Most recently when I find an area that connects the right brain to the left brain, I am fascinated. I have focused on the right brain emotions of feeling good, being sad, being depressed, and having faith because there is now scientific evidence that we can take pictures of our brain patterns that represent these emotions. Now that is amazing! There are now ways to characterize and map emotions to different sectors of our brains. Furthermore, there are now identified molecular markers that serve as messengers in triggering emotions and/or the brain changes. Awesome! In other words, we are beginning to discover hard scientific evidence on what we have previously considered just a feeling without science or chemistry associated with it.
As I was reviewing my notes and reference materials to write up this blog, I picked up a book published in 2005, The Biology of Belief, by former university cell biologist Bruce H. Lipton. I had not read this book yet so I began to flip pages to read sections. It is an amazing read if you are a scientist, as I have been, because it challenges Darwinian determinism. It notes that it's not the genes that dictate who we are, but it's the environment. I am still reading the book and I guarantee that it will challenge your understanding about how genes work and do not work in creating who we are.
While I have yet to complete the reading, here is what has been said about this book. 1) Our biology is controlled by energetic messages from our negative and positive thoughts; 2) The healing potential of our bodies are influenced by our thoughts, perceptions, and subconscious awareness; 3) There is a connection between biology, psychology, and spirituality; 4) Your emotions regulate your genetic expression; 5) Your health is controlled by your lifestyle, not by your genetics; 6) You are less a victim of your genes and more a responsibility of your own actions; and 7) You can change the character of your life by changing your beliefs. If this synopsis doesn't get you running to read the book, I'm not sure anything will!
While it appears I have deviated from my original theme around finding common denominators in brain patterns and neurochemical secretion among music therapy, prayer, meditation, cognitive behavior therapy, acupuncture, and microcurrent stimulation, I believe this book may actually help reinforce the theme. The fundamental question I am yet seeking is whether these types of treatments result in physics-based electrochemical endpoints that change our biology. As an adjunct here, I personally witnessed the change in heart rate of a hospital patient anxious about a planned surgery while she was being prayed over. Her starting pulse rate on the monitor was 95 and during the 5 minute prayer it dropped to 60 and stayed around 60 until the prayer was over and the patient opened her eyes. Then it went back up to 75, not 95. Whether it was the prayer or her relaxation, I don’t know, but her anxiety level was reduced. The pulse rate drop was dramatic.
To be continued ...
© Baldwin H. Tom CMC
www.tbgroupconsultants.com
Comments