Basically, BRAIN POWER is achieving your goals by thinking positive and willing yourself to a better way of life. The most precious gift God has given to all His creatures on earth, is the Brain. It is also the most complex, potent, and most neglected or wasted organ in the body. As we grow older, many problems arise and affect our brains. These problems or maladies arise not from failure on the part of the brain, but from it being used the wrong way. Did you know that the older we get, the better our brains become? If we use our brain all time, and use it well, it actually improves with age! However, the brain is no different from the rest of the body; the more we train it, the stronger and fitter it gets. ‘Mental gymnastics' are just as important as physical gymnastics. The brain is the source of all our motives, actions, and ideas. It is the most complex organ in the human body, as well as the least known. Through prolonged study and experiment scientists have been able to map out the various parts of the brain with considerable accuracy. Certain areas are responsible for our sensory impressions, such as vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch. These are the “sensory” areas. The “motor” areas control our muscles in walking, resting, eating, speaking and working. The front part of the brain, just behind the forehead, is the “silent” area, i.e. where are located our general personality, our sense of justice, moral values, truth, honesty, good judgement, and other abstract characteristics. The cerebral cortex contains the cells that enable us to think, to reason, to draw sensible conclusions and to listen to the voice of conscience. Man is the only creature whose brain triples in size during the first year of life. The cerebral cortex can be also subdivided into two hemispheres: the left and the right, with two different functions. The left cerebral hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right cerebral hemisphere controls the left side of the body. It is also said that the left side relates to intelligence, whereas the right side, to creativity. Therefore, the left hemisphere is engaged in logical thinking, evaluating, criticizing and analyzing work, with detail, while the right hemisphere works with intuitive, creative, three-dimensional aspects, and with whole concepts. We can come to the conclusion that the left side is the most important cerebral hemisphere for linguistics, analysts, mathematicians, for example, and the right side of the brain is most important for painters, designers, artists, salespersons, etc. By a stretch of the imagination, we can safely assume some of the related characteristics of the two cerebral hemispheres, as demonstrated in the following chart: LEFT: 1. Controls the right side of the body. 2. Processes one piece of information at a time. 3. Visualizes and thinks in pictures. 4. Controls speech, grammar and word order. 5. Governs mathematical information. 6. Analyses, evaluates and criticizes. 7. Center for memory of words and numbers. 8. Controls common sense and intelligence. RIGHT: 1. Controls the left side of the body. 2. Works with wholes, and not details. 3. Visualizes and thinks in pictures. 4. Governs movements and physical activity. 5. Governs drawing and painting. 6. Center for intuition, spontaneity, & feelings. 7. Center for memory of experiences, people, etc. 8. Controls creativity and intuition. It is obvious that for some activities the left side of the brain is needed most, and for other activities, the right side of the brain. When the two hemispheres work together to contribute to a result, the brain is working at its best. Too often a person has one or the other side dominant. A balance is ideal. In the technique know as “brain storming”, both sides are used equally and result in balance – or genius. Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci are two such examples of genius. They both had equal superbly balanced brains of right and left hemispheres. For example, Leonardo da Vinci was not only genius in art, but also able to invent machines and create graphic illustrations as well as mechanical formulae for his inventions. Many of us have neglected the development of our “right brains”. Perhaps because during our early school years, talent was not developed in schools, or art classes and music lessons were considered a waste of time. Whether art would become a career in the future, or not, we did not realise then the use that could be made of our right brain all through our lives. By simply exercising some form of art in early childhood, it would have been a stimulus in itself for developing and expanding the use of the right side of the brain, affecting positively the rest of our lives. If you are physically tired or going through some traumatic events in your life, your brain may receive some warnings signals, such as when you: • Tire too easily • Read too slowly • Eat too much • Get headaches • Suffer gastric ulcers or asthma • Lose control over emotions • Forget appointments • Lose concentration • Make too many mistakes • Decrease body immunity • Become prone to illness • Become physically sick Many of these psychosomatic illnesses (such as asthma, gastric ulcers, and migraines) are due to stress. Stress may even instigate and cause all types of cancers. So, avoid stress. (Easier said than done!) You have to will yourself to get better. The expression is “to think positive”. You will soon lose the above symptoms, if you train your brain or learn how to use it better. If we understand how the brain operates, we can improve our health, work, and life in general, in 12 different ways. With reference to Dr. Clifford R. Anderson's book “Modern Ways to Health”, published by Southern Publishing Association, USA, and experts in their book “The Human Factor” published by the Scandinavian School of Service, the following are twelve tips to “Brain Power” and ‘positive thinking' in achieving your ultimate goals. Perhaps your ultimate goals may differ from one person to another, but you can achieve anything, if you believe in yourself, think positive, and practice self-control. By proper use of “Brain Power”, you can: 1. Communicate better 2. Be more creative 3. Be fitter physically 4. Improve memory 5. Avoid fatigue and stress 6. Make better decisions 7. Gain an overall view of things 8. Be more relaxed 9. Develop willpower and self-discipline 10. Solve problems faster 11. Learn faster 12. Achieve goals and enjoy life. It's not too late! Both sides of the brain can still be developed. You can even think yourself into good health; you can stop smoking, lose weight, avoid migraines, and improve your physical and mental performance. “Brain Power” can also help you to improve in your job performance, or inspire you to change your whole career to suit your needs and dreams. It can be done. Habits can be changed. How? The problem is we tend to be unable to see the long-term pleasure of a slim figure, for example, because the view is obscured by the short-term pleasure of consuming an ice cream or a plate of “mah-shi”! Or, we avoid the short-term pain of physical exercise, or the ‘unbearable' thought of a day without cigarettes! The method of achieving a number of long-term goals is quite simple, but finding the self-discipline to tackle them is much harder. “Brain power” is one way to help yourself. But first, you must want to help yourself. What is ‘Brain Power'? It is basically self-control. Meditation, yoga, or visualization (in subconscious or conscious ‘film replays') is another method of “Brain Power”, to make long-term goals attainable. It is a self-governing technique, and its method of use is really very simple. All you have to do is imagine yourself (several times a day) starring in a film! You can visualize all the things and all the situations in the whole of your life that you would like to change, then ‘play' it through (your subconscious film) as often as you need it. Subtly put, this is also self-hypnosis. Think in colours. Think in pictures. You are thus appealing to the right side of your brain, and so making a much more lasting impression. You can use “Brain Power” to: 1. Counteract stress – (make a ‘relaxation film' for yourself) 2. Make physical changes – (lose weight, or improve your body fitness) 3. Imagine a better life – (your job, your career, home, house, sport, friends, associates) 4. Know yourself better – (discover subconscious things you may wish to develop or adapt) If you decide to change something or reach a new goal with “Brain Power”, make sure you relax and visualize 2 or 3 times a day, for a period of time. First, apply some deep breathing and relaxation exercises. Start your first ‘film' of the day when you are totally relaxed. Then, ‘play-back' throughout the remainder of the day and as often as you like. But don't expect a miracle in two days! Give yourself a chance – give yourself time, keep visualizing, and it will work. You will notice that your behaviour will change. By positive thinking and determination, I guarantee that you will soon reap the benefits. Remember also to believe in yourself. Most important of all, whatever your religion is, have Faith in God. By Hoda Nassef
