“The ultimate healing capacity of your brain may be, for all practical purposes, infinite." Dr. Jay Kumar
Check out the latest podcast from AWAKE with Dr. Jay Kumar on the Doug Stephan Good Day Show. In this episode we discuss how neuroscience now validates the power of our thoughts and intentions in our healing process. A really great episode!
AWAKE & ENJOY!
Dr. Jay Kumar
I’ll give an example of just how powerful our thoughts can be on our brain and body. Scientists at Columbia University conducted an experiment where volunteers were connected to a PET (positron emission tomography) as part of a study to see how neurochemicals in the brain react to pain in the body. The people in the experiment received a pain-producing stimulus of minor heat on their arm. As predicted, the brain registered the pain and released opioids, a neurochemical that relieves pain. The same people were then told to apply a lotion on their arm that they believed was a new experimental painkiller, when in actuality it was just simple body lotion. When the volunteers received the same stimulus, the scientists discovered that higher levels of opioids were produced and secreted from the brain in response to the pain on the area of the arm where the placebo cream was placed. (Full article here)
To quote Dr. Tor Wager, the leading researcher of the experiment, “These results extend our knowledge of how beliefs and expectations affect the brain's neurochemistry and show that one's mental response to a challenge can affect the brain and body in ways that are relevant to health….Understanding these interactions can pave the way for new treatments that are informed by knowledge of mind-body interactions.” In essence this amazing research now validates the adage that our psychology does indeed influence our biology!
The point here is that science is only now beginning to understand the power of human thought, an idea that has existed for millennia in indigenous medical system and in spiritual traditions throughout human history. I’ve always believed that the next major scientific breakthrough will occur when we truly understand the vast capacity of human consciousness and how we ALL ARE HEALERS! As Dr. W. Ross Adey of the Brain Research Institute at UCLA rightfully declares, “The ultimate creative capacity of your brain may be, for all practical purposes, infinite.” I would like to amend his statement by saying, “The ultimate healing capacity of your brain may be, for all practical purposes, infinite.”
Always remember just how amazing, and incredible you are. The key to your health and happiness is to cultivate more empowering thoughts, intentions, words and emotions as part of your daily life. I will discuss more ways in which we can do this in the next blog. Until then, keep on Living Your Light® as you keep on Believing In Your Light!
Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.” Henry David Thoreau.
Learn what neuroscience and ecopsychology are saying about the healing power of Nature and its powerful effects on the human brain. AWAKE & ENJOY!
Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
Twitter - @docjaykumar
Facebook - Dr. Jay Kumar
In the last blog, I discussed the powerful ways in which Nature heals and transforms us. The key resides in our brain being able to drop in to the healing and soothing brain wave state, known as Alpha waves. This issue explores exactly what the various brain waves are along with the deep and intimate connection between our human brain and body. You may have heard the phrases “Your psychology influences your biology,” or “You can think your way into disease.” Well, scientific research now validates much of the mind-body connection and deep understanding of how your brain waves are the key to your health and wellbeing. In the growing medical field of psycho-neuro-immunology (PNI), there appears to be a correlation between the various brain waves with one’s health and wellbeing. Let’s briefly explore the four brain waves and their function in our health.
At its most fundamental level the universe is merely energy that fluctuates and manifests at various frequencies. The same holds true for all living matter, including your brain, and some suggest even the human heart. (More on that in a later blog) The machine that measures brain waves is known as an Electro-Encephalo-Graph (EEG) and organizes the brain waves based on their wave-frequency in Hertz/sec. The four commonly accepted brain waves among scientists are: Alpha, Beta, Theta, and Delta, with some suggesting another possible Gamma state.
The brain waves are further divided into “waking versus non-waking” states of consciousness. Beta and Alpha waves are produced when we are awake, while Theta and Delta during sleep. Beta waves are predominant when our mind requires focus, attention, and alertness. They are also produced when the brain is in high stress or “fight-or-flight” mode, in turn, triggering adrenalin and cortisol into the body for survival. We experience Alpha waves, on the other hand, when our mind and body are awake yet calm and relaxed. Think of the difference you feel when stuck in a traffic jam late for your flight or relaxing on the beach hearing the waves and watching the sunset. In the first scenario, your brain is functioning in Beta waves, while in the latter in Alpha. The other two brain waves, Theta and Delta, are generally found when we are asleep, although there appear to be exceptions to this observed in the waking state of deep meditation or conscious breathing. Generally, the brain produces Theta waves during light sleep and when we dream, while Delta waves are found in deep, dreamless sleep.
So what then is the connection between these four brain wave states with our health and wellbeing. The answer resides in allowing all four brain-wave states to be in balance and equally manifest throughout our day. Unfortunately, our fast paced, technologically driven lifestyle creates a disruption in this important harmony. When our brains and bodies are in constant stress and amped up due to the fast-paced, caffeine-addicted, plugged-in, multi-tasking life that we have created, we spend our day predominantly in a Beta-wave state. Furthermore, Beta-waves are accompanied with the release of cortisol, the stress-hormone that eventually may lead to chronic anxiety, illness and disease. The famous Stanford neurobiologist Dr. Robert Sapoltsky’s enlightening book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, observes that in the animal kingdom those animals that are prone to aggression, anger, and violence, due to an increase in cortisol and adrenaline, are also the ones with the weakest immune systems. (Watch video here) It now appears that the same observations are found in our human biology. When we are constantly in stress, anxiety, anger, fear, or worry, our immune system and health are considerably weakened.
The good news is that Alpha waves can counter the chronic harm of being in continual Beta-wave states. Alpha waves produce beta-endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, neurotransmitters that enable us to become relaxed, calm, and centered during the stress experienced throughout our day. When the alpha and beta waves are equally in balance throughout our waking day, we experience psycho-physiological coherence, a deep and profound state of integration of the body and brain. The longer we can remain in psycho-physiological coherence, the stronger our immune system becomes enabling us to be whole and healthy. So how can we experience more Alpha to balance out the Beta-waves in our daily life? The answers can be as simple as being in Nature, making love, laughter, deep-breathing, or meditation. (Watch Video to Learn How)
The important thing is to cultivate balance in your day between work, rest, and play. The human brain, thus, can be a very valuable organ in our quest for a healthy body, mind, and spirit! As Dr. W. Ross Adey, of the Brain Research Institute at UCLA, says, “The ultimate creative capacity of your brain may be, for all practical purposes, infinite.” I refine this statement by saying, “The ultimate HEALING capacity of your brain may be, for all practical purposes, infinite!”
Keep on LIVING YOUR LIGHT® in balance of brain and of body.
Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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Change is one of the most challenging aspects of life, especially when change manifests suddenly or unexpectedly as loss, a matter I’ve blogged about in previous posts. (Read more here) Specifically, fear of change or feeling out of control amidst change is a topic that I find myself often exploring with clients. As the noted scientist and natural philosopher Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” No matter how fit or strong you are physically, it is your mental and psychological ability to adapt and respond to change that is the most important survival tool in life.
Before exploring how you can deal with the fear of change, let’s briefly talk about the emotion of fear. Neuroscience advocates that fear is a natural evolutionary product of our collective biology that we inherited from our early human ancestors. Fear was a survival mechanism that protected us from real and immediate threats. Even though most humans now live in a world relatively free from constant danger, our brains are incapable of distinguishing between real versus perceived fear. For example, you experience “fight or flight” fear when your life is truly at risk, e.g. think of being chased by a lion in the African savannah. Contrarily, the fear of public speaking or of confronting your boss for a raise is a self-inflicted perceived fear of a future, non-imminent situation. While “fight or flight” fear is an autonomic biological response that is real and crucial for survival, all other types of perceived fear are self-created and, therefore, can be controlled. In essence, there’s a difference when your life is truly at risk and when you’re taking a risk. Our neurobiology makes it difficult, but not impossible, for many of us to harness the primal areas of our brain that produce biological fear. However, the good news is that perceived and self-created fear appears to be a product of our higher cognitive brain that, with practice, we can more readily tame. Fear of change, which falls into the latter category, is something we fortunately have the power to manage.
So why, then, do we fear change? I believe the answer is that change creates the perception that we have no control of our life. It is the dread of not being in control that we really fear, which in turn produces the accompanying anxiety and stress. While many of us might enjoy the status quo and feel complacent in a life without change, we must understand that change is the fundamental rule of nature. Your cells, skin, hair, and nails change regularly to keep your bodies healthy and strong. The seasons in nature change annually to produce new life and food on the planet. Therefore, change is literally within and all around helping us and all life on the planet to thrive. Basically, without change life would perish.
So how can you cope with your fear of change? Here are some tools that you might find helpful.
1) The first step to control your fear of change is your ability to view it as an inherent part of your life. In a previous post, I mentioned that “Suffering = Resistance to Change.” (Read more here) The more you resist change in your life, the more anguish you experience.
2) Another handy tool is to re-conceptualize the word “change” with other terms. Words such as growth, renewal, evolution, or transformation are all synonyms for change. What those words have in common is the underlying and inherent principle of change.
3) Another key to embracing change is to practice mindfulness and to focus your thoughts on the present moment. (Read more here) Doing so allows your thoughts and consciousness not to dwell on the unknown future, but rather on the “here and now.”
4) Deep-belly breathing is another scientifically proven method to alleviate the emotion of fear and the physical sensations that accompany it. (Watch breathing video here) Remember, fear is just a form of energy. As energy can never be destroyed but merely transformed from one state to another, your fear can also be transformed. I strongly believe that fear is nothing more than excitement without the breath.
5) Another effective tool that I personally use and highly encourage to my clients is to make a daily affirmation. While it can be anything that you find helpful, I regularly use the following, “I live my day as I embrace change as part of my life. I am powerful and have the strength to create the life that I wish. I know that the universe (God) is conspiring for my greatest good and happiness!”
On a final note, when your fear of change is not properly checked, it can manifest in unhealthy ways in your life. Not only are there physical dangers of living constantly in a state of fear, but there are also emotional and psychological concerns when you fear change. On an individual level, you may react to change with resistance, anger, and violence toward yourself and even toward the world. On a national and political level, when a society or a culture fears change, it often leads to war, violence, and acts of terror. I venture to say that many of the terrorist acts we witness of late are the result of those who fear the massive changes happening in society and who choose to respond from a place of anger and hatred . I’ll discuss more of this in a later post.
Again, the key to your finding harmony and peace in life is to embrace the fundamental law of nature that everything changes. How you choose to respond to life’s changes, either with fear and resistance or with acceptance and flow, is the key to your health and wellbeing. The more you can embrace the power of change in your life and not fear it, the more we all will thrive as individuals, a culture, and a planet. To rephrase Darwin’s original quote with an example in nature, the bamboo that has the ability to bend is much stronger and endures longer than the oak that resists!
Keep on Living Your Light® as you learn to embrace the flow and change in your life!
Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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Twitter - @docjaykumar
Curious what neuroscience, compassion, and Casey Anthony have to do with each other? The answer is something in our brains called a mirror neuron. About 20 years ago, neuroscientists in Italy conducted an experiment monitoring the brain wave patterns of a monkey. By pure serendipity, as some of the great breakthroughs in science sometime happen, they discovered that primate and human brains possess mirror neurons that appear to be special brain cells that enable us to understand and interpret the actions, emotions, intentions, and behaviors of other humans (Read the full details of the experiment at Mirror Neurons.
Here are two examples of how mirror neurons work. Think of a time you saw a child fall down and cry for help, or recall the thrill of watching your favorite team on TV make that winning touchdown. In both cases, the same neurons firing in the brain of the child in pain or the sudden euphoria you feel when viewing people in joy are due to mirror neurons. Mirror neurons suggest that our brains are ‘wired’ to feel both the emotions and intentions of others, as if our brain is also experiencing the same action or emotion. It is this biological conditioning that may account for human compassion and our ability to empathize and socialize with others. On a side note, humans may not be the only species with mirror neurons as dogs, elephants, dolphins, and higher primates also appear to have them. Anyone who has pets knows that empathic bond we have with our animals. The discovery of mirror neurons is revolutionizing our understanding of how human biology, evolution, psychology, language, and culture are all interconnected. In essence, mirror neurons make us more compassionate humans!
So now that neuroscience has a possible biological explanation for human compassion, what does this have to do with Casey Anthony? The answer again is mirror neurons. Before I explain, let me share an overview of the Casey Anthony trial that has been in the media recently. For those unfamiliar with the case, Anthony was recently acquitted and freed from the alleged murder of her daughter. What triggered the prosecution’s suspicion that Anthony may have been the murderer was her blatant lack of remorse or grief over her daughter’s death. It is Anthony’s shocking lack of emotional pain that probably also fascinated us with the case. Because of our mirror neurons, we experienced a strong emotional reaction upon hearing the news of the daughter’s death. As a society we were irked, confused, and eventually outraged by Anthony’s blasé reaction to the entire situation. It makes us collectively wonder how a mother could appear to be so heartless over the death of her own child.
Neuroscientists now conjecture that some people, for whatever reason, possess underdeveloped or fewer mirror neurons in their brains, which may now possibly account for people who are autistics, sociopaths, and murderers. Mirror neurons also enable us to recognize and interpret facial expressions, as we express many of our emotions through our face. Those with dysfunctional mirror neurons are able to identify various emotions, e.g. anger or happiness, and imitate their corresponding facial expressions in others. However, they do not easily process the empathic significance of the imitated emotion. When looking at other people’s facial expressions, those with poor mirror neurons do not know what it FEELS like when others are happy, angry, repulsed, afraid, or sad.
While I have no direct proof, my suspicion is that Casey Anthony (and other infamous alleged murderers such O.J. Simpson and Scott Peterson) may lack developed mirror neurons that prevent them from expressing remorse and compunction. Additionally, the media’s and our collective fascination with the Casey Anthony trial stems from our disbelief and anger over the apparent absence of her empathy and compassion.
It goes to show that while mirror neurons may have developed out of a biological necessity for humans to evolve, we are all soft-wired to experience compassion and empathy. Since neuroscience also states that we have the power to rewire our brain’s neural circuitry, we each have the capacity to develop our mirror neurons and, in turn, cultivate greater compassion and empathy toward others.
Keep training those mirror neurons as you keep on Living Your Lightâ.
Dr. Jay Kumar
www.drjaykumar.com
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"The key to happiness in life is not to be in the KNOW but to be in the NOW!" Dr. Jay Kumar
Check out another great podcast of "AWAKE with Dr. Jay Kumar!" In this week's episode learn how to become more present and live in the now!
ENJOY AND AWAKE!
Dr. Jay Kumar