0loneliness anD cellUlar Panic
Two University of Chicago psychologists, Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo,
have been exploring the relationship between social isolation, loneliness, and
the physical deterioration and diseases of aging, right down to the cellular level.
Hawkley and Cacioppo took urine samples from both lonely and more contented
volunteers, and found that the lonely ones had more epinephrine hormone flowing
in their bodies. Epinephrine is one of the body’s “fight-or-flight” chemicals, and
high levels indicate that lonely people go through life in a heightened state of
arousal. As with blood pressure, this physiological toll of inner tension becomes
more apparent with aging. Since the body’s stress hormones are intricately involved
in fighting inflammation and infection, it appears that loneliness contributes to the
wear and tear of aging through this pathway as well. Loneliness was found to affect
around 209 genes involved in the basic immune response to tissue damage and
the production of antibodies. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/0708171
30107.htm
Research will have to be undertaken to see whether genuine alchemical dark
night experiences and the consequent acceptance of fundamental aloneness, reduces
the overproduction of epinephrine and the chronic state of sympathetic arousal
(unconscious panic) that is normally associated with a lonely life. This subliminal
fear that has always been with us even in the womb, so that we do not even register
we are in fear...call it neurosis, stress, narcissism or whatever. Society in the West and
war torn areas is generally in permanent state of unconscious panic. This spiritual
loneliness cannot really be resolved by others, for if you are already in permanent
unconscious panic, the company of others is just another terrible stress. It begins in
the womb and reflects the cellular memory of the spiritual separation, anxiety and
disharmony, not only of the mother and the primary relationship of the parents,
but it reflects the general “quality” of spiritual integration of the community, the
times and humanity as a whole. Because it has always been with us, you only get
to perceive this fundamental cellular anxiety and spiritual separation from Cosmos
when it stops. In the absence of the cellular fear, you realize you have been living
in a vice. For no other reason than we are collectively programming ourselves in
this way, and it takes shamanic drugs, falling in love, kundalini awakening or
samadhi experiences in order to realize that there is another way of being we have
not explored yet...in fact there are infinite ways of being yet to be explored.
Like a good self flagellating puritan, I personally feel more matured by my dark
night experiences, than my ecstatic peaks and revelations. I used to be plagued
by incredible loneliness from the moment I came into this world. Now I treasure
my aloneness almost more than life itself. But I am sure I would not have lost the
continual organic loneliness, if it wasn’t for the absolute joy of encounter with
dark nights and Die-offs. Knowing that life doesn’t really get worse than this,
and this down cycle is the most thrilling enjoyable ride into “depths” I could
possibly imagine. Because it is the “conscious” experience of that which was being
repressed from consciousness. Thus in a way identical to an inner-conjunction a
dark night is an ultimate homecoming. Because it is the “conscious” experience