This is a day for horizons. This is a day for precipices. This is a day for new perspectives. Take advantage of all this energy to see things once again from a new vantage point. Things are becoming clearer. Your wishes, needs, and desires are becoming clearer, and you are more open to accepting them along with the acknowledgement of the importance of self over all the rest of the stuff. If you are strong, centered, and grounded then you can meet and overcome any and all challenges that come your way today. Things are falling apart. Things are breaking down. All of that energy can translate into its opposite, and you can take advantage of that today if you will let things be what they are, do what they do, and then just know WHO you are. Your personal power is all about being your most essential core self. You know that, and there will be some lessons relating to this topic today.
Moderate earthquake shakes Spanish Springs, Nevada (August 26/27, 2013)
Last update: August 27, 2013 at 7:08 am by By Ashish Khanal
Update : A 4.1 Magnitude quake (initially reported as a 4.7) struck just 3km from Spanish Springs, Nevada. USGS calculations indicates that 20,000 people may felt a Moderate shaking (MMI V), a moderate shaking can create minor damage like cracked walls and broken windows. The quake was felt in Reno, Nevada (225,000 people) as a light shaking or MMI IV.
3km (2mi) NE of Spanish Springs, Nevada
11km (7mi) NE of Sun Valley, Nevada
16km (10mi) NNE of Sparks, Nevada
19km (12mi) NE of Reno, Nevada
57km (35mi) N of Carson City, Nevada
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 4.65
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2013-08-26 17:51:43
Umm. Yum. So there is something comforting in the air today. Perhaps it is that Peace Portal that so many are speaking of. Perhaps it is a sense of things having been done, things being over with. Perhaps it is being with good friends, good food, good conversation, good memories. Just yummy things. This is a day for enjoying, for languishing, for just being in whatever it is that makes you feel comfortable. This is the point in the middle. This is the place where things stop for a moment and you can see all around. You can be with the stopping or be with the seeing. Clarity is in the air, and the focus is what you need to choose. Choose wisely for there is truth in the air today and you can get some answers to questions that you have had within for so long…. The genie only grants one wish. Ask wisely.
Trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind. In this section you will find the peripheral definitions of what the event is as a whole, but to truly understand this event, one must participate. This site serves to try to paint a picture of the Burning Man experience to those who are new to the project, as well as to give those participants looking to keep the fire burning in their daily lives an environment in which to connect to their fellow community members. For a brief yet eloquent overview of the entire event from the time of arrival to the time of exodus, please read “What is Burning Man?“, an essay written by participant and one-time web team member, Molly Steenson. Please see archived sections for each year to read more about the art themes, art installations and theme camps for each year.
What is Burning Man?
By Molly Steenson
Hurtling down the road to the Black Rock Desert, the colors paint themselves like a spice cabinet — sage, dust, slate gray. Maybe you’re in your trusty car, the one that takes you to and from work every day. Perhaps you’ve got a spacious RV, your Motel 6 on wheels for the next days in the desert. Or you’re driving your glittering art car, complete with poker chips and mirroring to do a disco ball proud.
The two-lane highway turns off onto a new road. You drive slowly onto the playa, the 400 square mile expanse known as the Black Rock Desert. And there you’ve touched the terrain of what feels like another planet. You’re at the end — and the beginning — of your journey to Burning Man.
You belong here and you participate. You’re not the weirdest kid in the classroom — there’s always somebody there who’s thought up something you never even considered. You’re there to breathe art. Imagine an ice sculpture emitting glacial music — in the desert. Imagine the man, greeting you, neon and benevolence, watching over the community. You’re here to build a community that needs you and relies on you.
You’re here to survive. What happens to your brain and body when exposed to 107 degree heat, moisture wicking off your body and dehydrating you within minutes? You know and watch yourself. You drink water constantly and piss clear. You’ll want to reconsider drinking that alcohol (or taking those other substances) you brought with you — the mind-altering experience of Burning Man is its own drug. You slather yourself in sunblock before the sun’s rays turn up full blast. You bring enough food, water, and shelter because the elements of the new planet are harsh, and you will find no vending.
You’re here to create. Since nobody at Burning Man is a spectator, you’re here to build your own new world. You’ve built an egg for shelter, a suit made of light sticks, a car that looks like a shark’s fin. You’ve covered yourself in silver, you’re wearing a straw hat and a string of pearls, or maybe a skirt for the first time. You’re broadcasting Radio Free Burning Man — or another radio station.
You’re here to experience. Ride your bike in the expanse of nothingness with your eyes closed. Meet the theme camp — enjoy Irrational Geographic, relax at Bianca’s Smut Shack and eat a grilled cheese sandwich. Find your love and understand each other as you walk slowly under a parasol. Wander under the veils of dust at night on the playa.
You’re here to celebrate. On Saturday night, we’ll burn the Man. As the procession starts, the circle forms, and the man ignites, you experience something personal, something new to yourself, something you’ve never felt before. It’s an epiphany, it’s primal, it’s newborn. And it’s completely individual.
You’ll leave as you came. When you depart from Burning Man, you leave no trace. Everything you built, you dismantle. The waste you make and the objects you consume leave with you. Volunteers will stay for weeks to return the Black Rock Desert to its pristine condition.
But you’ll take the world you built with you. When you drive back down the dusty roads toward home, you slowly reintegrate to the world you came from. You feel in tune with the other dust-covered vehicles that shared the same community. Over time, vivid images still dance in your brain, floating back to you when the weather changes. The Burning Man community, whether your friends, your new acquaintances, or the Burning Man project, embraces you. At the end, though your journey to and from Burning Man are finished, you embark on a different journey — forever. 9
Here you will find links that will take you on a trip through the past – through the history of Burning Man – from its early days on a small beach in San Francisco through its evolution into the bustling city of some 48,000+ people that the Burning Man event has become today. These people make the journey to the Black Rock Desert for one week out of the year to be part of an experimental community, which challenges its members to express themselves and rely on themselves to a degree that is not normally encountered in one’s day-to-day life. The result of this experiment is Black Rock City, home to the Burning Man event.
There are no rules about how one must behave or express oneself at this event (save the rules that serve to protect the health, safety, and experience of the community at large); rather, it is up to each participant to decide how they will contribute and what they will give to this community. The event takes place on an ancient lakebed, known as the playa. By the time the event is completed and the volunteers leave, sometimes nearly a month after the event has ended, there will be no trace of the city that was, for a short time, the most populous town in the entire county. Art is an unavoidable part of this experience, and in fact, is such a part of the experience that Larry Harvey, founder of the Burning Man project, gives a theme to each year, to encourage a common bond to help tie each individual’s contribution together in a meaningful way. Participants are encouraged to find a way to help make the theme come alive, whether it is through a large-scale art installation, a theme camp, gifts brought to be given to other individuals, costumes, or any other medium that one comes up with.
The Burning Man project has grown from a small group of people gathering spontaneously to a community of over 48,000 people. It is impossible to truly understand the event as it is now without understanding how it has evolved. See the first years page and Burning Man 1986 – 1996 for the legendary story of Burning Man’s beginnings and to understand how the event has come to become what it is today. The timeline gives a short overview of what each year looked like. Please also check out the detailed archives for years, 1997 to last year. Within each of these years are descriptions each year’s art theme, theme camps, large art installations, as well as maps, journals of our city being built, the newsletters to the community for each year, issues of the Black Rock Gazette (a daily news publication produced and printed on the playa), and clean up reports for each year, including a list of those sites that failed to “leave no trace”. These pages help understand the larger scope of the entire experience, from the planning that happens year-round to make each event possible, to the clean-up efforts which take place for sometimes months after the city has disappeared.
The impact of the Burning Man experience has been so profound that a culture has formed around it. This culture pushes the limits of Burning Man and has led to people banding together nation-wide, and putting on their own events, in attempt to rekindle that magic feeling that only being part of this community can provide. The Black Rock Arts Foundation promotes interactive art by supporting public art that exists outside the event, and has a special interest in supporting art at regional events. Additionally, Burning Man has over two thousand volunteers who work before, during and after the event (many who work year-round) to make the event a reality. To give of your time and talents, please see the Participate section of the website.
If this is your first visit to this site, a good starting point is the FAQ page, the glossary, and the timeline. From here you can stroll through the carefully archived sections for each year. Community, participation, self-expression, self-reliance; these tenets of Burning Man are lifeblood of the Burning Man experience. Whether you are new to this site or are returning for your umpteenth visit, you are encouraged to delve into these pages to expand your viewpoint and definition of these ideals, and to connect with yourself to find your niche in our community. The giving of yourself is the greatest gift you can give to the Burning Man community, and is imperative to the survival of this unique experiment.
On August 25th there will be the second “twin” Star of David or Star Tetahedron configuration.
What this offers us, should we choose to take it, is another opportunity to connect to our *heart* space and spend time in sacred space with a feeling of intentionality. Time to active, which means time to tune in to our hearts and use our energetic power to hold space for peace, to embody peace through our actions, thoughts and words.
Anchor it.
Tune in.
Feel it.
Bring Spirit into Matter, light into form, through your intention, through your HEART. It is the Gateway >>>
And just know that you won’t be the only one doing this. Just know that I will be holding the space with you and many many other circles and communities and individual hearts all around the planet will be tuning in too.
WE >>> Let’s call in/embody/feel the love and anchor in the balance of feminine and masculine energies.
As above so below.
A window of synchronicity, an opportunity for entrainment.
Then…hold steady a feeling~vision of >>>peace <<< for our planet.
∇
✡
∆
Here are the MYSTIC MAMMA Astral Insights for this auspicious day and a call to align our thoughts and hearts in holding space for love.
“On August 25th, 2013 (EST) we arrive to the ‘twin’ or second ‘Star Gateway’ also known in astrology as the Star of David aspect (or a Grand Sextile aspect). These star gateways are important opportunities for major shifts in Consciousness to to expand beyond fear-based limitations of the past. The energy is ripe and fertile with potential to embrace a greater union of Spirit and Matter or Heart and Mind and or Sacred Masculine and Feminine within the heart energy space.”
“It is wise to contemplate where we are now after the first initial gateway and shift and the experiences that have transpired since then. And then where we are headed while consciously utilizing the potential of this second auspicious energy.”
“With transiting Jupiter in Cancer just finishing up being a part of a powerfully intensified ‘T-square’ aspect with Uranus and Pluto, there has been major re-working and big transitions going on up until now. It’s like moving from densely packed energy to something old shattering, moving us into a wide open space thus there is room for new energy and possibilities to emerge within Consciousness on a individual and collective level.”
“We have been prepared to open and become ready to receive with effortlessness and grace now. Venus in Libra makes an Opposition to Uranus in Aries retrograde, while making a tense aspect to Pluto in Capricorn retrograde. This signifies a time where unrest, conflict and discord rises up to be cleansed and purged within individuals, relationships and groups and the collective. This Second Star Gateway includes the vibration of “Restoring Peace and Harmony.”
“This second gateway in Consciousness builds on the first which occurred on July 29th, 2013…It is a magnificent opportunity to activate ‘effortless manifestation’ seed of light within us and on the planet. Remember, there is earth element involved with this Twin Aspect Star Gateway on August 25th, 2013 and with that helps us bring the non-visible into the physical body and dimension.”
“In sacred geometry, the six pointed star is known as Star Tetrahedron and Spiritually, it is called a Mer (rotating light) Ka (Soul or Spirit) (Ba) Physical Body. We have the opportunity to bring into greater alignment our body, mind, heart into relationship with Soul.
“The Star of David, also known as the Seal of Solomon is an esoteric symbol. In India, the six pointed star has been associating with Shiva/Shakti interconnection or Divine Masculine/Feminine in harmony and union. When the triangles merge with each other to form the shape of a hexagon, it can be seen as a state of manifestation. Star of David is an unusual alignment that opens a gateway into Consciousness.
“The “Star Gateway, Grand Sextile or Star of David aspect” begins building up 1 week prior to to and becomes exact on August 25th, 2013. On Eastern Standard Timezone, consider the energy building by 11:00 am EST as the Moon enters Taurus. — Check for your local day and time to be sure when it starts for you.
“From my perspective, when experiencing such major Astrological and energetic configurations, it is more about the entire experience than exact one moment or time since linear time really does not exist in higher dimensions…What is really important is our ‘intention.‘ That carries more weight since a clear intention directs our energy rather than worrying about the exact time of the aspect.”
ART: l’S
“Astrological Point of view: Two Grand Trines form a Star of David Aspect as well as in total configuration a Grand Sextile aspect, and for the second time in Earth and Water elements.
1st Grand Trine: (Earth element)
Sun/Mercury in Virgo
Moon in Taurus
Pluto in Capricorn Retrograde
2nd Grand Trine: (Water element)
Jupiter in Cancer
Saturn in Scorpio
Chiron in Pisces retrograde /Neptune in Pisces retrograde
“Since this is the second of the ‘Twin’ Star Gateways and equally as potent as the first, we want to bear in mind that it is helpful to consciously work with the potentials happening now. There may be a myriad of emotions and feelings surfacing now and some what having more space to emerge than before. I do sense there is potential for clarity too as old debris at this stage has been cleared.
“The union of sacred masculine and feminine energy is possible, even if it is to the next level or degree that is appropriate for each individual on their path.
“There is a strong possibility that ‘details’ slowly begin presenting themselves for new possibilities. The plan or stages begin to reveal themselves about how to take a ‘seed’ inspiration or idea and implement it to fruition with utmost fluidity.
“The harmony between Earth and Water is felt and experienced through feelings and sensations. There is wonderful opportunity for greater balance within the Sacred Feminine and Masculine through the heart energetic center. Imagine when these two energies are in harmony and peace with one another.
“We canfeel the gratitude for the blessings being bestowed upon us now. It’s possible to see old symbolic seeds we planted long while back, slowly come into manifestation. We must remain in integrity and alignment and joining the August 25th will help each maintain this state of Consciousness to receive higher Spiritual Energy, beauty and harmony given forth from the Universe.”
So on this day, I encourage you to drop into your *heart* space and send out a beam of love, a beam of peace, a beam of *light* with intentionality for the good of all~~~
I am aware of several visualizations for peace going around, and many groups gathering on this day. Some are trying to go “viral” suggesting specific visualizations at specific times. As always I encourage to just take/use what resonates with YOU. Create your own moment. Remember it’s not the words, it’s the feeling, so just access your own heart and tune in! Let’s each in our own unique way hold a space for >>>peace<<< on the planet~~~
Perfect sight without glasses: The Bates method – natural eyesight improving therapy, rejected by mainstream optometry
Friday, August 23, 2013 by: Antonia
(NaturalNews) In 1920, William Bates, a brilliant American physician with a strong interest in ophthalmology, proposed a theory that would send ripples across the medical establishment of the time – that eyeglasses are harmful and that vision problems can be corrected through a series of eye exercises and subtle lifestyle changes. Bates treated many patients based on these principles, and published his findings in a comprehensive book called Perfect Sight Without Glasses (or The Cure of Imperfect Sight by Treatment Without Glasses).
Challenging the establishment
In mainstream ophthalmology, vision defects like nearsightedness and farsightedness are described as being caused by defects in the anatomy of the eye, which cannot be cured through eye exercises. Bates; however, believed that some vision defects are caused by tension in the muscles of the eyeball, and that this tension can be reduced and eventually eliminated. Bates described eyeglasses as “crutches,” that encourage the eyes to become lazy as they accommodate to using the corrective lens.
Unlike most traditional ophthalmologists, Bates believed that regular people can learn how to improve their vision naturally, using simple healing techniques. He emphasized the importance of improving blood circulation, getting a lot of sunlight, and using mental images to achieve a state of inner balance and relaxation.
Principles of the Bates Method
“Perfect Sight Without Glasses” tackles numerous problems that Bates felt were plaguing traditional ophthalmology, and suggests four primary treatments for vision defects: palming, visualization, eye movement and sunning. Some of these treatments are still applied today, primarily by behavioral optometrists.
For an ideal palming exercise, Bates suggested that patients first close their eyes for a few minutes to induce a state of visual relaxation. Next, patients are to cover their eyes with their palms, without applying pressure, and maintain this posture for a few minutes at a time.
Visualization of mental images is a central concept in the Bates method, as it is believed not only to help induce relaxation, but also to help improve focus. One exercise involves the ability to visualize perfect black (the darker it appears, the more relaxed the mind is said to be).
Eye movement (such as swinging the eyes from left to right and up and down), an important part of the Bates method that is still used in vision therapy today, helps improve eye coordination, blood circulation and eye movement control. Bates believed that the more a patient can control their eye “swings,” the more it will help their vision.
The Bates method stipulated that moderate exposure to sunlight, called sunning, can also benefit vision. He suggested that patients close their eyes and turn their faces to the sun, letting the sunlight shine on their closed eyelids.
After Bates’ death, his followers gradually incorporated dietary recommendations into the method. Though some vision therapists recognized the many benefits of his proposed treatments, Bates came under heavy fire from his peers, and today many researchers feel that the method is difficult to test scientifically, since it so strongly depends on a subjective feeling of well-being.
Squirrel Discovered In NASA Curiosity Rover Photo, Is NASA Bringing Test Animals To Mars?
Update: A lot of people are emailing me saying that this squirrel was part of a NASA experiment to test how long it would live on the surface of Mars and I do believe this does sound like something they might do. Why would they not tell us about it? Because the squirrel would be expected to die eventually and that would get PETA to fight against them in a court of law. SCW
A friend emailed this in to me today (Original Photo on NASA Website…click here!) and its really amazing and strange. I guess thats why I love this one so much. Its a cute rodent on Mars. Note it’s lighter color upper and lower eyelids, it’s nose and cheek areas, its ear, its front leg and stomach. Looks similar to a squirrel camouflaged in the stones and sand by its colors. Hey, who doesn’t love squirrels right? That doesn’t look like a squirrel you say? Then have a look at the photo below of similar squirrel in the same position on Earth. This might have been the big historical announcement that NASA was suppose to make, however they decided life on Mars was a secret worth keeping since they don’t want China or Russia to beat America to Mars. So they shut up about it and can take their time to Mars this way. The scientist jumped the gun and told the public about a major historical discovery on Mars…this must be what he was talking about. SCW
Director of Student Services at Living Arts Institute
How a Dog Saved My Life: From Anxiety to Hope
Posted: 08/24/2013 10:02 am
Owning a dog seemed impossible to a girl with severe asthma, allergies, eczema — and not just a little anxiety. After all, I’d almost died several times from asthma attacks and anaphylaxis from food allergies. Doctors joked that I should live in a bubble or on a sterile boat in the middle of the ocean, only ingesting water and gluten-free crackers. I would laugh at their comments, but inside I ached at the thought of a future without pets. I spent years testing out an array of “hypoallergenic” animals, each one ending in a wheezing, hive-filled heartbreak. The food and environmental allergies I could handle, but a life without animals? No way.
In 2007, I found a loophole in my animal intolerance. I interviewed for a dolphin care and training internship in the Florida Keys and six weeks later packed my bags to move to an island 800 miles from my North Carolina home. Working with bottlenose dolphins was living my dream. I worked 40 grueling unpaid hours a week and was enthralled by every aspect of the job, even spending several hours a day elbow-deep in dead fish. Isn’t that what all girls’ dreams are made of? I was happy, my chronic anxiety was at an all-time low, and I felt like my life had purpose and meaning. I enjoyed the psychological aspect of animal training almost as much as I loved kissing those big gray faces and giving belly rubs to baby dolphin calves.
Unfortunately, after one year of working with dolphins, I developed an anaphylactic allergy to all types of fish. As my throat swelled and my breathing labored, all I could think was, “I can’t touch fish, I can’t work with dolphins. My life here is over.”
Since there is no such thing as a vegetarian dolphin, I was correct. I moved back to North Carolina and tried to let go of the job of animal training. With the realization that my new-found passion and purpose was no longer an option, I went into mourning. If I had never experienced the satisfaction that a deep connection with an animal can bring, maybe it wouldn’t have hurt so deeply. I suddenly felt unmotivated to do anything with my life, because the one thing I knew I wanted to do was impossible.
My downward unhappiness spiral continued and eventually took the form of debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. I enlisted the help of a therapist and eventually conquered my anxiety attacks, transforming into a “silver linings” person with a new perspective on life. I even helped a few friends and family members with their anxiety struggles. I felt happy, but I still knew something was truly missing.
Then one afternoon, I came home to find my husband cradling a fluffy, wet-nosed, chocolate brown puppy. In spite of my allergies, we decided to take a chance on adopting a hypoallergenic Labradoodle, with a backup plan if my allergies decided to betray me again. Several of our family members assured us that they would adopt and raise our puppy if allergies became an issue. One look at Henri’s eerily human-like hazel eyes and thumping tail brought me to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Both my husband and I cried as we embraced our new puppy, our Henri.
I expected that having my own dog would be both fun and a lot of work. What I didn’t expect was the impact that a six-pound, miniature Australian Labradoodle would have on overall well-being. For the first time since leaving the dolphins, the something that was missing in my life has arrived and is sleeping on my feet as I write this.
While we assumed a dog might worsen my allergies, the exact opposite has happened. There is a scientific connection between emotions and health, and much research that shows how living with pets makes us healthier. I firmly believe that my dog has allowed me to experience healing, both inner and outer. I know that Henri is no magical canine who has healed my chronic ailments, but she has created the most perfect distraction from them. Where my focus and energy used to constantly gravitate towards my medical issues and what was wrong with me, it now centers on my dog and her needs. I’m now using my dolphin training knowledge to engage, entertain, and train Henri.
I have heard over and over again that training dogs gives them a sense of purpose and security, but I have found that the same is true for the owner. While Henri is not yet an official therapy dog, she is my therapy dog.
How I Left the Room Without My Phone and Lived to Tell the Tale
Posted: 08/18/2013 12:32 am
By Terri Trespicio
For one long moment, I debated the issue. Should I take my phone with me, or leave it here? I was only going to be gone an hour or so. I made the mental calculations — who might need me, what I might need it for. There was an emotional tug (I want it with me). This was a test. Could I be apart from it? Yes, I decided. I could.
After all, it was not even 8 a.m. on a Saturday. And I was on my way out.
To a massage.
See, this is a problem. Because there was not one person who had any interest in reaching me at that moment, nor did I have a need for anyone else. But it’s enough to sound the alarm bell, even for me — because this isn’t the practical weighing of a situation. (Will I need the umbrella?) This is the cry of a dependent person.
Oh, and it gets better. I wasn’t even home. I was away for the weekend, at a retreat center called Old Stone Farm, a charming 200-acre estate nestled away in teeny tiny Staatsburg in upstate New York. I was staying in a restored 18th-century barn and was about to get worked over by a professional energy healer/massage therapist, who would attempt to undo the very stress-induced knots I spend my life getting into. Yeah, I could probably do without Twitter, at least until breakfast.
The pathological Pavlovian response dictated by our devices is undeniable. In a survey conducted at meQuilibrium, 50 percent of respondents reported checking their work email outside of work, including on weekends and vacations. Sixty-one percent admitted that they can’t ignore their devices, and check them within the hour of receiving an alert, text or email. And what’s worse, 61 percent said they feel jealous, depressed or even sad after checking status updates. They feel worse! But they keep checking! (Read more about the survey findings.)
We don’t just have devices — we have a collective digital rash. And we keep scratching. We’re not just connected, we’re inflamed by our hyper-reachability. This goes back to the issue of stress addiction, which I wrote about recently, in which we crave that excitement, thrill, the “what’s next”-ness that our tiny handheld oracles deliver hour after hour. Sure, some of our fuss is about putting out fires, but it’s also incredibly optimistic — because you never know when that great piece of news, that amazing opportunity, will be delivered by the universe in a single ping. And who wants to miss that?
But I knew it was worth the risk to really enjoy the massage (a blend of Thai stretching and chakra work — super-groovy stuff that felt amazing). Rather than scanning the digital horizon for what would come next, I had the profound experience of deep diving into the moment, of becoming aware of my body and mind, yet comfortably detached from all its trappings (the judgments, the thoughts, the reactions). The only way to describe it is that I was being slowly unraveled, like a tangled, kinked electrical wire — and who better than an energy healer to do it?
I’m happy to report I didn’t miss anything during those 90 minutes. Not a damn thing. I think about what would have been different if I had brought my phone. Nothing. It would have sat there in my bag, dumb as a stone. And when I walked (floated) out, my energy, usually firing in jagged sparks, flowed in a single, glowing wave. I felt connected and whole — without being connected to anything at all.
It happened the first time nine days after his birth, when his mother, Rajeshwari Karnan, says she returned to her hut after leaving him alone momentarily, and found him on fire.
“There was a flame on his belly and his right knee, and my husband rushed with a towel to put it off,” Karnan told the New York Times. “I got very scared.”
The baby’s parents described three similar incidents, even after having been to the local hospital for treatment.
The family traveled to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital to seek further tests.
In addition to testing for numerous medical conditions, the possibility of child abuse was investigated.
“We are in a dilemma and haven’t come to any conclusion,” said Dr. Narayan Babu, head of pediatrics at Kilpauk Medical Hospital. “The parents have held that the child burned instantaneously without any provocation. We are carrying out numerous tests. We are not saying it is SHC until all investigations are complete.”
Of course, spontaneous human combustion is a highly controversial explanation. The majority of scientists remain unconvinced of the plausibility of the phenomenon.
Rahul will remain in the hospital for at least a week while doctors attempt to discover the cause of the burns.
Cases where humans have burned down to a pile of ash while their homes and surroundings remain untouched by flames have puzzled experts, but there is no evidence that a human can combust without an external ignition source.
Even the proposed “wick effect” theory, in which a person’s body fat can serve as fuel for a slow burn, would require ignition from a lit cigarette or electrical source.
Another proposed theory is that the highly flammable chemical acetone, which is produced and disposed of in the human body, can build up in a person’s blood. But tests released this week confirmed Rahul’s acetone levels to be normal.
9
