What is the Mind? Oddly, there is no clear definition of the Mind. Often the terms "Mind" and "Brain" are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. The Brain is a tangible 3 pound mass that serves as the central command post for all your bodily functions. It is also the seat of our emotions and where memories are stored, among other things.
The Mind however, is not tangible. It may emanate from the body, but does not reside there. It is the mysterious realm of consciousness, it is the medium through which we interact with the world. Through the mind, we project our personality: expression; curiosity; passion; desires; hopes and aspirations all live in and arise from the Mind. And though the Brain and the Mind are not the same, they do work together. Think of them like the two pillars of a computer system, with the Brain being the hardware, (the terminal, wires and semiconductors) and the Mind being more like the software, (able to interact with and learn from the outside world and thereby evolving a unique relationship with it's owner). So the Brain and the MInd are indeed interdependent but operating in very different spheres.
How to Master your Mind and Brain and Why it is important?
Most of us experience a chatter in our heads from the moment we wake up until we fall asleep. In a way, the mind can behave like a hyperactive child: easily bored and easily distracted but with a very short attention span. Allowing this child to take over your thoughts is like handing your car keys to a five year old: eventually some serious damage will be done. The Mind, under the influence of this child, can easily hijack the brain and begin reprogramming it's circuits for anger, fear, hopelessness and despair, even when the circumstances don't necessarily warrant it.
This can occur suddenly or over time, when images, events or situations in your life are poorly understood or processed. These "flawed thoughts" are laid down in the Mind as traumas and they then go on the influence the physiology and function of the Brain. The Brain, being an all too willing servant of the Mind, stores away these perceived traumas, where they proceed to create all kinds of havoc. The tension, anxiety and depression resulting from this "reprogramming" of the Brain, puts the body at risk of serious life threatening diseases and even early death through the Brain / Body connection.
Luckily though, this impetuous child can be usurped by a higher authority. We will call this authority "Your Higher Self". Your Higher Self is really meant to keep everything in check, but he or she needs to be taught how to manage things.
She does this by telling the child to sit down and shut up, after which she can slow everything down and process situations and thoughts more carefully. Instead of assigning an emotional charge to everything, as a child would, she looks at things through a more pragmatic lens, deciding what is the best way to view, understand and label a given experience or idea, then carefully filing it in the right place; either in the trash can or for later use in the memory. This careful analysis of the chatter occurring in our mind eventually helps us to view things for what they really are. Arriving at conclusions that are closer to the truth is essential for helping our brains appropriately process decisions, while remaining relatively serene. One day, the child will be tamed and learn her place, that being: to maintain our youthfulness, through curiosity, wonder, excitement and joy. Then, the chatter, which by then will no longer have a receptive audience, will begin to diminish and the Mind, Brain and Body will start working together like one well oiled machine.
-S.E. Mathias
If you enjoyed the forgoing content, please feel free to comment and to share it with your friends and family. And stay tuned for my upcoming book: "The Happiness Tree", due out in early 2015.
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