The following exercises are aimed at stimulating the relationship between the two separate hemispheres of our head brain. It is known that the left eye is connected to the right hemisphere brain, while the right eye is connected to the left. When we use both eyes independently and look at the combined picture, it means that the exact connection...

https://www.site/journal/147126

Why is it bad, write psychologists from the University of Toronto. "Good and bad moods change the functioning of the visual cortex head brain and the way we see. In particular, our research shows that when we are in a good mood... are given in the university's message. Anderson and his colleagues used magnetic resonance imaging to determine how brain processes visual information when a person is in a bad, good and “neutral” mood. To participants...

https://www.site/journal/122301

Only he knows how to handle this energy. Once Psychic Energy falls into “hands” brain mammal or reptilian brain, how it turns from a powerful healing, creative force into a deadly poison for all living things... the neocortex contains limitless possibilities for the process of cognition and their implementation in life. This area brain controls telepathic, linguistic, extrasensory abilities. Only thanks to the development of the neocortex can a person creatively realize...

https://www..html

Psychedelic action. Long distance running and meditation have the same effect. The parietal lobes are located above the cortex head brain and contain maps that map every inch of both the motor and tactile areas of the body. This area... begins to release a constant stream of endorphins. There is also evidence that when endorphin levels increase in head brain, it goes down in the dorsal. Thus, it is possible that some breathing and visualization techniques...

https://www.site/psychology/15449

A scientist and teacher at the University of California at Berkeley, conducting a study on rats, found that when placed in a favorable environment, they showed a change in chemistry brain, as a result of which their bark head brain became thicker by approximately 7%. Their nerve cells became larger, the number of glial cells increased, chemical connections between cells improved, dendrites lengthened...

https://www.site/psychology/15444

By all means - and still return to life unharmed. All this is connected with a peculiar mechanism of tissue formation brain. They are not formed by ordinary division, like other cells of the body - but are replenished by those brought in by the bloodstream... selection. And if during the state of death the preserving energy channel is broken, then replenishment stops, and in the tissues brain irreversible changes are observed; if such a channel is preserved, then there are no irreversible changes, and “revival” is possible through...

https://www.site/magic/15818

It generates heat during operation. Excessive heat can disrupt functioning because neurons brain function normally only within a narrow temperature range. Having compared the obtained theoretical data with experimental values, the author of the work came to the conclusion that brain– thermodynamically stable. This means that its structure provides the desired temperature balance...

“We must look at ourselves and at the world through the eyes of three completely different personalities,” two of whom are not armed with speech.
The human brain, says McLean, is “equivalent to three interconnected biological computers,” each of which has “its own mind, its own sense of time and space, its own memory, motor and other functions.”

Quotes from the article:

All humans have a triune brain system, which includes:
- reticular (reptilian) brain,
- emotional (limbic, mammalian) brain,
- visual brain (cerebral cortex, neocortex).

1. Reptilian brain (R-complex)

It exists 100 million years ago, it is the oldest.

Has a fundamental influence on our behavior. Responsible for the safety of the species and controls basic behavior. This is the instinct of reproduction, protection of one's territory, aggression, the desire to possess and control everything, following patterns, imitation, deception, the struggle for power, the desire for hierarchical structures, ritual behavior, minority control.
He is characterized by cold-blooded behavior, lack of empathy, and indifference to the consequences of our actions regarding other people.

Its functions are quite simple: “run - fight - freeze.” It is very useful for immediate reactions. First – reaction, then comprehension. In this sense, this is our “autopilot”, which we cannot consciously control. His main task is to protect the body, he is defensive, he is always “on guard” and looks out for danger to the body.

It is also the reptilian brain that first of all becomes the object of external manipulation in order to instill in you a constant fear of “not surviving”, feeding you information about crises, rising prices, wars, disasters, accidents, violence, carrying out painful reforms and much more that scares us modern society from cradle to grave.

He also sometimes confuses imaginary danger with a real threat. In such situations, the reptilian brain literally takes control of your mind and body.

Surely you can remember that there were times in your life when the reptilian brain took over your mind and you “overreacted” to a situation? In a sense, our reptilian brain still functions within us as the ancient dinosaurs, or our distant and wild ancestors.

2. The limbic system is the “emotional brain.”

Mammal brain. Its age is 50 million years, this is an inheritance from ancient mammals.

It is responsible for the survival of the individual, self-preservation and self-defense; governs social behavior, maternal care and education. It is involved in the regulation of the functions of internal organs, smell, instinctive behavior, experiences, memory, sleep, wakefulness, etc. This brain is 98% identical to the brain of “our smaller brothers.”

The emotional brain is considered the main generator of emotions and connects emotional and physical activity. This is where fear, fun, and change of mood arise. By the way, it is the limbic system that is susceptible to the effects of psychotropic substances. Disturbances in the limbic system can cause unexplained attacks of rage, fear or sensitivity.

The emotional brain gives us the “feeling life.” It is important to know that this is a “monotonous brain”; it loves comfort and routine, and strives for security and consistency. For the emotional brain, safety is doing today what you did yesterday, and tomorrow what you did today.

The “gravity” of the emotional brain, in its desire to preserve what we already have, manifests itself in resistance to change, it holds and pulls us back into the so-called “comfort zone” - the status quo, as part of homeostasis. Any of our attempts to get out of it is stressful for the emotional brain.

Every decision you make goes through his filter: “Is this good for me? Is it safe for my family? Isn’t there a threat in this?” And if something threatens, you reject this choice. In other words, when the emotional brain makes decisions, it bases it on what is close and familiar to you.

When you feel resistance to change, it means your emotional brain is controlling your mind.

His features:
- lives in the present time;
- auditory (communication using sounds and tones);
- orientation towards life in a group, his priority is the survival of the group, family, clan;
- does not know the options, only “yes” and “no”, “good-bad”, “this or that”;
- associativity with certain moments of life - when we think about something, we enter into an image and experience feelings.

The emotional brain does not distinguish between threats to our body and threats to our ego. Therefore, we begin to defend ourselves without even understanding the essence of the situation.

The reptilian and emotional systems of the brain have existed together for 50 million years and interact very well. This is why it is so important to understand that these two tightly coupled systems can often take control of the mind and body. For the reptilian brain, the threat can be physical, for the emotional brain it can be emotional. For example, loss of love, fear of the unknown, or changes occurring in a person's life.

3. Visual brain (cerebral cortex, neocortex - left and right hemispheres).

Thinking brain. This is the rational mind - the youngest structure. Age 1.5 – 2.5 million years.

It represents what we call reason: reflections, conclusions, the ability to analyze, cognitive processes take place in it, etc. Possesses spatial thinking, visualization pictures appear here, focus on the future, its research and analysis.

With it you can imagine anything you want!

This is also our “thought mixer” (about 60,000 thoughts a day!).

This brain can determine:
- what actions you need to take,
- set goals and make a plan,
- discuss your goals and dreams,
- inspire you and cause action for a short period of time,
- using logic to accept or reject ideas and goals.

It is important to remember that the conscious brain is not responsible for actions on a long-term basis.
Today, neuroscience has proven that the conscious brain is responsible for only 2% of long-term goals. The remaining 98% is the responsibility of our subconscious.

Now, having an idea about the structure of our brain, we can move on. At one time, Confucius said that “the world is transformed by those who were able to transform themselves, knowing that the greatest mastery begins with control of the mind. When the mind becomes an obedient servant of a person, the whole world will lie at his feet.”

In continuation of the material, quotes on this topic from another source:

Real and hidden capabilities of the brain

1. Reptilian brain

During human evolution, the brain stem called the reptilian brain was the first to develop. It is the weakest component of human intelligence. This area of ​​the brain is responsible for sensory-motor reactions (the work of the five senses with which we perceive the material world).

Human life takes place in three-dimensional space.
Our senses, and therefore the associated Consciousness, are oriented towards the perception of the range of this space. As you can see, this range is small, considering that space is multidimensional and by no means linear, as we perceive it.

The real world in which we live and to which our Consciousness is oriented is not at all the same as we know and imagine (idealize) it. We now have yet to explore, understand and inhabit this unknown World.

Behavioral stereotypes embedded in the reptilian brain are associated with the instinct of survival, with the desire to procreate.

When the reptilian brain exhibits dominant activity, a person loses the ability to think at all other, disproportionately higher levels. The development of the brain and thinking occurs only through study, there is no other option: either you strain it or you lose it! When a person “loses” his brain, he degrades.

To avoid this, first it will be enough to agree with the fact that our perception of the World is limited, incomplete, and our “reference point” and “system of measures” are archaic. Wisdom says: “What gets measured gets done.” We live in the atomic age, but we measure by “quarters”, by eye.

If you think about it, a person accepts the perception of the World from the point of view of a reptile (its eyes) as the Ultimate Truth, having built his worldview, morality, morality on this shaky and very unreliable foundation...

2. Mammal Brain

The reptilian brain is surrounded by a very complex limbic system, called the “mammalian brain.”

This area of ​​the brain is located significantly higher on the evolutionary ladder than the reptilian brain and is present in all mammals. Its functions are emotional and cognitive. This part of the brain is responsible for sensations, experiences, memory and learning; controls biorhythms, the manifestation of hunger, controls blood pressure, sleep, metabolism, heart rhythm, and the state of the immune system.

The reptilian brain plays an important role in maintaining the vital functions of the body: it is with this brain that the influence of emotions on health is associated. The limbic system perceives signals coming from the senses (hearing, vision, touch) and transmits the received information to the thinking part of the brain - the neocortex.

People with a dominant limbic brain are emotional and touchy. Or they go to the other extreme: they immerse themselves in study, work, business, and take on a lot of other people’s worries and responsibilities, which are burdensome and often do not bring any benefit to anyone.

Since the limbic system is directly connected with the neocortex, its dominance wastes the mental energy of the neocortex on solving problems and tasks of the limbic system, simply burns it with emotions, instead of using it to solve specific practical matters with tangible results!

3. Thinking brain (neocortex)

The neocortex is located above and to the sides of the limbic system.

Its mass constitutes eighty percent of the total mass of the brain matter, and it is unique to humans. This is the center of higher mental activity - the focus of True Intelligence.

The neocortex perceives, analyzes, and sorts messages received from the senses. It is characterized by such functions as reasoning, thinking, decision-making, the realization of a person’s creative abilities, the implementation of expedient control of motor reactions, speech, and the realization of Man in general.

The neocortex is the sixth (mental, intuitive) sense organ. Its development activates the so-called mental sense, which allows you to sense the subtlest vibrations of the Universe, DNA molecules, the thoughts of other people - to perceive all unconscious processes, to be aware of them, and, consequently, to control them.

It is in the neocortex that the limitless possibilities of the process of cognition and their implementation in life are laid down. This area of ​​the brain controls telepathic, linguistic, and extrasensory abilities. Only through the development of the neocortex can a person creatively realize himself and make a breakthrough into Evolution. Science has no idea what it is yet.

The highest form of manifestation of thought is intuition. It is intuition - a person’s ability to read information from the external World (not only three-dimensional, but also multidimensional) - that allows one to expand the range of His knowledge.

This work consists of constant learning, development of knowledge, critical self-awareness and creative application of knowledge in practice. Studying means only one thing: every person should know and understand himself and his body. Don't forget: "What gets measured gets done."

Our comments:

This social scientific research, apparently built on the theory of evolution..... immediately leads to a number of interesting ideas that are fully confirmed by the Esoteric Treaty:

1. Firstly, the Esoteric model says that any physical organ (brain) has its own subtle bodies and serves to perform various functions.

The brain is a receiver-transmitter of a control signal coming through the sahasrara chakra of a person and controlling all our behavior, actions and motivation for them... from the Egregors.

If you look at this diagram of the triune brain - from this point of view of the Esoteric model, then we can assume that:

- reptilian brain = equal to body consciousness.

Limbic brain (emotional) = equal to animal mental consciousness.

Well, the visual brain (neocortex) = equal to our human mind.
And apparently it is the active work of the left hemisphere, logical and rational “thinking”

From these premises the following idea is born - the activity of various parts of the brain and caste (level of human consciousness):

If it were possible to conduct a study, there would certainly be a connection between a person’s caste and the part of the brain that is most active:

- caste 1 will likely have a predominant reptilian brain (body instincts)
- in caste 2 - limbic-mammalian (emotions, animal mentality)
- in caste 3 - visual - necortes (mind)

It is clear that in every living person, all parts of the three-united brain will be active and involved in varying degrees to one degree or another, but their predominance, judging by the facts, will vary from caste to caste.

At the same time, in the social Model of the above study, the concept of “Consciousness” is completely absent, although scientists are already operating with the word itself.

This further confirms the Esoteric model.
The level of people of caste 3+ and especially 4 - independent thinking, active Consciousness (not mind) - does not exist at all in such a model.

2.Secondly, and what is even more interesting...this information indirectly confirms how the egregorial management of a Human by Social Egregors occurs.

All these three different physical parts of the brain are receivers-antennas for receiving various commands for execution, carried out automatically by a social person.

A person is controlled by the reactions of his body (receiver of the reptilian brain), or by his emotions (receiver of the limbic brain), or by his mind (receiver of the visual brain).

That is, these are 3 receivers for different parts of the signal, but the goal of all these programs is absolutely identical - A person lives at the level of body-emotions-mind, being simply a mechanical biorobot with a sleeping consciousness.
What is actually observed...

There is no chance in Society to awaken Consciousness by disconnecting from these programs.

All these nuances absolutely coincide with what is written in the manual “Esoteric Model of the World of Action”.

Through such social discoveries, the diagram presented in the manual shows how the “Gods” created artificial egregors to control humans - clearly shows how they also configured the human biorobot in such a way that it “lived in peace” and did not interfere where it should not ....

Everything is very “harmoniously arranged...”

3. Thirdly, the Esoteric model is confirmed by another idea that slips behind this entire social model of a three-single brain.....

A prerequisite for the possible growth of a person, for the awakening and activation of consciousness, will be the maximum activity of the third brain... the Neocortes.
Why?

Essentially this is level 3 caste. But this is not enough. What is missing? What is so stubbornly overlooked in the Social Model? And what is objectified in our Manual....

I will assume that, apparently, when this particular “third brain, rational thinking” is active, a breakthrough is possible only if the receiver of the “right hemisphere” is also involved to some extent.

A person has the slightest chance for some truly independent thinking.

In part, the scientists themselves already talk about “intuition” in their articles - but they do not explain these mechanisms in any way in their three-united model of the physical brain, which in principle is understandable; the basis of their research is the social model - Matter is primary.

If you look at the geniuses and great scientists of all times...
All of them possessed just such a tandem: along with active analytical and rational thinking, the vast majority have various states of inclusion of other mechanisms: insight, intuition, receiving information in a dream, etc.

Social science itself, being limited only to “physical organs” and objects, does not allow us to take another step forward....and find what is missing in this model...

This transition, the next step, will be associated with the activation of the work of the right hemisphere - and the synchronization of the work of both receivers...

But that's not all. Once in France they conducted an experiment: one group of volunteers was asked to depict different emotions - joy, sadness; They let me smell something unpleasant, and disgust showed on my face. People were photographed. And then they showed the images to another group of subjects and recorded their reactions. What do you think? When they saw the corresponding emotions in the photographs, the volunteers activated the same neurons in their brains as if they themselves, for example, smelled rotten eggs, heard good news, or were sad about something.

This experience is one of the confirmations that, in addition to “action” mirror neurons - they are called motor neurons, there are also emotional mirror neurons. They are the ones who help us subconsciously, without any mental analysis, but by seeing only facial expressions and gestures, to understand the emotions of another person. This happens because Thanks to the “reflection” in the brain, we ourselves begin to experience the same sensations.

Do indifferent people lack neurons?

- But all people are different: some are very responsive, sensitive. And there are callous and indifferent people who, it seems, cannot be reached by anything. Perhaps nature deprived them of emotional mirror neurons?

Hardly. The brain is not that simple. In addition to mirror neurons, our consciousness and will certainly work - with their help we can partially extinguish those feelings and emotions that appear due to the action of mirror neurons.

And social norms accepted in society play an even greater role. If society supports the ideology of selfishness, individualism: take care first of all of yourself, your own health, material wealth - then you have to be selfish, because it is believed that this is what will lead to success. In this case, the role of your mirror neuron system is reduced by volitional effort, education, and habitual behavior.

Motivation is very important. By the way, in many religions there is a principle: love others as you love yourself. You should not think that such a principle came from God - in fact, it is a natural rule that reflects the biological structure of a person and is based on the work of mirror neurons. If you don't like people, then living in society will be very difficult. Meanwhile, in Western societies, especially in recent centuries, there was a period of strictly individualistic approach. Now, for example, Italy, France, Germany are returning to the understanding that social life is no less important than personal life.

"Don't be offended by men"

If we still talk about differences in the structure of the brain, it is noted that Women have more mirror neurons in their emotional system than men , continues the professor. - This explains women's higher capacity for understanding and empathy. There were experiments when volunteers of both sexes were shown someone in a state of pain, suffering - the female brain reacted much stronger than the male one. This happened as a result of evolution: it is important for nature that it is the mother who spends the most time with the child who is emotionally open, empathetic, happy, and thereby, in a mirror-like manner, helps develop the baby’s emotions.

- It turns out that it is pointless to accuse men of being insensitive and to be offended by them?

- Yes, there is no need to be offended by us (laughs). This is nature. By the way, there is another interesting experiment showing the difference between men and women. A game is organized: let’s say I’m playing with you against someone else, and then you start deliberately playing against me, being cunning. In this case, I, a man, will begin to get terribly angry, while a woman considers such behavior an innocent joke. That is, a woman is more inclined to forgive, and ultimately relates to many things more easily. And a man takes the same betrayal, let’s say, much more seriously and is less responsive.

How thought puts the sick on their feet

- You discovered mirror neurons more than 20 years ago - surely since then, in addition to scientific research, there have been attempts to use your discovery in medicine?

Yes, we are working on the practical application of the discovery, including in medicine. It is known that motor mirror neurons cause us to mentally reproduce the same action that we see - if it is performed by another person, including on a TV or computer screen. For example, it has been observed that when people watch a boxing match, their muscles tense and their fists may even clench. This is a typical neuroeffect, and a new technology for recovery from stroke, Alzheimer's disease and other diseases in which a person forgets movements is based on it. We are currently conducting experiments in Italy and Germany.

The point is this: if the patient’s neurons are not completely “broken”, but their work is disrupted, then using a visual stimulus - showing the necessary action under certain conditions - you can activate the nerve cells, make them “reflect” movements and start working again as needed . This method is called “action-observation therapy,” and in experiments it provides significant improvement in the rehabilitation of patients after a stroke.

But the most surprising result was discovered when they tried to use this therapy to restore people after serious injuries, car accidents - when a person is put in a cast, and then he actually needs to learn to walk again. Usually in such cases, a painful gait persists for a long time, the patient limps, etc. If traditionally taught and trained, this takes a lot of time. At the same time, if you show a specially created film with appropriate movements, the necessary motor neurons are activated in the brains of the victims, and people begin to walk normally in just a few days . Even for us scientists, this looks like a miracle.

"Broken Mirrors"

- Professor, what happens if a person’s mirror neurons themselves are damaged? What diseases does this happen in?

- In fact, it is not so easy to damage these neurons en masse; they are distributed throughout the cerebral cortex. If a person has a stroke, only a portion of these neurons are damaged. For example, it is known that when the left side of the brain is damaged, a person sometimes cannot understand the actions of other people.

The most serious damage to mirror neurons is associated with genetic disorders. This most often occurs in autism. Since the brain of such patients has a broken mechanism for “reflecting” the actions and emotions of others, autistic people simply cannot understand what other people are doing. They are unable to sympathize because they do not experience similar emotions when they see joy or worry . All this is unfamiliar to them, it can frighten them, and therefore patients with autism try to hide and avoid communication.

- If we managed to find out the cause of the disease, are scientists closer to discovering a cure?

- We think that it is possible to restore autistic children as fully as possible if this is done at a very young age. At a very early stage, you need to show very strong sensitivity, even sentimentality with such children: the mother, the specialist must talk a lot with the child, touch him - in order to develop both motor and emotional skills. It is very important to play with your child, but not in competitive games, but in games where success comes only through joint actions: for example, a child pulls a rope - nothing happens, a mother pulls - nothing, and if they pull together, they get some kind of prize . This is how the child understands: you and I together are important, not scary, but useful.

On topic.

Who among our smaller brothers will understand us?

- Most of us have pets, which for many become real family members. We really want to understand their mood and communicate with them in a more meaningful way. How is this possible thanks to mirror neurons? Do cats and dogs have them?

- As for cats, it is very difficult to find out. We would have to implant electrodes into their heads, and conducting experiments on such animals is prohibited in our country. It’s easier with monkeys and dogs: they are more “conscious”. If a monkey knows that it will get a banana for a certain behavior, it will do what scientists are interested in. This can also be achieved with a dog, although it is more difficult. And the cat, as you know, walks on its own and does what it wants,” the professor smiles. “When a dog eats, it does it the way we do.” We understand this because we ourselves have the same action. But when a dog barks, our brain is not able to understand what it means. But we have a lot in common with a monkey, and they understand us very well thanks to mirror neurons.

There have also been experiments showing that some songbirds have mirror neurons. They found cells in the motor cortex of their brains that were responsible for certain notes. If a person plays these notes, then the corresponding neurons are activated in the birds' brains.

This will come in handy.

How to cheer yourself and others up

- Professor, if we subconsciously perceive the emotions of other people, then it turns out that when watching horror films or tragic reports on TV, we automatically receive the same emotions? Let's say we get upset and the stress hormone cortisol begins to be produced, which disrupts our sleep, memory, thyroid function, etc.?

- Yes, this happens automatically. Even if you try to calm down and control yourself, this can only slightly weaken the reaction, but will not get rid of it.

- But, on the other hand, perhaps you can use the same principle of mirror neurons to lift your mood?

- You're right. If you communicate with a positive, cheerful person or watch a movie with such a character, then the same emotions arise in your brain . And if you yourself want to cheer up someone, then you have a higher chance of doing it not with a tragically sympathetic expression on your face, but with a benevolent light smile.

Is an area in human brain, which is primarily responsible for memory, is part of the limbic system, and is also associated with the regulation of emotional responses. The hippocampus is shaped like a seahorse and is located in the inner part of the temporal region of the brain. The hippocampus is the main part of the brain for storing long-term information. The hippocampus is also believed to be responsible for spatial orientation.

There are two main types of activity in the hippocampus: theta mode And a lot of irregular activity(BNA). Theta modes appear mainly in a state of activity, as well as during REM sleep. In theta modes, the electroencephalogram shows the presence of large waves with a range frequencies from 6 to 9 Hz. In this case, the main group of neurons shows sparse activity, i.e. during short periods of time, most cells are inactive, while a small proportion of neurons exhibit increased activity. In this mode, the active cell has such activity from half a second to several seconds.

BNA regimens occur during periods of long sleep, as well as during periods of quiet wakefulness (rest, eating).

The structure of the hippocampus

In humans two hippocampi- one on each side of the brain. Both hippocampi are connected by commissural nerve fibers. The hippocampus consists of densely packed cells in a ribbon structure that extends along the medial wall of the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle of the brain in an anteroposterior direction. The bulk of the nerve cells of the hippocampus are pyramidal neurons and polymorphic cells. In the dentate gyrus, the main cell type is granule cells. In addition to the cells of these types, the hippocampus contains GABAergic interneurons, which are not related to any cell layer. These cells contain various neuropeptides, calcium binding protein and of course the neurotransmitter GABA.

The structure of the hippocampus

The hippocampus is located under the cerebral cortex and consists of two parts: dentate gyrus And Hippocampus. From an anatomical point of view, the hippocampus is a development of the cerebral cortex. The structures lining the border of the cerebral cortex are part of the limbic system. The hippocampus is anatomically connected to the parts of the brain responsible for emotional behavior. The hippocampus contains four main areas: CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4.

The entorhinal cortex, located in the parahippocampal gyrus, is considered part of the hippocampus due to its anatomical connections. The entorhinal cortex is carefully interconnected with other parts of the brain. It is also known that the medial septal nucleus, the anterior nuclear complex, the integrating nucleus of the thalamus, the supramammillary nucleus of the hypothalamus, the raphe nuclei, and the locus coeruleus in the brainstem send axons to the entorhinal cortex. The main outgoing axonal pathway of the entorhinal cortex comes from the large pyramidal cells of layer II, which perforate the subiculum and project densely into the granule cells in the dentate gyrus, the superior dendrites of CA3 receive less dense projections, and the apical dendrites of CA1 receive an even sparse projection. Thus, the pathway uses the entorhinal cortex as the main link between the hippocampus and other parts of the cerebral cortex.

Dentate granule cells transmit information from the entorhinal cortex to spiny hairs emerging from the proximal apical dendrite of CA3 pyramidal cells. CA3 axons then emerge from the deep part of the cell body and loop upward to where the apical dendrites are located, then extend all the way back into the deep layers of the entorhinal cortex in the Schaffer collaterals, completing the mutual closure. Area CA1 also sends axons back to the entorhinal cortex, but in this case they are sparser than the outputs of CA3.

It should be noted that the flow of information in the hippocampus from the entorhinal cortex is significantly unidirectional with signals propagating through a somewhat dense layer of cells, first to the dentate gyrus, then to layer CA3, then to layer CA1, then to the subiculum and then from the hippocampus to the entorhinal cortex. cortex, mainly providing routes for CA3 axons. Each of these layers has a complex internal layout and extensive longitudinal connections. A very important large exit pathway goes to the lateral septal zone and to the mammillary body of the hypothalamus.

The hippocampus receives modulatory inputs from serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine pathways, as well as from the thalamic nuclei in layer CA1. A very important projection comes from the medial septal area, sending cholinergic and gabaergic fibers to all parts of the hippocampus. Inputs from the septal area are critical in controlling the physiological state of the hippocampus. Injuries and disturbances in this area can completely shut down the theta rhythms of the hippocampus and create serious memory problems.

There are also other connections in the hippocampus that play a very important role in its functions.. At some distance from the exit to the entorhinal cortex there are other exits going to other cortical areas, including the prefrontal cortex. The cortical area adjacent to the hippocampus is called the parahippocampal gyrus or parahippocampus. The parahippocampus includes the entorhinal cortex, the perirhinal cortex, which received its name due to its close location with the olfactory gyrus. The perirhinal cortex is responsible for visual recognition of complex objects. There is evidence that the parahippocampus has a separate memory function from the hippocampus itself, since only damage to both the hippocampus and the parahippocampus results in complete memory loss.

Functions of the hippocampus

The very first theories about the role of the hippocampus in human life were that it is responsible for the sense of smell. But anatomical studies have cast doubt on this theory. The fact is that studies have not found a direct connection between the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb. However, further research has shown that the olfactory bulb has some projections to the ventral entorhinal cortex, and layer CA1 in the ventral hippocampus sends axons to the main olfactory bulb, the anterior olfactory nucleus and the primary olfactory cortex. As before, a certain The role of the hippocampus in olfactory reactions, namely in remembering smells, but many experts continue to believe that the main role of the hippocampus is the olfactory function.

The next theory, which is currently the main one, says that the main function of the hippocampus is memory formation. This theory has been proven many times in various observations of people who have undergone surgery on the hippocampus, or who have been victims of accidents or diseases that somehow affected the hippocampus. In all cases, persistent memory loss was observed. A famous example of this is the patient Henry Molaison, who underwent surgery to remove part of the hippocampus in order to get rid of epileptic seizures. After this operation, Henry began to suffer from retrograde amnesia. He simply stopped remembering the events that happened after the operation, but he perfectly remembered his childhood and everything that happened before the operation.

Neuroscientists and psychologists unanimously agree that The hippocampus plays an important role in the formation of new memories(episodic or autobiographical memory). Some researchers regard the hippocampus as part of the temporal lobe memory system, responsible for general declarative memory (memories that can be explicitly expressed in words - including, for example, memory for facts in addition to episodic memory). In every person, the hippocampus has a double structure - it is located in both hemispheres of the brain. If, for example, the hippocampus is damaged in one hemisphere, the brain can retain almost normal memory function.

But when both parts of the hippocampus are damaged, serious problems arise with new memories. At the same time, a person remembers older events perfectly, which suggests that over time, part of the memory moves from the hippocampus to other parts of the brain. It should be noted that damage to the hippocampus does not lead to the loss of the ability to master certain skills, for example, playing a musical instrument. This suggests that such memory depends on other parts of the brain, not just the hippocampus.

Long-term studies have also shown that The hippocampus plays an important role in spatial orientation. So we know that in the hippocampus there are areas of neurons called spatial neurons that are sensitive to certain spatial locations. The hippocampus provides spatial orientation and memory of specific places in space.

Hippocampal pathologies

Not only do age-related pathologies such as (for which hippocampal destruction is one of the early signs of disease) have a serious impact on many types of perception, but even normal aging is associated with a gradual decline in some types of memory, including episodic and short-term memory. Because the hippocampus plays an important role in memory formation, scientists link age-related memory disorders to physical deterioration of the hippocampus. Initial studies found significant neuronal loss in the hippocampus in older adults, but new research suggests that such loss is minimal. Other studies have shown that the hippocampus shrinks significantly in older adults, but similar studies again found no such trend.

Especially chronic, it can lead to atrophy of some dendrites in the hippocampus. This is due to the fact that The hippocampus contains a large number of glucocorticoid receptors. Due to constant stress, steroids associated with it affect the hippocampus in several ways: they reduce the excitability of individual hippocampal neurons, inhibit the process of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and cause dendritic atrophy in the pyramidal cells of the CA3 area. Studies have shown that in people who experienced long-term stress, hippocampal atrophy was significantly higher than other areas of the brain. Such n negative processes can lead to depression and even schizophrenia. Hippocampal atrophy has been observed in patients with Cushing's syndrome (high levels of cortisol in the blood).

Epilepsy is often associated with the hippocampus. During epileptic seizures, sclerosis of certain areas of the hippocampus is often observed.

Schizophrenia occurs in people with an abnormally small hippocampus. But to date, the exact connection between schizophrenia and the hippocampus has not been established. As a result of sudden stagnation of blood in areas of the brain, acute amnesia may occur, caused by ischemia in the structures of the hippocampus.

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I felt energy in my head; it started with an explosion in the throat, the feeling was as if the thyroid gland instantly enlarged, became heavy and began to throb; then I felt shooting pains to the right of the third eye, in the center of the head and closer to the back of the head, they were accompanied by flashes of yellow and white light...

(Jane.)

Everything we experience as conscious beings, we experience through our body. We are the creators of our lives, living inside an apparatus designed to experience and manifest an infinite number of things. Our movements, sounds, impulses, emotions, memories, pleasures, pains, insights and thoughts originate in us and serve as means over which the Self can command. This Self is temporarily identified with a special chain of events and conditions placed in such a way that we realize ourselves . Although the process of Kundalini movement may begin in the subtle body, the physical body must also eventually feel its effects.

It is necessary to study the reactions of the physical body to the movement of Kundalini if ​​we are going to learn to distinguish these reactions from diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, and other disorders that are characterized by similar symptoms, namely twitching and spontaneous erratic movements, trance states , visions, internal sounds, unexplained mood swings, bright lights, euphoria, unexpected awakening of early childhood memories and many other phenomena. Recent research into damage to the right hemisphere and temporal lobe of the brain has found that stimulating the brain with electrical impulses or chemicals can cause the symptoms seen during Kundalini awakening. This could mean the following.

1. Increased activity of pranic energies and irregular breathing increases the amount of energy pumped into the brain or changes the composition of brain chemicals, and the person then shows symptoms corresponding to the areas of the brain that are affected. These may include visions, sounds, memories, movements, emotions and seeing light.

2. Some spiritual development techniques stimulate the release of certain brain chemicals that cause fluctuations in emotions from ecstasy to depression.

3. Certain states of consciousness promote the generation of brain waves, which cause physiological and emotional reactions.

4. By mastering new methods of self-development, we create branched networks of neurons and connections in the brain. If we engage in non-linear techniques that primarily stimulate the right hemisphere of the brain (such as visualization, focusing on light, singing, etc.) we undoubtedly increase the likelihood of other types of right hemisphere activity, such as creativity, vision , dreams, immersion in sound or space, etc.

5. Is it possible that there is a region in the brain responsible for the experience of union? In a state of trance, some epileptics plunge into a black void in which they are aware that they exist, but they lack motive or ability to act. How similar is this state to emptiness in the Buddhist tradition? Is there a deeper state in which the merging of everything into one is inevitable? Are yoga techniques, shamanic rituals, and breathing exercises just ways to activate the release of chemicals or stimulate areas of the brain that create these states? Will spiritual awakening be any less real if it is a brain-generated process? The brain should also be stimulated when a person “falls in love” or writes inspired poetry, but such manifestations are not considered “unreal.”

Each person's brain is unique, consisting of more than 15 billion neurons, which encode a variety of capabilities predetermined by the human genetic code and expanded and changed during our development. Learning is possible because neural circuits expand and connect to each other in response to human experience, so that over time, huge networks of neurons interact with each other. Nerve cells communicate through electrical impulses that travel along the finest processes, and thus millions of cells are included in complex processes of mutual influence. Disturbances in the flow of electrical impulses, causing irregularity or disorder in the electrical charging of cells, especially in the superficial areas of the brain, cause epileptic seizures or other symptoms of psychomotor disorders. Such diseases may be hereditary or may be the result of damage or injury. Some of the symptoms of psychomotor epilepsy that can occur in a person who has never exhibited the terrible seizures that usually serve as a sign of this disease for people are remarkably similar to the symptoms that accompany the awakening of Kundalini. These include entering a trance state, flight response, loss of consciousness, visual or auditory hallucinations, changes in vision, hearing, smell and taste, flashes of light, local numbness, symptoms of déjà vu (a feeling of familiarity, as if the person has already been there) and jamais -vu (the feeling that a well-known place is unfamiliar to a person).

Factors that contribute to epileptic seizures include fasting, dehydration, exhaustion, exposure to flashing lights, infections, drug or alcohol abuse, foot infections, viral diseases, and gum infections. Some of these factors are included in certain spiritual techniques. This is fasting, focusing on the fire of a candle and meditation for many hours. The first signs that precede the onset of epilepsy are prolonged staring at one point, bedwetting, memory loss, aimless walking, night tongue biting and severe muscle spasms during sleep. Sometimes people who meditate fall into a trance, experience a momentary loss of orientation in time and space and, after wandering aimlessly for some time, awaken from a muscle spasm. We need to be able to distinguish quantitatively and qualitatively between these two cases - illness and Kundalini awakening, if we do not want to mistake one for the other. People who are having a spiritual awakening should not be allowed to consider themselves neurologically ill or those with epilepsy to go untreated.

It is important not to exclude the possibility of a diagnosis of psychomotor epilepsy or another disease in which epileptic symptoms occur when multiple occurrences of these symptoms are present, especially if there is information about pre-existing diseases, hereditary factors or recent injuries that may cause the disease. This does not mean that the spiritual components of the process should be denied if this is important to the person experiencing it, since there is no reason why epilepsy would interfere with spiritual awakening. However, if one experiences many of the symptoms mentioned and cannot control them, it is best to seek advice from a competent neurologist, especially if the trance states are dark and unpleasant and occur spontaneously and not in connection with meditation.

Understanding the physiology of the brain, it is not necessary to reduce mystical experience to a set of quasi-epileptic phenomena. Such an understanding could become the foundation, the support for Eastern traditions, which place special emphasis on the step-by-step development of spiritual awakening. Since learning occurs through the growth and interweaving of neural circuits, it is possible that unique techniques such as yoga, meditation, visualization, breathing exercises, etc. can infuse new strength and capabilities into parts of the brain that would otherwise remain undeveloped , and primarily the right hemisphere of the brain. Artists, musicians, and other people involved in creative activities show greater development of the right hemisphere than those who perform work that involves more intellectual activity. If the process of spiritual development affects the right hemisphere of the brain more, this would explain the sudden bursts of creativity in people experiencing a spiritual awakening. This may also explain the gift of healing and psychic insight that occurs spontaneously, sometimes after damage to the right hemisphere of the brain or in the context of spiritual growth.

Some brain functions

This section contains a very simple description of some of the functions of the brain and shows how various processes arise that can influence the brain's response to the process of awakening Kundalini. It is interesting to speculate what relationship exists between the natural and "normal" functioning of the brain and the radical changes that can occur with the awakening of Kundalini.

There are three different levels, three evolutionary parts of the brain, informally called the amphibian (the repository of unconditional, predetermined patterns of behavior, buried deep below the surface), the ancient mammal, or paleomammalian (the limbic system, the control center for emotions, issues of survival and preservation of the species, pleasure and pain), and neomammalian or neocortical (associated with the newly developed abilities of civilized man - ingenuity, abstract thinking and insight). Paul McLean, the originator of this triune brain theory, states that this trinity operates as "three interconnected biological computers, (each) with its own intelligence, its own subjectivity, its own sense of time and space, and its own memory." [(1)]

CEREBRAL CORTEX

The cerebral cortex has seven layers, contains 70% of the nerve cells of the central nervous system and creates our abilities to speak, see and feel. Each layer has its own types and number of cells. The transmission of impulses between nerve cells forms circuits in the brain called cellular complexes or neural networks, which interact and expand in response to sensory stimuli. The cells that have the greatest number in the brain are called “glial” (that is, “gluing”). Scientist and physician Richard Restak ("Brain: The Last Frontier") points out that they have a nutritional function and are related to the onset and termination of epileptic seizures. There is evidence that they have their own communication network.

Dr. Marion Diamond, a scientist and lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a study on rats and found that when placed in a favorable environment, they showed a change in brain chemistry, causing their cerebral cortex to become approximately 7% thicker. Their nerve cells became larger, the number of glial cells increased, chemical connections between cells improved, dendrites lengthened and became more branched. [(2)] She discovered the brain's ability to change and grow, which was a revolutionary idea in the 60s.

BRAINSTEM

This is the main link through which sensory and motor impulses are transmitted from the spinal cord to the brain and back. It maintains the conscious state of a person by controlling the mechanisms of breathing, heartbeat, sleep and wakefulness. It consists of the activating reticular system, which keeps the brain awake even when a person is sleeping and distributes excitation throughout the brain in response to stimuli; as well as the pons, responsible for sleep and wakefulness. Just above the brain stem is the diencephalon, in which the thalamus has a predominant influence. All impulses coming from the eyes, ears and other sense organs pass through this organ on their way to the cerebral cortex. Next to it is the hypothalamus, which controls the release of hormones by the endocrine glands and with which all parts of the limb system are connected by bilateral connections.

Hormones regulate blood pressure, body temperature and the activity of appetite control centers. Damage to various parts of the hypothalamus in animals led to them stopping eating or, conversely, dying from overeating. Irritation by electrical impulses of certain areas of the hypothalamus generates panic, rage or fear. Therefore, disturbances in diet, heat and cold waves, high blood pressure and unexplained emotional states that occur during Kundalini awakening can be caused by reactions of the hypothalamus to changes in brain chemistry or energy.

CEREBELLUM

The cerebellum, adjacent to the brain stem at the back of the skull, receives signals from muscles, joints and ligaments and controls posture, balance and movement of the musculoskeletal system. He is responsible for the accuracy of movements, for example, for ensuring that during any type of activity the hands do not dangle randomly, but perform clear movements. It is probably the reaction of the cerebellum that leads to spontaneous movements of the arms and legs during the awakening process. The ancient part of the cerebellum controls proprioception - our sense of the body, which affects balance and the ability to perform movements. It occupies a place in a giant feedback loop running through the septum, hippocampus and amygdala, which carries electrical signals from muscles, joints and ligaments. Feelings of being out of weight, being out of body, feeling like you occupy more space than your body, or the inability to control the body and depersonalization (total or partial disidentification with the body or some part of it, loss of sense of self) are associated with inadequate functioning of the cerebellum or nervous system. connections between the cerebellum and the limbic system.

Researcher and psychologist James Prescott says, "To experience deep states of consciousness, you must have the appropriate neural equipment. Sensory experience must be integrated into the higher centers of the brain, and this requires communication between the cerebellum, limbic system and neocortex." He says that many people in our culture cannot make this connection because our culture's syndrome of anhedonia (joylessness) retards the development of pleasure centers. He believes that in women, the nervous system is better able to facilitate the process of spiritual awakening due to the dense network of neural connections between the cerebellum and the higher centers of the brain. He suggests that differences in the structure of the cerebellum in men and women are responsible for the feeling of flight, out-of-body experiences and the feeling of union during orgasm in women. [(3)]

BRAIN

This is the newest part of the brain, making up 2/3 of its total volume. It is divided into two hemispheres, almost mirror images of each other: the right, which controls the left side of the body, and the left, which controls the right side. Control of visual perception is distributed accordingly. The left side of the brain focuses on time, analysis and logic. She is looking for reasons and explanations. The right side is oriented towards space. When the right hemisphere of the brain induces involuntary body movements by stimulating electrical impulses in the laboratory, the left hemisphere constructs a theory to explain the phenomenon. There are brain injuries in which the brain is divided into two parts and each hemisphere does not know what the other is doing. Some scientists have suggested that a disease such as multiple personality disorder occurs precisely because of such a disruption of the brain. (Psychologists may disagree with this hypothesis, since split personality is treated with psychotherapeutic methods.)

It is interesting to speculate how the struggle develops between the spiritual side, the creative or fluid (as a Taoist would say) aspects of human nature and the more rigid, concrete and confident self during the process of individuation and spiritual awakening. Perhaps the right side of the brain contains the biochemical matrix of spiritual experience, activated through spiritual practices, and the left side contains the matrix of control of the civilized material world. The ida and pingala nadis may reflect, at the level of the subtle body, the brain's need for balance and bringing order to the activities of these two sides.

LIMBIC SYSTEM

This part of the brain is located deep in the brain, surrounds the brain stem and is closely connected with olfactory structures, drives, emotional reactions and memory. It occupies the lower fifth of the brain. Experiments on the limbic system have shown that some cells generate anger, joy or fear, but which ones exactly seem to vary from person to person and from day to day.

Psychiatrist Daniel Weinberger reports, "Exposure to electrodes in this area causes schizophrenic symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, bodily hallucinations, fear, indescribable otological sensations and paranoia. If the connections between the front part of the limbic brain and the frontal lobe are disrupted, a person is deprived of one of the highest integrating systems of the brain." [(4)] All of the symptoms mentioned correspond almost exactly to some of the main problematic phenomena that arise in the process of Kundalini awakening: unpredictable thoughts and images, bodily sensations and movements, and fear. In theory, spiritual awakening is directed directly at the drives and emotions, encouraging the person to move higher instinctive reactions. Such energy can produce mixing and disrupt the balance of integration mechanisms. This explains theoretically why the long training in inner discipline that precedes the process of awakening is valuable: it helps a person to establish attitudes and habits that differ from the usual reactions to drives and outbursts of emotions.

LOBE OF THE BRAIN

There are four types of brain lobes. The temporal lobes are located above the ears on either side of the head and are connected to the limbic system. They function as memory banks and when they are damaged, long-term memory is destroyed. Electrical stimulation of these areas causes inappropriate emotions, bizarre fantasies or states of dreamy reverie, deja vu (the feeling of having already seen) and jamais vu (the familiar seems unfamiliar). People with temporal lobe epilepsy (which is a wave of random excitation of brain cells) may not suffer the usual seizures of the disease, but exhibit these primary symptoms. Electrical probing of this area triggers sudden memories, including all the emotions, sounds and smells of the event.

Neurologist Oliver Sacks attributes powerful mental images, mystical experiences such as those of Hildegard von Bingen, and feelings of movement in time and space to abnormal stimulation of the temporal lobes and limbic system. He considers the possibility that such conditions, even if caused by epilepsy, are "a gateway to the beyond or the unknown." [(5)]

Stanford neurophysiologist Karl Pribram reported that "lesions to the temporal lobe of the brain near the amygdala can produce something like mystical experiences. Self-awareness is impaired. A kind of contentless consciousness emerges, like the oceanic consciousness of mystical states. The distinction between self and others disappears." . [(6)] Paul McLean says that during attacks of temporal lobe disease, people can experience "a completely sudden and gratuitous feeling of eureka - a feeling of revelation that is perceived as the truth, the absolute truth, and nothing other than the truth." [(7)]

Arnold Mundell, a physician, philosopher and professor at the University of California, San Diego, says people with temporal lobe epilepsy may experience "long-lasting states of bliss, ongoing personality changes, and religious conversions." [(8)] He thinks that mystical revelations arise from a condition similar to epilepsy, which he compares to a violent electrical storm breaking out in one part of the brain. Normally, cells in the hippocampus, the seahorse-shaped brain body that plays a critical role in memory creation, are inhibited by a chemical called serotonin. When there is not enough of it, these cells seem to ignite, becoming extremely excited. The hippocampus typically modulates information flowing between the internal and external environments, appears to generate a desire for novelty (exploring something new), and adjusts mood and emotions according to incoming input. When the electrical storm overwhelms its functioning, the inner reality becomes dominant. Hallucinogenic drugs suppress the release of serotonin and thus exert their psychedelic effects. Long distance running and meditation have the same effect. [(9)]

The parietal lobes sit above the cerebral cortex and contain maps that map every inch of both the motor and tactile areas of the body. This is the area that Itzhak Bentov and Lee Sanella called the site of origin of the progressive sensorimotor cortical syndrome - the physio-kundalinic complex. A series of points (approximately shaped like the human body) correspond sequentially to what these scientists have termed typical reactions to Kundalini awakening. That is, if each of these points is successively stimulated, symptoms will arise in a pattern often seen in the process of Kundalini awakening, starting with the big toe of the left foot (further explanation will be provided later in this chapter). Bentov argued that in epilepsy the order of occurrence of symptoms is the reverse of that observed during the awakening of Kundalini, that is, starting from the lips and face and ending with the feet. He therefore suggested that awakening the Kundalini could be a potential antidote to epilepsy and believed that meditation, which could induce this process, could also reverse the course of the disease.

The frontal lobes are located at the front of the brain, in the forehead area (the area of ​​the third eye and sixth chakra). At one time, lobotomies were often performed in this part of the brain in order to cure patients with violent behavior and pathologically increased distractibility. Traditionally, brain scientists have believed that this region is not that important to overall brain function. But local lesions (and lobotomy) cause increased distractibility, inability to perform complex actions, apathy, superficiality of thought and feeling, insensitivity and poor organization of mental activity. Some researchers have concluded that this region may control consciousness, self-awareness, and empathy. [(10)]

The occipital lobe, containing the primary visual area, is located at the back of the head. Damage to this area leads to loss of vision or blindness.

Chemical Compliance

It was only through discoveries made by chemists in the 1960s that it became possible to create chemicals in the laboratory that duplicate the enzymes in the human body. Their introduction into the human body has opened up broad prospects for regulating body chemistry and conducting a variety of research. All moods, impulses, emotions, and behaviors are created through a complex interaction of chemicals that brain scientists have named neurotransmitters, enzymes, metabolic enzymes, and neuropeptides (brain hormones). Until the early 1970s, only six neurotransmitters had been discovered, but today it is known that there are at least 100 or 200 others to be studied. The brain's receptors are designed to respond only to these substances, while others can block their susceptibility.

For example, the brain has natural drugs and specific receptors that respond to them. Although they have many Latin names, they are usually called endorphins, short for endogenous morphines. These are powerful painkillers, and there is evidence that they contribute to the effects of some pain-relieving techniques - acupuncture, electrical brain stimulation - and the placebo effect. Increased levels of beta-endorphin have been found in avid runners, those suffering from anorexia and schizophrenia, and meditators. [(11)]

After conducting studies that showed that baby guinea pigs, puppies and chicks stopped calling for their mother when they were given small doses of endorphins, scientist Jack Panksep suggested that "perhaps brain drugs may create a sense of belonging, and that's why people who feel lonely and isolated, may use drugs as a substitute for interpersonal connections.” [(12)]

It has long been known that long-distance runners release endorphins, which give them a feeling of euphoria after a race. Other activities that trigger the production of endorphins are eating, listening to music, experiencing pleasant events, massage, meditation - all in a completely natural way! It is clear that these chemicals produce a lasting sense of health and well-being. When experimental rats are given the opportunity to independently influence the level of endorphin in their body, they engage in such self-stimulation to the point of complete exhaustion.

The brain receptors that respond to drugs (endorphins) are located in newly developed areas of the brain, and some parts of the brain are full of them. Their function is to receive information from the environment, transmit it and interpret it so that the brain can decide what to pay attention to. In other words, they detect something pleasant and encourage the brain to notice it.

Research shows that while the idea of ​​using endorphins sounds very tempting to drug addicts, it does not provide a permanent euphoria. Frequent use of cocaine, heroin and other common drugs leads to depression, apathy and abstinence. A similar phenomenon is observed when performing some meditations, and people involved in methods of spiritual development are amazed to discover that after the bliss they experienced during meditation, irritation sometimes comes to them. It is possible that when a person moves from "learning" meditation to a stage where he constantly experiences peace and satisfaction during meditation, he has learned to influence the endorphin releasing system through deep meditation.

Bursts of visions (or makyo as they are called in zazen), numbness of the body, involuntary movements and twitches, decreased sex drive (or spontaneous outbursts of sexual desire) and decreased appetite are all symptoms that some people experience when meditating, which is also may be associated with increased endorphin levels. The released drugs send messages to the brain that are perceived as positive, and the person involuntarily experiences pleasure and satisfaction in the present. The ability of yogis to break attachments to home, family and emotional relationships may also depend on the release of endorphins into the brain. Undoubtedly, these chemicals are partly responsible for the emotional ups and downs that accompany the process of awakening spiritual energy. It is possible that when those on the path of spiritual development stabilize their energy, a constant flow of endorphins begins to be released in the body.

There is also evidence that when endorphin levels increase in the brain, they decrease in the spinal cord. Thus, it is possible that certain yoga breathing and visualization techniques or activities like Kriya Yoga, where one concentrates on raising energy up the spine, moves endorphins from the spinal cord to receptors in the brain until states of intense pleasure arise.

In the 1950s, scientists discovered that when levels of another brain chemical, dopamine, were lowered, people with schizophrenia experienced fewer hallucinations. Therefore, they concluded that the disease arose from a dopamine imbalance complicated by a variety of neurochemical system disorders. Other researchers have identified dopamine as an amplifier of all sensory signals and have said that the real present disorder has to do with how sensory signals affect the brain. Various studies have made many suggestions as to which parts of the brain must be damaged or act abnormally in order for such signals appeared.

With age, the number of dopamine receptors decreases: a man's brain loses about 40% of them, a woman's brain - about 25%. This affects psychomotor coordination. It is also known that a lack of dopamine in certain areas of the brain causes the trembling of the limbs, muscle stiffness and blank stare, which are observed in Parkinson's disease. The drug levodopa has brought many people suffering from this disease back to life after they spent many years in hospital wards. However, side effects of this drug include hallucinations, delirium, extreme rage, involuntary movements, sensory deception, tics, and obsessive grumbling. [(13)] (Many of these symptoms are sometimes found in stories of Kundalini awakening, so it is possible that dopamine levels also rise at times during this process.)

Another natural chemical compound, acetylcholine, when injected into the septum of the brain, causes violent intracerebral activity, in particular, multiple sexual orgasms lasting up to 30 minutes. Involuntary orgasms are also often mentioned in stories of people experiencing Kundalini awakening.

It is clear that various receptors in the brain respond to rising or falling levels of chemicals by creating intense emotional, visual, and physiological phenomena. Activities that use breathing, energy techniques, visualization, and other sensory modalities can affect the release of these chemicals. Much remains to be learned and understood about brain chemistry in general (only a small proportion of brain enzymes have been studied to date), and at present one can only speculate what the relationship between brain chemical imbalances and activity stimulated through sensory pathways is, although parallels between drugs of abuse states and mystical states are constantly noted in the literature.

Arnold Mundell has done some pretty solid research on the connections between brain chemistry and the beyond, which he describes in his paper Towards a Psychology of the Beyond: God in the Brain. It is included in the book on consciousness and biology "Psychobiology of Consciousness" (1980). In his article, Mundell writes that “there is a biogenic aminotemporal-limbic neurology of transformed consciousness,” and that “Western man, who turns inward in search of metaphysical solutions to his problems, has biological mechanisms that can make his path more rational.” [(14)] Developing his biopsychiatric theory related to the so-called pharmacological bridge and the mechanisms controlling the limbic forebrain arousal system, he gives credit to William James for making “the claim that transcendental experience was the same wherever he studied it, and that the most frequently awakened source, God, was in the brain." [(15)]

Mundell cites numerous studies that have provided striking evidence for the concept of "God in the Brain." He proposes the hypothesis that the decrease in the level and/or release of serotonin (which can be caused by the use of amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, as well as meditation and running) inhibits the regulation of hippocampal pyramidal cells, which leads to their overexcitation and loss of their inherent ability to connect with external events with internal reactions. This leads to a sense of unity and a sense of finding “truth” as the person no longer uses the comparative and evaluative functions of the brain. In addition, “increased excitability of the limbic structures of the temporal lobe, which can be judged by synchronous discharges in this area, is associated with personality changes in a person, similar to those that we observe during religious conversion.” [(16)]

This appears to happen because cells in the hippocampus become overexcited and die, creating a neurological state of transcendental consciousness and a feeling of high emotion called ecstasy. Mundell believes that the death of these cells may be the cause of irreversible positive changes in the personality of a person who has gone through the experience of religious transcendence. Several researchers have found that these cells are dead in the brains of people with psychomotor epilepsy who exhibit religious conversion, decreased sexuality, transcendental consciousness, good nature and depth of emotion. The author suggests that "repeated or powerful one-time episodes of cessation of serotonin inhibition" may occur in those who run long distances, meditate, or use hallucinogens, thereby reproducing the personality changes characteristic of those who have transcendental experiences. [(17)]

An analysis of the many works collected and studied by Mundell showed that biochemical reactions can cause symptoms very similar to those exhibited by people during the process of Kundalini movement or spiritual awakening. These include ecstatic states, unity consciousness, interest in spirituality, the need to write, epiphanies, and long-term positive changes in a person's personality. But when we continue research in this direction, many questions need to be addressed, since until now there has been no study of people clearly defined as subjects of Kundalini awakening or mystics. Mundell used many different terms when talking about transcendental experience, such as Maslow's "peak experiences", Jung's "individuation", Lao Tzu's "absolute tao", "satori", "samadhi", Gopi Krishna's "Kundalini awakening", as well as terms such as as "divine spirit" and "strong experience". [(18)] It is safe to assume that the subjective descriptions of many of these conditions differed significantly, much less from the experiences of individuals who suffered from epileptic seizures, took drugs, or underwent electrical brain stimulation in laboratories. All unusual states and experiences are different from each other and are not caused by the same cause.

However, there is enough evidence to confidently say that meditation, breathing techniques and Kundalini awakening can affect brain chemistry or the passage of electrical impulses in the brain. Indeed, some Eastern teachers pointed out that the process of awakening Kundalini completely rearranges the structure of cells, while others looked at the restructuring of the human brain as an evolutionary necessity that is made possible by the awakening of Kundalini.

However, there is a certain danger in using "biogenic aminotemporal-limbic neurology" as a comprehensive explanation of the brain's reactions to ecstatic, transcendental states or a sense of unity. Will we then come to the conclusion that all mystics suffer from temporal lobe epilepsy, or that all epileptic seizures are nothing more than spontaneous indicators of a person’s tendency towards mysticism? Will we put the brain in full charge of all aspects of consciousness, destroying thousands of years of esoteric teachings in one fell swoop? And will it not turn out that these teachings are nothing more than a reaction to the instinctive movement towards the evolution of the brain, and we are destined to live, adapting to the activity of our temporal lobes, while their cells die and ever slower waves permeate the brain?

This approach suggests that what a person gains through years of spiritual practice and the greatest teachings of saints is simply the result of biochemical changes that can easily be produced with the help of drugs or electrical stimulation of the brain. Such a quick solution is very attractive to Westerners. If there is such an obvious possibility of turning sinners into saints, dislike into love, rage into peace through a pill or an electric charge, then shouldn't we apply these methods to habitual criminals and turn them into people like Anandamayi Ma, Krishnamurti, Yogananda and others teachers who are equally full of love and wisdom? If drugs really created spiritual mystics, then we would not be concerned about the increase in their numbers in ghettos, schools and communities, and we would call those on trial today for drug addiction, violence and other drug-related crimes enlightened.

Another danger is reducing what is a powerful healing and transformative effect to disruption of the biochemical functioning of the brain. Perhaps the brain should not be completely open to transcendental states and states of unity, ecstasy and insight, but it is unlikely that the fact that such a discovery has occurred means illness. As the brain develops the ability to naturally accept the influence of more active pranic energies and divine intuition, it will be able to open more to dimensions beyond what Western science has explored and to encounter consciousness that exists in a state beyond. Perhaps the transformed temporal lobe is already a piece of the brain of the future, the next step of evolution, the slower rhythms of brain waves accompanying transcendental states correspond to those sattvic (harmonious) qualities of the causal body, which, penetrating into human consciousness, make liberation possible. Thus, we can hope that the process of evolution continues to bring us wisdom, harmony and creativity.

Mundell's theory offers some interesting avenues for exploring the nature of the changes brought about by Kundalini awakening and other esoteric processes, if they can be used as a two-way street. But one should not reduce mystical states to simple (or even complex) brain functioning, but should consider the work of the brain in connection with cosmic consciousness and look at the temporal lobes of the brain (or the unexplored frontal lobes, where the third eye is located) as areas whose activity will give the ability to achieve wisdom that extends beyond intellectually driven dualistic thinking. At this level, cosmology and biology can begin to merge.

Brainwave theory

Itzhak Bentov, a talented inventor of biomedical equipment, who did a lot of research on the human nervous system and himself worked with Kundalini energy, as a result of work using ballistocardiography to study physiological changes in the body of meditators, discovered the so-called physio-kundalinic syndrome. This syndrome was later described in an article by physician Lee Sanella and was used as a model to explain the process of Kundalini awakening to psychotherapists.

Bentov noticed that certain mechanical vibrations, electromagnetic waves or sounds reproduced in laboratory conditions produce waves in the brain of non-meditators similar to those that arise during meditation. He built a biofeedback system by creating a pulsating magnetic field around the patient's head, and thus stimulated the occurrence of these waves. Trying to explain the phenomenon of spontaneous awakening of Kundalini, he suggested that in people with a particularly sensitive nervous system, this may be a spontaneous reaction to similar frequencies to which they have been exposed for a long time, for example, when driving a car whose spring system and seat structure are made vibrations of such frequency, or sitting at work near the air conditioner.

Bentov attributed the mildness or severity of symptoms to the amount of stress accumulated in the body, and emphasized that only when Kundalini reaches stressful areas do symptoms begin to cause concern. He drew on the work of stress researcher Hans Selye to support the fact that the nervous system can be so loaded with stress that its ability to achieve higher states of consciousness becomes very limited. He believed that this is why all schools of meditation emphasize the importance of calming the body. These stresses are actually energy blocks that can be transformed and cleared, usually involuntarily through body movements, unexpected emotional outbursts, or unexplained pain in different parts of the body. Bentov recommended accompanying meditation sessions with light tonic exercises, such as some hatha yoga poses and moderate-intensity breathing exercises, as the most effective, inexpensive and fastest way to remove stress from the body. Bentov defined physio-kundalinic syndrome as follows:

The series of physiological symptoms usually begins in the left foot or left big toe, either as a mild tingling sensation or a cramp. Tingling travels up left leg to thigh. In extreme cases, paralysis of the foot or entire leg occurs. Loss of sensation may occur over large areas of the skin of the left leg. From the hip the symptom moves along the spine to the head. Severe headaches (with a feeling of pressure) may develop here. In the case of prolonged and severe pressure in the head, dystrophy of the optic nerve may begin, followed by visual impairment, memory loss and general disorientation. [(19)]

Bentov identified this progressive sensorimotor cortical syndrome with the physiology of Kundalini, but emphasized that it is not only a matter of physiology, for planetary and spiritual forces also come into play. In his physiological model, meditators produce continuous sound waves in the ventricles of the brain, which generates sound vibrations in the heart that cause the walls of the ventricles (the fluid-filled cavities of the brain) to vibrate. These vibrations irritate and eventually “polarize” the cerebral cortex so that it sends the signal through the body in a closed loop, starting with the big toes, that is, in the opposite direction of the normal flow of signals. Bentov tried to show that the location of the points of such influence corresponds almost exactly to the path of Kundalini in the body as it is described in esoteric literature. He believed that states of bliss in those who circulated energy in this closed loop were the result of self-stimulation of the pleasure centers in the brain caused by the flow of “flow” through the sensitive zone of the cerebral cortex.

Bentov pointed out that most symptoms occur on the left side of the body and therefore believed that development occurs mainly in the right hemisphere of the brain. This, according to him, is quite logical, since we use our rational, logical left hemisphere all the time, and meditation stimulates mainly the non-verbal, feeling, intuitive right hemisphere.

Dr. Sanella, a psychiatrist and ophthalmologist, drew on Bentov's theory in his brief but insightful work on the process of Kundalini awakening, Kundalini - Psychosis or Transcending (later expanded and published under the title The Kundalini Experience). He also addressed the similarities of some psychotic symptoms that accompany a Kundalini awakening, and said that sometimes patients are misdiagnosed and given the wrong treatment because medical professionals cannot accurately determine whether what is happening to a person is a spiritual awakening or a disease. He described 11 patients with physical and emotional symptoms associated with the movement of Kundalini, and identified signs that make it possible to distinguish psychosis from the process of awakening spiritual energy.

Sanella also said that in some cases it is possible to develop symptoms similar to schizophrenia if a person receives negative reactions from others or feels resistance to interpreting what is happening to him as a Kundalini awakening. He assumed that people who were mediums were most likely to awaken Kundalini and that for them this process would be complex and powerful, since they had a particularly sensitive nervous system. Many of his patients had some experience of paranormal psychic abilities before awakening. Sanella suggested that three categories of reactions are possible to spiritual practices: visions, the appearance of paranormal psychic abilities and the awakening of Kundalini.