Your brain is indeed sharp, smart and lightening fast but unfortunately, you do not know how to handle it!
What if a Lamborghini car is given to a person who does not know basic driving?
Is this not a disaster?
The same disaster has happened to those who feel that their brain has become dull, and slow.
Shall I teach you how to drive your brain? Come on, get ready, fasten your seat belt; take a deep breath, and understand your brain scientifically and logically.
We have a general misconception that there is a semisolid fixed brain sitting inside the skull which is responsible for all our actions, thinking and planning. In reality, the brain is not a fixed organ. It is a system of constantly changing chemical and electrical patterns. When we see the face of a new person, our brain patterns change. It means our brain connections change with each of our experiences.
We are born with some inherent building platforms just like a computer with software inside. This operating system has a design that is governed by genes. However, every experience is recorded in the form of patterns using this operating system.
The new born is ‘tabula rasa’, a clean slate. Every single experience is faithfully recorded and stored. Certain stored information can be recalled easily, which we call memory. Certain other stored information may remain as the subconscious that has a say in the behavior of the individual.
Many of us think that the brain rests during sleep. This is not right. During sleep, it will be doing the job of arranging the day’s experiences as memory in different locations. No part of the body ever takes rest. If our attention is withdrawn from the action of the body and mind, this withdrawal becomes rest for the brain. The brain wants you to give it this liberty so that it can function wonderfully well. We never give this privilege and luxury to the brain.
The new definition of rest is to allow the body to function on its own without our interference. Here is the problem. We keep on giving all possible permutations and combinations to the brain and ask it to work for us. It works as you expect it work. In this process, its parts are worn out, patterns distorted, and connections short circuited. There is every possibility that it may appear to be slow, less sharp.
The solution is simple. Allow the brain to work on its auto-mechanism, it will guide you beautifully. It informs you when the body needs energy. It tells you when the temperature is not right. It takes every precaution to keep you healthy and sharp.
All you have to do is to give it freedom. We shout for freedom and we fail to give freedom to our brain. That is the tragedy.
The brain has three parts.
- The lower brain takes care of all our reflexes (heart, breathing, digestion, walking etc.). This job is performed by our spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellum. We have no control over this. This is an auto-mechanism. The only thing that can disturb this mechanism is stress. We are expert stress producers! Stress is the condition of hyperactivity of brain where our demands exceed the normal capacity of the brain.
- The limbic brain controls our connection to the rest of the world and we call this emotion. We have become victims of the function of this brain. Emotion activates attachment and is followed by greed. The direct result of all this is elevated stress. The Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Limbic lobe come under this.
- The third is the top level of the hierarchy where the external world is processed, memorized, understood and stored as memory. There is a part known as the prefrontal cortex that is exclusively kept for introspection and discrimination. This is the least used part of the brain and for a long time, it was even called ‘silent brain’ as its function was not understood.
Way forward: Use the prefrontal cortex and understand the following points:
- The brain has its own limitations and it works best and remains sharp if we present our demands reasonably and allow it to work. On the other hand, we are constantly bombarding it with the same demand repeated n-times.
- Keep watching the brain, it is your vassal. It is a faithful servant. If you identify with it, it becomes a terrible master. Withdraw from this identification and learn to give instructions and allow enough time for it to come up with solutions.
- Even if you were a bad master till today, it does not matter. Start applying this method, and it can change all its patterns of connections within no time and can rectify all its problems. It has this ability because it is a constantly changing organ. It can mold itself to the new situation very quickly.
- Your brain is sharp and quick. Please allow it to function. If you have an ambition, record it in your brain by working only on that and on nothing else. The brain develops new connections. Do not think about the result. Since result has not yet come, brain starts using its logarithm of permutation and combination and gives you plethora of combinations that are possible. You fall victim to this which destroys your brain.
- It is possible to change the connections of your brain. All you have to do is to love your work and only that work. Never imagine the result. The brain suddenly becomes so efficient that nothing is impossible to it.
You are that hero! It is possible to achieve. Your brain is designed for that. Unfortunately, you don’t know how to use it. Any fear which is the anticipation of future spoils all the connections. Any recollection of previous memories assures misery. Just keep working on this first step towards your goal. Every step has to be the first step. Success will be yours.
I appreciate if you watch my YouTube TEDx video Dr R N Sreenathan for certain clarifications.
Wish you all the best
Thank you
Dr R N Sreenathan
Director Chinmaya International Foundation