The Mind is What the Brain Does
Friday, February 18 2005 @ 07:45 PM PST
Years ago I took a course in order to become an accredited counselor in a program called, "R.E.S.T" which stands for Rational Emotive Spiritual Therapy. There was a myriad of fascinating information to wade through like how to recognize a person on narcotics as opposed to amphtemines to prescriptive drugs and their effects on the human mind, what makes us tick emotionally, intellectually, biologically etc. but what impressed me the most were the photographs of human brains.
The healthy human organs were complete and whole, looking a bit ghostly yet normal white from the x-ray whereas the organs whose owner's regularly ingested drugs like cocaine, alcohol and marijuana had immense gaping black holes throughout. As I sat there and watched the pictures flicker before my eyes and listen to my instructor explain what a brain looks like when one uses drugs recreationally I caught my breath. I began to trace over my past and how many drugs I gulped, snorted and smoked and seriously wondered what I was presently thinking with-my brain must be one big black mass and yet, there I sat in a class taking instruction on how to better understand the human mind and all it's complexities.
So today I'm flipping through the March 2005 issue of National Geographic and find the coolest article titled, "The Mind Is What the Brain Does" and if that doesn't catch your attention I don't know what would. Let me tell you, there are some fascinating studies going down rigiht now as I speak, one having been conducted on London taxi drivers. Scientists noticed that the hippocampus (essential for memory, learning, spatial relationships) in the drivers was larger than the controlled study group. This enlargement is believed to be a result of the drivers memorizing the extensive city map. Another study on jugglers showed a definite increase "of grey matter in two areas involved in visual and motor activity"-now before you get too bored, check this out:
"Furthermore, neither the driver study nor the juggler study could discern whether the growth in the brain volume was due to the reorganization of existing circuits, an increased number of nueral connections or most intriguingly, the birth of actual new brain cells-an idea preposterous until recently." Nat'l Geographic March 2005 p. 17 Supposedly a researcher at the Salk Inst. "showed that new brain cells can indeed grow in the adult hippocampus." Do you realize what this could mean? Despite all the crazy stuff that bombards our brains directly or indirectly-it is being proven by scientists that God didn't leave us without a rejuvenating mechanism to counter balance pollution, drugs, stress etc.
When we dwell on our past or even present mistakes we are diliberately sabatoging that rejuvenation process that God longs to impart to us. Only a mind set on His beautiful character can and will be healed of the damage done and let it be known that it isn't some magical mystical feel-good-all-over kind of occurence. Hardcore evidence is being uncovered that demonstrates a very real and very tangible thing is taking place when we fix our minds on that which is elevating like the truth that God is more loving than you ever imagined and that He won't burn you in Hellfires for eternity for not choosing to follow Him. Thank God for scientists and all those involved in digging deep into human biology and physiology because it is by their work that the Master Physician's treatement is revealed and made plainer and simpler.
Now go get your hot little hands on a copy of Nat'l Geo and read the whole article. It will blow your mind...literally.
Blessings,
Stacie
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