One of the most fascinating questions is what am I?
Am I just a body? If I lose an arm or a leg, do I cease to be me? No. I’m still me without an arm or leg.
What about transplants? If I get someone else’s liver, heart or lungs do I become them? The easy answer is no. I am still me with someone else’s organs.
What about the brain? Could I get someone else’s brain and still be me? I’m tempted to say no. I feel my brain is where I reside. I seem to experience me behind my eyes.
There is some anecdotal evidence that people who receive someone else’s organs can also receive some of their characteristics, likes and memories. Although we tend to think of memories as stored in the brain, some are proposing the idea of cellular memory.
What is Cellular Memory?
Cellular memory is a hypothesis that cells within organs might carry certain memories or aspects of the donor's personality, which could be transferred to the recipient after a transplant. Proponents of this theory believe that the recipient may experience changes in preferences, behaviors, emotions, or even memories linked to the donor.
Anecdotal Reports: Memory and Behavioral Changes
An article in New Approaches to Medicine and Health, recounts six cases of organ transplants that seemed to change the recipient. One case involved an outgoing “man-crazy” 19 year-old female donor whose heart was given to a gay 29 year-old woman. After the transplant, the woman claimed to be turned on by her boyfriend and had no desire to be with a woman.
Another case was an eight-year-old girl who received the heart of a ten-year-old girl who had been murdered. After the transplant, the girl began having vivid dreams of being attacked. Her parents took her to a psychiatrist. After several sessions, the psychiatrist was convinced that the girl was experiencing what had been witnessed. Police were called and the murderer was found based on the recipient’s memories.
Conclusion
I am much more complicated than I know. My body may store memories and preferences and communicate with my brain. Or perhaps, my spirit uses my brain and body in ways that we don’t understand.
The fact that I can control my mind, and my body is an indicator that whatever I am, I am not my mind or my body. I am the controller.