Archive for October, 2008
Provocative Questions
Part of this process is asking yourself challenging questions, the kind most of us rarely take the time to ask or answer. The questions will be different for everyone, as will the answers, but here are some examples that should get you going in the right direction:
* What kind of person do I want to [...]
Part of this process is asking yourself challenging questions, the kind most of us rarely take the time to ask or answer. The questions will be different for everyone, as will the answers, but here are some examples that should get you going in the right direction:
* What kind of person do I want to become?
* What do I want my later life to be like?
* What are my goals?
* What past pain am I ready to forget?
* Who do I need to forgive?
* What quality do I most want to develop in myself?
These are not easy questions. But your brain is equal to any task; after years of experience, you have the knowledge within you to answer such questions. The key is to trust yourself, not to shy away from what your deep self-exploration tells you. You have seen much and have deep insight. Trust your ancient wisdom. Congratulate yourself on having the ability and the courage to probe the subterranean depths of your consciousness.
Creating a New You
Asking such questions is only part of the process. The second part of Brain Integration is to craft a revitalized, refreshed identity from the knowledge you gain. You are not erasing the person you were; that man or woman still exists. All your past experiences exist as a source of your wisdom and judgment. But you are no longer trapped by your old identity, either. Instead. you’re essentially reconstructing yourself, tearing a beloved house down to the foundation, saving the wood, stone, and glass, and erecting a new house with the same materials. You end up with a fresh, exciting new building that has the same foundation as before. You become a new incarnation of the person you have always been, with a new identity constructed from your values, beliefs, abilities, goals, and accomplishments, and the way you feel about yourself.
When you beginthe sentence, “I am a person who…” you usually finish with a statement regarding what you hold dear (such as, justice, money, or family), what you can do (sing, run a marathon, speak Dutch), what you want in life (to be a teacher, to read Marcel Proust) or what you believe in (God, democracy). As you ask yourself questions, you will discover newer values, beliefs, goals, and abilities that were hidden in the many layers of your mind. You will see some of your cherished values and beliefs in a new light, and they will be rearranged and reconsidered. You will have the construction materials you need to build a clearer, stronger, more joyous identity that reflects your vast potential.
Brain Refreshing Activities
Researchers have found that imagining something stimulates the brain in ways very similar to actually experiencing it. That is why it is important to keep very positive, supportive images in your mind. Negativity can quickly become a habit if you focus on negative experiences. Use these exercises to become aware of vour emotional habits
EMOTIONAL INVENTORY
It [...]
Researchers have found that imagining something stimulates the brain in ways very similar to actually experiencing it. That is why it is important to keep very positive, supportive images in your mind. Negativity can quickly become a habit if you focus on negative experiences. Use these exercises to become aware of vour emotional habits
EMOTIONAL INVENTORY
It is important to recognize what memories are still with you, replicating emotions long after the events have passed. Take a look at the following emotions and identify particular memories that you associate with each.
Happiness
Sadness
Anger
Fear
Joy
Frustration
Love
Serenity
The intention of Brain Refreshing
This work conditions the energy centers in the human body. In Brain Refreshing, you will learn to heal and awaken your internal energy sources and open the flow of vital energy to your entire body. Through this training, you will create a more balanced energy system in your body and mind, which brings greater health [...]
This work conditions the energy centers in the human body. In Brain Refreshing, you will learn to heal and awaken your internal energy sources and open the flow of vital energy to your entire body. Through this training, you will create a more balanced energy system in your body and mind, which brings greater health and contentment. Through these practices, you will experience a sloughing off of timeworn attitudes, grudges, and negative patterns of thinking, and an intense renewal of your mind.
The intention of Brain Refreshing is not only to release and clear away negative emotional memories and non-useful information, but also to gain mastery over your emotions and to realize that happiness can be created anytime and anywhere through action. This whole process will empower you to channel new energies to your brain and enjoy the new clarity and joy life brings you.
Simple ways to adjust your “Longitude”
PRACTICE RANDOM KINDNESS
Go out of your way to lend a hand or say something nice to someone without being asked. Put a quarter in a parking meter that’s about to expire, help a woman with her groceries, give $20 to a homeless person you see daily. You will be surprised by how good helping someone [...]
PRACTICE RANDOM KINDNESS
Go out of your way to lend a hand or say something nice to someone without being asked. Put a quarter in a parking meter that’s about to expire, help a woman with her groceries, give $20 to a homeless person you see daily. You will be surprised by how good helping someone makes you feel.
LOOK FOR BEAUTY AROUND YOU
Stopping to find the beauty around you is a sure way to erase those frown lines from your forehead. When you feel a negative mood coming on, look around you. Notice the flowers, the shapes of the clouds, the texture of a piece of pottery, the plumage of a bird. Anything can be beautiful when you look at it with a sense of wonder and gratitude.
TALK WITH PEOPLE
Isolation kills. Company saves. One of the reasons Okinawans have one of the longest life spans in the world is that they usually belong to a moai, a mutual support network of family and friends that goes back decades. Make a point of talking to someone close to you every day. If you can, have lunch or share a walk. Few things make you feel more connected than shared history.
LIVE IN THE MOMENT
We all rush around at such great speed that we are always looking ahead. What’s next? What’s on my list? At least once each day, stop and be in the moment, using all your senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch. It might be in the produce section at the grocery store-it doesn’t matter. Stop and just be. Appreciate being where you are, doing what you are doing. Ask yourself what is memorable about this moment.
When all else fails and you feel a foul mood overtaking you like a storm cloud, take a moment and reflect on how lucky you truly are. You are alive. You have endless potential and possibilities. Things are never as bad as they seem. Think of ten things for which you are truly thankful.
Years of Peace, Giving, and Relationships
When we examine the leading neurological research, as well as our own professional and personal experience as observers of the brain and aging, we see a pattern emerging. According to Doctor Ilchi Lee research as we age and our brains become slower as a result of dense neural growth and cell death, other factors compensate [...]
When we examine the leading neurological research, as well as our own professional and personal experience as observers of the brain and aging, we see a pattern emerging. According to Doctor Ilchi Lee research as we age and our brains become slower as a result of dense neural growth and cell death, other factors compensate us. Most older adults can compensate for changes in brain function. A reduction in work demands means more opportunities to focus on relationships and on giving back to others, allowing a greater focus on happiness. Age brings wisdom, perspective, and reduced anxiety as we come to understand more about how life works and what is truly important—people, the natural world, beauty, peace, creativity, and joy. Aging may be difficult at times, but it is not without its rewards.
Imagine, then, if we started today to exercise and educate our brains and challenge ourselves to learn new things (for example, languages, musical instruments, or crafts). Imagine blending the wisdom and spiritual maturity of later life with a nimble, acute mind produced bv vears or decades of healthful brain education! We can combine the superior judgment of age with the mental acuity of youth. That would be quite a package, one that would transform our idea of what it means to age. This is precisely what the BEST method offers: a path to physical vigor, emotional peace, and personal meaning.
BEST’s power to bring out the brain’s best performance offers another benefit important to aging individuals: It can reduce the need for costly health care. As you will discover, BEST enlists body and mind in a program of exercise, meditation, mental challenge, and emotional cleansing.
If you follow this Yoga program, your brain and mind will enjoy improved overall health, enhanced sharpness, and reduced stress. BEST can help you delay or prevent the health problems so common to old age, keep you out of the hospital, and reduce your health care costs in an era when costs are rising and Medicare is at risk.
I AM GETTING DUMBER BECAUSE MY BRAIN CELLS ARE DYING
It is true that brain cells die as we age. Brain cells die and new cells are born throughout our lives. According to Ilchi Lee research for many years people have assumed that, barring excessive drinking during college, brain cells cash in their chips at a higher rate as we get into the retirement years. [...]
It is true that brain cells die as we age. Brain cells die and new cells are born throughout our lives. According to Ilchi Lee research for many years people have assumed that, barring excessive drinking during college, brain cells cash in their chips at a higher rate as we get into the retirement years. But as it turns out, that is not true either. It appears that we lose brain cells at a consistent rate throughout life, owing to causes that range from stress and nutritional deficiencies to environmental toxins. Also, some neuroscientists now believe that brain cell death may be a part of the brain’s learning process. The loss of some cells paves the way for new connections to develop as we learn, part of the sculpting of the brain that occurs when the brain remains active and constantly learning.
Years, brain scientists were certain that the brain could not make new nerve cells to replace lost ones. But in the mid-1990s, researchers began to see evidence that indeed the brain can produce new nerve cells in some areas of the brain related to memory—a process called neuro-genesis. This phenomenon is particularly responsive to regular physical exercise, meaning that working out is not just good for your heart, bones, and muscles, but good for your mind as well. Studies based on the work of Columbia University neurologist Scott Small and Salk Institute neurobiologist Fred Gage suggest that regular exercise delivers more oxygen-rich blood to the brain, as well as a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophicjactor, or BDNF. These factors and others appear to improve memory, learning, and other brain functions.
Perhaps the most exciting discovery is that, like the rest of the body, brain vitality is a “use it or lose it” proposition. A recent study at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shows that the more stimulating and intellectually challenging we make our lives, the better are our odds of keeping our aging brains vital, sharp, and agile. Just as with muscles, it appears that with lack of use our brains atrophy, failing to create new neural connections and replace dying brain cells.
Older people who follow the traditional path of retirement, sitting on the porch in a rocker and doing little or nothing, are inviting dementia and decline in brain function. By comparison, an enriched environment, as author and brain scientist Marion C. Diamond calls it—one rilled with play, discovery, learning, and challenge—keeps the brain active and constantly producing new connective pathways. This quality, known as neuroplastic-ity, suggests that in the right environment our brains can evolve and change in wondrous wavs throughout our lives.
So much for the idea that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. Not only can they, but they should. Designing vour life so that every day you are learning something new or looking at the world in a new wav not only enhances brain health and mental activity but brings greater delight and satisfaction to living. What’s good for your brain is also good for vour soul.
Read all about Brain Respiration and Dahn Hak.
The Myths of Maturity
The reality is that old age by itself does not guarantee a loss of brain function. True, recent research shows that people with a certain gene are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or lose memory function. However, the same study show’s that diabetes and heart disease carry the identical risk, and as we have [...]
The reality is that old age by itself does not guarantee a loss of brain function. True, recent research shows that people with a certain gene are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or lose memory function. However, the same study show’s that diabetes and heart disease carry the identical risk, and as we have said by Dr. Ilchi Lee, these are diseases of lifestyle. It has become clear after decades of research that physical wellness, lifestyle, weight, diet, and exercise are far more important factors in brain health than genetics or age.
Age is not a choice; healthy living is. The lifestyle choices we make today play a large role in determining how sharp our minds and memories wTill be tomorrow.
MYTH: SERIOUS BRAIN DECLINE IS INEVITABLE. Yes, changes in brain structure and chemistry do occur with age. But they do not have to lead to a steep decline in mental ability. Writing in Newsweek, Gene Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., founding director of the Center on Aging, Health, and Humanities at George Washington University Medical Center, says that in his work designing games to improve the mental function of aging men and women, he has found that the brain’s left and right hemispheres (the left is responsible for linear, logical thinking; the right, for creativity and intuition) actually become better integrated as we age, leading to greater creative potential. Cohen writes that it is becoming clear that with the proper lifestyle and challenges, the brain can in many respects become stronger with age.
Play Well with Others
Always remember that no brain is an island. Ilchi Lee said you cannot really say you are using your brain well if you cannot learn to use your brain in cooperation with other brains. Fortunately, doing this is really not so hard. All you have to do is play well with the other brains, just [...]
Always remember that no brain is an island. Ilchi Lee said you cannot really say you are using your brain well if you cannot learn to use your brain in cooperation with other brains. Fortunately, doing this is really not so hard. All you have to do is play well with the other brains, just like you learned in the schoolyard.
Part of the reason that there is so much violence in the world is that some of the most powerful brains in the world believe they should be able to control the information in other brains. Thus, many of the wars and atrocities of history have been justified through ideology and religion.
The same thing happens on a more personal level, too. Husbands and wives practicing dahn yoga and try to control the content of the other’s brain; parents judge their children’s brains and children judge their parents’; even friends fall out over differences of opinion. Your relationships will inevitably crumble if you cannot give up controlling the way other people’s brains operate. It may seem like a strange way of putting it, but mutua! brain-appreciation is the key to peace on every level.
So rather than attempting to control the brains around you, seek simply to play fairly. Instead of trying to change others, realize that you are responsible only for your own brain, and learn to take joy in the marvelous diversity exhibited through the human brain.
Brain Supermodels
Even grown-ups need role models to look up to. They are yet another way we can help focus our mind toward what we want to become. If you find that you need to develop some specific character trait, choose some iconic person who you think exemplifies that trait, and use him or her as a [...]
Even grown-ups need role models to look up to. They are yet another way we can help focus our mind toward what we want to become. If you find that you need to develop some specific character trait, choose some iconic person who you think exemplifies that trait, and use him or her as a model. Your brain will respond well to this because the human brain contains many thousand mirror cells, which allow you to learn easily just by watching others yoga practice. So if you need more courage, you might focus on Amelia Earhart. Or, if you want to exhibit more selflessness toward others, learn all about Mother Teresa.
You might read Ilchi Lee biography or watch a documentary about the person. Let your hero’s life become a metaphor by which you live your own life, and your own greatness will be ignited within your brain.
Recognition of Innate Human Spirituality Is Basic Premise Of Spiritual Health
Spiritual health is necessary for complete health. Doctor Ilchi Lee can judge the state of our spiritual health by the following three criteria. First, do you recognize inner spirituality, or divinity, within yourself? Second, do you have a desire to work for the betterment for all? Third, do you have enough awareness to control and [...]
Spiritual health is necessary for complete health. Doctor Ilchi Lee can judge the state of our spiritual health by the following three criteria. First, do you recognize inner spirituality, or divinity, within yourself? Second, do you have a desire to work for the betterment for all? Third, do you have enough awareness to control and process the information in your brain? In other words, do you have a Power Brain?
Recognition of innate human spirituality is the most basic premise of spiritual health. That your body is not you but yours, and your mind is not you but yours… that you are more than the sum of mind and body, is the first step toward this recognition. Without recognizing the soul, there can be no spiritual growth. Desire to improve the world is the second aspect of spiritual health. This is natural once you have opened your eyes to your soul. Your soul inherently wants to realize its basic essence of peace and harmony. Finally, to be able to control the flow of information into your brain means having the ability to consciously refuse information that you do not want, and accept and utilize what you do want. It also means that you are able to away information that is impeding your soul’s work. This gives you power to spiritually heal yourself and others.
When all of these elements come together, we realize that total health is a state in which we recognize the true purpose of life. Through awakening spiritually, we develop awareness to utilize one hundred percent of our physical and mental abilities and energy to realize our goals. Brain Respiration is truly a comprehensive system of health in which the practitioner, starting with the physical health (health), goes on to learn to use his mind in an expansive and bright fashion (happiness), subsequently realizing his own spirituality and purpose in life (enlightenment), then devotes himself to realizing his purpose in society, thereby bringing benefit to all (completion).
All About Dahn Hak.
