

It should be kept in mind that the child arrives in this world with no prior cognitive preferences or habits. Therefore, continued successful employment of the approach presented above will establish and sustain a sound way of thinking and learning in the child’s mind. Every single effort to use these strategies will create a brilliant mind, always ready for true learning.