power-of-mind

Lemark

In my last blog post reviewing Marc Lewis’ book, Memoirs of an Addicted Brain: A Neuroscientist Examines his Former Life on Drugs, I indicated that our brains, with all their neuronal and chemical intricacy, appear to respond to a higher authority than just chemistry. There seems to be a “self” or a “soul” that is beyond the reach of “chemical imbalances.”

I’ve been saying a lot about the power of the mind in my first two blog entries for this new site. So if you want to know how I think that incredible information can be applied to marriage and family, here it is: Learn to see the positive; learn to say it positively.

As early as the turn of the last century, psychologists and philosophers wanted to understand what they called “the mind-body connection,” Freud being the most well-known of them. Gradually, research started to demonstrate that the seat of the mind—the brain—could actually change through learning. They called this the brain’s neuroplasticity. But it was only toward the end of the twentieth century that researchers were astonished to learn that the brain’s chemistry and wiring could change in the absence of an outside influence simply as a result of a person’s thoughts.

I sat there watching the IV go into my arm. Normally, IVs don’t bother me; I know that taking my blood, or G-d forbid, needing to give me blood, is good for me, but I have this particular squeamishness about having foreign substances put into my body. Heaven only knows where it came from, but I can remember having it all my life. At least, I’m totally risk free of becoming some kind of drug addict. Good things come where you least expect it.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from Natural Awakenings, p. 25

Human consciousness is a marvelous thing. It is more flexible than a yogi. For example: You are in a lecture that is definitely not going anywhere. You could be bored out of your mind, but lo and behold, your mind takes a little trip elsewhere and, before you know it, the stupid lecture is over. You walk out feeling not quite so bad about the lost time as you might have.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION from South Florida Health, v. 2 (1), pp. 19, 24