Thought is Energy

In one of the previous article, I have written about thoughtlessness stage. Here I would like to elaborate more on the scientific reason on how this stage would bring on ‘self-realization’.  As we are aware and it is scientifically proven that every thought is a form of energy.  

There are average 100 billion neurons or nerve cells in human brain. Each neuron connected up to 10,000 other neurons passing signals via 1,000 trillion synaptic connections. Information transmission between neurons takes place using a combination of chemicals and electricity, a process known as electro-chemical signaling. Every neuron maintains a voltage gradient across its membrane, due to metabolically driven differences in ions of sodium, potassium, chloride and calcium within the cell. Action potential is generated if the voltage changes significantly and can be measured as a waveform in electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings.

As described the physiological process in generating a thought is a complex process but fundamentally involves electro-chemical signaling. Each thought generated needed a substantial amount of energy. Given a point of time, there are certain numbers of thoughts running in our mind. In terms of energy, there are certain amounts of energy needed in the generation of equivocal number of thoughts. No study has been done to date regarding the number of thoughts generated by human brain in any given seconds. If we search in the net, Wiki answers estimates 70,000 thoughts in a day. That is equivalent of 72 thoughts per minute if we take into account 6-8 hours of sleep. But we still have thoughts in rapid eye movement (REM) or stage 1 sleep. We may have thoughts running even during deep sleep/NREM stage or stage 2-3 but at a lower level which we aren’t sure. 

            In short, there is so much of energy required to generate that many number of thoughts on a daily basis. Although no doubt, we need to use the faculty of thinking to live and function but do we actually realize how many number of thoughts generated without actual significance. In other words, that many thoughts, which are generated consciously and sub-consciously, are of no practical significance. The thoughts are not being translated into actions. The thought come and goes as clouds. The purposeless thoughts that appear during daydreaming have no significant value.  There are many purposeless thoughts that come as a reaction to certain emotions of ours or as a reaction to environmental stimulus or during complex interaction with another human beings. Most of the purposeless thoughts could be avoided consciously by the various methods that I have described in my earlier postings.

So scientifically, there is a possible explanation for conservation of energy through reducing the number of thoughts though absolute state of thoughtlessness is not impossible. By reducing the number of thoughts, so much of energy could be conserved in our brain. But how this energy conservation is going to help in self- realization? To be continued...