Cynthia Allen, Feldenkrais and Bones for Life Teacher

February’s Weight Training for the Brain Contest

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Give this a try. Squat down as far as you can (safely) and feel how much effort is involved in getting back up. Do it a couple of times so you can feel the effort. Now, pucker up. That’s right. Show yourself some love and kiss your forearm with a series of smack-er-roos. 
 
After a pause, squat and come back up and feel the decrease in effort.

In the past few years, I have had an increase in clients who are seeking to keep their mind sharp. Some simply express the desire to improve their memory and cognition while others have been diagnosed with dementia.

In current literature the brain is often described as a muscle. There may be a tendency to think of our brain as something we are born with and that’s that. Nothing could be further from the truth. The brain is a complex, organic process which can be enhanced with intentional engagement - or diminished - just like a muscle.

There are two excellent videos on the web from The Mind and Its Potential Conference; I think we would all benefit from listening to them.

The first is: Changing the Brain: Mind Over Matter

This panel discussion amongst diverse scientists is very interesting and extremely accessible. There is excellent information for parents and/or teachers of small children, as well as for aging adults seeking to keep their relationships with others and their minds on a healthy plane.

The second, from the same conference, is: Neuroplasticity: The ‘Use it or Lose it’ Brain.

In this talk, neuroscientist, Michael Valenzuela explains neuroplasticity and how neural pathways work. He goes on to tell us how we can make the most of our brain. Valenzuela won the prestigious Eureka Prize for Medical Research for one of the great scientific breakthroughs of our time: proving that mental exercise reduces the risk of dementia and how that works.

Of particular interest to me - besides his great explanation - are the three most powerful keys for keeping the brain healthy for as long as possible:

Cognitive challenge:  something enjoyable but complex such as learning another language.

Social:  the challenges of engaging in human relations are vital but should also generally involve some physical activity.

Physical exercise:  a general “tonic” for the brain that also decelerates the rate of cognitive decline.

Valenzuela’s own person favorite activity that incorportates all three is Salsa dancing.

In my view, a somatic education approach - such as the Feldenkrais Method or Bones for Life - is an excellent way to engage with the issues (although certainly not the only way).

In any movement, we are feeding the physical self, but by engaging in unique, brain-challenging movements we are activating or building the ‘brain muscle.’  I regularly hear from accomplished athletes or dancers that they are quite challenged by our sessions.  This exact same sentiment can be expressed by someone age 70 who is struggling to maintain daily functions. What is perhaps unique about a somatic approach is that the content of sessions can be different for different people, but not always. In a class, participants fit into a wide continuum of functional capacity and yet sometimes the most challenged person in the room is the athlete. 

An analogy I often use is that participating in a Feldenkrais Method class is like learning another language and perhaps even another culture. In reality it is learning about yourself which can surprising feel like a foreign land. To what end? To the end of increasing your brain muscle which in turn can help you physically, spiritually and emotionally. 

The world of who you are is a vast uncharted territory, but as your awareness grows its impact is amazing. I will wrap up with a quote from Einstein which I have used before and that is also used by Valenzuela in his talk.  It is worth repeating:

”The most beautiful thing that we can experience is the mysterious.It is the source of all true art and all science.
 
He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
 
Oh yes, consider taking some time to watch the videos.  I believe you will be pleased.

Cynthia Allen, January 8, 2010