Brain and Wellbeing

L 13.6

Neuroplasticity

when our mind changes, so does our brain

Mental activity creates new neural structures in the brain

You can use your mind to change your brain for the better, which will benefit your whole being, and every other person whose life you touch

Regions of the PFC that support consciousness are updated five to eight times a second

mind-brain relationship

Is powerful

Your mind is made by you brain, body, natural world, and human culture— as well as by the mind itself

brain

works as a coordinated system

Connects to and cooperates with other systems→ body world, culture, etc

Shaped by shared stories, narratives, practices, beliefs

Negativity bias danger

Fosters or intensifies unpleasant emotion (anger sorrow, depression, guilt, shame)

Emphasizes past losses and failures

Downplays present abilities

Exaggerates future obstacles

Judges things unfairly

Three sources of suffering

greed, hatred, delusion

All work in the simulator

Virtual reality

out brain is constantly simulating the world

But… sources of suffering mostly function outside of awareness

Mini movies run constantly

Simulator

seems to be in the upper mule pod the pre-frontal cortex

Helped ancestors survive by

• simulating future events

• Comparing possible outcomes

Living in the ___ can increase suffering

Problem

negative simulations can cause negative affect an world view→ increased suffering

Mini movies have simplistic view of the past and narrow future possibilities

Awakening brain

mind, consciousness→ have a transcendent quality

• God, spirit, Buddha nature, etc

Experienced meditators

produce powerful gamma brainwaves

Create synchrony 30-80 times/second

Integrate large sections of the brain

Siddhartha

the Buddha

Spent years training his mind in meditation

Learned what causes suffering and freedom from suffering

Spent 40 years teaching others

Hanson’s conclusions

What Buddha learned

Cool the fires of greed and hatred to live with integrity

Steady and concentrate the mind to see through its confusions

Develop liberating insight

These are the pillars of everyday well-being, psychological growth, and spiritual realization

Three pillars

virtue, mindfulness, wisdom

Virtue

regulating your actions, words, and thoughts to create benefits rather than harms for yourself and others

Associated with self-regulation

mindfulness

skillful use of attention to both your inner and outer worlds

Associated with attention and learning

Wisdom

applied common sense

Two steps to grow in ___

Associated with selection

step 1

identify what hurts and what helps→ the causes of suffering and the path to its end

Fearful self vs compassionate self

Step 2

let go of what hurts and strengthen what helps

Weaken the fearful self and strengthen the compassionate self

Wisdom growth results

feel more connected, more serenity, more pleasure

Less grasping, confusion, unhappiness