Train your brain to be sharp

Mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and it allows people to achieve different levels of awareness. Brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence for something that Buddhist practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have been working with Tibetan monks. They have been able to translate those mental experiences into the scientific language of high-frequency gamma waves and brain synchrony, or coordination. And they have pinpointed the left prefrontal cortex, an area just behind the left forehead, as the place where brain activity associated with meditation is especially intense. Those transformed states have traditionally been understood in transcendent terms, as something outside the world of physical measurement and objective evaluation.

"What we found is that the long-time practitioners showing brain activation on a scale never seen before," said Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the university's new $10 million W.M. Keck Laboratory for Functional Brain Imaging and Behavior. "Their mental practice is having an effect on the brain in the same way golf or tennis practice will enhance performance." It shows that the brain is capable of being trained and physically modified in ways few people can ever imagine.

The Buddhist practitioners in the experiment had undergone training in the Tibetan Nyingmapa and Kagyupa traditions of meditation for an estimated 10,000 to 50,000 hours, over time periods of 15 to 40 years. As a control, 10 student volunteers with no previous meditation experience were also tested after one week of training.

The monks and volunteers were fitted with a net of 256 electrical sensors and asked to meditate for short periods. Thinking and other mental activity are known to produce detectable, bursts of electrical activity as large groupings of neurons send messages to each other, and that's what the sensors picked up. Davidson was especially interested in measuring gamma waves, some of the highest-frequency and most important electrical brain impulses.

Both groups were asked to meditate, specifically on unconditional compassion. Buddhist teaching describes that state as the "unrestricted readiness and availability to help living beings." The researchers chose that focus because it does not require concentrating on particular objects, memories or images, and cultivates instead a transformed state of being.

Most important, the electrodes picked up much greater activation of fast-moving and unusually powerful gamma waves in the monks, and found that the movement of the waves through the brain was far better organized and coordinated than in the students. The meditation novices showed only a slight increase in gamma wave activity while meditating, but some of the monks produced gamma wave activity more powerful than any previously reported in a healthy person.

The monks who had spent the most years meditating had the highest levels of gamma waves, he added. This "dose response" -- where higher levels of a drug or activity have greater effect than lower levels -- is what researchers look for to assess cause and effect.

The intense gamma waves found in the monks have also been associated with knitting together disparate brain circuits, and so are connected to higher mental activity and heightened awareness, Davidson concludes from the research that meditation not only changes the workings of the brain in the short term, but also quite possibly produces permanent changes. The findings are based on the fact that the monks had considerably more gamma wave activity than the control group even before they started meditating. A researcher at the University of Massachusetts, Jon Kabat-Zinn, came to a similar conclusion several years ago. "What we found is that the trained mind, or brain, is physically different from the untrained one," he said.

Meditation increases the size of Brain

Another research at Harvard University has found that people who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't.

Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.

In one area of gray matter, the thickening turns out to be more pronounced in older than in younger people. That's intriguing because those sections of the human cortex, or thinking cap, normally get thinner as we age.

"Our data suggest that meditation practice can promote cortical plasticity in adults in areas important for cognitive and emotional processing and well-being," says Sara Lazar, leader of the study and a psychologist at Harvard Medical School. "These findings are consistent with other studies that demonstrated increased thickness of music areas in the brains of musicians, and visual and motor areas in the brains of jugglers. In other words, the structure of an adult brain can change in response to repeated practice."

The researchers compared brain scans of 20 experienced meditators with those of 15 non-meditators. Four of the former taught meditation or yoga, but they were not monks living in seclusion. The rest worked in careers such as law, health care, and journalism. All the participants were white. During scanning, the meditators meditated; the others just relaxed and thought about whatever they wanted.

Meditators did Buddhist "insight meditation," which focuses on whatever is there, like noise or body sensations. It doesn't involve "om," other mantras, or chanting.

"The goal is to pay attention to sensory experience, rather than to your thoughts about the sensory experience," Lazar explains. "For example, if you suddenly hear a noise, you just listen to it rather than thinking about it. If your leg falls asleep, you just notice the physical sensations. If nothing is there, you pay attention to your breathing." Successful meditators get used to not thinking or elaborating things in their mind.

Study participants meditated an average of about 40 minutes a day. Some had been doing it for only a year, others for decades. Depth of the meditation was measured by the slowing of breathing rates. Those most deeply involved in the meditation showed the greatest changes in brain structure. "This strongly suggests," Lazar concludes, "that the differences in brain structure were caused by the meditation, rather than that differences in brain thickness got them into meditation in the first place."

Lazar took up meditation about 10 years ago and now practices insight meditation about three times a week. At first she was not sure it would work. But "I have definitely experienced beneficial changes," she says. "It reduces stress [and] increases my clarity of thought and my tolerance for staying focused in difficult situations."

Controlling random thoughts

Insight meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere. "People who do it quickly realize that much of what goes on in their heads involves random thoughts that often have little substance," Lazar comments. "The goal is not so much to 'empty' your head, but to not get caught up in random thoughts that pop into consciousness."

She uses this example: Facing an important deadline, people tend to worry about what will happen if they miss it, or if the end product will be good enough to suit the boss. You can drive yourself crazy with unproductive "what if" worry. "If, instead, you focus on the present moment, on what needs to be done and what is happening right now, then much of the feeling of stress goes away," Lazar says. "Feelings become less obstructive and more motivational."

The increased thickness of gray matter is not very much, 4 to 8 thousandths of an inch. "These increases are proportional to the time a person has been meditating during their lives," Lazar notes. "This suggests that the thickness differences are acquired through extensive practice and not simply due to differences between meditators and nonmeditators."

As small as they are, you can bet those differences are going to lead to lots more studies to find out just what is going on and how meditation might better be used to improve health and well-being, and even slow aging. More basic questions need to be answered. What causes the increased thickness? Does meditation produce more connections between brain cells, or more blood vessels? How does increased brain thickness influence daily behavior? Does it promote increased communication between intellectual and emotional areas of the brain?

To get answers, larger studies are planned at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Harvard-affiliated facility where Lazar is a research scientist and where these first studies were done. That work included only 20 meditators and their brains were scanned only once.

"The results were very encouraging," Lazar remarks. "But further research needs to be done using a larger number of people and testing them multiple times. We also need to examine their brains both before and after learning to meditate. Our group is currently planning to do this. Eventually, such research should reveal more about the function of the thickening; that is, how it affects emotions and knowing in terms of both awareness and judgment."

Slowing aging?

Since this type of meditation counteracts the natural thinning of the thinking surface of the brain, could it play a role in slowing - even reversing - aging? That could really be mind-boggling in the most positive sense.

Lazar is cautious in her answer. "Our data suggest that one small bit of brain appears to have a slower rate of cortical thinning, so meditation may help slow some aspects of cognitive aging," she agrees. "But it's important to remember that monks and yogis suffer from the same ailments as the rest of us. They get old and die, too. However, they do claim to enjoy an increased capacity for attention and memory."

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Which direction you should sleep?

"Begin the day with love,
fill the day with love,
spend the day in love and
end the day with love.
This is the only way to God."
Swami Buaji Maharaj

Swami Buaji Maharaj is a hundred and twenty two years old yogi, who is also the founder of the Indo-American Yoga-Vedanta Society in New York.

"Never lie down to sleep with your head northward or westward" is a common injunction given from time immemorial by the Indian mother to her children. Almost every Hindu- orthodox or heterodox- observes this dictum of his ancestors, but he doesn't know the rationale or significance behind the dictum, although it has been handed down to him through generations. For example, Vishnu Purana says: "O King! It is beneficial to lie down with the head placed eastward or southward. The man who lies down with his head placed in contrary directions becomes diseased." The Varshaadi Nool says: "Sleeping eastward is good; sleeping southward prolongs life; sleeping westward and northward brings ruin." The Mahabharata says: "Men become wise by sleeping eastward and southward." There are two Tamil proverbs which run thus: "Vaaraatha Vashvu Vanthaalum Vadakkae Thalai Vaikkakkuudathu", meaning; " Even in the heyday of sudden fortune, one should not lie down with head to the north", and " Vidakkeiyayinum Vadakkaakaathu", meaning: "Even the head of the dried fish should not be placed northward." The Ayurvedic physician seats his patients facing eastward before diagnosing the disease or administering his medicine. Brides and bridegrooms are always seated facing eastward on the wedding day. Even corpses are placed down with the head southward.

The explanation for such advice and practice as discovered recently is as follows: This dear Earth, on which we live, has been for ages past, and is still being subjected to constant exposure to the source of all Energy-Heat, Light, Electricity and Magnetism- the Sun. When its eastern half is heated by the sun, its western half remains comparatively cold. In consequence, a strong and constant current of thermal electricity generated by the sun, travels across the earth from east to west. By this current of electricity the earth becomes magnetized, and its geographical north pole, being to the right-hand side of the direction of the current, is made the magnetic north pole; and its geographical south pole, being to the left-hand side of the same current, is made the magnetic south pole. Thus the earth is rendered a mighty thermo-electric magnet. This is evident from the fact that by the attractive and repulsive forces of its poles, the compass needle, in whatever position it is placed, is invariably turned so as to point to the North and the South.

We have learnt inside the class rooms that a non-magnet kept in contact with a magnet is eventually converted into a magnet, or that magnetism is imparted to it. And that the poles of the magnet have infused opposite polarity into the ends of the non-magnet. Now, we human beings are in perpetual contact with the huge Electro-Magnet, the Earth. We are all therefore converted into small magnets. It has been found by the experiments that the human body also is a magnetable object, though far inferior to iron or steel. This cannot be denied that, for in addition to other causes, there is a large percentage of iron in the blood, circulating through the body.

Further, as our feet are magnetized by contact with the northern hemisphere of the earth, where exist all the properties of north polarity is induced in our feet, and consequently, north polarity is induced in our head.

At school when experimenting with magnets we have seen : "Unlike poles attract each other; like poles repel." We used to restore the magnets back to their place in the laboratory with their unlike poles in contact, so that the polarity may not be destroyed. Now, it is very easy to conceive that if you lie down with your head placed southward and feet northward, the South Pole of the earth and your head, which is the North Pole of the human magnet, as also the North Pole of the Earth and your feet, which is the South pole of your body, being juxta-position, will attract each other, thus the polarity of the human body, natural to it, will be preserved; which if you lie with your head placed northward and feet southward, the like poles of your body and the Earth being in the juxta-position, will repel each other, and thereby the natural polarity of your body will be destroyed or its intensity diminished. In the former position, the polarity acquired by the human body during the day by standing, walking or sitting on the ground, is preserved intact at night during sleep; but in the later position, the acquired polarity is seriously tampered with and destroyed. This arrangement of the poles in the human body is natural to it, and therefore conducive to our health and happiness. The body enjoys perfect heath, if the polarity natural to it is preserved unaltered, and it becomes subject to disease if that polarity is in the least degree altered or its intensity diminished.

This would lead us to infer these arguments apply only to the inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere. The inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere must lay down their bodies with head northward, for similar arguments. That the bulk of the human race live on the Northern Hemisphere, appears to have been known to the ancient Hindu Sages, as the dictum appears to have come down without any qualifying remark.

Why the Eastern direction is preferred to the Western for placing the head in the lying down posture is explained thus: "It has been established by experiments on medical electricity that if a current passes from one part of the body to another, it exercises a wholesome influence where it enters, and produces some inflammations in that part of the body whence it goes out. If you lie down with head eastward, the current of thermal electricity, which is constantly passing over the surface of the earth from east to west, passes through your body also from head to feet, and therefore subdues all inflammation present in the head, where it makes its entrance; while if you lie down with head westward, the same current of the electricity passes through your body from the feet to the head, and therefore produces some kind of inflammation in the head, whence it goes out. The head contains the most vital of organs, and the most delicate of mechanisms- the Brain. It is a clear and healthy head that can easily acquire knowledge, and not an inflamed or congested head, which, on the other hand is the hot-bed of vague and distressing thoughts.

Thus has been elucidated for our benefit, what was commonly considered a superstition hitherto. From this, it is plain that the Sciences of Electricity and Magnetism were not only extensively cultivated by the Ancient Hindus, but also highly developed, and the principles applied in their practical daily life. As other instances of their advanced knowledge of the Sciences, we find that iron or copper rods are inserted at the tops of all temples that Mindulies (Metallic cells) made of either gold, silver or iron are worn on the diseased parts of the body, and that Asanas or seats made of either silk, wool, kusha grass, or hairy skins of the deer or tiger are used when saying prayers. The function of the rod at the top of the temple is the same as that of the modern lightening conductor. The Mindulies serve the same purpose as the electrical belts and other appliances of the present day electrical treatment of diseases. The woolen and skin asanas protect our lives during a thunderstorm. So do the wooden sandals or mithiyadi worn by the sanyasis of old.

For the same simple reasons described above, it is the age long custom among Hindus that younger people should prostrate before the elders and touch their feet with their head so as to acquire magnetic energy and more particularly before the saintly persons, as these saints had magnetized their system by their Tapasya, i.e., by observance of Brahmacharya (celibacy), conducting Poojas, by practice of Yoga Asanas, Pranayamas and meditation, and by austere observances and various spiritual practices.

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Too stressed up? Just relax!

In today's stressful style of living, relaxation is like a dream. It's just like a mirage. Everyone wishes to relax. And everyone is too stressed up to relax. People try to find their relaxation in different manners. Someone goes out to watch a cinema or to watch a theatre. Another person goes to a music concert. And yet another person goes just for a walk. One who is looking for relaxation in the food will go out to try various cuisines and restaurants. And yet another person would like to quit to remote place and be in that vicinity where no person is moving. And someone will do exactly the opposite of this, he might go to a fate or maybe a trade fair where throngs of people are piling one on another. When the crowd walks, you get pushed to walk. When the crowd stops, you stop. And you find relaxation in this? Everyone is looking for relaxation but everyone has a different way and method to achieve that.

I have heard about Mullah Nasruddin. He had become very old and was inflicted with insomnia. He couldn't sleep. Now everything was tried on him; hot baths, massages, pills, tranquilizers, hot milk. But nothing was of any help. Everything was of no avail because Mullah neither slept himself nor did he let anyone in the house sleep. So, nights became a nightmare for the whole family. They searched desperately for any method, any medicine that would help Mulla to sleep. The whole family was suffering with him.

Someone suggested, "Why don't you give a try to a hypnotist." So a hypnotist was brought. People said, "He is a miracle man. He creates sleep within minutes. He knows the very magic of it. So don't be worried. Just pay him his fee and don't keep any doubt. He will put Mullah to sleep." Now the hypnotist was brought home. He showed a watch with a chain to Nasruddin and said, "You will have to keep a little faith in me and see what a miracle will happen. You have to trust me. And if you do so, you will fall asleep like a baby."

Mulla said, "Yeah, even I wish I could sleep like a baby but nothing is working in my case." Hypnotist said, "Don't worry. I am here to solve the problem. Just watch this watch. Look at this watch." And he started moving the watch left and right and Nasruddin looked at it and the hypnotist said, "Watch is moving left to right. See it. Now your eyes are becoming tired, tired, tired. Now you are falling asleep, asleep, and asleep."

Everyone was happy as Mullah’s eyes closed and his head leaned down. And it seemed he is going to sleep like a baby. The rhythmic breathing started happening in Mullah's body. Hypnotist gave a very satisfying smile, pleased with his mastery and took his fee. He asked everyone to leave the room after him. As he was about to sneak out, Mullah Nasruddin opened one eye and said, "That nut, has he gone yet?"

Mullah was making an effort to relax. He had started acting. He was breathing rhythmically. He closed his eyes. But it was just an effort. And you cannot relax with an effort.

Relaxation can only occur in effortlessness. Mullah was making an effort to relax and to go to sleep. He was trying to help the hypnotist with all sincerity. But this very helping and this very effort created a bigger obstruction in his relaxation. Nothing could happen. Only if Mullah could passively hear what was being said, sleep would have happened. No effort on his part was required. It was absolutely unnecessary for him to do something.

You are unable to relax fully. If you stay passive, positively inactive, and be effortless in whichever situation you are, you will feel the relaxation. Awareness and agitated mind cannot be in the same wave length. As your awareness increases, you begin to take things as they are, not expecting and not acting on others expectations. When you live on the periphery (mind is periphery), you loose touch with your center, and then you cannot be relaxed. Don't let mind rule you, you take the reins of life, live every moment listening to yourself.

Before going into tools and ways to delete your tensions, we have to understand that why are you tensed in first place or who is making you tensed. Hold your breath! It isn't your outer situations which are making you tensed, it is your mind. You are so obsessed with tomorrow that you are always dreaming about it, frame after frame you play the scenes in your mind, what how will it feel when your desires will see day of reality. Your cravings agitate you, your ego frustrates you and not any one else. What others think about you bothers you more than what you want from life. In light of such mental state, how can ever you relax? You can't ignore these issues, you have to deal with it and you have to do something about it. Once this is done there won't be any reason for you to feel tensed.

Learn to appreciate life, and rejoice. Every passing moment is never going to come back again. How can you loose precious moments for little things which have no meaning at all? What others say or do shouldn't matter to you. Everyone has the right to speak what they think. What you are, you know it. Why let a statement spoken by someone bother you? Live your life and let go the habit of desire to gain appreciation and applauds.

Mind has taken charge of your life and you have lost connection with your being. You have lost your center and it has to be rediscovered. It is right there but because of the opaque film which your mind has created you aren't able to see it. As you will begin to nurture the practice of awareness, for the first time your center will be revealed. As you will begin to live with awareness, being in your center, only then you will taste what real relaxation is. Center of our being is ocean of stillness and joy. Be in the present, be in this Now. See the present moment which is happening around you: the blue sky, giggles of children, chirping of birds, floating clouds and if what you can hear is just noise then even noise will be rhythmic.

Effort is needed, if something externally has to be done. If you want to achieve anything, if you want to create anything, if you want to reach somewhere, effort is needed. But if you want to relax, then definitely no effort is required. Only one thing is required to relax: Your non-doing. Don't do anything to relax. Just relax. Let go off all bondages; let go off all desires for the moment at least, then nothing can agitate you. Just keep it in mind that you have to leave every effort and you have to go on just leaving them. Now even leaving is an effort. But a moment comes when everything is gone, and you are there. Simply there, not doing anything. Just there! Just in your being. And in this very being ness, the real relaxation will pour upon you. And this relaxation will come free. No charge, no traveling. You don't have to wait. You don't have to reach somewhere. You don't have to go somewhere to experience it. You don't have to even lift your finger. Just simply be in passive alertness. Just be silent. Not doing anything. Not thinking. Just being in the moment. And that is enough

So here is the key for relaxation. Just be passively aware and alert.

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