A session on brain and behaviour with Prashanth from Rishi Gurukulum Pune.
The first question was “what is a brain?
This was enough to explore inside/ outside of the brain, nodes, neurons, connections, various parts of brain, senses and so on. To understand our behaviour we needed to understand our brain. When we were Reptilian, the environment was very uncertain(eat or to be eaten,). The reptilian brain still exists and responsible for our reflexes. This helps us in basic existence – life skills, run, save, reflex. Limbic brain brings relationship and emotions to us. Neocortex brain brings logical and creativity aspect in our life.
Next question was “what is the difference between brain and mind”? This led to understanding conscious mind, unconscious mind and memory. At the basis of any negative emotion lies “fear”. And when one consistently operate from fear, one responds with reaction and reactions can be revenge, anger, violence, justifying and so on. At the basis of any positive emotion lies “freedom”. And freedom brings creativity, ideas, concentration and joy. When I operate from “joy” I have freedom, while I operate from “prevention” I develop fear.
The question we pondered was “How our actions train our brain?” When we smile and do a task, the brain gets the message of happiness. So the choices are ours!
The session was not to know biological aspect of the brain but to understand the role of the brain in our behaviour. What we think, what we believe, what we put in our brain it comes out through our actions.
So it matters what message I give I give to my brain – ” I can’t or I can”.