daoscape

""It is one thing to have upside-down two-dimensional images on the backs of our retinas. It is quite another to see: to have a vivid experience of a world existing “out there” in three dimensions, beyond our own body, a world that seems real, and that we can sense, move in, and be conscious of, and even conjure up in the mind in great detail with our eyes closed. And within this conjuring, somehow, a sense of personhood is generated as well, a sense of a seer who is doing the seeing and perceiving what is to be seen, a knower who is knowing what is here to be known, at least to a degree. Yet it is all a conjuring, a construct of the mind, literally a fabrication, a synthesizing of a world out of sensory input, a synthesis based at least in part on processing vast arrays of sensory information through complex networks in the brain, the whole of the nervous system, and indeed, the whole of the body. This is truly a phenomenal accomplishment. It is a huge mystery, and an extraordinary, if usually entirely taken for granted, inheritance for each of us."" - Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Coming To Our Senses (2006, Hyperion: New York), p317.

Our bodies can react to our thoughts as if those thoughts were reality itself. This allows us to habitually indulge in daydreaming and fantasies - absent-mindedness - in order to overcome boredom and stressful situations. However, this indulgence comes at a huge cost because allowing our imaginations to have such a habitual grip on our physical existence means that when negative predictions arise - imagined catastrophic scenarios - there is no 'reality gap' between those negative thoughts and our nervous systems - we react physically, as if our future worries were happening right now. In this way we can habitually allow our reflexively thinking mind to take hold of our body whether we want it to or not. Thus, we can very quickly find ourselves suffering from insomnia or a panic attack, and without any perceived hope of avoiding a similar event in the near future.

Mindfulness brings in a different way of dealing with boredom and necessary stressful situations - it encourages us to expose ourselves to any necessary stressors while distracting our attention from our judging thoughts as we relax into the innate positive intelligence of our bodies in the here-and-now. Our innate intelligence can anchor us in a more peaceful place - the place our energetically-conservative body always wants to be in - allowing us to bring finer clarity of perception and better physical coordination to our situation. This means that we can gain a tolerance for the inevitable pains in life - things like getting ill, becoming older, and losing loved ones; all natural and normal events that every person must face.

By practicing mindfulness one finds that, over time, one's thoughts hold less power over one's physical condition because one is more busy enjoying living in the physicality of the present moment, rather than the illusory world of the imagination. In this way mindfulness can enable one to become more emotionally resilient and more sensitive to habitual and often unnecessary negative reactions, thus bringing more peace to one's life. Of course, the amount of peace one experiences will be dependent on how much mindfulness practice one engages in - what one puts in, one gets out. There are no short-cuts.

The key factor for becoming more mindful is to readjust one's habitual relationship with one's body - to literally re-body, or re-member oneself - to be physically present as much as possible wherever one finds oneself. This physical 'waking up' to one's regular daily environment demands certain lifestyle changes, and so mindfulness training courses often tend to revolve around lifestyle management themes. The course guides or trainers gently encourage and support the continued growth of more wholesome appetites and perspectives for enjoying the simple things in life, such as appreciating physical movement, daily tasks, nature, social interaction, eating, resting, etc. Through this process, participants come to understand that mindfulness is definitely a lifestyle rather than a philosophy - it is something to be lived rather than pondered or contemplated.

The fundamental property of life is self-perpetuation

In 1974, Harvard Biology PhD graduates Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana published a paper in the peer-reviewed scientific journal BioSystems, titled Autopoiesis: The Creation of Living Systems, It's Characterisation and a Model. Their model highlighted the mechanistic properties of living systems; defining all life as having identifiable boundaries containing components which determine their own interactions and transformations and which produce themselves as well as their boundaries. This is achieved by chemical feedback cycles which are energetically open to their environments but try to keep their pattern of organisation (DNA) closed in order to maintain their components and boundaries. The fundamental property of life was thus described as being self-perpetuation.

The fundamental process of life is autopoiesis

Dr Varela and Maturana coined the term 'autopoiesis' which referred to the automatic self-creating nature of life, based on how the first cells were apparently randomly constructed by natural processes within and above the Earth's primitive oceans, and then continued to protect the organisation of their components against the 'destructive' forces of entropy. It had already been understood from quantum physics that all physical objects shared the same fundamental energy, and that the energy in living systems was constantly moving, however this was the first time that a scientific theory describing all life as a detailed biochemical process had been given serious consideration.

Life is one big family of cells living in social tiers

Varela and Maturana went on to speak of tiers of social biological systems; highlighting the mechanical similarity between individual cells in multicellular organisms and individual animals in animal societies. Single cells were presented as being a first tier of cellular organization. Then multicellular organisms such as individual humans or ants were suggested as the second tier, and human societies or ant colonies (communities of multicellular organisms) as the third tier. In this way life can be seen as one big family, or a seamless chemical process spreading over our planet - intimately linked with its environment, and always looking to preserve itself; often surviving very successfully by coupling together groups of cells or groups of multicellular organisms into higher-tier societies (such as the towns and cities we thrive in today).

Living organsims are vehicles for 'selfish' DNA

Two years after the theory of autopoiesis was published, in 1976 Richard Dawkins published his famous book The Selfish Gene which presented living organisms as relatively flexible organic vehicles for unflexible 'selfish' DNA.

Humans were created by the natural universe

These biological systems theories - reflecting upon our 'purpose' and our historical construction - set the scene for a new conception of what humans are physically; as natural and beautiful as a flower or a swirling, glittering galaxy - dynamic, flexible, bio-mechanical, and automatically created from the basic elements of the universe by the laws of physics.

We must trust our natural life process to take care of us

Systems science supports mindfulness practice by providing a very stable grounding in the natural world around us - in the automatic life process we all share. We can trust that the automatic processes in our body - our breathing, our hearts beating, our stomachs digesting, our colons excreting, our awarenesses noticing, our minds labelling, etc., care for us unconditionally. Our organs and the cells in our organs are working 24/7 to keep us alive, so that we can give up our internal struggles and 'surf' our autopoiesis in the knowledge that, in fact, we can do no wrong - as long as we truly understand that we are a part of the autopoietic life process. If we struggle against our true nature - impose a different idea upon our biology which is at odds with the life process, thus dragging ourselves away from our ecological 'niches', then of course we can suffer to the point of dysfunction.

The heart of all life is positive

No matter what we think, autopoiesis highlights that all hearts - human or otherwise - are positive at their core; that all our behaviours are driven by an instinct to self-perpetuate and to support all life in general. A tiger kills a rabbit not because it is a violent creature "red in tooth and claw", but because that is the way the life process developed in the case of a wild, hungry tiger. The fact that a tiger can be tamed speaks for itself. Maybe if the more sociable autopoietic cells making up a tiger had a choice, they would decide to be a herbivore, or even less aggressive - a plant.

Charity and compassion is being practiced in your cells right now

This social dimension to life - always looking for more and more powerful 'channels' to promote the life process, when considered in the form of the cells coupled together in our body or in a plant - automatically sharing resources between them - forms a blueprint for charity and compassion in human society; something mindfulness practices tap into with the intention to embody 'heartfulness' and loving kindness. Indeed, when we are engaged in such activities, it feels effortless and deeply nourishing. Maybe that is the life process within us smiling internally - in recognition of a basic natural harmony.

The Mind and Life Institute

In 1990 Varela formally co-founded the Mind and Life Institute; a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the relationship between science and Buddhism. MBSR Mindfulness founder, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, presently sits on the Mind and Life Institute board of directors.

Our brains think negatively to keep us safe

Even though our minds automatically notice and label things - a capacity which no doubt continues to keep humans safe from danger all over the world, a by-product of this is process is a tendency towards a negative bias. Our distant ancestors would not have been very successful at surviving if they had not been concerned about potential dangers lurking around most corners. Unfortunately this negative bias can get out of control if serious trauma occurs - the 'once bitten, twice shy' phenomenon can cause humans to become shy of, for example, trusting those closest to them if those people have harmed them deeply in the past. This severe negative bias preventing individuals from accessing much-needed resources can spiral into further negative thoughts - a depressing rumination cloud which manifests as clinical depression. This is where a human's powerful brain becomes it's worst enemy.

Thoughts are suggestions, NOT facts

Mindfulness practitioners use this knowledge to witness negative thoughts as the mind offering up potentially helpful suggestions or warnings - random thoughts - not facts, but potentially useful suggestions just in case one had not considered what seems to be a threat. This allows us to decide whether a thought is relevant or not - it creates a distance, especially if attention is placed in a physical 'anchor' away from the centre of the negative thought spiral; keeping thoughts 'in the wings' so to speak, not centre stage in the 'main reality' zone within which we are primarily living and responding physically.

Human brains are very fluid and adaptable

An up-side to humans having evolved such powerful brains means that we are incredibly fluid and adaptable - using acquired skills and knowledge to overcome adversity within a wide variety of environments. In this sense, we have no specific 'perfect niche' in which we thrive - whether ecological or social, with humans even to this day living in a variety of social settings very different from their neighbours'. This capacity to adapt to different environments meant that human DNA could successfully survive unpredictable conditions - whether it was a forest fire sending them out into the grasslands, or conquest from a neighbouring society destroying their cultural relics and traditions. Adaptability - fluidity of mind - is possibly a human's most powerful resource.

We have no one core behavioural 'program'

Understanding that we are fluid and adaptable helps mindfulness practitioners limit the power of the labels they give to themselves. We habitually carve out an idea of what our core behavioural essence is in an attempt to control what is happening; to form a social hierarchy, and yet we unwittingly set ourselves up for a 'fall from grace'. Those presenting themselves as great leaders so easily become corrupt dictators, and those proclaiming to be spiritually pure so easily become revealed as among the most unwholesome in our societies. In fact, such a solid shape - a self or ego - cannot be carved, since our core essence is fluid and changeable - it takes on the shape of the vessel it is poured into; the ecological and social settings within which we are nurtured and thrive; settings which can change so rapidly.

Our lack of a single core behaviour sets us free

A nomadic hunter - a wandering killer of animals, having to move away from an environment where hunting for meat is necessary, can become a peaceful vegetable gardener where the land and climate favour that lifestyle. Humans are neither killers nor gardeners - they are empty of any true behavioural essence (beyond seeking to preserve the life process in general), and this frees all of us from condemnation. It means that forgiveness can be practiced with conviction, new healthier appetites and practices can be taken on, and that the mentally ill can potentially heal.

Unpredictable situations can cause panic

Our highly adaptive minds can discover a lot of useful information about how to survive confidently, but there are some situations that are too unusual and/or unpredictable for us to handle without panicking. To deal with such events as best we can, we inherited from our animal ancestors a rough yet practical adrenaline fight/freeze/flee (FFF) response.

Muscular tension is a precursor to the adrenaline response

If our skills appear to be ineffective for dealing with a challenge, muscular tension increases in a variety of places in the body - either gradually over time until it triggers the FFF reaction, or severe tension can arise very suddenly if we are surprised, thus triggering the adrenaline reponse immediately. There is also the potential for the physical tension that comes with manic excitement and hysteria to suddenly trigger the FFF response when a perceived threat arrives, since the quick heartbeat and general 'emotional arousal' of the feeling of excitement are very similar to that of a state of panic and can be misinterpreted as such.

The stress response causes new problems

When FFF happens, it either catapults us away from danger, allows us to act dead, or gives us the energy to punch, kick, and claw our way out. Although this can help us in dire situations, it comes at a cost to our health. Among the various effects of the stress response is the injection of the toxic steroid hormone cortisol into the bloodstream, as well as the mind experiencing cognitive distortions or 'emotional thinking' - exaggerated negative thought patterns, for example causing what could be a small accident to seem like "a huge disaster".

The stress steroid hormone cortisol destroys our health

Where our general health is concerned, the stress reaction shouldn't happen too often. Elevated cortisol levels are known to interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, risk for depression, mental illness, and lowers life expectancy. Additional bad news is that once cortisol and other stress-related hormones have been released, and the inevitable emotional thinking "stress ball" starts rolling, it can be difficult for it to stop as it spreads panic to other organisms.

Cycles of neglect and abuse are often passed down through families and communities

Since the FFF response comes from our animal ancestors - rooted in a very primitive part of the brain, the behaviours and communicated perceptions which accompany FFF tend to be more 'animal' in nature, and so a feedback cycle can emerge whereby, for example, stressed family or community members interact with each other in uncivilised ways which trigger more FFF. Such feedback loops have been called 'cycles of neglect and abuse', since high levels of stress and associated aggressive behaviours caused within families and communities by catastrophes have been observed to get passed down through generations.

Reacting using negative emotions breeds more negative emotions

Stress feedback cycles can be found not only in family homes and local communities, however, but everywhere - in the workplace, in schools, in supermarkets, etc. People interacting based on emotional thinking tends to trigger more emotional thinking in the people they are interacting with, and so elevated cortisol levels have become the norm for most people in stressed-out societies.

Tension building up to a potential adrenaline response can be noticed and dissolved

Mindfulness practitioners use information about the stress response and its effects on the body to practice habitually scanning their bodies for excess tension - increasing their sensitivity to rising tension so that they can notice when it is building, and taking conscious steps to allow it to dissolve before it can trigger FFF - nipping it in the bud. This has meant that mindful people often avoid excitement and settle for emotionally grounding activities in order to keep tension in their bodies low. This does not mean that mindful people do not, for example, dance or exercise their bodies - it is possible to go for a jog without being emotionally aroused. Excitement is primarily an emotional state, not a dynamic state of one's limbs.

Emotional thinking can be 'managed'

Mindful people use an awareness of the irrationality present in cognitive distortions caused by emotional thinking to be proactive in intercepting a stress ball's inevitable social 'snowball effect'. By removing themselves from situations where they must make any necessary judgements - especially social judgements - and waiting until they have calmed down, they manage to limit the amount of stress which can be caused. After mental clarity has arrived the conditions are safer to continue interacting with others.

A study on mindfulness meditation and its effect on brain gray matter

In 2011, Dr Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist who works at Massachusetts General Hospital and leads a lab doing meditation research at Harvard University, published a paper titled Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density in the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.

Mindfulness meditation increases brain gray matter

Dr Lazar's 2011 study showed that after just 8 weeks, the gray matter in the brains of people who participated in a mindfulness meditation course increased significantly in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress. This was the first study to document changes caused by meditation in the brain's grey matter over time. Gray matter contains nerve cell bodies which are essential to the healthy functioning of the nervous system. The amount of gray matter in our brains tends to decrease as we get older.

Mindfulness meditation thickens the brainstem

In 2014, Lazar published more impressive results of physical brain changes produced by mindfulness meditation - in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. The paper was titled Change in Brainstem Gray Matter Concentration Following a Mindfulness-Based Intervention is Correlated with Improvement in Psychological Well-Being, and revealed a significant thickening of the brain stem of meditators over an 8 week period. The brain stem is the site of synthesis and release of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin, which are involved in the modulation of arousal and mood. The people who meditated for longer during the 8 week period experienced more thickening in that area.

Evidence of physical brain changes from mindfulness boosts our confidence in our bodies and moods

The neuroscientific evidence about how mindfulness changes our brains gives mindfulness practitioners additional confidence in being able to keep their nervous systems healthier than the average person into old age, and to improve their general mood. These physical results are of course desired by any human beyond the stress reduction effects of mindfulness meditation.

"At any and every level, the human body and every living organism is truly a universe of unimagined complexity and also simplicity and beauty in its unity of functioning, in its wholeness, its very being. And don’t forget, we are talking about “you,” not some far-out science fiction story about another galaxy and some other time. And yet such ways of speaking of architecture and mechanism, of machines and factories, whether molecular or supra-molecular, are limited and limiting, even in their beautiful and partial truth. What is left out are other ways we have of knowing who and what we are, ways that go way beyond our flair for logic and for thinking. For our mechanical descriptions tend to leave out the reverence, the awe, the miracle of it all, the very isness of it. Those descriptions leave out all that doesn’t exactly get explained away no matter how much we know in our heads." - Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Coming To Our Senses (2006, Hyperion: New York), p586-587.