Brain Education

This turning outward has ultimately been a blessing in its own right, helping us gain rational understanding of ourselves and the world. Many advances in science and medicine were made possible through the ability to perceive difference, to categorize, and to analyze. But now the time has come once again to acknowledge the intuitive side of ourselves, this time with an expanded sense of awareness and purpose. The rational mind has served us well, but there is potential in our brains far beyond surf ace-level rationality.

I believe that all people on the planet possess amazing ability within themselves, thanks to the marvelous features of the human brain. In fact, everything I seek to teach you in this book is already inside you, waiting to be uncovered. I am here only to offer guidance as you rediscover this vast storehouse of potential within yourself.

Fortunately, humanity is beginning to realize its true potential. People are starting to glimpse the incredible power that lies within the human mind.

Children often lack the words needed to verbalize the stress they feel, and their physical and emotional symptoms may be very different from an adult’s, Physically, children manifest stomachaches and headaches in response to stress, or they may have trouble sleeping. Emotionally, they may be prone to outbursts about seemingly petty things, situations unrelated to the actual cause of stress. Also, you may find that they have become very suddenly shy or introverted.

As with so many human problems, communication offers many solutions for stress. Make it clear to your children that they can talk to you about any problem freely and openly. No matter how small a problem may seem to your adult ears, listen with openness and acceptance. A child may hide a problem if he or she feels it will disappoint you. So demonstrate to your child that your love is unconditional, and that you are honored to help your child in this way. Make it clear that no problem is too small or too embarrassing to be dealt with honestly and sincerely.

Adults sometimes mistakenly think that kids have no experience of stress and tension. This is far from the truth. Kids are under a lot of pressure to compete in school, to maintain a desirable status with their peers, and to live up to parental expectations. To top it off, family situations are often unstable, leaving them with little sense of foundation and centeredness. Doctors report that the incidence of serious anxiety disorders is on the rise, and that now as many as 10 percent of children suffer from these problems.

It is a mistake to wait until adulthood to begin teaching stress management. By this time, negative habits may be very deeply ingrained. As a parent, you might think of yourself as your child’s stress-management coach. Very naturally, your child will look to you for ways to cope with the many difficult issues that are part of life.

So, first become a good role model to your children. The ways you choose to handle stress in your own life are likely to be mimicked by your children. If you need to, change the ways you react to stress and find ways to release stress, such as breathing and meditation. If you ‘incorporate these things into your daily life, your children will consider them a nomad and natural part of life.

The following exercises help create better communication between left and right sides of the brain by using the left and right hands at the same time. These can be difficult at first, so be patient and practice regularly.

Tap and Sweep:

01. Tap your right fist on the right side of your chest while your left hand sweeps up and down on the left side.

02. Now switch sides, your right hand sweeping and your left fist tapping.

03. See how fast you can switch back and forth

Itsy Bitsy Brainy:

01. Put your thumbs and index fingers together, as in the game “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Your right index finger should be on your left thumb, and your left index finger on your right thumb.

02. Now, separate the bottom thumb and finger and swing them up over the top thumb and finger, touching them together again. Repeat this action, continuing to “walk” up 5 times.

03. Switch direction and begin to walk the fingers down.

04. Now, begin to walk up again, but this time switch to the middle finger. Walk up and down 5 times, just as before.

05. Continue the same action, switching between fingers. When you reach the pinkie, reverse and work back to the index finger.

A truly flexible brain is one that is open and ready to learn and does not avoid the difficult or unusual. The activities in this lesson may be difficult and frustrating at first, but the process of mastering them will build brain” connections that facilitate learning and understanding in many areas of life.

As you probably already know, the brain consists of two sides, the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. One side or the other tends to be dominant, which accounts for left-and right-handedness. In fact, we not only tend to have a dominant hand, out also nave a dominant eye and foot. (See The Dominance Factor by Carla Hannaford to help determine dominance for yourself or your children.) This is a normal and natural thing, but it can leave the non-dominant side undeveloped and truncate the ability of the left and right sides to communicate. In other words, the brain may be left imbalanced in its development. So try some of these exercises to create more interaction between both sides of your child’s brain.

You may have been taught to believe that your genes determine
what you will become. This can be especially disempowering
when you hear that you may inherit the diseases of your parents
and grandparents. However, a whole new line of thinking
is emerging from biological science. Now, biologists realize that
genes are not the only players in the intercellular game that decides
your personal health.

As it turns out, the membrane that surrounds the cell may be
more important than genes in determining your state of health.
The cell membrane senses and responds to the surrounding environment.
In other words, it is the brain of the cell, receiving
and interpreting messages from the body. But who talks to your
cells on behalf of your body, telling them how to act? It is the
same element that talks to your organs-telling your heart to
beat and your lungs to breathe. It is your brain.

From Brain Wave Vibration

It can be hard to stand back and really see ourselves as we are. We tend to filter our conception of self through many layers of judgment and wishful thinking. Use this exercise to see yourself from an objective point of view. Describe yourself from the perspective of some non-human thing, such as your couch or your dog. How do you appear from this perspective? Be as honest and complete as possible, referencing your character, appearance, and behavior. Try this from several different perspectives.

From in full bloom by ilchi lee

Smiling meditation

The act of smiling produces positive changes in your brain. THis exercise combines that fact with a relaxing meditative exercise.

1. Sit comfortably and shrug your shoulders up and down several times to relax.
2. Breathe in and out several times, massaging your face to release the tension in your facial muscles.
3. Breathe in, close your eyes gently, and breathe out while forming a slight smile. Breathe in and out deeply and naturally.
4. When breathing out, combine your exhale with a widening smile. Repeat this several times, focusing on the motion of the smile on your face as a light breath escapes through your lips like a gentle wind.
5. Slowly shift your consciousness to your brain and feel your brain become lighter and more refreshed when you breathe out with a smile.

Brain Refreshing is a holistic blend of breathing techniques, meditation, and energy balancing that is designed to give your brain an intense cleansing of negative memories and to encourage stronger emotional self-awareness. Deep breathing is renowned for its power to induce profound relaxation and help bring the mind into deeper and deeper states of meditation. Most of us breathe shallowly all day long, but deep, intentional breathing oxygenates the brain and enhances feeling of well-being.

Meditation, as we have already discussed, has been shown to offer many benefits to the brain. Research using modern imaging technology has shown that even novices who spent weeks in meditation training experienced a strong shift in their brain activity to the part of the brain associated with positive emotions, as well as a more robust immune-system response. While practiced as part of many Asian spiritual traditions, meditation is not strictly religious, but rather an ancient, proven method of relaxing the body, opening the mind, and deepening feelings of connectedness and peace. Learning the skills of meditation will enhance your life in many ways.

From In full bloom by Ilchi lee

This book would not be complete without a few words about the foods that are beneficial for your brain. The foods you eat, of course, have a direct effect on your health and wellness, and many Americans consume far too much sodium, saturated fat, and processed ingredients, which contribute to circulatory blockages that deny the brain its blood supply and cause high blood pressure and other conditions detrimental to brain health.

In general, a diet rich in fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is as good for your brain as it is for the rest of your body. However, there are certain foods that pack more punch for the brain than others:

• Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and walnuts
• Foods rich in the B vitamin choline, such as eggs
• Sources of good fats, such as avocados, almonds, or extra virgin olive oil
• Green leafy vegetables, dried legumes, and lean meats, which provide vital amino acids
• Whole-grain breads, cereals, and crackers

From In Full Bloom by Ilchi lee