The majestic Banyan tree, symbolic of eternal life and enlightenment, is considered immortal because it grows aerial roots that become supplementary trunks. Quite simply, it has cleverly adapted to prolonging its life, and in the process houses a lot of other creatures.
“Amortality” literally means “not subject to death.” And is the Banyan amortal? No more or less so than the universe itself perhaps. The tree grows outward as if walking and also reproduces with seed bearing fruit.
Does it circumvent death? That’s a human viewpoint, that things are always battling and dying, rather than thriving, cooperating and living. This is an interpretation of a type of observer.
The observer effect and associated beliefs are at play here, inextricably linked with physiology, and physical death could be just one of many evolutionary decision pathways. There’s a lot of genetic mileage and computing power within us.
There’s also increasing examples of organisms that choose differently, from reproduction to regeneration. And we don’t have to torture or destroy these organisms in order to learn from them.
What we have to do is believe and retool behaviors and lifestyles accordingly. If the concept is conceivable, with some strategy even, it is achievable. And life seeks to create and achieve.
One could do ongoing research on therapeutics, very interesting and useful, yet without deep belief or “deep learning” of open life, that may be somewhat impotent.
The XPRIZE Healthspan challenge aims at healthy aging and longevity. The participating teams will probably focus mostly on the latest technologies and gene therapies. They may or may not address address philosophy or mind over matter.
What about “raison de etre” or “joie de vivre” or being the artist of one’s life, including one’s biology. Then what about self knowledge, intention, and the [radical] leap of faith to trust the body, part of our self, and the DNA full of potential, ancient evolutionary knowledge and wisdom. That’s a journey that can’t necessarily be prescribed. When the ancient lessons meet the modern or futuristic, the awareness — that’s when the magic happens.
“THE DAY BEFORE SOMETHING IS TRULY A BREAKTHROUGH, IT’S A CRAZY IDEA.”
— PETER H. DIAMANDIS
It’s preposterously simple to say that belief is the key element, yet that’s what I’m saying. Knowledge of self and biology is the next, and feeling oneself to be physically whole and present.
The point of view is very important. For example, one could say or think I’m “living a slow life” instead of “dying a slow death.” Yet there may be cycles of regeneration with life.
Nature exemplifies cycles of life. Was the Banyan ever dead or was I? From a energetic viewpoint, that seems nonsensical.
Humans could join the ranks of immortals, like stars, jellyfish and trees – option out of biological death by deliberate evolution – to eventual amortality, the attainment of deep knowingness on all levels of life’s perpetual unity, from one’s subatomic and electromagnetic flow, to one’s chemical elements, cells, systems, and the self or selves that arise from those cohesions.
Lastly, and I’ve written about this before, it becomes necessary to engage in constructive activities that propagate and nourish life, instead of destructive activities that harm, in order to attain open ended biological life. The respect of life, of organisms of all shapes and sizes, is vital. Peace may feel strange to us, yet it may lead to the eternal. Less artificial struggle means more exploration and learning. There’s a vast universe out there, and within.
Amidst joyful busyness, enjoyment and rest become necessarily delicious ingredients, when life is not a race to the finish, because there is no finish line. I believe it’s a matter of choice how one wants to proceed, amidst the benevolence of quantum physics & biology and cosmic mysteries, yet familiar in shapes and patterns.
Amazing technologies abound and thankfully continue developing at a rapid enthusiastic pace because of organizations and companies like XPRIZE. It’s important to keep the foundation of success in mind though, and that is conscious philosophy and our own biological deep learning, which equates to deep spiritual/material life and love.