Question 1. Which of these brain cell illustrations makes up most of humanity’s threat-detection networks, A or B?
If you guessed B, you are correct. Almost from conception the brain begins building threat-detection circuitry (9 days after in mice embryos). From there on out a steady network buildout takes place, much of it unneeded in modern daily life. Even in dangerous environments, more of our time is spent in safety than in overt threatening encounters. Much more often this circuitry gets activated and strengthened by . . . the thoughts about threat and danger that we think.
Question 2. Which of these two neural cell networks depicts most of humanity’s network resources available to respond to detected threats, real or imagined, A or B?
If you guessed A, once again you are correct. Without training and practice, the networks in the human brain that are responsible for calming us down and restoring equanimity and homeostasis tend to be demonstrably impoverished – our adrenal glands regularly make us their bitch. In neuroscience circles this imbalanced asymmetry is reliably measured and known as low . . . Functional Anisotropy in the Uncinate Fasciculus.
Which leads us to the next question on this quiz:
Question 3. Which of these adverse health conditions does NOT highly correlate with low Functional Anisotropy in the Uncinate Fasciculus?
If you answered NONE, they ALL highly correlate, again, you answered correctly. Which naturally leads to the question: What is to be done? How might knowing all this be of help to humans?
Question 4: Which practices (in descending order according to their “power of magnitude”) do I feel most drawn to in order to change my brain for the better?
Write your answer in the Comments section below:
I just took my own quiz and aced it! 😉
For the last two years I’ve added a Generosity Practice and a Supported Challenge to my Ignorance/Wisdom Practice. I spend a lot of my days practicing something. Every day, I spend some amount of time observing the huge amount of time I spend believing things are true that may or may not be. Ignorance. Before I even turn on the computer, I read 5 pages of Rumi stories or poetry. Wisdom. I research and have ChatGTP translate 3 PubMed studies on the Uncinate Fasciculus into lay English. And then I make sure I spend some time daily deliberately giving something to someone.
I loved starting my 78th birth day with your wonderful questions,
which I also aced, thanks to you! I can say that I am becoming an almost constant practitioner of the list on the right, hoping to die with most of my thoughts in the righthand list!
Gratitude, my friend to you. for providing the science to support my beliefs…..Love to you.
You’re fun and funny, Ms. Ruth. And your uncinate fasciculus is spreading the joy throughout your neural network! 😉
XOXOX Mark
Just this afternoon, I had the opportunity to share with an online group of folks the gist of the information you shared with us this very morning! I led a nervous system settling sequence and mentioned how our brains love opportunities to rest and restore themselves in safe situations. The group, feeling very much refreshed, was most appreciative…as am I to you, Mark!
It’s all a sweet, virtuous network, Debby! Thanks for letting me know.
XOXOX
Mark