Biological time, chronological time and psychological time: how do we live them?

Our experience of the temporal involves three levels of appreciation: the chronological time marked by clock and calendar; he biological time largely conditioned by genetics; and the psychological timethat is, how we feel that temporary becoming.

The external physical time, determined by the course of the stars, we cannot modify it in the sense that the clock will continue to show hours of sixty minutes. Unless, as the relativistic Physics, we approached the speed of light and then time would be slower compared to beings that went at a lower speed.

With respect to biological timethat marks our life expectancy as a species and individualswe can influence with our will to a certain extent, although limited.

It has been claimed that the The maximum life that a human being could aspire to is 120 years.. If this is not the case, it is because our way of life limits such expectations. Therefore, everything that involves better physical or mental hygiene can positively influence longevity.

For his part, psychic or interior timewhich is ultimately the one we appreciate most directly, yes it is modifiable to a large extent. Indeed, the experience of what time lasts is eminently subjective: five minutes in the dentist’s chair is not the same as five minutes peacefully lying in a hammock.

Each of the days that we are given to live has a value in itself, something free and unrelated to what others think. For this reason, being aware of the day and its phases is a way of living more fully, regardless of what may happen.

Why time seems to go faster in old age

The meaning of what happens in time depends on our subjective assessment. The meaning we give to lived experiences depends on us, on our beliefs or way of interpreting the world. And we often underestimate them, believing that they are not up to the standards of fashion or social norms.

getting old, time seems to go faster, the days are shorter. This is so, mainly, because a certain mental and emotional rigidity is produced, tinged with bitterness in believing that there is hardly any future. While our childhood days seemed to never endas full as we were with curiosity about everything and joy.

If each of the days is lived as if it were an entire lifeas if that was really the first and last day we have, the simplest things (see, breathe, laugh, eat, love… ) acquire an unusual brightness; In fact take on the importance they have always had.

And that experience, more qualitative than quantitative, It can also give the feeling that the days are longer or that life is made up of many days.. As if we were children playing again and time barely existed.

The human need to control time

We know what time it is, how long it takes to complete a certain journey or if we arrive on time for an appointment. But in reality we are ignorant of what time is.The watch is a human invention It simulates ordering and taming that passing of time.

As the philosopher Augustine of Hippo (4th century) wrote in his confessions:”Ultimately, what is time? If no one asks me, I know. But if I wanted to explain it to the one who asks me, I don’t know.”

From the primitive sundials or sand clocks that benevolently marked the hours in an approximate way, to the implacable precision of the current chronometers, Human beings have sharpened their ingenuity to measure temporality.

The call sidereal time, as the earth rotates around its axis with constant angular velocity, it gives rise to days and nights. He nyctameral symbolismas represented by the alternating between yang (lightness) and yin (darkness) of Taoism, is one of the most primordial.

But besides the alternation of days and nightsWhen contemplating the horizon, the intersection of heaven and earth, humans saw that the Sun crossed the celestial ocean with its boat from left to right. They found the so-called solstitial axis (of sun will star, indicating the apparent stoppage of the Sun) marked by the longest night (winter solstice) and the shortest (summer solstice); just like him equinoctial axis (equinox: nights equal to days) of spring and autumn.

This cross thus marks the four seasons of the year with all its symbolism and correspondences related to the universal quaternary: four elements, four cardinal points, four seasons of life, four parts of the day, etc.

The human experience of time: the day, the year, the life

From a practical point of view, we can calculate time in various waysfrom fractions of a second to centuries.

I was the real ones existential units, which we habitually live both symbolically and in realityare the day (movement of the Earth on its axis) and the year (translational movement around the Sun).

Indeed, we count our lives in years, but what we live in a conscious and natural way, beyond the artificial fragmentation that hours and minutes represent, are days. Thus we have the following sequence: the day, the year, a life.

This is equivalent to saying that a year (with its four seasons) is like the reduced image of a whole life (with its four phases: childhood, youth, maturity and old age) and that, in turn, a day (also with its four phases) reflects on a reduced scale both the year and the entire human existence.

Time, mathematics and symbolism

Although the day has 24 hours, in a way it is about two cycles of 12 hours eachcorresponding to the ascending and descending phase of the sun (day/night).

In fact This is how they appear on the classic watch facein which the numbers go from 1 to 12 and are repeated twice.

That indicates the “cosmic” significance of the number 12. It is well known zodiacal division in which Egyptians, Aztecs and Chinese (12 animals) coincided.

The number linked to the earth (matter) is 4meaning solidity and stability; while 3 corresponds to heaven (spirit) and expresses a subtle dynamism.

If we add both figures (3 + 4 = 7) we obtain the septenary, and if we multiply them (3 x 4 = 12) the duodenary, both of great symbolic importance.

Without being able to stop now in the history of the calendar, special mention deserves the symbolism of the seven days of the weekwhich has come down to us through the Babylonians and Egyptians.

Like space, it has seven directions (four cardinal points, up and down, plus the center).time develops in six phases (the first six days), while the seventh (Sunday, day of rest) represents the extratemporal center, the eternity”.

Live each day intensely

It is not the same, although it sounds similar, “living up to date” than “living the day”. The former expresses a certain inattention and not making plans, while the latter implies taking increased awareness of what any given day represents. To be able to live it with greater intensity if possible.

Which does not mean considering extraordinary activities, since such a thing would simply contribute to increasing the feeling of stress, but to sharpen the perception of what usually surrounds us.

Some literary stories or films sometimes take place in a single day, giving us to understand that the narrative possibilities of a day in life can be very rich and suggestive. That one day is equivalent, in small, to a lifetime It is not difficult to appreciate, but we have become used to it and do not give it much importance.

In fact, “we are born” every morning when we open our eyes and we “die” every night when we close them. When we wake up, we acquire a bit of the features of a newborn (somewhat wrinkled face, difficult movements, nasal voice) and even, like them, we then need to wash and eat something.

At night, we quietly go to sleep. And so we remain motionless and lethargic for several hours, which is the closest thing to dying. Between these two points -waking up and falling asleep-, which would analogically correspond to the spring (dawn) and autumn (twilight) equinoxes, we would have the winter (midnight) and summer (noon) solstices.

In the morning we are like a child (this can be seen in the frescoes of ancient Egyptian temples) which then grows as does the course of the SoHe, to pass into spring youth, summer fullness, autumn ripeness, and winter old age. And so on, one day after another.

This is why we usually feel more active and full of physical energy during the first half of the day. (sympathetic vegetative predominance in the nervous system) and more internalized in the second (parasympathetic predominance).

If we follow the natural rhythms of the day, we spend less energy and everything unfolds more easily. It is convenient, for example, to sleep at night, since this apparent inactivity is necessary to renew and detoxify the body.

Chronobiology investigates, among others, the circadian rhythm (day/night) of various bodily functions in order to know, for example, when it is convenient to take a certain type of food or a certain medicine.

Sometimes we fall into the inertia of seeing the same and monotonous days. However, perceiving the meaning of such repetition helps to live them in a renewed way.

Tomorrow

We always retain the ability to be children or young people looking at things for the first time. The air is fresh, nature expands its greenery, the birds sing. We are aware of lightness.

It is a good time, after getting out of bed and before getting into the usual occupations, to perform breathing exercises and feel how the energy penetrates inside us.

Noon

The sun shines fully, the heart is happy. Surrounded by other people we perceive the brotherhood essential that underlies all human beings beyond divisions or discrepancies. Are unit conscious altogether.

At this time we usually do the main meal of the day. We taste food and feel gratitude to those who provide us with them and, above all, to the plants and animals by whose sacrifice we live.

Late

Dim shadows begin to mix with the light. The day is heading towards twilight and our work day is over. Maybe we feel a little tiredbut satisfied.

We are aware that we need some personal time. We then look for the opportunity to be with family and friends, to live our hobbies or simply to walk or relax.

Evening

As in winter, we feel that the energy has turned inward, both outside and in us. The moon wraps the landscapes with silvery shadows. We are aware of a deep peace.

Lying in bed, we wish the best to all those with whom we live and mentally apologize for possible mistakes made. Quiet, we visualize a small and warm light in our hearts, and thus we fall asleep.

to keep thinking

Tips to live happily; Bernie S. Siegel. Ed. Onirowords to myself; Hugh Prather Ed. RBA