Sleep

For most, around 30% of our human existence is spent in unconsciousness.  Yes sir, that's right.  My textbook of medical physiology defines this unconsciousness as sleep, and lets one know that a person can be aroused from this state by sensory or other stimuli.  [This state is to be distinguished from coma, which is a state of unconsciousness from which the individual cannot be aroused.]

It is recognized that there are multiple stages of sleep, ranging from a very light sleep to a very deep sleep.  It has also been shown that a person goes through two different types during this period of unconsciousness.  One type is called "slow wave sleep", and the second is called "REM sleep". [Stands for rapid (R) eye (E) movement (M) sleep.]  Each night approximately 75% of sleep is the slow way type.  It is during REM sleep that dreaming is usually associated. 

Now sleep produces its effects on the nervous system itself, and on other structures of the body.  It is part of the cycle called "sleep-wakefulness".  How about that, we all share this cycle [consciousness to unconsciousness] on a daily bases.  It is a common thread of our human existence.

My text is:

Textbook of Medical Physiology, Eighth Edition, by Arthur C. Guyton.  It was published by W.B. Saunders Co., 1991.  Pages 659 - 663 discuss this topic.  It was the 1971 edition that accompanied me through medical school.

Priorities and/or Pressures

Multiple factors draw our attention.  We respond to these factors from innate attitudes that direct our responses and behaviors.  What we view as important (priorities) is often outweighed by the stressful factors (pressures) that demand our attention.  Before we know it, the pressures become the priorities, and our attention is directed away from our original preferential ratings.  Pressures to priorities, or is it priorities to guide the pressures?  A common thread are these priorities and/or pressures.  What we give our attention is a result.

Average

Being about midway between extremes is considered "average".   Not out of the ordinary, or common is included.  Just an "average" day, or "average" hair, or "average" feelings about this post.  We all experience "average" as we go through our existence.  From the bell shaped curve of the last post, it can be visualized as follows.

The midpoint of the bell shaped curve is considered "average".   Half of the folks are to the right of the line, and half of the folks are to left.  This is called the "mean" in some languages [like statistics], but is generally found to hold true for large populations around the world.  Ho...hum...being "average" is a common thread we all use as a measurement to judge our existence.  A common ground it is as we go through this experience called life. 

A Bell Shaped Curve

The "vital signs" [physical measurements] presented last post list a series of items that we all share. [Threads That Bind]  Each item represents a "normal function" of the organic platform which is in constant motion as we experience our life events.   These various activities may be slightly different for each individual, and if measured in large numbers, they follow a pattern know as "the normal distribution".  A "Bell Shaped Curve" it is often called.  It would look something like this:

Of course, there is an entire family of these "normal curves", but they all follow a similar pattern... a bell shape.  A large sampling of the various items [my biostatistic background would call these items variables] produces a curve which follows this pattern.  Such harmony occurring in the real world...this thread that binds...a bell shaped curve.

Vital Signs

The organic platform functions by series of activities which has come to be called "normal".  Body heat, resulting from all that ATP releasing its elections [see post of  9/25/14], produces a temperature that says fairly constant at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit . [considered normal]  The heart pumps at a rate of 60 - 90 times per minute [considered normal].  Breathing takes place roughly 12 - 16 times per minute, [considered normal for an adult].  Blood pressure varies a bit, but on average ranges 140/80, [which is considered normal].  Weight moves up and down as diet permits, but an "average" [normal] for males is 154 lbs. [At least that was the normal when I attended medical school!]  Height is another measurement that varies greatly among the organic platform of the world, but normal is 5 foot, 8 inches.

Each of the variables listed above represent what we all share.  On good days, things can go pretty well.  On bad days, we generally know when something is not right.  Concerned with or necessary to the maintenance of life are these vital signs... threads that bind.

Authority

The ability to act or produce an effect that influences or commands thought, opinion, belief, or behavior, can be called "authority".  A convincing force that helps direct these thoughts will in effect impact the manner of conducting oneself .  Competency, capacity, or strength [in the sense of ability] to impact something conceived in the mind, is the foundation of this authority.  Helping to explain the various phenomena that surround us, it establishes the things that are of primary importance.  An orderliness to our experiences in this organic platform results.  What a deal, this common thread called authority.

Thoughts

Thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, and opinions are a group of common threads that bind us.  To take into one's mind is a continuous activity.

Something conceived in the mind can be called "concepts".

"Theories" are the general principle or body of principles that are put together to try and explain phenomena that we take into the mind.  These theories form a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action.

From the theories, "principles" are form as a matter or thing of primary importance.  These principals become the most consequential or influential items directing the beliefs and opinions we form in the mind.

"Methods" are derived from these principles that produce an orderly or habitual way for doing something.  They may be techniques, or processes that give an orderliness and regularity to our lives.

"Tools" then are formed, and become a means to an end.  The manner of conducting oneself is a result.

Concepts...to theories...to principles...to methods... and to tools, form a framework our thoughts utilize.  Common threads we all share.