Have you heard of a neuroscientist named Richard Davidson?
He’s been doing research on the brain specifically related to mindfulness, meditation and well- being for decades. And his research is fascinating!
One of his key findings is around the idea of well-being. Through extensive study, trials and research, he has identified what he calls 4 pillars of well-being.
The really exciting news is that these so-called pillars aren’t inherent qualities, or even simply acquired knowledge. They are qualities that each and every one of us can cultivate and apply every day of our lives! Wahoo!
Because this is such an important topic, I’ve decided to create a 4-part series to dive into each aspect, to really understand it as well as offer tools to help you incorporate each of these pillars into your life.
Before we dive into the first one, I wanted to share some interesting observations around learning and neuroscience from Dr. Davidson.
The first is on ways that we acquire information and learn.
He writes, “Neuroscience research has taught us that there exist two fundamentally different kinds of learning: declarative learning and procedural learning. Declarative learning is conceptual. It is learning “about.” We can learn about the value of well-being or kindness, but this will not necessarily improve our well-being or make us a kinder person. For genuine transformation to occur we also need procedural learning. Procedural learning is skill-based learning, it is acquired through practice, and it involves completely different brain systems compared with declarative learning.”
Think about yourself and how you learn best. Then think about how you apply your knowledge!
The second is related to the idea of how our mind can change.
“There is another great insight from modern neuroscience that is fundamental to this area of research: plasticity (which means the ability to change). There is both neuroplasticity and epigenetics, a form of genomic plasticity. These processes are so important because they provide a mechanism through which contemplative practice may operate on the brain and body, and this mechanistic understanding is essential for bringing these practices into mainstream science.
Plasticity- both in the brain and epigenetically- occurs all the time, be it wittingly or unwittingly. Most of the time our brains and bodies are shaped by forces around us that we’re not very aware of, and we can’t really control. The invitation from contemplative science is that we can take responsibility for the shaping of our own brains and bodies, at least to some extent. The extraordinary finding is that when we cultivate healthy habits of mind, our brains and bodies change.”
He's essentially saying that when we learn from doing and practicing, we have the capacity to fundamentally change our brains and bodies. If you needed more proof to do mindful activities, there it is!
Now you’re wondering what the first pillar is, for you to cultivate well-being.
Awareness
What exactly does this mean?
Awareness is the idea that you are fully present in your moment.
We know, again from neuro science research, that the average person is not paying attention to 47% of the tasks they are doing throughout a day. We also know that when our minds are distracted, we are often unhappy. Unfortunately, due to smart phone usage, distractibility is at epic levels, with many people suffering.
There’s another layer to awareness, too. This is called meta-awareness, or knowledge of yourself. Meta-awareness can take on different aspects including: tuning in to what you’re experiencing on a bodily/sensory level, as well as becoming aware of what you’re feeling and thinking. There’s also the ability to tune into the thought you are thinking in any given moment, what you’re mind is actually up to.
Like, for example, you’ve just driven to the store and have no recollection of how you got there because your mind was thinking about your shopping list or politics…
How can you improve your ability to be more aware?
Here’s a great exercise:
PAUSE
I have a friend who says this actual word to herself.
Using the example from above, let’s say you’ve just arrived at the parking lot of the store. Before you jump out, pause.
Feel your hands gripping the steering wheel.
Take a deep breath.
Allow your mind to return to the present moment.
Feel grounded and reconnected to yourself and your surroundings.
Try it and see if it helps.
It’s a wonderful reminder.
In the next blog, we’ll dive into the 2nd pillar of well-being! In the meantime, see if you can cultivate more presence and awareness.
Pause.
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Image courtesy of Haberdoedas on Unsplash