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  • How NAD Precursors Work in the Body or what do I need to understand before taking a NAD supplement

    Generated by ChatGPT (GPT-5 Thinking mini, OpenAI). Answer obtained August 10, 2025. Note: AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies; consult primary literature for clinical decisions.

    Step 1 — Ingestion

    • You swallow NR, NMN, or niacinamide.

    • NAD⁺ itself is mostly broken down in the gut into smaller units before absorption.

    Step 2 — Absorption

    • NR: Taken up in the small intestine by nucleoside transporters.

    • NMN: Likely broken down into NR before uptake in humans (still debated), though some evidence suggests a specific transporter exists in mice.

    • Niacinamide: Readily absorbed via facilitated diffusion.

    Step 3 — First-pass conversion

    • In intestinal cells and liver, precursors enter the NAD salvage pathway:

    • NR → NMN → NAD⁺

    • NAM → NMN → NAD⁺

    • Enzymes: NRK (nicotinamide riboside kinase) and NMNAT (nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase) are key rate-limiting steps.

    Step 4 — Distribution

    • NAD⁺ made in the liver is not directly shipped out — instead, NAD precursors (like NAM) circulate and are taken up by other tissues to make their own NAD⁺.

    Step 5 — Regulation & limits

    • If intake is too high, excess NAM accumulates. This inhibits sirtuins and PARPs, counteracting benefits.

    • Enzymes like CD38 constantly break down NAD⁺ — higher with age and inflammation, meaning older adults may “burn through” NAD⁺ faster.

    • Cells balance NAD⁺ pools across the nucleus, cytosol, and mitochondria separately — boosting blood NAD⁺ doesn’t guarantee a big mitochondrial bump.

    ⸝

    Key takeaway for dosage:

    • There’s a ceiling: above a certain point, enzymes and feedback loops turn extra NAD precursors into waste products or inhibitors.

    • For most healthy adults in studies, 300–500 mg/day NR or NMN moves NAD⁺ significantly; beyond 1 g/day, gains flatten and side effects (like flushing or digestive upset) can increase.

    Prompt:

    What do we know about the biology of NAD taken as a supplement.  By biology is meant does oral ingestion really result in improving what we know the molecule does.  Also biology is replete with examples of just the right amount being critical and that suggests dosage matters

    Response

    NAD biology is tricky, because the molecule is central to metabolism but also because taking it as a supplement doesn’t work as cleanly as people often assume. Let’s break it down carefully.

    ⸝

    1. What NAD does in the body

    • Core role: NAD⁺ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme that shuttles electrons in redox reactions — it’s essential for energy production (glycolysis, TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation).

    • Other roles: It’s also a substrate for enzymes that regulate DNA repair (PARPs), gene expression (sirtuins), and cell signaling (CD38).

    • Decline with age: Tissue NAD⁺ levels tend to drop with age and in certain diseases, which has spurred interest in supplements.

    ⸝

    2. The problem with taking NAD⁺ directly

    • Poor absorption: NAD⁺ itself is too large and charged to cross cell membranes efficiently and is rapidly broken down in the gut.

    • Blood stability: Even if some NAD⁺ gets absorbed, blood enzymes degrade it quickly into smaller molecules before it reaches cells intact.

    ⸝

    3. Why precursors are used instead

    Most supplements aren’t pure NAD⁺ — they’re precursors that cells can convert into NAD⁺:

    • Niacin (vitamin B3) — classic form, raises NAD⁺ but can cause flushing.

    • Nicotinamide (NAM) — raises NAD⁺ but in high doses can inhibit sirtuins (feedback inhibition).

    • Nicotinamide riboside (NR) — marketed for NAD⁺ boosting; shown to raise NAD⁺ in blood and some tissues in humans.

    • Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) — similar to NR, but one step closer to NAD⁺ in the biosynthetic pathway. Absorption route in humans is still debated.

    ⸝

    4. What the evidence says about oral supplementation

    • Human trials: Small clinical studies show NR and NMN can raise blood NAD⁺ by ~20–60% within days to weeks.

    • Tissue effects: Less clear — increases in muscle NAD⁺ are modest in healthy young adults, but more noticeable in older adults or those with metabolic issues.

    • Functional benefits: Early human data suggest possible improvements in some measures (insulin sensitivity, vascular function), but effects are modest and not always reproducible.

    • Animal vs human: Mice show bigger and more consistent benefits (lifespan extension, improved mitochondrial function) than humans so far.

    ⸝

    5. The dosage question — “just right” matters

    Biology often follows a U-shaped curve:

    • Too little NAD⁺ → impaired energy metabolism, DNA repair, resilience to stress.

    • Too much NAD⁺ → potential issues:

    • Sirtuin/PARP overactivation (could affect cell cycle or stress response).

    • NAM accumulation from breakdown, which at high levels inhibits sirtuins.

    • Possible support for growth of some cancer cells (since cancer often thrives on robust NAD⁺ metabolism).

    • Most human trials use 250–1000 mg/day of NR or NMN and report it as safe for months to years — but long-term effects beyond that aren’t known.

    ⸝

    6. Key uncertainties

    • Optimal target NAD⁺ level for different ages and conditions isn’t known.

    • Which tissues benefit most from supplementation — blood NAD⁺ isn’t always a good proxy for brain, heart, or muscle.

    • Whether long-term high-dose use has subtle downsides, especially in those without NAD⁺ deficiency.

    ⸝

    Bottom line

    • Oral NAD⁺ itself doesn’t survive digestion well; precursors like NR and NMN do raise blood NAD⁺ in humans.

    • There’s good biochemical evidence they work in principle, but the translation into large, lasting health gains in humans is still tentative.

    • Dose likely matters a lot — both too little and too much could be counterproductive.

    • At present, the strongest case for supplementation is in older adults or people with certain metabolic or mitochondrial disorders, not necessarily healthy young individuals.

    ,

  • The U.S. Treasury’s Innovative “Reverse Coinage” Program

    In a bold move to combat inflation and encourage savings among American citizens, the U.S. Treasury announced early today its new “Reverse Coinage” initiative, set to launch nationwide on the first day of the next fiscal year. The innovative program will introduce a groundbreaking concept to the American economy: negative-value currency.

    For the first time in history, the U.S. Mint will issue a series of coins that hold negative monetary value, in denominations of -$1, -$5, and -$10. These special edition coins, minted in a unique, easily identifiable alloy and embossed with the image of the famous “Penny-Farthing” (a symbol of economic reversal), are designed to be spent alongside regular currency but with a twist. When used in transactions, the value of the Reverse Coins is subtracted from the total amount of the purchase, effectively increasing the cost of the item bought.

    The Treasury’s spokesperson explained, “This program is aimed at encouraging Americans to think twice about their spending habits. By integrating Reverse Coins into the market, consumers will have to be more mindful of their purchases, promoting savings and reducing frivolous spending.”

    Banks across the nation will start distributing Reverse Coins to customers, with a limit on how many can be withdrawn at one time. Retailers are being equipped with updated software to handle transactions involving these new coins, ensuring a smooth integration into daily commerce.

    Economic experts are divided on the potential impact of the Reverse Coinage program. Supporters laud the initiative as a genius move to instill fiscal responsibility and combat inflation by absorbing excess spending power. Critics, however, argue it could lead to confusion in the marketplace and potentially discourage consumer spending, impacting economic growth.

    The program’s pilot phase is expected to last one year, with regular assessments to determine its effectiveness on the economy and consumer behavior. Treasury officials remain optimistic, stating, “It’s a small step backward, for a giant leap forward in economic responsibility.”

    Remember to check your change closely in the coming months, as you wouldn’t want to accidentally spend more than you intended with America’s newest monetary innovation!

    An April Fool’s day hoax generated by ChatGPT4

  • Work hard, play hard, what’s the issue with that?

    I subscribed to this axiom or meme (depending on your inclination) for the longest time. I will however say that a better meme or axiom is needed to define how we achieve work life balance, which in itself is anachronistic.

    One new way to look at it comes from a very nuanced perspective provided by a former Googler marketing executive and entrepreneur who is pursuing a PhD in neuroscience from Oxford University. Anne-Laure Le Cunff started a subscription based community called NESS Labs to discuss how we could unleash our creativity. Her take on it is to tap into and craft our inherent “curiosity” to find the various things that draw out our curiosity and thus fuel our interest and energy.

    A second way to look at it is the way provided by a famous essay that I read as a sophomore which led to my career choices, which was initially to teach and do research. Bertrand Russell suggests that the source of lasting happiness is to reflect upon our legacy that would survive past our limited life span. He suggests that science offers a field which builds upon original contributions to advancing human knowledge that modern scientific methodology has created a curated mechanism to incorporate contributions into generally accepted consensus.

    I surmised that while I could learn and grasp abstract math like concepts, when it comes to original contributions, I’ll have to toil like a laborer planting rice seedlings in a field. In fact that has been the nature of my journey in a career that began as a Chemistry teacher to what I do today.

    A second point about Russell’s advice is that I saw a curated publication as a metric of how I am doing. That assessment has now changed and I don’t need a metric as I feel it is sufficient to earn my keep so to speak by contributing to increasing the understanding of any domain where I am engaged in problem solving.

    Problem solving and curiosity are both inherent qualities we all possess and use. I think Viktor Frankl provides a great idea that we inherently seek meaning and if we grok this through engaging in work the boundary between work and play blurs.

    Interested in NESSLabs ? Check out

    https://click.convertkit-mail.com/68u4on6m0eh8hkezr5kaohzdqrokk/n2hohqu3exo5oef0/aHR0cHM6Ly9zcGFya2xwLmNvL2Q1MGQxMmYxLz9sY3RnPWRlNXpreHFw

  • AspiringPolymath

    What is one word that describes you?

    I aspire to gain the ability to be in the shoes of all minds from a sympathetic understanding. My inspiration for this aspiration came from a public speaking and speed reading courses I took under an instructor named Venkata Iyer, who was a business consultant who taught these two courses at the IndoAmerican Friendship society in Mumbai in the eighties. I would hang out with him after class as he was brimming with ideas and he shared the source of his ideas, as regards to how to think. He recommended I read all the works by Mortimer Adler, who wrote the book, how to read a book. Yes it is the same maverick faculty after whom the Planetarium in Chicago is named after.

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  • A personal publication stack

    I am borrowing the term stack from technology stack, which is the combination of tools that developers use to create a website or application, including programming languages, libraries, frameworks, and other tools.

    I am repurposing it into a term, personal stack. A personal stack allows an author or creator to create once and publish everywhere.

    Several years ago, as a user of Notes on the iphone I had the ability to link it to my WordPress account such that I could choose what I could push out to WordPress. That feature allowed me to edit the write up on my phone to sync with what was visible in WordPress. Then it abruptly stopped.

    Now WordPress is Jetpack. I like their new feature that allowed me to link my Facebook page and LinkedIn page to Jetpack such that my blog post on Jetpack was simultaneously published in both LinkedIn and Facebook.

    I have been counseled not to share too much and to consider the audience which means keep your publications tailored for different audiences separated. Now I don’t know if the feature in Jetpack, which allowed me to publish in Jetpack would allow me to select the linked accounts to push the blog to.

    I would think security breach would be another concern. In that area, I found Facebook offer a paid option to secure my Facebook account from being hacked. I am quite sure a similar feature might exist in LinkedIn for their paid account. I don’t know this for sure, but I am thinking if my Facebook account were hacked it would break the link as the credential might get changed and the hacker won’t have access to the Jetpack account and thus, the entire stack.

    Since my blogpost on ChatGPT4 was successful after I linked the accounts, I will use this post to probe the feature, whether it lets me choose the linked accounts.

    Jetpack added a feature that allows readers to post comments. Mind you, I don’t pay for any of my social media accounts, so my use of these apps and its features are limited from that standpoint.

    There were more social media platforms available to link of Jetpack, that I haven’t set up yet.

    I would also expect that if I edited the blog post in Jetpack, the link from the linked App would reflect the change thus realizing, write and update on one location and have it published on several chosen platforms, which I term the personal creator’s publication stack.

    I am editing and adding a note that Jetpack allows you to select from the linked accounts to publish the blog. I also notice many more features to add different content types to the blog post.

  • Dirac electrons explained by ChatGPT4

    As a chemist, I am obsessed with electrons. When I read about Dirac electrons in material science, it really challenged my understanding of the reported publication.

    So, I turned to my friend, ChatGPT4, who is available 24×7 and keyed in the question and waited for a response that took a long time such that I fell asleep. But, Lo behold, I think the response was well worth the intensive compute resources it takes.

    Q: Explain in detail what are Dirac electrons

    A: Dirac electrons refer to particles that are described by the Dirac equation, formulated by the British physicist Paul Dirac in 1928. This equation extended the SchrĂśdinger equation of quantum mechanics to incorporate the theory of special relativity, providing a unified description of quantum mechanics and relativity for the behavior of electrons.

    Dirac electrons have several distinctive and fascinating properties:

    1. Relativistic Effects: The Dirac equation predicts that electrons, even in atomic orbits, behave as if they are moving at speeds close to the speed of light. This results in relativistic effects, including corrections to the gyromagnetic ratio of the electron and fine-structuring of atomic energy levels.
    2. Antiparticles: One of the most revolutionary predictions of the Dirac equation was the existence of antiparticles. For each particle solution, the equation also has a corresponding solution that can be interpreted as a particle with the same mass but opposite charge. For the electron, this predicted the existence of the positron, its antiparticle, which was later discovered in cosmic rays by Carl Anderson in 1932.
    3. Spin: The Dirac equation naturally incorporates the concept of spin, a fundamental quantum property of particles. Electrons possess spin 1/2, meaning they have two possible spin states. This intrinsic angular momentum is a key component of quantum mechanics and is critical for understanding the Pauli exclusion principle, chemical bonding, and electron magnetic moments.
    4. Graphene and Dirac Cones: In materials science, Dirac electrons are of particular interest in the study of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon. Graphene’s electronic band structure features points where the conduction and valence bands meet in conical points known as Dirac cones. At these points, electrons behave as if they are massless and travel at a constant velocity, which is a fraction of the speed of light. This gives rise to unique electrical properties, such as high electron mobility and conductivity.
    5. Topological Insulators: Dirac electrons are also relevant in the study of topological insulators, materials that are insulating in their interior but have conducting states on their surface. These surface states are protected by topological invariants and can host Dirac electrons that are robust against certain types of scattering, leading to potential applications in quantum computing and spintronics.

    In summary, Dirac electrons are characterized by their adherence to the Dirac equation, embodying both quantum mechanical and relativistic phenomena. Their study enriches our understanding of fundamental particle physics and paves the way for advancements in various fields of material science and technology.

  • Die Empty, a book suggestion

    Die empty

    This is a post by my spiritual mentor, a former IT executive and currently a monk ordained by the order of monks of the tradition of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, in Facebook.

    Copy paste:

    “To possess a heart full of love, and then to live a life selfless, free and cheerful, is the goal of all lives.”

    — Swami Ramdas

    Aum. Indeed! It’s helpful to see this in print, yes? We all deal with this feeling of incompletion, and our dear mind comes up with so many ideas about how to fill our “hole in the heart”. As it turns out, though, there is actually not a hole at all. We are whole and complete, already in the Kingdom, and yet there are such strong ideas and feelings that this is not so. This – if we can visualize ourselves wearing this – puts an end to the longing. It is actually what we want. It is not easy, life is not easy, but this one sentence is as good an explanation of what we are looking for as any that we’ve seen.

    Blessings. Jai Ma, Jai Gurudev, May all beings be Happy and Free.

    🙏🕉️❤️

    End copy paste.

    I find that it is important to cultivate a mindset of plenty in our own capacity. The world is always rating us and we need to be objective in viewing those ratings as having lessons but not use it to label ourselves.

    This meditation allows us to build the space in our mind to grow our potential.

    The book Die empty by Todd Henry complements this mindset of a judgement free appreciation of ourselves by us to then consider how do we actualize our potential or self actualize, borrowing the term from Abraham Maslow. Todd Henry translates the Agile framework that is used very successfully in business, into our own life. In fact, Dr. Deming himself did likewise but his work in that area of how to apply the PDCA cycle in our own life may not have gained appreciation but his core principle of what I consider, a benevolent incremental and iterative cycle of a consciously designed process is embedded and can be discerned in many self help methodologies.

    Die Empty Summary – Four Minute Books

  • Wim Hoff and weight loss

    Despite the negative light in which he is casted in the Wikipedia link shared here, I practice his methods but very gently snd by paying attention to your own mind and body using the methods from Eckhart Tolle among others that include practices from Yoga.

    Wikipedia considers his endurance an innate (freak) character than a systematically built ability.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof

    I was listening to a weight loss practitioner on a National Public radio interview and what he described was a very insightful interpretation of his experience. He had begun the weight loss medication to bring under control his clinical numbers that were in the danger zone for metabolism. It worked spectacularly well and he did not regret his decision and intended to continue it. However this is how he described his experience with the weight loss prescribed medication: it was as if a thousand voices in my head clamoring for food suddenly fell silent. Selecting what to eat was now a task as he did not feel like eating but did so following a deliberate choice based on what food he need to meet the goals that were metrics of health.

    He spoke about the fact that to him it was apparent that it was not an addiction only but a source of joy to interact with people by sharing food. The simple joy of Thanksgiving dinner table was the anticipation to try various dishes. That was now completely lost.

    If I put on my biochemist’s training hat, I would say his experience is temporary and that of a beginner. The reason is homeostasis or a reversal to the mean that the biochemicals in our bodies will exert. In simple terms, this dramatic effect he described for taking the medication will cease to work as dramatically.

    However the subject of this essay is to examine how the magic bullet chemical (weight loss drug) approach compares with exerting a deliberate gradual exercise of will power, which is the practical takeaways I got from watching all of Wim Hoff’s videos both subscription based and freely available.

    One key takeaway for me from Wim Hoff is about mindset. One has to have the mindset that mind can prevail over matter (genetics and circumstances).

    The second takeaway was imagination matters. He speaks about visualizing the future. Before you go to bed, imagine yourself waking up and stepping in to the shower and having a pleasant warm water shower. Then you turn the dial to the coldest stream from the shower and now imagine that you will get shocked and uncomfortable yet it will be just fine and just 15 seconds the first time will feel good when it is over as you will be fine and better for having done it. This is the use of will power as a muscle to build habits to change into a new normal or change the homeostat in the body gradually to a new setting.

    What is the difference between using will power versus pharmaceuticals is this. Will power is a very broad general skillset applicable to every aspect of our life whereas the pull based approach is highly specific to one outcome and even for that to sustain the goal you will need to exert will power.

  • Pop a pill and live for 180 years, there is scientific evidence backing this so goes the marketing spin

    Senolytics – anti aging chemicals from plants

    A conversation with ChatGPT4, after I saw an ad on Facebook claiming you could live to 180 by popping two pills a day for the rest of your long life (😀, the implication).

    Q: Explain what is a senolytic and what is the known evidence for it

    A: Senolytics are a class of small molecules, peptides, or natural compounds that can selectively induce the death of senescent cells, which are aging or damaged cells that have stopped dividing. These compounds have been of interest in anti-aging and rejuvenation research due to their potential to clear out senescent cells and promote tissue regeneration. Known evidence for senolytics includes their ability to improve age-related tissue dysfunction, reduce inflammation, and extend healthy lifespan in animal studies. Additionally, senolytics have shown promise in alleviating age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular diseases by targeting senescent cells.

    Q: Give specific examples of it

    A: Two well-known examples of senolytics are dasatinib and quercetin. Dasatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been found to selectively induce cell death in senescent cells. Quercetin, on the other hand, is a natural flavonoid compound found in various fruits and vegetables that has also demonstrated senolytic properties. When used in combination, dasatinib and quercetin have shown synergistic effects in targeting and eliminating senescent cells in preclinical studies. These compounds have been studied for their potential in alleviating age-related diseases and promoting healthy aging in various animal models.

    Q: What are the potential side effects of using dasatinib and quercetin as senolytics?

    A: The use of dasatinib and quercetin as senolytics may be associated with potential side effects. Dasatinib, as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is a prescription medication primarily used to treat certain types of leukemia, and it is known to have a range of potential side effects. Common side effects of dasatinib include fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, headache, and muscle pain. More serious side effects may include low blood cell counts, bleeding, and fluid retention.

    Quercetin, as a natural compound found in foods, is generally considered safe when consumed as part of a balanced diet. However, when taken in high doses as a supplement or for therapeutic purposes, quercetin may cause side effects such as headache, tingling of the arms and legs, and kidney damage in rare cases. It may also interact with certain medications and affect their metabolism in the body.

    When used in combination as senolytics, dasatinib and quercetin may have additive or synergistic effects on the body, potentially impacting the risk and severity of side effects. It’s important for individuals considering the use of these compounds as senolytics to consult with a healthcare professional to assess the potential risks and benefits, especially if they have preexisting medical conditions or are taking other medications.

    Q: Do senolytics from plant sources survive cooking and get absorbed

    A: Senolytics from plant sources, such as quercetin and other flavonoids, can be affected by cooking and food preparation methods. The impact of cooking on the availability and absorption of senolytic compounds depends on factors such as temperature, cooking time, and the type of food being prepared.

    In general, some plant-derived senolytics may be heat-stable and survive cooking to a certain extent, while others may be sensitive to heat and degrade during cooking. For example, quercetin, which is found in foods like onions, apples, and berries, can be partially degraded by heat, especially at higher temperatures and with prolonged cooking times. However, cooking methods such as steaming or microwaving may help preserve more of the quercetin content compared to boiling or frying.

    The absorption of senolytics from plant sources after cooking can also be influenced by the food matrix and the presence of other nutrients. Compounds like quercetin may be bound to dietary fibers or interact with other components in the food, affecting their bioavailability. Additionally, some senolytics may be more readily absorbed in the presence of certain nutrients or dietary fats, which can also be impacted by cooking methods.

    Overall, while cooking can affect the availability and absorption of senolytics from plant sources, incorporating a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs into a balanced diet can still provide a variety of bioactive compounds with potential senolytic properties.

    My conclusion:

    Eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits and cook them to the least extent and focus on flavor and enjoy food.

  • A capstone volunteering week

    Great week and weekend of volunteering, last week

    Had a good time as judge at the children’s school district’s science fair this weekend. Last week, Thursday, volunteered with the point in time census of the homeless by walking the streets for three hours in the evening. A pleasant cold weather helped.

    I learnt about both these opportunities by engaging with the high schooler’s activities.

    At the science fair, the co-ordinator spoke about the long historical track record the school district has maintained since the first fair they held in 1984. They mentioned how the school district level fair does not act as a screening step to exclude participants from presenting in regional and other fairs but the volunteer judges act as coaches preparing the students in communication skills. As a result of this track record they mentioned how the school district’s national standing with colleges improved over time such that many of their graduates gain admission to top tier colleges.

    I think science offers a very good field to develop communications as it is about communicating ideas based on data. The teacher in the room I was in with three other judges, mentioned how we were quite intense in grilling all the students in the 5 minutes we had for each of the eight presenters. After lunch the grand prize judging narrows the choices down to just one student. This is done by the lead judges who vouch for/ promote the winner from their room. We had a total of eight such rooms narrowing down the pool of eight nominees down to one.

    The point in time census last week Thursday is an annual event conducted by the US government through local non profit agencies. I learnt about it from the church the children were volunteering at.

    The kickoff and co-ordination of the volunteers for Dallas county was conducted at the United Methodist Church in downtown Dallas. At this kickoff event, I heard the results from last year’s count. Nationally, homelessness increased 10 percent. In Dallas it decreased by 30 percent. It was my first time volunteering and it was very inspiring to hear about the impact this participation from citizen volunteers has had for local government and non-profits – federal fund allocations that has led to major leaps but they reminded how the work is never done till there is no one who has a need for assistance and does not get it.

    From my previous volunteering engagement with Family Gateway in Dallas, I saw how they provide various services to assist people to get back on their feet. I think this approach (assistance to enable folks to help themselves) is their key to sustainable results that is worth replicating every where.

    This weekend was much more engaging with regard to volunteering as the high schooler who made a perfect score on the SAT had received free training as part of a cohort chosen by her school to participate in a beta deployment of a training offered by a non-profit SAT coaching funded by the founder of Khan academy had her opportunity to give back. She qualified to be a coach in the program and drew up her proposal for a boot camp after her application to be a volunteer coach was accepted.

    Plano Independent School district’s science and engineering fair (PSEF)
    Point in Time Census 2024 kickoff for Dallas county volunteers
    Point in Time Census 2024 kickoff for Dallas county volunteers
    Point in Time Census 2024 kickoff for Dallas county volunteers
    Point in Time Census 2024 kickoff for Dallas county volunteers
    , ,

  • Pilgrimage home, journey to the Heart, a book review of sorts

    I met Swami Sankarananda online while I was pursuing a masters degree in data science in 2017. In my then newly acquired understanding of Artificial intelligence and from my background as a biochemist and a former youth member of Chinmaya Mission, I had stitched together arguments contending that intelligence that we find in organic matter of the brain is not special as it can be created in silicon chips or any configuration of matter that permits computations which then has implications about consciousness that contradicts theology of all kinds. The Buddhist notions were vindicated was my contention.

    I had opportunity two weeks ago to meet and spend time with him continuing this dialogue. Our dialogue is not about theory as much as it is about “practice”, “mindset” and the “weltanschaaung or world view”.

    Last year at this time I hosted him in Dallas to conduct a day camp on a contemplative text from Vedanta.

    What follows is an excerpt from a diary self published on Amazon, where the author has provided explicit release of copyright to share.

    ISBN 9798831610468

    Pilgrimage Home: Journey to the Heart

    A discussion of our true home in the universal Heart and the steps we take to discover it

    Swami Sankarananda

    There are both ups and downs, there is pleasure and pain; there is what is beautiful and what is ugly.

    There is gain and there is loss, there are good times, and there are bad times. Our mind will tell us that these rules need not apply to “me”, and yet this is delusion, a universal quality of the mind. For me, the bad times were coming as were events that would cause me to start to think more deeply about what is life and what is its meaning.

    This was a question that I had never asked and I had made fun of others when I heard that they were “searching for themselves”. I had thought, “How could you lose yourself to begin with?” It seemed so clear for so long that success was the way to happiness, and life seemed all about being successful.

    I had never seriously contemplated death either. That changed when the sixteen-year-old daughter of close friends died in a terribly tragic car crash. She passed in their arms while they waited some forty-five minutes for an ambulance to arrive. Perhaps you can imagine the terrible pain of experiencing tragedy such as this. Our friends were devastated, inconsolable. These were our closest “couples friends”, they were neighbors and we had enjoyed much beautiful time together. I had no idea what to do; we were there but we observed as they both, the man in particular, sunk rapidly. Their life force seemed to be draining away, and of course this was not a surprise. It was simply horrible.

    The daughter was outgoing, gifted, loveable, and greatly loved. Her entire school class came for her funeral, as well as much of the school. At the service so many talked of her and her magical gifts. She was a gifted artist and writer, she seemed to care deeply for everyone, she was always fair in her dealings with others. She was a very good person marked with the potential for greatness.

    After a short time something strange started to happen; their daughter began to communicate with both of them. The communication was through signs, and there were many signs. Papers from her would appear in mysterious ways, one of them explaining that she was Ok where she was, another a contemplation on death which seemed to have been written from the other side. There was much more, suffice it to say that many stories were shared with us and the occurrences were not in any stretch of the imagination random. Her engagement with them was as real as talking with someone in front of you now. This was completely at odds with our general beliefs about life, but there was no question of it. Our friends brought in mediums, something that they would have never imagined doing, and at first m frauds but then one that was clearly able to help them to communicate with their daughter.

    They stepped up their search and met scientists who research “continuation of consciousness after bodily death”. I learned that there are many scientists researching this subject and there is much rock o solid objective and subjective evidence both about us continuing on in some way after death. Although there is not so much money spent on the research, as death is a topic not many really want to think or talk about (we mysteriously ignore the concept of “my” death though it is an absolute certainty), there are many brilliant and dedicated people working in this area.

    Our friends started a foundation to provide support for people who lost family members and other loved ones; they provide such beneficial support through counseling, friendship and loving kindness, scientific research and help in communicating with lost loved ones; it is truly a great work. The organization, named Forever Family Foundation, now has thousands of members. My wife and I attended an annual conference and some local ones, I got to know some of the people involved in the effort, and this spurred me to begin to alter my view of what life is and what this world is, even what I am. It was no longer obvious.

    At this same time frustration and an odd dreamlike quality about life had grown to an abiding discontent with it. Although I was investing little conscious time thinking about this one veil had lifted and it had become painfully clear to me that I was not happy. I was also starting to understand that | was not going to be happy continuing in the direction I was. It seemed that the basis for whatever little joy I had was crumbling and I was starting to feel depression.

    The technology business is cyclical, and the downturns were becoming more painful. My income had peaked and was declining with an extended downturn. With the decline in income l was thinking more about the need to dispose of things I liked and less about acquiring more. Boating was over after an accident ended that. I was getting older, even though inside I felt no older.

    End of excerpt.