Liberation is freedom from the finite (2 of 2)

Awareness of the true self is beyond the mediation of conventional sensory modalities and the dichotomy of knower and knowledge. There is nothing like ignorance because ignorance also is a manifestation of awareness. Awareness itself manifests as knowledge or ignorance. Both are just states.

Consciousness exists as both personalized and impersonalized states. Impersonalized consciousness is supra-sensory. It just exists and does not need a cognitive entity as a medium to be aware of itself. It does not have any time space definitions because these are for the finite. The Infinite Unmanifest has the privilege of manifesting as the finite. But the finite has severe limitations in perceiving the Infinite. Its identity as a finite entity is based on amnesia of its infiniteness.

Creation is the dream of consciousness. There is no logic to this dream. Realization is when consciousness awakes from its own dream. Till consciousness is in a dream state, illusion persists. The brain is a programme for affecting the dream of consciousness. Myriad forms of creation exist merely as functions of this cognitive programme.

Matter or form owes its existence to this programme of deception. This programme also has software that ensures total belief in the illusion that it creates. Any attempt to understand the self – as just a manifestation of the formless – is futile in the dream state. The entity that endeavors to do so is also part of that dream. Therefore liberation is not of a person but from the person. Liberation is deliverance from the finite and its futile attempts to comprehend the infinite. It is when the infinite wakes up from the dream of being finite – cognition that can recognize itself as absolute and not resort to duality to assert itself.  -The Times of India

The writer is a consultant neurosurgeon. Email: deepakranade@hotmail.com

Liberation is freedom from the finite (1 of 2)

Good morning friends.  Liberation is freedom.  Yes this is true.  It’s the kind of action of freeing from control or domination.  Whatever we want to do, we can do it as we have a freedom for ourselves.  

Form is a wave perceived by the ocean of consciousness in an attempt to understand its own formlessness. This duality is imagined and the sense of am-ness crystallizes as a discrete entity that thrives on other forms or cognizing entities to assert its own form. 

It seeks cognizance from other forms to recognize its own transient form. What is eternal is the formlessness that is the precursor of form.

Form is obsessed with tangibility. The sense organs are mere instruments to reinforce this belief in form as the true self. The form continues to believe it is a discrete independent entity. It has total conviction in these deceptive sensory modalities of perception.

Relativity is based on the fact that perception changes as the observer’s state changes. One form cannot understand the precise nature of another form. Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle also underlines the shortcomings of our sensory perceptive modalities, where the senses cannot determine the precise position and velocity of a particle simultaneously.

Sensory modalities can never fathom formlessness. Formlessness transcends the senses. When form has to decipher the formless it must first abandon the conviction of its own form. The brain has various centers which serve as destinations for perceptive inputs. It therefore has a strong discriminatory ability to separate the subject from the object. This discrimination is mediated via the sense organs and is the most powerful tool for effecting duality. Comprehension is totally a derivative of the sense organs.

There are many ‘silent areas’ in the brain whose exact function is not known. These areas could be mediating supra-sensory cognition, cognition that is not based on a subject-object dichotomy, cognition that uses itself to recognize itself.

 

Don’t look too far for solutions (2 of 2)

The process of strategizing while solving a problem throws up many facets of ourselves that we never knew existed. Adversity has been a blessing often enough and ought to be respected rather than feared. Complications arise most often because we take things personally and too seriously. Surrender only destroys self-esteem. Fighting enhances it. The difference between the two is just a matter of attitude.

Helplessness is a state of the mind. Most successful businessmen and corporate executives are paid for their ability to keep cool in the most trying of circumstances. They probably begin where others stop trying. Fixing the blame is not what absolves one of failure. Fixing the problem is the only redemption.

Anger, fear, resentment and frustration only muddle neural networks. They are mere manifestations of the fight, flight or fright response. What is actually needed is a right, bright, and trite response. This response can only be attained with a calm and controlled thought process. Knee-jerk responses are just reflexes without any form of cerebration. They are most often fruitless. A deliberate, conscious effort needs to be inculcated to programme a conditioned response.

A positive approach is a big help, as it tends to activate the right brain, the one that has great intuitive abilities. The most appropriate response to any problem would be whole-brained. That is with both the right and left hemispheres giving their inputs. The dominant half — the left-brain in right-handed persons and right brain in left-handed persons – enables analysis, logic and assessment. It tends to be a fragmentary approach.

The right has a more intuitive, subtle and holistic approach. A combined two-pronged approach is much more likely to bring out the best in adversity — and make it easier for the butterfly in you to take wing. – The times of Indian

A way to deal with frozen feelings (2 of 2)

Any emotional situation that takes us out of the present and into the past means that whenever the same kind of emotion crops up later in our life we return to the past for our reference point. If that point was at age three, we find ourselves behaving like a three-year-old. We feel childish and we behave childishly. Even worse, we condemn ourselves for being stupid or immature and through our mental self-talk; reinforce the problem while desperately searching for a solution.

Whenever we feel deeply stressed our brain and body goes into a fight or flight response. It’s good if we can actually fight or run away, but most times we just freeze emotionally. Our ‘frozen feelings’ are the cause of this ‘glitch’ in our learning process. We know we should be able to make a positive change, but that doesn’t change anything. With a sense of helplessness we fear the future and self-doubt rules our lives.

The process of change need not be traumatic. We need to understand that whatever pain we experienced in the past because of which we made certain choices, were the only recourse we had at the time. We couldn’t have done any better because we didn’t know how to. But we should realize that was then and this is now! We can get help from trained professionals and learn to unblock the negative emotions fused in our past that affect our positive future. We can choose to choose again. It’s up to us. It’s our movie!  -The Times of India

The writer is the co-founder, AJNA Centre for Learning, Pune.  E-mail: ajnacenter@yahoo.com.  Website: www.ajnacenter.com

 

What to Do When Guilt Attacks?

Guilt is generally a good thing.  It keeps our impulses in check, inspires us to protedct our families and communities, and helps us learn from mistakes.  Unfortunately, it can also fuel depression and anxiety, or overwhelm accident survivors and war veterans.  If left to fester, bad guilt can literally ruin a person’s life.

So how do you know if you’re suffering from good or bad guilt?  And what can you do about it?  There are five-step path to guilt freedom.

1.    Recognize that guilt is normal.  You’ll hear people say, “if only I had done this, I could have made a difference.”  This is the prefrontal cortex—the guilt center of the brain, which is responsible planning, forethought, judgment, and impulse control—trying to make sense of the situation.  The average criminal’s prefrontal cortex tends to be relatively quiet, but the area is overactive in people who tend to worry or who are racked with guilt.

2.    Identify the type of guilt.  If it’s helpful guilt, take the message seriously: “Yes, I should stop smoking.” If it’s destructive (why did I live when others were killed?), seek professional help.

3.    Understand the triggers.  When guilt’s nipping at your heels, write down exactly what you’re thinking.  Are your thoughts rational, or are they just shredding your insides like a salami slicer?  Putting your thoughts to paper will help you see the situation more objectively.

4.    Make amends.  If your guilt stems from having hurt someone, take action.  Apologize, write a letter, or offer to help that person in some way.

5.    Forgive yourself.  This is key.  When you can say, “I did the best I could,” or “I can learn from this experience,” guilt is on its way out. – Daniel G Amen. M.D

Learning Now Helps Later

Good morning friends.  Pursuing your creativity is good for your brain.  When you learn a new language or study music or art, your brain works in a new ways to store information, say Dr. Bartzokis.

 

This is especially important in middle age, because when people reach their 50s, their brains do shrink a little.  We can offset some of the through proper diet, exercise and keeping mentally active.  The brain is more like muscle than we ever thought. We need to keep it physically fit by using it.

 

According to a nationwide study on creativity and aging, those involved in arts programs had better overall health, fewer doctor visits, took less medication and had less depression than those who weren’t.  although the study focused on seniors 65 and older, the preliminary findings have implications for all of us.  We know that when older adults engaged in meaningful activities that provide them a new sense of mastery and opportunity for social interaction, they lower their risk for disease by building stronger immune system.

 

For women who still think pursuing their creativity is too self-indulgent. Dr. Bartzokis says think again.  If a woman develops her skills and passions, she enriches herself, serves as a great model for her children and is a more interesting mate.  And she is less likely to become dependent n her family later.

 

Yes, it’s scary and jumbling to start something new later in life.  But facing your fears is worth it.  The payoff is an unbelievable feeling of self-satisfaction and accomplishment.  The question isn’t “Is it too late?”  Rather, it’s “What are you waiting for?” – Marnell Jameson

Weird Energy Tricks That Work (1)

Rechare in 10 minutes o less with these unexpected brain and body booster.

 

Some days you’re so tired you whole body hurts.  But you can actually trick your brain into feeling awake and alert, says Jon Gordon, author of Energy Addict: 101 Physical, Mental, & Spiritual Ways to Energize Your Life. Check out these weird boosters and see for yourself.

 

■  See red  When your eyes see fiery hues like red or orange, our pituitary gland pumps up energy production, according to a branch of alternative medicine called color therapy.  So to stay energized, keep these power color in your line of vision:  Buy red place mats, keep an orange coffee mug or your des, or view the world through rose-tinted glasses.

 

■  Tell stupid jokes  Go ahead and giggle:  Laughing pushes energizing endorphins into the body, according to a study published in the journal Psychological Reports.  And it causes your brain to pump out extra serotonin—your body’s natural antidepressant—making your feel more alert and alive.  To get a lift, catch The Daily Show on Comedy Central, or encourage your kids to tell knock-knock jokes around the dinner table.

 

■  Go get lost…in nature  Here’s why:  When you walk in the woods, you breathe in invisible particles that are believed to boost your energy.  These molecules, called negative ions, are also found near mountains, waterfalls and beaches.  Negative ions increase the levels of oxygen entering your brain an boost serotonin levels, making you feel wired—in a good way.  Don’t live near the slopes or seashore?  Spending an extra ten minutes in your steamy morning shower will give you a mini ion blast, too.

 

■  Get all mixed up  Doing something as simple as driving a different route to work or switching the toppings on you salad can give you extra oomph.  When you try something new, your brain responds to the exciting stimulus by releasing adrenaline—a natural upper that makes you more alert.  Make one tiny change in your routine tomorrow and enjoy the extra adrenaline kick.

 

reference: Nicole De Coursy

Living Well – 3

SMELL

Did you know?

♥   A certain smell can immediately take you back to your joyful first kiss; that’s because the part of the brain that processes smells has connections to the limbic system.

♥  Women feel less tense after exposure to the chemical pheromones in men’s armpits.

♥  You can smell sick:  Mice can use odor to identify diseased animals, and it may someday be possible to use human body odors to detect viruses such as HIV and small pox.

 

To enrich your sense of Smell

♥  Consciously sniff specific objects.  To learn the scents in wines, I spent a lot of time in grocery stores, smelling mushrooms, jam and citrus.

♥  Add unique smells to common things’ for example, sprinkle cinnamon in your java so you wake up and smell more than the coffee.

♥  To clear up congestion, eat three or four cloves of garlic each day for one week.