Colors of Heaven - Orchids

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While the Lord decided to color the sky in shades of blue, plants in shades of green and earth in shades of grays and browns, other brilliant colors appear in sunset and sunrise and in different flowers on earth from time to time. Some humans do not appreciate the beauty of flowers because a certain degree of evolution is required before beauty can be appreciated and its value understood just as the value of fine music too requires a certain degree of evolution for appreciation.

According to the a theory of creation of life - Panspermia or its adaptation Pansmeria,  (See), the genes of various life forms arrive on different planets from other planets in the universe from time to time through various mechanisms such as in the icy interiors of comets. Accordingly, the genes of plants and animals have probably reached earth in this manner. While some of these may have come from planets that are earth like, others would have arrived from planets with superior climatic and ecological conditions that may be classed as heavenly planets relative to ours. One can only guess at the source of genes of the various flower families found on earth.

Both orchids and the aster family are the largest flowering families on earth. The flower family Asteraceae is perhaps the most common flower family on earth. Both Aster and dandelion belong to this family and if there genes have arrived from a distant planet it must have been an earth like one. The orchid family of flowers, on the other hand, with its pretty colorful and frequently fragrant flowers is a truly heavenly flower. Vanilla that flavors the best of chocolates belongs to the orchid family. The roots and leaves of many orchids are edible and Orchids have been used in traditional medicine in an effort to treat many diseases and ailments. They have been used as a source of herbal remedies in China for several thousand years. Orchids, especially Gastrodia elata, Dendrobium species and Bletilla striata, continue to be grown commercially in China as a part of a large herbal medicine industry. A much greater modern study aside from traditional Chinese ones is required to discover the full range of medicinal benefits of different orchids. Recent studies show that the alkaloids in the Dendrobium species are anti-pyretic and analgesic and it has been suggested that these preparations may increase immunity, decrease oxidant stress in aging and have anti-cancer activity. To quote from the Shou chin yang lao hsin shu:
‘If it is possible to know the medicinal characteristics of foods and regulate them properly, they can be twice as good as drugs. That is because old people are generally averse to taking medicine but enjoy eating, so that treating their complaints through diet is more effective. Furthermore, in geriatric diseases, one must be cautious about purging old people, which makes treatment by diet even more desirable. In general, when an aged person is suffering, the physician should resort to nutritional therapy first, and call for drugs only if this fails. This is the great rule in caring for the elderly.’
Hippocrates, the father of western medicine put it more briefly,
Let your food be your medicine


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Comments

Ramakrishnan said…
For man to appreciate the brilliance colors and hues of the earth(amongst many other things) he must be sent to the moon for a lengthy stay. There he will only black and white colors, no water & no atmosphere. If he tries to high jump he will go sky high and to long jump he will travel several meters. On he return he will appreciate Gods creations on earth far better.
March 12, 2015 at 3:27 AM
ProfAshok said…
LOL! for sure many need to be sent to moon or mars because they take for granted what mother offers without appreciating the magic of it all.
March 13, 2015 at 8:32 AM
Vinod Khurana said…
Flowers

Beauty is in flowers
but it disappears soon
a good turn comes
but is overtaken soon

Let there be beauty
in what you do
and stand like a rock
in adversity and misfortune

Better it be short
but meaningful
than to live long
sickly and distasteful

Say it with flowers
shapely and colorful
and sprinkle such seeds
as make a garden wonderful!

With warm regards
Vinod
March 14, 2015 at 9:26 AM
ProfAshok said…
Lovely poem Vinod. thanks for contributing it to the post.
March 14, 2015 at 11:00 AM
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