BALANCED BRAIN

By Dr. Jim David

We were old friends. Toby and I were friends 70 years ago during our teenage years. Even then, he was searching for the key to a better life, a more fulfilling and contented life. He was more than well-read – he read voraciously in philosophy, theology, spirituality.

During his lifelong quest for a better life, he learned to trust himself. Some teachings rang true for him while others failed to soothe his being. He resonated with Sheldon B. Kopp’s classic work, “If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him.” The message is to listen to your body, trust your instincts, live in your own peace.

Toby learned patience. He realized he was on a never-ending journey. He practiced balancing awareness. He balanced self-awareness with awareness of outer events. Living in awareness deepened his patience while strengthening his self-acceptance. Being at peace with himself created boundless delight in everything and everyone he encountered. He stepped off the treadmill of life as he lived more powerfully the teaching in “Awareness,” the master work of Jesuit priest and psychologist, Anthony DeMello.

Toby shared freely about the places, persons, events, and learnings that shaped his life. One of his treasured spiritual masters is Ekhart Tolle, who gained fame with his book, “The Power of Now.” Popularizing the rewards of living fully in the present without regretting the past and not fearing the future has unlocked joy for many people.

Ekhart Tolle went a giant step forward in his later book, “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose,” wherein he again explained the wisdom of living in “The Now,” while adding the challenge of “Dying to Self.” Dying to Self encompasses letting go of the myriad attachments we all have – power, wealth, status, fame, acclaim. In letting go of our attachments we inhabit the freedom and joy of being OK just in being. Toby knew this was not readily attained. Years of living in awareness, living in the now are the bedrock of being OK, experiencing love, peace and joy just in being.

I asked Toby if there were any shortcuts, any way to accelerate the process. I thought I knew what his answer would be. He shocked me with his reply. He began by saying the tried-and-true method was practicing some form of meditation a minimum of 20 minutes twice daily. He was open to practicing whatever form of meditation speaks to you.

BRAIN WAVES

Toby then briefly explained brainwaves to me. Brain waves are electrical impulses generated by the brain to send information and trigger electrochemical changes. They are produced when our neurons communicate with each other using electricity. They operate at different speeds measured as Hertz (Hz) per second. Most of our waking moments we live in what he called, “the tyranny of Beta,” 14-38 Hz, wherein we think, plan, worry, agonize, etc. – our normal conscious mind. When we relax deeply, we slide into Alpha, 8-14 Hz, where we can rest, quieting the mind; being comfortable with observing our internal events and external views without judging, experiencing without thinking; drinking in a piece of art, experientially.

He emphasized that the next deeper level of relaxation is attainable by all of us, with intentionality and practice. Theta, 4-8 Hz, is reached with focus and practice while relaxing, or effortlessly at other times. Theta includes deep physical relaxation and mental quiet – the conquering of Beta! This state of being is the pleasure of connecting with the love, joy and peace already present inside each of us.

While in Theta we glide into Delta, 0.5-4 Hz which is sleep. The other, polar-opposite, extreme is Gamma, which we move into when we experience extreme levels of adrenalin due to stress or positive excitement about an endeavor; 38-80 Hz is associated with high intelligence.

EFFORTLESS THETA

Toby explained that many people may not possess the time, energy, or motivation to access Theta intentionally. He pointed out that immediately upon awakening from sleep we are in effortless Theta. He recommended we stay in Theta as long as possible, providing room or openness for the creativity of Theta to gift us with new perspectives on whatever Beta issue may be lingering around in the shadows of our minds. We then experience the Balanced Brain. We combine whatever Beta issue is paramount in the left hemisphere of our brain with the wondrous creativity of our right hemisphere, activated by basking in the sunlight of Theta. The Corpus Callosum connects the two hemispheres. 

Toby said, “the more we energize our Corpus Callosum, the more whole we become.”

Dr. Jim David is a retired psychotherapist in Silver Spring, MD, who adheres to positivity in all areas of life. Visit his website at www.askdrdavidnow.comor email at [email protected].