8 Ancient Beliefs Now Backed By Modern Science

8 Ancient Beliefs Now Backed By Modern Science

The Earth may not be flat nor is it the center of the universe, but that doesn't mean old-world intellectuals got everything wrong. In fact, in recent years, modern science has validated a number of teachings and beliefs rooted in ancient wisdom that, up until now, had been trusted but unproven empirically.

A full 55 pages of Arianna Huffington’s new book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder, are dedicated to these scientific breakthroughs that often confirm the power of ancient psychology and contemplative practices. On an intuitive level, we’ve known for centuries that these lifestyle practices can help us lead happy, healthy and balanced lives. But now, with the support of hard science, we can embrace these pieces of ancient wisdom and start really living them.

I thought I'd pop in and post this. I think some here will appreciate the fact that many either already knew this or that some still will not believe it no matter what. To be fair one should read the link in depth description so to get a full measure. So, without further delay here they are.....

Here are eight ancient beliefs and practices that have been confirmed by modern science.

Helping others can make you healthier

Acupuncture can restore balance to your body

We need the support of a community in order to thrive

Tai chi can help alleviate a variety of health conditions.

Meditation can help you reduce stress and discover inner peace

Compassion is the key to a meaningful life

Accepting what you can’t change is key to reducing suffering

All you need is love

While its a nice acknowledgment, I`m almost tempted to say "we don't need science to confirm what we knew all along". I`ve been into Meditation and Tai Chi for a long time and ascribe most of my well-being to it.

I`d also add that there is much, much, much more than that to be learned from the ancients. And even from those hated Christians, Muslims and Jews which people love to bash.

Oooops...didn't wanna go on a rant here. Nice thread idea.

Five rules to remember in life:

1. Money can't buy happiness but it's more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle.

2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name.

3. If you help someone when they're in trouble, they will remember you when they're in trouble again.

4. Many people are alive only because it's illegal to shoot them.

5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then neither does milk.

And a Bonus Rule:

Condoms do not guarantee safe sex.

A friend of mine was wearing one when he was shot by the woman's husband.

All you need is Oxytocin? I'm not buying that part.

Nice thread but most of this stuff is very subjective and i would really like to see the actual science behind "compassion is the key to a meaningful life", that is just way to subjective to be proven by science

Like i say nice thread but I doubt that most of this stuff has actually been proven in science to the extent that full studies have been done and the results published in reputable journals.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


This is exactly why I brought here and posted, I wanted to get different takes on the topic. So, I too have questions.

Oh, Slayer! Say it ain't so! My head (clunk) So many good and insightful and well-thought out posts and threads by you that they are anticipated with delight, and now

Huffington???? All you need is love?? Wasn't the Beatles retrospective last month? I mean, I believe in acupuncture and Tai Chi as ancient and venerated techniques and all, but the rest of these are aphorisms, trite phrases of vapidity from yet another self-help book by an unimaginative author who jumps on causes like a kid onto merry-go-rounds.

God help us, Slayer. Let's get back to 12th century Big Bang theories, the evidence for Santorini being Atlantis, or the Ice Age climate change warm up as being the source of Noah's Flood stories, or the real percentage of Neanderthal genes in modern Europeans.

ANYTHING! Really. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OtherSideOfTheCoin
i would really like to see the actual science behind "compassion is the key to a meaningful life"

Really? You can't just feel it? OK, Mr Spock.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

would really like to see the actual science behind "compassion is the key to a meaningful life", that is just way to subjective to be proven by science

Food for thought…and compassion?

Why is Compassion Good For Us?
Why does compassion lead to health benefits in particular? A clue to this question rests in a fascinating new study by Steve Cole at the University of California, Los Angeles, and APS Fellow Barbara Fredrickson at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The results were reported at Stanford Medical School’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education’s (CCARE) inaugural Science of Compassion conference in 2012. Their study evaluated the levels of cellular inflammation in people who describe themselves as “very happy.” Inflammation is at the root of cancer and other diseases and is generally high in people who live under a lot of stress. We might expect that inflammation would be lower for people with higher levels of happiness. Cole and Fredrickson found that this was only the case for certain “very happy” people. They found that people who were happy because they lived the “good life” (sometimes also know as “hedonic happiness”) had high inflammation levels but that, on the other hand, people who were happy because they lived a life of purpose or meaning (sometimes also known as “eudaimonic happiness”) had low inflammation levels. A life of meaning and purpose is one focused less on satisfying oneself and more on others. It is a life rich in compassion, altruism, and greater meaning.

Another way in which a compassionate lifestyle may improve longevity is that it may serve as a buffer against stress. A new study conducted on a large population (more than 800 people) and spearheaded by the University at Buffalo’s Michael Poulin found that stress did not predict mortality in those who helped others, but that it did in those who did not. One of the reasons that compassion may protect against stress is the very fact that it is so pleasurable. Motivation, however, seems to play an important role in predicting whether a compassionate lifestyle exerts a beneficial impact on health. Sara Konrath, at the University of Michigan, discovered that people who engaged in volunteerism lived longer than their non-volunteering peers — but only if their reasons for volunteering were altruistic rather than self-serving.

Another reason compassion may boost our well-being is that it can help broaden our perspective beyond ourselves. Research shows that depression and anxiety are linked to a state of self-focus, a preoccupation with “me, myself, and I.” When you do something for someone else, however, that state of self-focus shifts to a state of other-focus. If you recall a time you were feeling blue and suddenly a close friend or relative calls you for urgent help with a problem, you may remember that as your attention shifts to helping them, your mood lifts. Rather than feeling blue, you may have felt energized to help; before you knew it, you may even have felt better and gained some perspective on your own situation as well.

Finally, one additional way in which compassion may boost our well-being is by increasing a sense of connection to others. One telling study showed that lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure. On the flip side, strong social connection leads to a 50 percent increased chance of longevity. Social connection strengthens our immune system (research by Cole shows that genes impacted by social connection also code for immune function and inflammation), helps us recover from disease faster, and may even lengthen our life. People who feel more connected to others have lower rates of anxiety and depression. Moreover, studies show that they also have higher self-esteem, are more empathic to others, more trusting and cooperative and, as a consequence, others are more open to trusting and cooperating with them. Social connectedness therefore generates a positive feedback loop of social, emotional, and physical well-being. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true for those who lack social connectedness. Low social connection has been generally associated with declines in physical and psychological health, as well as a higher propensity for antisocial behavior that leads to further isolation. Adopting a compassionate lifestyle or cultivating compassion may help boost social connection and improve physical and psychological health.

www.psychologicalscience.org...

We know from science that...
to flourish and thrive one must be compassionate;
being compassionate increases longevity up to two-fold;
being compassionate decreases your stress and decreases markers of inflammation;
being compassionate is what we were fundamentally designed for.

www.compassionateatl.com...

Additional study by a nurse.

schuyler
Huffington???? All you need is love?? Wasn't the Beatles retrospective last month? I mean, I believe in acupuncture and Tai Chi as ancient and venerated techniques and all, but the rest of these are aphorisms, trite phrases of vapidity from yet another self-help book by an unimaginative author who jumps on causes like a kid onto merry-go-rounds.

I've never heard such bitterness come out in such poetry before. But you are not correct.

I would bet countless cookies that I am a happier person than you are. I would bet that my mother, who is on her last stretch of life, dying (painfully) from cancer, is a much happier person than you are. We are happy because those aphorisms are mostly true. "All you need is love" is just as venerated and ancient as Tai Chi and it works for the spirit and psyche just as effectively. It is one of the foundations upon which to build the other "trite phrases of vapidity from yet another self-help book".

Being the traditionalist that I am, I get annoyed with the new LA-style brand of personal growth being marketed recently but... it works. And just like many things that work, it gets monetized and it gets obnoxious. It's one of those cases where I have to ignore the messenger and just read the freakin' message. It's not new but it's always good to hear it from other perspectives (no matter how trite).

With that, cheer up and gain some love!

Most of those equate to help others, and examine your life. (Meditation etc)

Something the smart ones have been trying to tell us for years.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I had recently looked up some information on acupuncture and I am not al that certain that it was practiced as we know it today back then. Documentation on acupuncture is more than a little fuzzy IMO. I am keeping an open mind about it though. Below is a tidbit from an article I had read on it.

Earliest documentation that refers to acupuncture procedures is The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, dating from about 100 BCE. In this book the knowledge is in the form of questions made by the Emperor that his learned minister, Chhi-Po has replied to. The book includes the detailed knowledge regarding the concepts of channels (meridians or conduits in which the Qi flows. The details of precise sites of acupuncture points however were developed later. link

Acupuncture has been prescribed by half of Britain's doctors, but after 3,000 clinical trials its efficacy remains unproven. So is the NHS making a grave error in supporting this ancient treatment?

Chairman Mao Invented Traditional Chinese Medicine

Most of what I have read has said acupuncture works as a placebo.

Cuervo

schuyler
Huffington???? All you need is love?? Wasn't the Beatles retrospective last month? I mean, I believe in acupuncture and Tai Chi as ancient and venerated techniques and all, but the rest of these are aphorisms, trite phrases of vapidity from yet another self-help book by an unimaginative author who jumps on causes like a kid onto merry-go-rounds.

I've never heard such bitterness come out in such poetry before. But you are not correct.

I would bet countless cookies that I am a happier person than you are.

How in heaven's name do you get "bitterness" out of what I wrote? How can you possibly believe you are a "happier person" than I am? I'm mystified that you could come to such conclusions. Here you're indulging in aphorisms usually voiced by Dr. Phil on the Oprah show now billed as "trusims backed by science."

Wow. How profound. (Now, where's that rolling eye thingie?)

But what does concern me is that here I wrote what I thought was a somewhat humorous response to Slayer suggesting these aphorisms were just that, and you respond with an ad hominem attack against me personally questioning my happiness, suggesting your dying mother is happier, etc.

First, your attack is illogical. If you don't like my ideas, you can certainly question those, but you chose to attack me personally instead, which is a fallacy. Secondly, why would you stoop to such a thing? What compelled you to lash out at me because I think some of those aphorisms are silly? I'm not seeing that as evidence you're happier, and it was completely unnecessary and uncalled for.

You ought to be ashamed.

reply to post by Grimpachi


You know I'm glad somebody brought that up.....

Ice Age Acupuncture?

A group of scientists from the University of Graz in Austria attempted to answer that question by theorizing a possible relationship between the tattoos and traditional acupuncture points. Their findings, first published in The Lancet in 1999 and updated in Discover magazine earlier this year,1,2 purport to show that acupuncture � or a system of healing quite similar to it � may have been in use in central Europe more than 2,000 years earlier than previously believed.

The research team, led by Drs. Leopold Dorfer and Max Moser, first calculated the mummy's cun by measuring its femur, tibia and radius. They then converted the measurements of the tattoos to cun and overlaid the locations of the tattoos to topographical representations of Chinese acupuncture points.

Experts from three acupuncture societies then examined the locations of the tattoos. In their opinion, nine tattoos could be identified as being located directly on, or within six millimeters of, traditional acupuncture points. Two more were located on an acupuncture meridian. One tattoo was used as a local point. The remaining three tattoos were situated between 6-13mm from the closest acupuncture point.

Skyfloating
While its a nice acknowledgment, I`m almost tempted to say "we don't need science to confirm what we knew all along". I`ve been into Meditation and Tai Chi for a long time and ascribe most of my well-being to it.

I`d also add that there is much, much, much more than that to be learned from the ancients. And even from those hated Christians, Muslims and Jews which people love to bash.

Oooops...didn't wanna go on a rant here. Nice thread idea.

I don't wanna go on a rant here, but America's foreign policy makes about as much sense as Beowolf having sex with Robert Fulton at the first Battle of Antietam. I mean when a neo-conservative defenstrates it's like Raskolnikov filibuster deoxymonohydroxinate.

The earth is round, the cube is square, the ancients wore no underwear. Aspergers for everyone, lets all say nothing to each other about it unless we remove our pants.

Christian, Muslim, Jew, you do realise they aren't really ancient tho - not in the way the world is.. they're a malarkey of modern man made to make miscreants molested by modern mayhem obey the man.. man..

Grimpachi
Most of what I have read has said acupuncture works as a placebo.

Even if so, placebos are effective. So much so that many drug manufacturers are actively competing against sugar pills.

Acupuncture works in my experience but I can't deny that it is a placebo any more than I can deny that Zoloft is. Being cared for and treated has its own healing effects which sort of lines up with compassion being a healthy thing.

All drugs have placebo effects and no drug works as well when the patient or doctor lacks understanding about the intent. When doctors found out about Aspirin helping heart attacks, suddenly Aspirin became even more effective at it before that knowledge was even passed down to consumers. Even if only the practitioner has confidence in a treatment, that treatment will be more effective.

727Sky
1. Money can't buy happiness but it's more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle.

Hahaha You cry because your in a BMW, on a bike, you cry because everything is over there.




It's easier to cry from a leather chair, than a bar stool tho.

The ancients...so wise and knowledgable. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. We seek to validate these "wisdoms" only because we've been attached to them so long. Any sort of exercise, whether it has religious implications or not, is better for overall being. Any kindness or compassion is an act of the human condition, not some ultimate truth handed down through the ages.

The ancients also taught us genocide, intolerance, superstition, torture, and to judge others based on their belief, rather than their individual merit. But that doesn't sound all light and fluffy does it. Instead, we should favour their wisdom because they have spent so long satisfying their need for happiness and pleasure, that we can just follow suit. However, this is convenience, not wisdom.

reply to post by schuyler


I wasn't trying to illustrate that you were unhappy; I was, by comparison, telling you how happy a person like my mother is because of these concepts she embraces (the same concepts you were doubting).

And your post was humorous to me and I made a point in pointing out the poetry in it. I was serious. I was also serious when I say that your post had bitterness to it. If I had thought longer on it, I may have called your post "curmudgeon-esque" instead. Or perhaps "sardonic" or "facetious". All of which are qualities that made your post fun to read which I meant to make clear up front. I was by no means attacking you any more than I would be attacking a friend when nudging him in the ribs saying "Cheer up, Grunmpkins" while handing him a drink. Seriously.

The rest of it was me defending the efficacy of soft-skills. Apparently, I was acting ironically with my post and didn't even realize it.

I'm over it if you are.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I read about that, and I think it was mentioned in one of the articles I linked. Like I said I am keeping an open mind on the subject but I am not so sure how to interpret the ancient tattoos as it is not easy to reference that era. The markings being close to the meridian points does seem to sugest some form of acupuncture or even pressure point references but them being off the mark even by a little would also sugest otherwise. It is a puzzle to me.

What is disappointing to me has been modern day trials and research into acupuncture says it is a placebo effect maybe the true art was lost and the off markings are the true spots. I cant say. I do wish it was a proven method because I would be in line but placebos do not work for me. I have seen the placebo effect at work with people before with others but my mind seems to be so skeptical even when I have the real thing I block it out.

I truly wish that acupuncture was a proven field for my own sake.