Eight months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 249. Yesterday, I talked about seeing our reflection in other people. Today is a new day.
The typical person either fights or runs away in the face of danger (fight-or-flight), which is a response deep in our brains programmed since ancient times. The area of the brain that produces this response is called the "reptilian brain" because all of the basic functions (the 4 F's: fighting, fleeing, feeding, reproduction) are programmed in this area of the brain, which is present in even the simplest of mammals. Things like planning, reasoning, logical thinking, etc. tend to go away when we're in those fight-or-flight situations because we lack mastery over our emotions, which reflects a lack of control over the mind. The reason why disciplines such as yoga, martial arts, and the like incorporate mindfulness and meditation-based practices is to gain higher control over our basic, primal behaviors.
The martial artist, Bruce Lee, has talked about how he would find a way to train his body and mind in whatever he was doing. This is something that has inspired me, so when I'm on the train I like to stand without holding on to anything for support and balance as it moves around on the tracks. Last night I was particularly in good focus and was able to maintain my balance without any trouble and I noticed a sense of calming and focus. I've talked about the importance of focus many times before, but every time I find myself with this focus I get a higher sense of mental clarity and my body feels light. I get this feeling every time I do things that require concentration, composure, and control. It's elevating.
Whether it's teaching my students, eating breakfast, or doing some sightseeing, being fully in control of the mind and aware of each moment is something that can elevate me to having higher consciousness of the world around me. With higher consciousness we can go beyond our basic instincts and evolve to something else. To me, this raising of vibrations is the key to understanding the self and unlocking our potential.
Peace
"Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things." - Denis DiderotPsychology is so fascinating to me. I was listening to a lecture about brain activity and using the higher functions of our brains and it made an interesting allusion to martial arts. The point of practicing any real martial art isn't to learn how to fight, but to master the mind and body. It's the art of self-discipline, not the art of killing, which most people tend to confuse. The lecture mentioned how the mindset of the martial artist is that of remaining calm and composed, even when in fight-or-flight situations, and that such a mentality is key toward being able to use and control more of our higher brain functions.
The typical person either fights or runs away in the face of danger (fight-or-flight), which is a response deep in our brains programmed since ancient times. The area of the brain that produces this response is called the "reptilian brain" because all of the basic functions (the 4 F's: fighting, fleeing, feeding, reproduction) are programmed in this area of the brain, which is present in even the simplest of mammals. Things like planning, reasoning, logical thinking, etc. tend to go away when we're in those fight-or-flight situations because we lack mastery over our emotions, which reflects a lack of control over the mind. The reason why disciplines such as yoga, martial arts, and the like incorporate mindfulness and meditation-based practices is to gain higher control over our basic, primal behaviors.
The martial artist, Bruce Lee, has talked about how he would find a way to train his body and mind in whatever he was doing. This is something that has inspired me, so when I'm on the train I like to stand without holding on to anything for support and balance as it moves around on the tracks. Last night I was particularly in good focus and was able to maintain my balance without any trouble and I noticed a sense of calming and focus. I've talked about the importance of focus many times before, but every time I find myself with this focus I get a higher sense of mental clarity and my body feels light. I get this feeling every time I do things that require concentration, composure, and control. It's elevating.
Whether it's teaching my students, eating breakfast, or doing some sightseeing, being fully in control of the mind and aware of each moment is something that can elevate me to having higher consciousness of the world around me. With higher consciousness we can go beyond our basic instincts and evolve to something else. To me, this raising of vibrations is the key to understanding the self and unlocking our potential.
Peace
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| With an elevated mind, how far can we go? What are we truly capable of? |
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