Posted on April 19, 2016February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Life, Cells, the US Constitution, and Trees

Life, Cells,the US Constitution, and Trees

is an odd combination of concepts. At first glance the title of the blog reveals a wide discrepancy of ideas, but in fact there are unifying concepts that bring them together.

The United States is one of the advanced cultures of the modern world. Its magnificent constitution states “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The wisdom rests firstly in the notion that “we the people” is the focus of all subsequent intentions resolutions and actions. Secondly it provides hope and promise of a happy and safe society. This statement of the constitution is satisfied in the biology of the cell, but not to the same extent in the dynamics of society. We do not fully appreciate what perfection has been accomplished in the microcosm of our bodies nor how apt the opening statement is to the cells that make up living organisms. The cells in truth realise all the promises of the preamble, including a perfect union, justice, tranquility, defence, general welfare, liberty, and posterity.

Trees, US Ideology, Cells, and the Body

Living structures are characterized by their ability to move, grow, reproduce, acquire and transport metabolic products, and protect themselves — all so they can function and contribute to the bigger community. The cell as the basic building block of life and living organisms performs all the described functions effortlessly, innately and automatically. For the cell, life happens without struggle or effort. People perform the same characteristics of life, but many individuals struggle to fulfil basic needs to satisfaction.

Constitutional Makeup of the Body

The AiA art piece puts the cell in the centre of the body. The cells, acting in combination with other cells, give life to their person in accordance with the preamble of the constitution. People in combination with other people give life to their society.

From a physical perspective, biology has worked out a mechanism to keep all the 3.7 trillion cells of a single human being satisfied, fed, protected and fully functioning in their specific capacity. The liver cell is fulfilled in its capacity as a liver cell, and the same for the myocardial and brain cell. In fact all animal cells live and do what they were born to do, and are fulfilled until disease or death. The world of botany has accomplished similar magnificence.

Constitutional Makeup of the Tree

Tree cells in combination give life to the tree in accordance with the principles of the constitution.

The 7.1 billion humans of the earth are still stuttering along, despite the lofty aspirations of the US Constitution. Many citizens go hungry, innumerable are homeless and countless die in war. The particular focus of this blog is to observe and appreciate the success of cells in the body, and try to understand and apply the processes that make them so successful to our society at large.

Branching Patterns in Nature – Success Story of Delivery and Waste Removal

YinYang Tree – From Environment to Life in the Trees

The AiA rendering amplifies the arborising pattern of the roots and the branches in a background of the environment fuelled by the sun, air- filled atmosphere, and the earth. The tree unit consists of two opposing forces just like the negative and positive forces of the atom. The bare roots represent one force and the leaf filled flowering branches the other. They need each other and both need the environment (and the environment needs them) to develop, flourish and contribute. They use a branching system at both ends to move nutrients and water efficiently .

What Do We as A Society Have to Learn from from the Yin-Yang Tree?

Opposing forces, when working together, enable both to flourish as individuals and as a new unit. We need the man with the woman, the roots with the wings, the roots with the branches, the winter with the summer, the past with the future, the positive with the negative. In the realm of tubes and flow we need a difference in pressure – a relative positive and a relative negative in order for the contents of the tube to flow.

In the Leaves

The geometric arborising pattern is universal and is shown in veins of the ivy leaf

Heart Shaped Chines Lantern Flower

The dried flower reveals a delicate capillary-like infrastructure which is the transport mechanism for the petals. The flower enfolds and defends a barely appreciated, delicate fruit buried within its husk. The need to protect its fruit manifests parental love which it can only do because it has an efficient transport mechanism to maintain itself.

Branching Patterns in the Body –The Vascular System

Supply and Removal of Metabolites and Waste

The transport systems of biology are exemplified by phenomenal branching tube morphology that is efficient. The delivery and removal system in the form of arteries, capillaries and veins is 60,000 miles long (2.5 X the distance around the earth) – and with a pump that beats on the average of 72 times per minute, 3.7 trillion cells are continually fed and cleared of waste, and as a result can be productive and fulfilled. Food is delivered and is waste removed from the front door of every cell constantly. Each cell understands and applies the Goldilocks principle – “Take Not too much , nor too little, but what is just right for your needs.”

The Pulsatile Miracle Circulation

The Circulation; A Pump, Arteries, Capillaries, and Veins

Capillary Network At the Front Door of the Cells

Specific Circulations

Note that the abdomen has been turned upside down in order to appreciate the tree like formation of the portal vein and small bowel.

The liver is seen at bottom left in purple and the spleen (right) in orange

The Spleen

The Splenic Arterial Tree

The Kidneys

Renal Veins By Doppler Ultrasound in Spring

The Liver

The Hepatic Venules

Ductal Systems

Ducts of the Breast

Histology of the Glands of the Breast

Bile Ductal System Working Night and Day

Dilated Biliary Ductal System and the Bonsai Tree

The Tree of the Prostate Gland

Organs and Other Structures with Tree Like Shapes

A Forest of Kidney Trees

Ginkgo Lung Tree

A Winter Tree of Hands Under the Moonlight

The Brain

The Brain Tree

Derivation of the Brain Tree – Artistic Recreation

The Arbor Vitae – Tree of Life of the Cerebellum

Tree -Like Purkinje Cells

Drawing of Purkinje cells (A) and granule cells (B) from pigeon cerebellum by Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 1899; Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain. Public Domain

Drawing by Camillo Golgi of a hippocampus stained using the silver nitrate method and digitally rendered by the artist

This treelike branching pattern of neurons responsible for consciousness seems to be a structural feature of the universe itself.

Realising “We the People” – First Step – Efficient Supply and Removal of Metabolites and Waste for the People of the World

Without adequate food and water, the promise of “We the people” of the preamble of the constitution cannot be fulfilled. Currently 1 in 9 people in the world do not have enough food. Without this basic need they are unable to lead an active and healthy life. Is it because there is not enough food in the world? Is it because the 3rd world starving countries are too far away from the excess food of the farms of abundance? The skin cell at the tip of the most remote toe or the most remote cell at the top of the head are equally supplied according to their need. In a healthy individual no cell gets left behind. Yet many people get left behind in the world.

How to do it?

To some extent we have built and continue to build an arborising network for water supply and waste removal. In the US 86% of the population have clean water delivered. In developing countries efficient water supply and sewerage facilities are lacking. One in 10 people lack safe access to clean water, and 1 in 3 lack access to a toilet (water.org). Building a similar network that spans the world and delivers food to the front door of all the people of the world is the obvious first step. Yet it seems like a pipe dream. The network of information provided by the internet was also a pipe dream for people like Nikola Tesla who had a vision for a “world wireless system” in the early 1900s. The ability to deliver real time information to the front door via the world wide web is only 30 years old. Could anybody prior to 20th century imagine such a technological accomplishment? If only we could deliver food via an innate arborising pattern. What if, for example, a high calorie liquid energy food could be delivered alongside the arborising water system? It may not be a classical meal but it is certainly more than nothing. The practical intent of this blog is to draw parallels between biology and society, which can learn from an almost perfect delivery and removal system, most commonly in the form of tree-like branching.

The universe has evolved over about 13.7 billion years and in so doing has the wisdom of time on its side. Over this time, it has developed systems that optimise energy and efficiency. We as thinking biological beings have evolved highly developed biological processes over the last 2.4 billion years. We have developed a mind and free choice. The mind for us has been a double edged sword – both a gift and a curse. A gift because it has given us an ego, individuality, tribalism, heterogeneous cultures, poetry, literature, art, theater, science, dance, athletics, religion, and organization, but a curse that has brought ego, selfishness, pride, religion, jealousy, murder, bigotry, prejudice, and tribalism. The desire to live in “a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” requires that basic biological requirements are available and met. The cells of the healthy body have acquired the aspirations of the US Constitution.

The cell has no mind nor ego and is therefore waiting only for evolutionary changes. We as thinking beings want it all now, and continue to try and improve our lot in a lifetime and are too impatient to be happy with our lot. We therefore push the double-edged envelope with our ego and in so doing while we are social beings we are competitive individuals at the same time. This creates an internal conflict and conflict with others making perfect union a dream rather than reality. The start for the world should be an efficient low energy, arborising delivery system, for food and water system for all people. Without this the US Constitutional aspirations are only a dream.

Hillel recognized the conflict. “If I am not for myself,” he said, “who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I. And if not now when then?” It is the balance of “I” and “they” that we have to find. The cells have done it – Why can’t we?

Posted on February 5, 2016February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Heart Symbolisms – Cultural Anatomy

Heaven’s Heart

Heart symbolisms abound in almost every culture. The heart has been the center of almost every civilization, and assigned the epicentre of physical emotional and spiritual life. In ancient cultures the brain was mostly ignored and its many functions were attributed to the heart. Despite new knowledge, many of the ancient cultural concepts remain ingrained in the religion, the psyche, language, literature, poetry, and art of modern civilization.

In the West, the heart has evolved as a symbol of love, in both romantic and religious spheres. In the East, it is seen as a symbol of wisdom and spirituality.

Heart Symbolisms in History

Ancient belief in almost every major culture put the heart and heart symbolisms at the centre of the body and soul . Life with all its emotions, thoughts and beliefs centered around the heart.

The iconic heart symbol was identified in the culture of the Cro Magnon hunters of Europe before the last Ice Age (10,000-8000 BCE). The inference of the icon to the hunters remains a mystery.

The ancient Egyptians (3500BC-1000 BC) believed the heart controlled the mind and soul, and that it was the center of morality. It was also considered the source of memory, emotions, and personality. They believed that God spoke to individuals through the heart. There was concern among Egyptians that after death, that the heart might testify against the deceased; to prevent this, the ancient Egyptians often wrapped a heart scarab within the bandages to prevent the heart from speaking. They also preserved the heart during mummification so it would not be weighed during judgement after death.

The 5000 year old ancient Chinese culture believes that the heart is the root of the body, mind and soul of life. Additionally it controls joy, reflects facial expression, and has important roles in the psyche.

The Jewish culture goes back 5000 years as well. The Old testament, originated around 1500 BC, and references to the heart abound . It is viewed as the organ of conscience, the origin of human action, imagination, determination, emotion, love, virtue and vice, good and evil, humility and pride. The heart is revealed as the “inner” person:

“the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” [Samuel 16:7].

Also among many other references

“it grieved him (God) at his heart.”

Genesis 6:6

The word “heart” appears 725 times in the Old testament,

Art in the Clouds, Love, and Prayer

Love and Prayer …… a cloud in the sky that says it all… or at least some of it… The art piece is a collection of different modes of prayer with the same goal in mind ie to connect with a higher power. An idea of a central God may not necessarily fit with all religions,. The central “God” therefore in this piece relates to a central focus of core beliefs.

In Hinduism, a culture that started around 1750 BCE, teaches that the heart is the center of life, action, emotion, consciousness, and the soul. The belief is that it nourishes the organs and supplies energy for the formation of semen. Similar to Egyptian belief, it has importance in connecting heaven and earth. It also is the organ where the love of God is experienced.

In ancient Greece, Aristotle, who lived in the 4th century B.C., described the heart as the most important organ of the body. He considered it the seat of intelligence, motion, sensation and vitality.

In Christianity the heart reflects love, piety, and charity. In the art of the middle ages and thereafter, the flaming heart reflects religious passionate fervor. A flaming heart pierced by an arrow symbolizes faith despite trial, and repentance. The New Testament started in the middle of the 1st century AD. Jesus repeatedly uses “pure of heart”

Paul prays

“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;” [Ephesians 3:3].

The word “heart” appears 105 times in the New Testament.

In the 1st millennium AD in ancient Mexico, the Teotihuacan culture believed that the the teyolia – the spiritual force of the heart, was responsible for life.

Galen who lived in the second century A. D., reaffirmed the Greek concepts of the heart and promoted it as the organ most closely related to the soul.

The Heart of Galen – Creator of the Vital Spirit

The AiA rendering shows the body according to Galen. Heat plays a central role in his theory. He believed the heart was closely related to the soul and the source of the body’s heat . The liver, he taught was the primary source of the humors that controlled the body, and that the heart played a subordinate role.

At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Persian, Avicenna (980-1037 AD), authored “The Book of Healing” that included medical and philosophical content. Avicenna describes the heart as the source of life.

The Aztecs a nomadic tribe of northern Mexico, arrived in Mesoamerica in the 13th century and reached their pinnacle in the 15th century. They believed that the heart, or the yollotli, was the seat of life and the soul. Before cremation a green jewel was placed in the mouth of the dead person to represent the heart. The culture also believed that human sacrifice for the offering of the heart to the Gods was required for ongoing prosperity. It was a ritual performed at the highest level and required to honour the gods. Interestingly the yollotli was also a standard of measurement from the mid chest to the tip of the outstretched arm, equivalent to about 3 feet.

In summary the heart was central to the body mind of soul in so many cultures that it pervaded day to day life, and therefore became central to the emotional aspects of most, if not all cultures. The innate need to represent these emotions in all facets of life including religion, philosophy, literature, poetry, music, and art was a natural outcome.

The History of the Icon

History of the Shape of the Heart Icon

The collage reveals the symbols that contributed to the shape of the heart icon as we know it. The shape of the heart became familiar to cultures who hunted or sacrificed animals (image top left). The heart shaped leaves and seeds had parallel emotional connections. The silphium seed for example (seen as golden heart shaped structure above) , was used by ancient Greeks for contraception and was reproduced on their coins. Organs relating to the nitty gritty of romance including breasts, mons pubis, buttocks and scrotum have rotund shape that has parallels in the icon of the heart . It is no wonder that the the shape gained popularity and application to the romantic elements of life.

This art piece was adapted and modified from public domain photograph by Frank Eugene, taken 1898, called Adam and Eve and published in Camera Work no. 30,1910

Art and the Heart – A History

History of Heart Symbolism

The earliest use of the heart as a symbol of love is found in an art piece in the middle of the 13th century. The collage depicts, romantic, religious, devotion, emotion, bravery, heraldry, mathematics, geometry, botany, card games, Valentine’s day, and finally and central in the art piece – the traditional emoticon.

Literature and the Heart

Shakespeare and the Heart

From the late Middle Ages onward, literature and poetry romanticize the heart. The above art piece used information from the Oxford Shakespeare Concordance and identifies the frequency of the word heart and heart related words (eg heartless and heartily). More than 1100 instances were found.

In the Divine Comedy, Dante (1265-1321) refers to

Love, which is quickly kindled in the gentle heart,
seized this man for the fair form that was
taken from me, and the manner still hurts me.

Also…

Pride, Envy, and Avarice are
the three sparks that have set these hearts on fire.

Valentine’s day itself first became associated with romance during the time of Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400).

Literature in which the word “heart” appears in the title from the late 18th, 19th and early 20th century include among many; Heart of the Midlothian – Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), The Heart of Man by Erich Fromm (1900-1980), Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (1917-1967), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown (1908 – 2002)

Poetry and the Heart

The association of the heart and love abound in poetry.

Charles d’Orlean was a member of the French Royal family who lived in the 15th century. While captive in England he wrote love poems such as the one translated below

Because I cannot see you,
My heart complains day and night,
Lovely lady, peerless one of France,
And has charged me to write you
That he does not have all he desires
In the Prison of Discontent.

by Charles d’Orlean and translated by David A. Fein

Some famous poems of the the late 19th and early 20th century which include the word heart in the title; My Heart and I by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), Never Give All The Heart, William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Flame Heart Claude McKay (1889-1948), The Trusting Heart, Dorithy Parker (1893 -1967), I Carry Your Heart with Me – EE Cummings (1894-1962), The Laughing Heart Charles Bukowski (1920-1994)

Music and the Heart

heart0035-catalogue-signed-500-72dpi

Middle Ages Music, Heart and Love

AiA combined two art pieces that are in the public domain; Heart shaped musical score of Baude Cordier is an offering of love to a lady. Christian and Muslim playing Lutes from the Canticles of Holy Mary during the reign of Alfonso X El Sabio (1221–1284)

Recent Music and the Heart

The Heart in Modern Song

Song ..another emotional outlet for the expression of love romance, and spirituality in culture. Between 1956 and 1978, 15 artists used the word “HEART” in the title of their song and each sold more than a million copy of their records.

Evolving Use of Heart Symbolisms

Valentines Day is a classical example of the persistent use of the symbol of the heart as a symbol of love and romance and it appears on all types of commercial products. The icon of the heart for communication on the web, in emails, electronic messaging, graffiti, in all sorts of arts and crafts abound almost adnauseum.

We seem to be returning to the world of hieroglyphics – and the icon of the heart almost always sends a positive message – and so … that is always good!

References

Jager Eric – Reading the Book of the heart from the Middle Ages to the twenty First Century; University of Chicago Press

Posted on January 12, 2016February 17, 2023 by Ashley Davidoff

Anatomy of My Mind for the New Year

“A Better Future?”

X-rays are used to projects things of the mind and feelings that go deep into the bones. The X-ray of the front of the head looks upward and forward to the future. This art piece was created for the New Year of 2016 with a hope of deep introspection for each thoughtful person to improve themselves and the world. As the year 2015 has now come to a close, we all hope for a better future. This is not going to be a passive inheritance from thin air. It will require deep introspection and reflection. The art piece shows the head of a person, taking the first step to self realisation and fulfilment – raising the question. The need for a thorough mental review of the past and the future is an absolute necessity. The importance of playing an active role in personal destiny is emphasised by asking the first question – ‘A Better Future? ?” implying – How do I do I get involved with my own destiny and the destiny of my family and the people close to me? The X-ray is used to project a feeling that goes deep into the bones. The X-ray of the front of the head looks upward and forward to the future.

The New Year fills the mind with all sorts of thoughts and feelings about oneself and the world. It is a time to take stock of the state of the union of the self! There is always room for growth and improvement.

Deep reflection and introspection is needed in order to accomplish this growth. Life is a struggle and a wrestle for all at multiple levels. There are physical, emotional, psychological, mental and spiritual aspects. Each person must deal with their own failures and successes. Sometimes what seems or seemed like a failure is in fact a success.

Life is a struggle and a wrestle for all at multiple levels. There are physical, emotional, psychological, mental and spiritual aspects. Each person must deal with their own failures and successes.

Who am I, what am I, and who do I want to be?

Perhaps the wisest advice I received was from an egoistic professor of surgery who suggested that one should project oneself to the age of 80 and then look back and see if one accomplished what one really wanted to accomplish. Was it money, power, or personal fame or did it have to do with fulfilling relationships? Are there things of the body that I should have or could have done? Are there things of the mind that I could have or should have done? Are there things of the soul that I could have or should have done?

The First Reflection for the New Year

In this art piece, X-rays are used to project a feeling that goes deep into the bones. The X-ray on the right shows a forward gaze of a person with well defined facial features. The image on the left is modified to show a blank reflection. The art shows the head of a person, looking in the mirror at the end of the year and wondering about the past and the future. The first reflection is blank since the experience of the past year and the future are difficult to grasp in that short moment. Nothing more than the blank is expected . Persistence and honesty with a continued effort is needed to progress beyond this point. The stare into the mirror should be more than momentary.

This art piece was also created for the new year of 2016 with a hope of deep introspection of each thoughtful person to improve themselves and the world.

“What Do I Need?”

X-rays are used to project a deep and honest questioning as to what is really needed . The X-ray of the right head looks upward and forward to the future. The response of excessive material wealth for show is the response in this instance One has to decide if this dream is directed toward self fulfillment. Showing off the prize in the hope of an egotistical victory in competition with others in the community is the passion of this person.

On second thoughts- What do I really need?

Improving my body

Absolutes of Life

As the year 2015 has now come to a close,, a deep search is needed – right down to the core to preserve life. Survival is the first requirement. Protection, food, and water are absolutes. Protection means a roof and walls to keep the threatening elements out. Food and water means nutrition and fluid to maintain bodily function

The art piece shows the head of a person, pursuing the most basic needs. The pursuit and acquisition of basic needs is the first step. Although this is logical to all and everybody, the new generation forget that the first step to independence, is physical independence that requires an ability to support the most basic needs of life. It is a lesson to communities and countries who owe this basic need to their people. It is also a lesson to individuals who pursue personal happiness as they enter”real life” after they have been educated. The home is a simple rustic log cabin heated by a fire.

Improving My Mind – Where do I start?

“Anatomy of Brain Function; Receive, Process, Produce, Export”

shows the bare skeleton of the human brain function. The brain receives, processes, and exports. The complexity of these three basic functions will unfold not only in the brain but in all functional systems. The style is reminiscent of surrealism . The complexity of brain function is reduced to its 3 major functions.

So a good place to start is to a focus on the sensory system and it so happens that Janus of January has a lesson to share!

Janus in Touch with His Senses

Janus is the God of beginnings and transitions and the art piece emphasises the organs of his senses. He is usually depicted with two heads, one facing forward to the future and the other back to the past. The month of January takes its name from the Roman god. As we face the new year, respect for the miracle of our senses needs to be celebrated. In line with our resolutions of the optimizing the body, taking full advantage of our senses to optimise our mind is a natural progression. The sensory organs keep us in touch with all that is around us, and it behoves us to use these miraculous tools to feed our mind. The art piece shows the sensory organs including, the eyes (sight), ears (hearing), nose (smell), mouth (taste), nose (smell), and hands (touch).

This art piece asks you to …see when you look, listen when you hear, taste when you eat….feel when you touch..

As the year 2015 has come to a close, we all hope for a better future. This is not going to be a passive inheritance from thin air. It will require deep introspection and reflection of real and meaningful needs. X-rays are used to project a deep and honest questioning as to what is really needed . The X-ray of the left head of Janus looks upward and forward to the future with senses perked. The right head of Janus looks back with senses heightened in similar fashion.

So a good place to start is an intense focus on the basics

Absolutes of food, water, and a home ….before the pie in sky

Use the senses sensibly – See when you look, listen when you hear, taste when you eat, remember to smell….and feel when you touch..

ART IN ANATOMY

Category: Mind

Life, Cells, the US Constitution, and Trees

Life, Cells,the US Constitution, and Trees

Branching Patterns in Nature – Success Story of Delivery and Waste Removal

What Do We as A Society Have to Learn from from the Yin-Yang Tree?

Branching Patterns in the Body –The Vascular System

Specific Circulations

The Brain

The Heart

The Lungs

The Gastrointestinal Tract

The Spleen

The Kidneys

The Liver

Ductal Systems

Organs and Other Structures with Tree Like Shapes

The Brain

Heart Symbolisms – Cultural Anatomy

Heart Symbolisms in History

The History of the Icon

Art and the Heart – A History

Literature and the Heart

Poetry and the Heart

Music and the Heart

Recent Music and the Heart

Evolving Use of Heart Symbolisms

Anatomy of My Mind for the New Year

“What Do I Need?”

On second thoughts- What do I really need?

Absolutes of Life

Improving My Mind – Where do I start?

Janus in Touch with His Senses

So a good place to start is an intense focus on the basics