Harness the Power of the Connector Brain
DID YOU KNOW?
The brain is an awesome network of as many as 1,000 trillion synaptic connections. That is 100 billion neurons (nerve cells) are communicating with up to 10,000 other neurons via electrical or chemical signals to functionally share information throughout different regions of the brain. This enables you to walk, talk and think at the same time...amazing!
Today I was asked: “Is it weird to go into a grocery store, stop at a gas station or walk around the block and feel anxious?” To which I responded, “No…It is not weird. You cannot-not react with anxiety and fear in today’s climate. Your brain is wired to protect you. Its survival instinct knows that you are safer in a group than alone. The conflict arises when protection strategies, including practicing physical and social distancing, is counter-intuitive to how the brain is wired to survive.”
This led me to wonder:
Is it possible to harness the power of the brain and reframe survival instincts into thriving instincts?
Is it possible to train the brain’s capacity to connect, to locate, to reflect and to transform in a healthy and calming way?
Is it possible to embrace the paradox of fear in which awe and terror exist at the same time?
I have no doubt that it is possible as I sit here and listen to the awe-inspiring sounds of birds chirping, announcing the dawn of a new day. Just as the bird’s call reminds me that the sun rises and sets each day, my brain is calmed by these routine sounds and the sensory awareness of the natural world coming alive during the darkest hour before the dawn. In a nano-second, I am connected to the natural wonder of creation. My Connector Brain is alive and well, sending new signals to relax, breathe and enjoy a momentary pause before facing another day in an otherwise terrifying and hostile environment of Covid-19.
If you want to move from terror to awe during our current climate of uncertainty and change, practice ABC Tool #2. This practical tool starts to train your Connector Brain by creating new neuro-pathways so you can switch from being on-fire (filled with anxiety and worry) to being cool and collected (filled with peace and calm.) The key is to be aware of your instinctual reaction, take a break through your breath and connect to yourself in the now.
The Connector Brain links us to our self, to others, to our Creator and to Creation.
ABC Tool #2: Stop, Drop and Roll!
A – Aware: Be aware!
Ask yourself “To whom or what are you connected?” Connect to Creation!
Let the natural world fill you with wonder and awe.
B – Break: Throw on the breaks!
Practice stop, drop, and roll breathing when your brain is on-fire with anxious thoughts or you are fearful about the future.
Say to yourself: Stop!
Exhale: Drop your breath into your diaphragm. Blow it out like a whale emerging from the depths of the ocean. Release your breath!
Inhale: Roll into now. Roll into a new body posture. Use your movement patterns to balance your brain. If you are sitting, stand. If you are standing, sit. Lie down on the floor in a supine position (on your stomach.) Bend your elbows and place your hands on top of each other in front of your forehead. Let your head rest upon your hands. Stay in this position for a few moments until you are ready to connect to Creation.
C – Connect: Embrace a new connection!
Shift your attention to your immediate surroundings.
a. Describe what you see … a picture or an animal.
b. Describe what you see … a picture or an animal. children laughing.
c. Describe what you feel in your physical body … breath exhaling or heart beating.
2. Pay attention to your breathing pattern. Match your heart pattern by tapping the rhythm of the beating heart. Change its rhythm from fast to slow. Feed your brain with a new rhythm.
Harness the power of your Connector Brain.
May the Breath of Life flow through you!
Comments