Archive → June, 2011
How “Free Bird” relates to Brain Wave Vibration
Clearly one of the most epic songs of all time, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," has endured as an American rock classic since its debut in 1974.
From the start, it's worth noting that this is not a song that is particularly remembered for its lyrics. The words are all frontloaded to the beginning of the song, as if the band is saying "let's get these out of the way." What people love about Free Bird is the marathon of a guitar solo that occurs later on in the song. In fact, this instrumental section has become so famous that fans of the song have taken to yelling out Free Bird as a request at concerts, much to the annoyance of musicians and concertgoers alike.
Nonetheless, Free Bird's lyrics do have some meaning. If it wasn't obvious from the title, the main idea behind the song is freedom. Clearly, the narrator is talking to a woman as he is leaving: "For I must be travelin' on now/cause there's too many places I've got to see." Essentially, the singer is saying that he can't be tied down – he must be free to wander.
In many ways, the song is about leaving the world behind and moving on to try new experiences. This is a similar idea to Brain Wave Vibration – an idea that practitioners can unlock by following the teachings of Ilchi Lee.
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Brain Wave Vibration in “Lord of the Rings?”
J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy and "Hobbit" novel have been thrust into the spotlight once again, as film director Peter Jackson is currently shooting two more films for the franchise. Most know the general story by now, but many overlook one of the most important aspects of the books.
The general idea is that a hobbit named Frodo must take an evil ring to a treacherous land called Mordor and destroy it by throwing it into a volcano. The films spend a lot of time showing the action of this epic quest, with battles and long roads for each of the major characters – and this certainly a major part of the story.
Yet at it's heart, the books are about an inner struggle. The ring has limitless power and tempts the bearer repeatedly. Frodo is chosen to carry the ring because he is of strong will and can be trusted with it – even though he is probably the most frail out of all the characters in the books.
In the end, it is Frodo's positive thinking and sheer willpower that staves off evil and wins the day. We wouldn't be surprised if Frodo was using a bit of Brain Wave Vibration to project his positive thoughts and shape the world around him.
Those who don't have the time or energy to go through the books will be happy to know that Jackson doesn't skip much when he films the movies – they've all quite long, but they cover each novel pretty thoroughly, unlike many Hollywood adaptations.
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Researchers discover reasons behind neurodegenerative effects of stress
Stress can cause the brain to deteriorate over time, and now a team of researchers from the University of California, Davis has determined the cause of this effect. The findings may help individuals limit stress and rejuvenate their pursuit of personal development.
They found that a gene known as RCAN1 is produced at high levels in the brain during periods of stress. This gene normally is involved in the brain's coping mechanisms and helps individual's deal with stress. However, when it is present in large quantities, it appears to destroy brain tissue by enveloping neural networks and limiting their function.
"One can imagine that it becomes sticky and makes tangled scaffolding," said Kelvin Davies, who led the study. "By publishing this hypothesis, we hope to stimulate more research on the subject."
Ilchi Lee has long recommended meditation and other relaxation techniques in order to help people reach their full brain potential and avoid the damaging consequences of stress. The findings of this new study provide yet another reason to adopt this approach.
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Make sure you don’t burn bridges down the stretch
Fulfilling your human potential as a professional means that you should avoid the "lame duck" syndrome when leaving your current employer.
It is natural for many employees who give their notice at a job to shift their work gear into neutral and significantly reduce their production. However, this is a slippery slope that should be avoided for many reasons.
For starters, you never know when you may run into a co-worker in the future, in a professional or personal setting. It is best not to gain a reputation as a worker who "phones it in" once they know they cannot be disciplined by their temporary employer.
In addition, your work habits can seep their way into your next professional role. If you are slacking in your final two weeks at work, you are more likely to start off on the wrong foot in your next profession.
The best way to leave a job is to adequately train your replacement – if you have one. By sharing your knowledge and experiences with your successor, your former co-workers, and the company as a whole, will benefit.
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Quitting one’s job is a process
While it can be easy to over-react to a problem at work – whether it be a disagreement with a boss or built-up stress – employees should carefully weigh all their options prior to quitting the job once and for all.
Ilchi Lee believes that considering all of one's options is a sign of personal growth that can be useful throughout a person's life.
According to a recent article on The Street, while the job market may be improving across the country, we're still in a period of recovery, so workers should not simply assume that they will be able to land another position if they step down from their current post.
In this same vein, it is important to be honest with oneself over the reasons for wanting to quit the job, according to Brazen Careerist CEO Penelope Trunk.
"In general, people quit their jobs because they are delusional and think they need more time for something, like writing a novel or traveling," Trunk, who is also a business blogger, told the news source. "These are not actually good reasons to quit your job."
Rather, workers should focus on more legitimate reasons for quitting such as health or potential negative impacts of the job on one's family or personal life, Trunk said.
If the reasons are there and the employee decides quitting is the only appropriate step, they should make sure to give their employer plenty of notice so that they can hire someone else to step in right away.
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Early life experiences may predict future depression risk
A new study out of the University of California, Los Angeles has found that individuals who have experienced trauma early in their lives may be more prone to depression following minor stressful situations later in life. The findings suggest that individuals who have had traumatic experiences may benefit from relaxation exercises like meditation.
The researchers said that depression is triggered in most adults by a sudden disturbing experience, such as lose a loved one or getting fired from a job. But at least 30 percent of people who develop depression experience the mood disorder as a result of much more minor everyday stresses.
After surveying a group of depressed adults about their early life experiences and what triggered their current bout of depression, the researchers found a strong correlation between experiencing trauma at a young age and being launched into a depressive state by minor life events.
Ilchi Lee recommends meditation as a way for individuals to let go of the stresses of their days, and the findings suggest that this may particularly important for some people. Simply taking a few minutes each day to focus one's self and let go of what bothers them may be an effective way to preserve mental health.
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Thoughts influence perception, study finds
It has long been said that a person’s view of the world around them colors their perception, and a new study published in the journal Psychological Science confirms this notion. The findings suggest that a person’s happiness in their life is only limited by their brain potential.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales started by asking participants to visualize a particular image – a colored shape with a pattern on it. The team then showed participants two different images at once, one of which was the image the participants were previously asked to visualize.
The results showed that participants who visualized the initial image with the greatest ease perceived that particular image more dominantly than the other. The researchers said that this shows how strongly a person’s thoughts can influence their perception of the world around them.
"Our ability to consciously experience the world around us has been dubbed one of the most amazing yet enigmatic processes under scientific investigation today,” said Joel Pearson, who led the study. “If we stop for a moment and think about it, our ability to imagine the world around us in the absence of stimulation from that world is perhaps even more amazing."
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Researchers uncover best way to learn
While many people believe that the best way to learn something is to cram as much information into their brains as quickly as possible, a new study suggests that spreading the learning process out over time may be a much more effective approach.
The RIKEN Brain Science Institute researchers who conducted the study said that this makes sense. It has long been known that when, for example, a college student spends a full night cramming for a test, they do not learn the information as thoroughly as their classmates who have spent an entire semester with the material.
This is because when a person interacts with information over an extended period of time, their short-term memories of the subject become consolidated into more permanent memories. In the new study, the team discovered the biological and molecular process that may underlie this type of learning.
These types of findings help underscore what Ilchi Lee says about learning and the role that Brain Education can play. This technique helps individuals clear their minds and get the most out of their brain while making use of important neuroscientific findings.
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Too much focus can lead to lack of mental clarity
Focusing too heavily on one thing in particular may result in a state that a team of University College London researchers has termed inattention deafness. The findings show that failure to maintain proper balance in thoughts can cause people to misperceive the world around them.
This is a common problem in today’s society. With smartphones, people are now connected at all times to their email, text messages and websites. However, focusing too much on these things can make people blind to the world around them.
"Inattentional deafness is a common everyday experience," said Nilli Lavie, who led the study. "For example, when engrossed in a good book or even a captivating newspaper article we may fail to hear the train driver's announcement and miss our stop, or if we're texting whilst walking, we may fail to hear a car approaching and attempt to cross the road without looking."
The findings of the study show that it is possible for a person’s brain to be completely consumed with thoughts of a single subject that they lose awareness of what is happening around them. If this has become a consistent problem in a person’s life, Brain Education programs that teach mental focus may help restore clarity.
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Stressed searchers miss many objects
Stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on an individual’s brain potential and change the way they perceive the world. Ilchi Lee says that meditation and other forms of relaxing mental exercise may play an important role in people’s ability to get the most out of their brain power.
These types of techniques are even more important in light of a new set of findings from Duke University researchers. The team discovered that when a person is feeling anxious or stressed while they are looking for something, they are much more likely to miss the object they were searching for.
The researchers said that their findings have important implications for the way people are trained, particularly in important instances such as search and rescue of missing persons. Channeling and reducing stress in these situations may lead to better outcomes.
The results of the study confirm what Ilchi Lee says about the negative effects of stress and anxiety on the brain. He has long recommended meditation as a way to curb these unhealthy feelings and push brain potential to its fullest.
