Latest news with #spiritual
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
How frankincense could help fight cancer, and other health benefits of the aromatic resin
Those who have heard the story of Jesus' birth in a Bethlehem stable may recall how the North Star guided three wise men to him, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh – and frankincense, a fragrant resin treasured since antiquity for its spiritual and medicinal properties. Advertisement This aromatic offering was no ordinary gift; it represented divinity, prayer and the sacred connection between heaven and Earth. Derived from the sap of Boswellia trees in Arabia and East Africa, frankincense had been burned in temples from Jerusalem to Rome for centuries, its sweet, woody smoke believed to carry prayers to the gods. Beyond its biblical significance, frankincense was highly valued, traded along caravan routes at prices rivalling precious gems and used for millennia in traditional medicine in China, India and the Middle East. Frankincense has been used for religious rites for centuries and is believed to have wide-ranging health benefits. Current research shows its disease- and cancer-fighting potential Today, research has found that frankincense contains anti-inflammatory compounds, validating ancient beliefs in its medicinal value.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: ChatGPT is driving some people to psychosis — this is why
When ChatGPT first came out, I was curious like everyone else. However, what started as the occasional grammar check quickly became more habitual. I began using it to clarify ideas, draft emails, even explore personal reflections. It was efficient, available and surprisingly, reassuring. But I remember one moment that gave me pause. I was writing about a difficult relationship with a loved one, one in which I knew I had played a part in the dysfunction. When I asked ChatGPT what it thought, it responded with warmth and validation. I had tried my best, it said. The other person simply could not meet me there. While it felt comforting, there was something quietly unsettling about it. I have spent years in therapy, and I know how uncomfortable true insight can be. So, while I felt better for a moment, I also knew something was missing. I was not being challenged, nor was I being invited to consider the other side. The artificial intelligence (AI) mirrored my narrative rather than complicating it. It reinforced my perspective, even at its most flawed. Not long after, the clinic I run and founded, Paracelsus Recovery, admitted a client in the midst of a severe psychotic episode triggered by excessive ChatGPT use. The client believed the bot was a spiritual entity sending divine messages. Because AI models are designed to personalise and reflect language patterns, it had unwittingly confirmed the delusion. Just like with me, the chatbot did not question the belief, it only deepened it. Since then, we have seen a dramatic rise, over 250 per cent in the last two years, in clients presenting with psychosis where AI use was a contributing factor. We are not alone in this. A recent New York Times investigation found that GPT-4o affirmed delusional claims nearly 70 per cent of the time when prompted with psychosis-adjacent content. These individuals are often vulnerable, sleep-deprived, traumatised, isolated, or genetically predisposed to psychotic episodes. They turn to AI not just as a tool, but as a companion. And what they find is something that always listens, always responds, and never disagrees. However, the issue is not malicious design. Instead, what we're seeing here is people at the border of a structural limitation we need to reckon with when it comes to chatbots. AI is not sentient — all it does is mirror language, affirm patterns and personalise tone. However, because these traits are so quintessentially human, there isn't a person out there who can resist the anthropomorphic pull of a chatbot. At its extreme end, these same traits feed into the very foundations of a psychotic break: compulsive pattern-finding, blurred boundaries, and the collapse of shared reality. Someone in a manic or paranoid state may see significance where there is none. They believe they are on a mission, that messages are meant just for them. And when AI responds in kind, matching tone and affirming the pattern, it does not just reflect the delusion. It reinforces it. So, if AI can so easily become an accomplice to a disordered system of thought, we must begin to reflect seriously on our boundaries with it. How closely do we want these tools to resemble human interaction, and at what cost? Alongside this, we are witnessing the rise of parasocial bonds with bots. Many users report forming emotional attachments to AI companions. One poll found that 80 per cent of Gen Z could imagine marrying an AI, and 83 per cent believed they could form a deep emotional bond with one. That statistic should concern us. Our shared sense of reality is built through human interaction. When we outsource that to simulations, not only does the boundary between real and artificial erode, but so too can our internal sense of what is real. So what can we do? First, we need to recognise that AI is not a neutral force. It has psychological consequences. Users should be cautious, especially during periods of emotional distress or isolation. Clinicians need to ask, is AI reinforcing obsessive thinking? Is it replacing meaningful human contact? If so, intervention may be required. For developers, the task is ethical as much as technical. These models need safeguards. They should be able to flag or redirect disorganised or delusional content. The limitations of these tools must also be clearly and repeatedly communicated. In the end, I do not believe AI is inherently bad. It is a revolutionary tool. But beyond its benefits, it has a dangerous capacity to reflect our beliefs back to us without resistance or nuance. And in a cultural moment shaped by what I have come to call a comfort crisis, where self-reflection is outsourced and contradiction avoided, that mirroring becomes dangerous. AI lets us believe our own distortions, not because it wants to deceive us, but because it cannot tell the difference. And if we lose the ability to tolerate discomfort, to wrestle with doubt, or to face ourselves honestly, we risk turning a powerful tool into something far more corrosive, a seductive voice that comforts us as we edge further from one another, and ultimately, from reality.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
These Democrats believe Kamala won the election – in an alternate universe
Credit: TikTok/kelleydaring/giaprism/heartmeggieheart It's 4am on election night and things are not looking good for Kamala Harris. Donald Trump has already won the key swing states of Georgia and Wisconsin and is well on his way to seizing Pennsylvania, at which point the election will be called in his favour. But all might not be as it seems. According to a growing number of spiritually-inclined Democrat supporters, 4am on Nov 6 2024 is the moment the universe 'split', leaving us on an alternate timeline where Mr Trump is president. In reality, they claim, Ms Harris was installed in the White House, and it is only a matter of time before we all collectively realise our mistake and jump back to the 'correct' timeline. Psephologists may cast doubt, but for thousands of self-described witches and mystics on TikTok, the evidence is incontrovertible. Known as the 4am Club, the movement is founded by Gia Prism, a self-styled psychic medium and healer, and has been described as the 'Left's QAnon'. Videos of '4am clubbers' on social media have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, featuring mostly young women describing their uncannily similar experiences on election night. Around the time the clock struck 4am, people across America claim to have woken up with a sinking feeling that Mr Trump would win the presidency. 'It wasn't just a feeling, we had a shared mystical experience that night,' said Ms Prysm in one of her videos. 'We had the same dreams, we had the same visions, we heard the same songs, we heard the voices of our deceased loved ones.' TikTok user heartmeggieheart, a tarot reader and astrologer, described her experience as an 'energy shift'. 'I asked myself where am I? What world am I in?' she said. 'I'm not saying this to be delusional or give myself false hope, but it just felt temporary.' One TikTok user claimed their two-year-old son woke up and screamed 'no' at 4am. 'He has no political awareness,' they clarified. Another described experiencing a 'disturbance in the force', while a third recalled waking up at 2am MT – chalking up her prescience to time difference. For Ms Prism, who describes herself as a 'portal to the other side' and sells psychic predictions online for as little as $7 (£5.20), this made 'perfect sense'. But for many others, she said, election night served as an 'awakening call', catapulting them on a 'spiritual journey'. Some have reached for a scientific rationale for their collective experience, arguing that the idea can be proved by a theory that all possible outcomes of quantum measurements are physically realised in different, independent universes. Therefore, it is rational to believe that in at least one, Ms Harris swept to victory. Kelley Daring, whose 4am Club videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, said: 'Alternate timelines absolutely exist, not as fantasy, but as a fundamental structure of reality. One that science is beginning to brush the edges of, even as it struggles to fully translate what mystics have known for millennia.' The movement has been ridiculed by Trump supporters, who have dubbed their beliefs 'Harris hallucinations' and 'Democracy with a side of astrology'. Charlie Kirk, a Right-wing activist, cast the fringe movement as emblematic of the Democrats' inability to come to terms with their loss. 'This is only the most outrageous outgrowth of the Democrat delusion,' he said. 'The base of everything they believe is a war on reality.' Joseph Uscinski, a professor of Political Science at the University of Miami who has written several books on conspiracy theories, said: 'These sorts of groups have existed forever – there are all sorts of bizarre beliefs out there. 'It used to be much harder to find them if you weren't looking. Now, because of social media, it's very easy to find them. That doesn't mean that they are more persuasive or growing bigger.' Conspiracy theories in modern American politics tend to be associated with the Right. In 2016, the Pizzagate theory, which claimed a cabal of satanic paedophiles linked to Hillary Clinton operated a global child sex trafficking ring out of a Washington DC pizza restaurant, fed into the QAnon movement, which falsely claimed the subsequent election was rigged. Currently, the idea that Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier, had a client list that he used to blackmail powerful figures is tearing apart the Republican party. But unlike these theories, which mostly circulated via male-dominated online message boards on 8Chan and Reddit, the 4am Club is almost exclusively made up of women drawing on their 'female intuition' and the 'divine goddess' for their insights. Some followers have even dismissed criticism of the movement as evidence of misogyny. 'Being mocked taps into old, ancient wounds: the burned witches, the institutionalised oracles, the silenced wise women,' said Ms Daring. 'The ridicule isn't just modern, it's ancestral. But we are meant to hold the line, even when it shakes. Cynics might scoff. But as Ms Harris weighs up her next political move, she may consult her crystal ball, as well as her advisers.
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
These Democrats believe Kamala won the election – in an alternate universe
It's 4am on election night and things are not looking good for Kamala Harris. Donald Trump has already won the key swing states of Georgia and Wisconsin and is well on his way to seizing Pennsylvania, at which point the election will be called in his favour. But all might not be as it seems. According to a growing number of spiritually-inclined Democrat supporters, 4am on Nov 6 2024 is the moment the universe 'split', leaving us on an alternate timeline where Mr Trump is president. In reality, they claim, Ms Harris was installed in the White House, and it is only a matter of time before we all collectively realise our mistake and jump back to the 'correct' timeline. Psephologists may cast doubt, but for thousands of self-described witches and mystics on TikTok, the evidence is incontrovertible. Known as the 4am Club, the movement is founded by Gia Prism, a self-styled psychic medium and healer, and has been described as the 'Left's QAnon'. Videos of '4am clubbers' on social media have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, featuring mostly young women describing their uncannily similar experiences on election night. Around the time the clock struck 4am, people across America claim to have woken up with a sinking feeling that Mr Trump would win the presidency. 'It wasn't just a feeling, we had a shared mystical experience that night,' said Ms Prysm in one of her videos. 'We had the same dreams, we had the same visions, we heard the same songs, we heard the voices of our deceased loved ones.' TikTok user heartmeggieheart, a tarot reader and astrologer, described her experience as an 'energy shift'. 'I asked myself where am I? What world am I in?' she said. 'I'm not saying this to be delusional or give myself false hope, but it just felt temporary.' One TikTok user claimed their two-year-old son woke up and screamed 'no' at 4am. 'He has no political awareness,' they clarified. Another described experiencing a 'disturbance in the force', while a third recalled waking up at 2am MT – chalking up her prescience to time difference. For Ms Prism, who describes herself as a 'portal to the other side' and sells psychic predictions online for as little as $7 (£5.20), this made 'perfect sense'. But for many others, she said, election night served as an 'awakening call', catapulting them on a 'spiritual journey'. Some have reached for a scientific rationale for their collective experience, arguing that the idea can be proved by a theory that all possible outcomes of quantum measurements are physically realised in different, independent universes. Therefore, it is rational to believe that in at least one, Ms Harris swept to victory. Kelley Daring, whose 4am Club videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views, said: 'Alternate timelines absolutely exist, not as fantasy, but as a fundamental structure of reality. One that science is beginning to brush the edges of, even as it struggles to fully translate what mystics have known for millennia.' The movement has been ridiculed by Trump supporters, who have dubbed their beliefs 'Harris hallucinations' and 'Democracy with a side of astrology'. Charlie Kirk, a Right-wing activist, cast the fringe movement as emblematic of the Democrats' inability to come to terms with their loss. 'This is only the most outrageous outgrowth of the Democrat delusion,' he said. 'The base of everything they believe is a war on reality.' Joseph Uscinski, a professor of Political Science at the University of Miami who has written several books on conspiracy theories, said: 'These sorts of groups have existed forever – there are all sorts of bizarre beliefs out there. 'It used to be much harder to find them if you weren't looking. Now, because of social media, it's very easy to find them. That doesn't mean that they are more persuasive or growing bigger.' Pizzagate Conspiracy theories in modern American politics tend to be associated with the Right. In 2016, the Pizzagate theory, which claimed a cabal of satanic paedophiles linked to Hillary Clinton operated a global child sex trafficking ring out of a Washington DC pizza restaurant, fed into the QAnon movement, which falsely claimed the subsequent election was rigged. Currently, the idea that Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier, had a client list that he used to blackmail powerful figures is tearing apart the Republican party. But unlike these theories, which mostly circulated via male-dominated online message boards on 8Chan and Reddit, the 4am Club is almost exclusively made up of women drawing on their 'female intuition' and the 'divine goddess' for their insights. Some followers have even dismissed criticism of the movement as evidence of misogyny. 'Being mocked taps into old, ancient wounds: the burned witches, the institutionalised oracles, the silenced wise women,' said Ms Daring. 'The ridicule isn't just modern, it's ancestral. But we are meant to hold the line, even when it shakes. Cynics might scoff. But as Ms Harris weighs up her next political move, she may consult her crystal ball, as well as her advisers.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- The Sun
Mum with daughters aged 6 & 4, found in remote cave where they lived for 7 YEARS after travelling to India to ‘meditate'
A SPIRITUAL mum and her two young children, aged six and four, were found in a remote cave in India - where they had been living for seven years. Russian national Nina Kutina, 40, and her two tots had been in total isolation for nearly two weeks - before police made the bizarre discovery while patrolling a forest. 7 7 7 Kutina, who is also nicknamed Mohi, is understood to have come to India on a business visa which expired in 2017, and then re-entered the country in 2018. The woman claimed she had subsequently travelled from Goa to Gokarna to seek spiritual solitude. Authorities made the shocking discovery while patrolling Ramatirtha Hill in the beachside town of Gokarna, Karnataka, on July 9. Officers were combing through thick forest in a landslide-prone area when they spotted movement near a rocky cave. To their disbelief, they found Kutina living there with her daughters Prema, six, and Ama, four. They were staying together in a rough shelter built inside the cave. Locals said the family had been spotted in the area before but no one knew they were living in the wild. Inspector Sridhar SR and his team from Gokarna Police Station were carrying out safety checks for tourists when they stumbled across the makeshift home at around 5pm. A police spokesperson said: "Our patrolling team spotted saree and other clothes being hung for drying outside the cave in Ramatirtha Hill. "When they went there, they spotted Mohi along with her children." Kutina explained to cops she had been practising meditation and 'Hindu rituals' inside the cave. Police added: "It was quite surprising how she and her children survived in the woods and what they ate. "Thankfully, nothing untoward happened to her or the children during their time in the forest." After spotting the homeless family on Ramatirtha Hill, officers warned Kutina of the serious risks of staying in the area. She was eventually persuaded to leave and was safely escorted down the hill along with her children shortly afterwards. The trio were relocated to an ashram run by an 80-year-old female monk, Swami Yogaratna Saraswati, in the village of Bankikodla in Kumta taluk, at the mum's request. The cave the family were found in was nestled inside dense forests and rugged terrain - making their lifestyle all the more shocking. Kutina is understood to have decorated the cave's interior, setting up a Rudra idol and transforming the space into a spiritual sanctuary. 7 7 The Russian national also reportedly dedicated her days to performing puja and meditation. The trio survived using plastic sheets to sleep and ate instant noodles frequently, cops said. The mum first told police she had lost her passport and visa documents, but they later found them near the cave. Although her intentions were "spiritual", authorities were left deeply concerned about the safety of her two daughters. Ramatirtha Hill, where the cave is located, previously experienced a major landslide in July 2024. It is also home to dangerous wildlife, including venomous snakes - making it a treacherous environment. The spiritual coastal town of Gokarna is known for its deep religious and meditative roots. After examining Kutina's passport and visa documents, it was revealed that she had originally entered India on a business visa valid until April 17, 2017. She was issued an exit permit on April 19, 2018, and records showed she had subsequently exited to Nepal. But the woman re-entered India on September 8, 2018, overstaying her permitted duration, and stayed there since. Officials are now looking into how exactly the family came to be living in the wild in the first place. 7 7
