Your Beautiful Mind 1st Edition

August 2005
YOUR BEAUTIFUL MIND - 1st Edition
The key to transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary!

The next 4 editions of QE News are dedicated to your beautiful mind.

It is easy to be inspired by people's acts of genius. What is not commonly acknowledged is that those that win Nobel prizes and geniuses carry the same brain, equal in potential to you and I. Yet even they are only using a fraction of their mental power - and we perhaps a fraction less.

In this edition of QE News, we shall explore the most powerful tool known to humanity. We deserve to understand such a fascinating apparatus that is secured neatly behind our face and contains 100 billion neurons and trillions of supporting glial cells ready to serve our journey of understanding and experience.

How do we think?

Neglect through Ignorance
One of the most amazing phenomena about our society is the lack of daily attention and respect we give to our mind. There are misguided assumptions that suggest changing our mind does not necessarily change our experiences and that our intelligence is inherited. Yet scientific evidence and personal experiences for many centuries are proving the contrary.

We take for granted and in the most part are not even aware of the 60,000 plus thoughts per day fired by electrical impulses through our brain. We rarely question what is generating these electrical charges igniting our billions of neuron connections. Surely we are due to ask the questions.

Brain Plasticity
Our thoughts seem invisible to us. We only know they are there when they happen, but are left oblivious to their origins. Our thinking plays a vital role in everything we experience and this is why understanding our thought patterns will give us the ability to change the thoughts that work against our efforts to succeed.

Lets first understand how our thoughts work in the brain, because we will gain an appreciation of our power and begin to explore the benefits of what neuroscientists refer to as 'brain plasticity.' Thomas Elbert, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Konstanz in Germany has proved that the adult brain is almost as malleable and 'plastic' as a child's. This means our capacity to learn and relearn should serve to redefine what we deem as possible for adults.

Thought Factory
Our brain is made up of billions of nerve cells known as neurons. Neurons connect together through their branch-like tentacles called dendrites, (signal receivers) and axon terminals. (transmitters) These neurons transmit and receive nerve signals to and from the brain at speed of over 300 km ph! This is why our thoughts and body reflexes are lightning quick and so well coordinated.

Neuron

When neurons come together to form thought patterns, they look like an intricate net that we refer to as a neuronet. (The neuronet term is taken from Ramtha's School of Enlightenment; www.ramtha.com and featured in the film What The Bleep Do We Know? )

The ends of each tentacle of one dendrite and axon terminal connect to other tentacle endings of other dendrites and axon terminals, but do not really touch. The gap is called a synapse (below) and this is where the thunderstorms of electrical signals occur. Electrical impulses are sent from one neuron to the next through the synapses of their dendrites and axon terminals.

Synapse

Some studies say a neuron has as many as 1,000 to 10,000 synapses, (some argue much more) meaning it can communicate with as many as 10,000 other neurons, muscle cells, glands etc. We can see why the brain's potential for biochemical pattern forming is massive.

Considering the presence of billions of neurons with this degree of association connectivity, the brain has an infinite capacity for storing information, associating concepts and triggering instructions to the body because it can create endless new neuron pathways.

Consciousness of Beliefs
Our thoughts are experienced through a diverse range of biochemical reactions in the body providing sensory awareness of the environment as well as pain and pleasure sensations and complex emotions. The firing of these impulse signals create a unique awareness in perception to each individual and science is beginning to refer to this as 'consciousness'.

For example, the orange may fire neurons that remind you of the fruit, its juice, possible hunger or thirst, your Cointreau liqueur or the time you were hit in the face with an orange; all depending on the associated contexts ranging from a kitchen, school playground, dessert to a bar.

Association possibilities created by new neuron pathways to every idea are as unlimited as our imagination and as unique to each individual as our fingerprints.

So each neuron holds an idea and each neuronet holds a belief made up of a sum of those ideas. All existing neuronets that exist in our brain are there to shape our overall model of reality and the experience of that reality through the senses of our body.

We have millions of our own neuronets that define our specific range of belief-systems, shape our consciousness and mold the way we perceive life. These same beliefs are igniting the same neuron pathways and therefore maintaining a rigid way of believing and experiencing what is possible in our life.

Perpetuated beliefs are a maintaining of the same neuronets. This is what is also known as being 'hard wired' and therefore fixated and inflexible in our views.

Whatever sets of neurons are firing at any one time is what is generating our thoughts. One potential belief formed by the collection of unique idea associations could be that oranges can be dangerous. Hence whenever someone is throwing an orange up and down in their hand, we may fire thoughts of potentially being hit and accordingly feel anxious, while others may not have that response mechanism at all.

When we observe how our reactions are predetermined by our neuronets, we come to how important it is to question our automated emotional responses and explore alternate beliefs (thought generators) that will help us react in a desired way.

Infinite Choices
When we understand the enormous capacity of our brain to hold a diversity of beliefs associated with experiences, we that we have infinite choices. Yet our choices appear limited due to the existing belief-systems that are hooked into predetermined responses including the propensity to block new ways of thinking. We need to challenge these preconceived beliefs that shut out our choices passed down to us by insecure and mis-informed sources.

Taking what we already know as the truth and defending our beliefs without seeking to understand alternative ways of perceiving is a recipe for stagnation and consistent struggle. It is up to us to challenge our assumptions about what is possible in order to enjoy the freedom of the many choices of interpretation and reactions that exist in each moment.

Lets begin seeing our brain as a vital organ that is grossly under. Below are proven focus and disciplines that help develop higher levels of insight with profound success. Your intelligence will increase by your ability to learn and grasp new concepts, rather than be enslaved to the outdated neuronets that keep us from breaking free from our unwanted situations.

The moment we cease holding an outdated belief, the neuron connections of the neuronet begin to separate and new neuron connections form the new belief (new neuronet) that is aligned with the success we desire. This is the true meaning of changing one's mind! The old way of thinking ceases to exist and therefore cannot tempt us into limiting ourselves ever again.

Ignite Your Mind
The more we use the mind, the more of it begins to ignite and develop. One of the most important disciplines to develop is mental focus. This is the ability to shut out all thoughts and focus only on the task or goal at hand. This requires patience and dedication, but the rewards are priceless.

Candle Focus Exercise
   1    Sit cross-legged or in a chair with your back straight in a still and darkened room.
   2    Place a lit candle (non toxic and smokeless) at eye level, 6 inches away and between your eyes.
   3    Stare at the dark part located near the bottom of the naked flame for initially 15 minutes straight and keep adding 5 minutes a day to the focus session time until you reach one hour.
   4    Do not move your body or head and if your mind wanders, get back to your focus immediately.

   •    This candle focus is an ancient discipline that helps develop the ability to focus on tasks and goals for amazing periods.
   •    The act of focusing also creates new neuronets that will evolve perception and also develops the ability to naturally focus with minimal effort.
   •    The process also provide a tranquil and relaxing place to recharge your body and mind.
   •    There are so many other benefits we can share with you in future editions of QE News.

Daily Goal Focus Exercise
   1    Make a list of things you want to experience - these will be your goals.
   2    Write down what beliefs will support each goal - its okay if some are repeated in the list.
   3    Draw a symbol and create your personal affirmation for each goal that begins with "I am" or "I have".
   4    Focus on your goals list every morning and evening before you go to bed.
   5    Focus on a candle or meditate for a minimum of 30 minutes or until you have reached a deep tranced state.
   6    Keeping your body still and with your eyes closed in a dark room, focus on your goals for a few minutes each.
   7    Repeat the goal process for 30 minutes.

This exercise contributes vital process of feeding our mind exciting potentials. Our thoughts are being generated by our existing belief systems. We need to replace those beliefs that work against our goals with a conscious focus on the expectation that our goals have already been achieved.