We

It's been a long time since I wrote here.

Recently, someone found me, and asked for my help with healing. It's prompted me to do some thinking, and a little morning research soulsearch.

I need to talk about mitochondria.

They are as important as you or me, and not enough people say so. I want it out here in the information archives. So do they.

We speak about them in science fiction. Even I do.

Because of that, what I'm going to say about them will sound like familiar fiction. The thing is, it's all simple truth.

Inside nearly every living cell is at least one mitochondrion (singular of mitochondria).

Popular scientific theory says that mitochondria are related to bacteria--maybe Purple Non Sulfur Bacteria--and weren't part of other living cells on Earth until about 1.7 billion years ago. It is thought that at that time, mitochondria wrapped themselves inside simple cells and began to provide respiration for the cell.

It is commonly believed that the function of mitochondria is to provide energy to the cell. They do that. But they do much more.

Without mitochondria, you and I wouldn't live. Nor would any other plant or animal larger than bacteria. We have a symbiotic relationship. We provide them a place to live and propagate, and they give us the electricity of life.

Mitochondria have their own DNA. They are separate beings from us.

Every cell inside us contains at least one mitochondrion. Most contain more. There are countless mitochondria inside the very stuff that makes our bodies. Way down in every cell, patroling the innards of our structures, plugging in, sustaining the energy of the cell. Countless little beings inside every living being.

If all the mitochondria in your body turned themselves "on" at once, you would produce 20,000 volts of electricty. They're powerful.

I learned about mitochondria about twelve years ago.

I was healing people by entering their cells to discover, and perhaps remedy any problems at that level. I was accosted by strange, tubular, wormish things, each time I put my mind into a cell. They wanted me to notice them.

When finally I paid them attention, I began to hear their voice. They told me they were mitochondria, but that they prefered me to call them, "We". They asked me to learn about them.

I know. Science fiction, right?

It's weird. But it's absolutely true. Not only did they ask me to learn about them, but they started teaching me about them. I've got endless teachers in them. Every living thing contains more than I can count, or even comprehend. Before they urged me to learn about them, I had only a ninth grade biology understanding of mitochondria.

I'm certain biologists could talk circles around me about mitochondria and their functions. I still don't have a formal education in cellular biology. I have a hard time with scientific terms for cellular functions. I prefer to call parts of the cell, "the purple squiggly things", "those crane-looking legoesque cell-machines" and the like.

Here are some things We have taught me about them: They are what brought the spark of life to our planet. They're that unexplained thing in the primordial ooze that made life on Earth begin. And they did it quite on purpose.

We are on a quest through the physical universe. They are exploring life with the rest of us--AS the rest of us. And also as and for themselves.

They all talk to each other all of the time. Every mitochondrion is a part of their whole. This means that a mitochondrion in your left thumb is speaking to one in mine. They're speaking to one in everyone's thumb. And to the complex bacteria on Mars. And to sky whales on a gas giant sixty thousand light years from here. You get the idea.

Here's more science fiction for you--mitochondria are "The Force". Quite literally.

I've never met George Lucas, but I can tell you right now that we have knowlege in common.

I grew up on Star Wars--the first three. When the fourth movie came out, I resisted seeing it. I didn't watch it for at least a year after it came out. During that year of ignoring the movie, I was learning about mitochondria. Finally giving in to curiosity, I decided to make sure the Star Wars Saga hadn't been ruined.

The fourth movie is okay. It's not the best of them, and I wasn't totally impressed by it on my first viewing.

I was, however, quite impressed with one quick scene.

Quigon Jin (please don't send me hateful comments if I mispelled the honorable Jedi's name) is explaining to Anikin Skywalker's mom about why Ani is so special. He mentions mitachlorines, and explains just a little about how they live inside us, and we have a symbiotic relationship, and that they ARE THE FORCE.

I freaked out.

I'd just learned this about mitochondria, independantly. It was being reaffirmed. I'd just learned that one can become very familiar, very confident with the voice and power of We--enough to use them to manipulate the physical realm.

Yoda and Vader, and all those dudes are using the electrical fields of mitochondria when they throw things about, or read minds, or control minds, or jump really, really high into the air. All those feats are possible.

I know. Science Fiction. Literally.

But also truth.

People will talk about the wisdom of Star Wars a hundred years from now, just as they bespeak the genius of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with its fantastic predictions, and uncanny understanding of the possibilities of the natural world.

But for now, you can talk to your mitochondria.

You can let them know that you know who they are. That without them, all this fun in physicality wouldn't be possible.

You can ask them to speak with you. You can learn to recognize their voice. You can immerse yourself in the Flow of Life and merge with their consciousness. It's as simple as listening to yourself think. We are your body. They are your partners in discovery.

More on We later.

Enjoy your day. Love your mitochondria.