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Hundredth Monkey

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like ramana saying, the sage meditating in silence is doing

something for everyone. one interpretation: our mind fields are a

shared event. so we influence others even by our thoughts. so one

can think about unity and also be a benefit. om. steve

 

, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

wrote:

> Ever think that what can just one person do ? Ever think that it

is

> going to take more than just you to make a difference ?

>

> True, one person may not be enough - but that one person could be

a

> pivotal factor in the larger scheme of things. When we start

adding

> our energies ... something happens. We see this in group prayer

and

> satsangha.

>

> I read this interesting article online and wanted to share it with

> you ... My thanks to the unknown author.

>

> ========================================================

>

>

> The Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, has been observed in the

filed

> for a period of over 30 years. In 1952, on the island of Koshima

> scientists were providing monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in

the

> sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but

> they found the dirt unpleasant.

>

> An 18-month old female name Imo found she could solve the problem

by

> washing the potatoes in a nearby stream. She taught this trick to

> her mother. Her playmates also learned this new way and they

taught

> their mothers, too.

>

> This cultural innovation was gradually picked up by various

monkeys

> before the eyes of the scientists. Between 1952 and 1958, all the

> young monkeys learned to wash the sandy sweet potatoes to make

them

> more palatable. Only the adults who imitated their children

learned

> this social improvement. Other adults kept eating the dritysweet

> potatoes.

>

> Then something startling took place. In the autumn of 1958, a

> certain number of Koshima monkeys were washing sweet potatoes --

the

> exact number is not known. Let us suppose that when the sun rose

one

> morning there were 99 monkeys on Koshima Island who had learned to

> wash their sweet potatoes. Let's further suppose that later that

> morning, the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes. THEN IT

> HAPPENED!

>

> By that evening almost everyone in the tribe was washing sweet

> potatoes before eating them. The added energy of this hundredth

> monkey somehow created an ideological breakthrough!

>

> But notice. The most surprising thing observed by these scientists

> was that the habit of washing sweet potatoes then spontaneously

> jumped over the sea -- Colonies of monkeys on other islands and

the

> mainland troop of monkeys at Takasakiyama began washing their

sweet

> potatoes! (Lifetide, Watson, pp. 147-148, Bantam Books, 1980. This

> book gives other fascinating details.)

>

> ========================================

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