TAS practice

From Dan Siegal in the most recent Garrison Institute newsletter:

The prefrontal cortex does three things. Number one, it allows self-awareness to develop. The amazing irony of reflective practices is that as you develop the capacity to have more attunement to yourself, you actually start dissolving what Einstein called the optical delusion of your separateness and, ironically, the more you become in tune with yourself, you realize the notion of [self] (in my case, Dan) is just an illusion. In fact, we are all a part of an interconnected whole. So, reflective practice is the opposite of self-indulgence; it’s self-liberation. And this, I believe, needs to be taught in every school. We need a program called, ‘No prefrontal cortex left behind.’ The prefrontal region is able to see the truth, because the truth is we are all interconnected.

Number two, this area of the brain (and studies on reflective practice show these areas get thicker) actually can regulate the sub-cortical distress. In people who develop what is called “mindfulness traits,” you actually can show how inhibitory peptides are secreted to calm the lower, distressed areas in the brain.

Third, in middle prefrontal development, through contemplative practice, through reflective practices, [you develop] the ability to see and shape the internal world by tracking and transforming this flow toward something called integration. What I believe happens — and all the studies suggest it is true — is that when people do this, they start making not only “me maps,” but “you maps.” They become more empathic. Then they start making something we can call “we maps,” where they realize we are actually in this together. When you do that, compassion and kindness become integrated and natural to the prefrontal cortex, [perceiving] our membership in the larger family, as natural as the breath is to life. [“We maps”] have the potential to actually awaken our larger human family to the need to preserve the Earth.

These are the postulated neural pathways for empathy, self-awareness, and tolerance of pain and ambiguity that are reinforced by mindfulness practice. This is what the TAS curriculum and school structure continually supports and develops.

The context for Siegal's argument is that developing these qualities make one more receptive to see the big picture, in this case, the vast environmental changes overtaking so much of the planet. It is a leap from science into psychology (a little snark there, excuse it please) but is an interesting direction nonetheless.

But let this be stated clearly: measurable, observable, and enduring changes in brain structure are the results of mindfulness and meditation practice. This is what TAS is based on. We've been practicing this longer and more comprehensively with teenagers than anyone else. It works.

Another item from the world of science that will gratify all you alternative types....deep tissue massage clearly decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol (as well as a precursor- arginine vasopressin). Light massage increases oxytocin, "a hormone associated with contentment", according the the NY Times article.

Get frequent massages and meditate as much as you are able. Life will get better. Or rather, if life seems better, then it is better.