A MINDFUL BRAIN & NEUROPLASTICITY
By Kali Basman
“The most excellent education would be if we could take the wandering attention and return it again and again to its target.” -James Joyce
NEURAL PLASTICITY
15 years ago, the dogma was the adult brain is done growing. We now know that’s absolutely wrong.
In fact, we know neurons can change throughout our entire lifespan in 3 ways
1) synapto-genesis: creation of the long spindly cells, the synapses, the connections between neurons. These can continuously be created.
2) neuro-genesis- new growth of neural stem cells in the brain. These can grow into fully integrated neurons throughout adulthood.
3) myelin-genesis. The fatty sheath that goes along outer layer of the nerve, the insulator, which increases speed of conduction.
So we know the brain continues to change. Key: neural firing leads to neuroplasticity. Eric Candell won the Nobel Prize for proving that our brains are constantly growing and changing even into adulthood.
How to change your brain? By focusing your attention.
Awareness harnesses the power of neuroplasticity in specific circuits.
The focus of attention is like the scalpel that lets you remold the structure of the brain. Recent research shows where you focus attention activates the neurons that correlate with that activity.
So focus on breath- and you activate interoceptive focus. If you’re playing an instrument and your focusing your attention on your fingers on a piano- as you focus attention you activate those circuits, neurons fire together and become wired to create channels of patterns, traits, from a mindful state.
Mindfulness, then, becomes easier & easier to return to.
“If you don’t realize the source of truth, your buddha nature, you stumble in confusion and sorrow. When you realize where you come from you naturally become tolerant, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king, immersed in the wonder, you can deal with whatever life brings you and even when death comes, you are ready.” -Tao Te Ching
Photos from 20 HR Yin, Yang & Mindfulness Yoga Intensive in New Orleans - November 14-17, 2020
Kali Basman
International yoga teacher Kali Basman enriches the paradigm of Yin Yoga to integrate distinct aspects of Self into an innate wisdom practice to awaken a rich inner life and radiate with ritual. Her offering honors Yin Yoga as a tool to surrender to our intrinsic wholeness.
On the textured path of mindful healing, Kali is celebrated for her integration of the 5 Elements and Chinese Meridian Theory with self-inquiry, embodied Anatomy, Buddhist Philosophy of Equanimity, and sharp intellect.