Our wonderful brain

Our brain is  about 1300 grams in weight and has a 100 billion neurons sloshing around. This amazing organ has been evolving for millions of years which is similar to scoops of ice cream being added to a cone.

The lowest part of the brain(thalamus and cerebellum) is similar to that of a lizard’s.It hasn’t evolved much. It handles the survival –oriented behaviour like hunger and sex. The middle part of the brain is involved in emotional processing. This part of the brain ( hippocampus and amygdala) is similar to that of the mice’s which is much more evolved than that of a lizard’s.

The third and the newest part of the brain which is also the largest is the complex cortex and is the home to our thoughts and language.

The evolution of our brain can be compared to this example.If someone asked you to construct a racing boat but they gave you a wooden rowboat and said you could add things to it to make it into a racing boat!  That’s what our brain evolution has been.We can’t change its basics but we can tweak subtly. The interaction between the old and the new makes us who we are today.

Neurons that fire together wire together. repeated patterns of thoughts and feelings change our brain structure evidenced through practises like mindfulness/meditation. So we can HELP BUILD OUR OWN RACING BOAT..

1. Our brain under CRITICISM

We are conditioned to stick to the negative. Someone compliments us. Someone criticises us. We remember only the latter.This is because our ancestors had to avoid predators and if they didn't they didn't survive. So our brains are wired to hyper-focus on bad news. The brain is like Velcro for bad news and like Teflon for good news.

How to overcome this: Be mindful of happy moments/ positive moments.

2. Our brain while PROCRASTINATION

When we postpone stuff we are avoiding the unpleasantness in the present but putting pressure on our future self. Very strangely we treat our future selves like we would treat a stranger. Procrastination is a struggle between the limbic brain and the prefrontal cortex. The limbic brain

( emotional) brain wants us to feel good now. This is a fast automated process. Our cortex wants us to be logical.  We have to kick-start it into gear and it is a long er slower process.

How to overcome this: Practise to engage the logical brain. e.g pay your taxes on time to avoid e harrassment.

3. Our brain in LOVE

Romantic love originates in our basic lizard brain. It is a basic drive. Romantic attraction is a primitive response while attachment is newer response.

How to overcome this: When in love we overlook the pros and this helps in lifetime and longer love.

To be contd