Mindful Happiness

Anthony Quintiliani, Ph.D, LADC

  • Home
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
    • About
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Contact

December 16, 2016 By Admin

The Amazing Human Brain – Plasticity

Plasticity – The Amazing Human Brain

We humans are very fortunate in that our brain is one of the most complex entities in our known universe. Natural selection, genetic modifications, and use-related neuroplasticity have blessed us with a brain quite capable of some of the most complicated tasks imaginable. Some of these tasks (medical miracles, landing on the moon, kindness and compassion, love, etc.) are very dramatic and positive; other tasks (possible nuclear destruction, hacking weaknesses of the internet, weapons development, cyber-hate, cell-phone addiction, etc.) we would be better without. In this post I will discuss briefly some of themindful-happiness-brain_plasticity amazing things about YOUR brain.

The brain’s neurons fire at both conscious and autonomic levels at the speed of lightening.  That is very, vert fast!  It is estimated that the brain contains  over a trillion cells, with 100 billion neurons among them. That is a huge number of cells at work in YOUR brain right now. As far as all possible combinations of cell-firing in the brain, that number is set at a staggering 10 to the 1,000,000th power.  All of this wonder stems from 3.5 billion years of brain evolution, and the power of brain plasticity (“neurons that fire together wire together”). Our DNA is so, so close to that of the chimpanzee, but the small difference is what make the great difference. It is said there is no other known entity as complex as the human brain.

According to Dr. Rick Hanson, Ph.D., our intention, attention, and attitude have much to do with how well we use our brain for the better good.  This better good improves life for each of us as well as for others on this great earth. Research at the University of California (Berkeley and Davis) suggests that specific neuroplastic training may improve mental health (anxiety, depression) as well as compassion/self-compassion, contentment, joy, gratitude and happiness.  In addition, important human functioning areas such self-care, calmness, mindfulness, motivation, social connection, and intimacy may also be improved. These outcomes of practice-based neuroplasticity, in and of themselves, are quite miraculous. We are indeed fortunate.

Research being done by Dr. Bruce McEwen, Ph.D., at Rockefeller University in New York suggest that specific activities and practices help plasticity-brain-mindful-happinessto rewire the brain.  Once again, the wonders of neuroplasticity are at work here. It is suggested that specific evidence-based activities like regular mindfulness practices, social support, meaning and purpose in life, regular physical activity, even cognitive-behavioral therapy may all play important roles in plasticity-related, human resiliency. The important things here is that all these practices work against the reactive and chronic debilitation caused by severe and/or chronic stress.  We Americans are plagued by high stress in every-day life; our stress comes from economic, social, work, relationship, health, and digital communication demands. The never-ending need to remain connected electronically, and to reach expected levels of achievement have good and bad consequences. It has been noted that regular physical activity and helpful care-taking behaviors (compassionate action) enhances the function of the hippocampus (short-term, long-term, and emotionally important memory).

So, be sure to take good care of your brain. Watch what you eat!  Stay away from the “SAD” diet – the Standard American Diet. Get lots of regular exercise, Stay away from mind-altering substances. Be a kind and caring person. These practices will help keep your mind/brain and body healthy.

For more information refer to related posts and training opportunities at www.nicabm.com/brain-science, www.thefoundationsofwellbeing.com/science, and other sources.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, VermontChiYinYang_EleanorRLiebmanCenter

Author of Mindful Happiness  

Mindful Happiness cover designs.indd

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Filed Under: Brain, Featured Tagged With: ANTHONY QUINTILIANI, BRAIN, MINDFUL HAPPINESS, MINDFULNESS, PLASTICITY

Twitter

Mindful Happiness -Currently in Production

Mindful Happiness Posts

Mindful Happiness – Brain on Meditation Reports from various MRI and self-report measure studies support the proposition that your brain changes (neuronal plasticity) when you practice meditation on a regular (daily) basis.   The same is likely true when you practice yoga on a regular basis. Here are some noted changes in brain functioning that […]

How We Make Habits – An Understanding Twenty-five hundred years ago the Buddha reportedly taught how humans make habits.  The insights of this earliest Buddhist Psychology sheds shame on the West, with its almost-the-same version of this view in the 20th century. One must wonder if B. F. Skinner or N. Chomsky knew about Buddhist […]

Self-Help in Mind-Body Medicine In this brief post we will review several specific ways that may improve your psychological and physical health. The post will be short, sweet, and simple to encourage participation. Here it is. Affirmation – “I am learning to love myself just the way I am.” Repeat this mantra sub vocally over […]

The Journey of Human Compassion Practices Where are YOU on the journey of human compassion practices?  I modified interpretations of compassion to present a more formal depiction of compassionate practices and skills.  Go ahead; take the compassion quiz. Your Goal: To Reduce Human Suffering Human Warmth   Unconditional Positive Regard   Human Caring     Compassionate Actions […]

Consciousness, Emptiness, and Well Being This is an advanced post on the complex relationship among consciousness (awareness), emptiness, and well being. Readers with advanced understanding of Buddhist Psychology will recognize the inherent relationships among consciousness, emptiness, and well being and interactions with core Buddhist concepts and experiences such as happiness and suffering, impermanence, non-dual nature, […]

Human Needs and Spiritual Experience and the Need for Supportive Rituals From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont Recently the Human Givens Blog in the United Kingdom presented a post about human needs.  I will paraphrase their information as well as information from other sources for Mindful Happiness.  Having such […]

What Consciousness Really Is Considering that we have been to the moon and back, and more recently surveyed important moons of Saturn, science is still a very long way from understanding how the human brain works – and even further away from having a clear, agreed-upon interpretation of human consciousness.  Consciousness is the “stuff” of […]

Effective Clinical Supervision Perhaps other than the mental health status of the therapist and her/his ethical clinical skills, there is no more important variable in successful clinical work than effective CLINICAL supervision.  I emphasize “clinical’ because in today’s bureaucratic systems, so much supervision tends to be about required procedures like utilization level, reporting requirements, and documentation for services […]

Improving Client/Patient Collaboration  in Treatment To improve collaboration between you and your clients/patients, simply practice the following behaviors as your norms.  See the list below, and practice, practice, practice. Present with an attitude of helpfulness and authentic caring. Empathy and authentic concern are required. Recognize the reality that clients/patients are at different levels of readiness […]

Happiness Characteristics – Post #2 Below I will note a few key characteristics of experiences and attitudes associated with happiness. Do your best to experience some of these each day – as much as is possible. Here is the first list. Being Fully Alive to Experiences – Do your best to be fully involved in […]

Advanced Meditation Practices on Perception As the Sutra story goes, the Buddha instructed Ananda to visit the ailing venerable Girimananda, who was very, very ill.  In an effort to help the ailing man, the Buddha told Ananda to guide him in the Ten Meditation on Perceptions (on sensory input and the objects of mind). According […]

Using Creativity in Clinical Supervision Effective clinical supervision is a combination of hearable direction about clinical practice, gentle-direct leadership, clinical “Know-How,” evidence-based skills, complex psychodynamics, and the willingness to work with others on their developmental processes. There are risks involved. I have provided clinical supervision and consultation to other clinicians for 43 years without a […]

Breath, Mindfulness and Liberation J. Goldstein, (2007).  in volume two of Abiding in Mindfulness – On Feelings… brings clear focus to the infinite importance of feelings – the sensation-based associations of various emotional and physical states. Via on-going and regular practice of mindfulness and contemplation we may access the four areas of human awareness: body, feelings, heart-mind, […]

Loving Kindness – An Alternative Version The writings of Thich Nhat Hanh offer a different version of Loving Kindness Meditation or Metta (Pali). This version may be influenced by Buddhaghosa in Visuddhimagga (or The Path to Purification,  fifth century system of The Buddha’s teachings). The reality of no-self, or a static, permanent and inherent self is a core […]

Mindfulness Expands the Art of Journal Writing T. Merton, J. Kerouc, I. Progoff, J. Upton, and others have helped to expand the art or journal writing practice.  This type of practice can become your mindfulness practice.  You will need to write on a daily basis (even if briefly), and you will need to be highly […]

Practice: Yogi Deep Meditation on Inner Listening Carl Jung noted: Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside, awakens. The Katha Upanishads (800-400 BCE) noted: One path leads outward and the other inward. [The] way inward leads to grace. The Mind Cave Focus instructs us to close our eyes and expand your third-eye space to the back of […]

Subtle and Direct Experiences of Happiness Khenpo Sherab Zangpo’s 2017 publication The Path: A Guide to Happiness, Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications has much to offer about how to become a happier person.  Read over the listing below and see what you may be missing. Try this mantra: “I am happy the way I am.” “I am happy […]

A Radical Feminist in her Time Over 800 years ago Hildegard of Bingen presented radical viewpoints on women-power and male-dominance in the Christian Church, stone/gem healing, meditation, insight and intellect, the web of life or planetary oneness, being in nature, environmentalism, and personal stories of suffering, etc.  Despite her outspoken manner and her popularity among […]

Counseling/Psychotherapy with Self-Compassion Please begin by ending all conversations, and PLEASE shut-off your phones and/or laptops.  Simply be for a moment in the quietude of your inner self. Please close your eyes if you wish to do so. Contemplate the sacred nature of your profession – saving lives, reducing suffering, being a constant object, practicing […]

Forms of Happiness from Buddhist Psychology Given the season “to be jolly” I plan to write several posts on the topic of happiness. The following information notes five stages or levels of happiness.  Read them over and see what stage/level may be appropriate for you at this time in your practice. Note that some meditation […]

Mindful Categories

Mindful Happiness Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Dr. Anthony Quintiliani
  • Mindful Expressions Meditation CD
  • Mindful Happiness
  • Site Map

Copyright © 2023 · Mindful Happiness