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neurosculpting®, brain gym, vagal toning,
and shaking
Why are NeuroSculpting®, Brain Gym, Shaking and Vagal toning important to help create new pathways in the brain, rewire old patterns and limiting beliefs, create new stories, and regulate the nervous system?
The prefrontal cortex is our executive director who makes decisions about what we’re experiencing in the world. Most recently the prefrontal cortex has been correlated with big picture thinking, compassion, kindness, not taking things personally, curiosity, joy, patience, empathy, and understanding. The prefrontal cortex gives us a sense that there is something going on beyond ourselves.
In order to lead less reactive, and more peaceful lives we need to strengthen our prefrontal cortex, and create new neural pathways.
The prefrontal cortex is kind of demanding; it consumes a lot of fuel in order to function optimally. Good rest, proper nutrition, mental entrainment, and physical exercise, are essential. If we want to lead with the prefrontal cortex (as opposed to our fight or flight response) we have to put the work and play in. The good news is that the prefrontal cortex is fueled by curiosity, surprise, awe, wonder, and spontaneity - all things that we can easily direct our attention to and incorporate into our lives.
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NeuroSculpting® , Brain Gym, Vagal Toning and Shaking are powerful systems that help strengthen our neural pathways with special focus on the prefrontal cortex. They help improve neurological function, so that areas of the brain are more strongly connected and awake and accessible for any given task.
NeuroSculpting® is a 5-step meditation process that can strategically help an individual release the grip of old patterns and entrain their brain to create new and more supportive patterns, habits and behaviors.
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NeuroSculpting® is built upon a key component of neural plasticity. ​
We now know that if we pay focused attention to an experience, we will learn or map that experience into our neurology, where it is stored as a memory to retrieve.
Join me in the 5-step NeuroSculpting® meditation entrainment processes to create new pathways in the brain, rewrite limiting beliefs, and create new stories, so we can let go of old stories and habits that no longer serve us.
The tools offered in NeuroSculpting® are not complicated, what they do require, however, is awareness, practice, and repetition. Creating neural pathways is like forging a new path through the woods. First, it has to be carved out. Then it has to be walked on over and over again, so it becomes smooth and easily accessible. Next, we have to remember to take the new path, rather than the old grungy one that no longer serves us. The same process is true for neural pathways. The more we cultivate our awareness, practice, and repetition, the more likely we are to access our new neural pathways and pay less attention to the old ones.
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brain gym, shaking, and vagal toning
Join me in the practice of Brain Gym exercises, Vagal Toning and Shaking.
The great thing is they can be practiced anywhere, anytime, whether it be at home, work, or school. These exercises are often used with children who are differently abled, or working to improve their learning ability. They are designed to strengthen the relationship between the body and mind, and are appropriate for people of all ages and with all levels of physical mobility.
brain gym
One form of Brain Gym practice is to use your non-dominant hand for simple tasks. If you have the ability, consider brushing your teeth, or hair, with the opposite hand, eating with the opposite hand, stirring your beverage with the opposite hand, picking things up with the opposite hand, writing with the opposite hand, or turning a key with the opposite hand. Another form of Brain Gym is simply changing how you do things, I call this oppositional movement. Turn the handle of the mug so you have to reach for it differently, or switch how you cross your legs. Shifting routines works as well; try walking in a different direction. Consider incorporating cross body movements, crossing your midline with your limbs, or doing twists.
These simple Brain Gym exercises strengthen our prefrontal cortex. We need to do them often, repetitively, and mindfully for our neural pathways to ingrain new messages, and reverse the unconscious patterns that haven’t served us over the years.
shaking
The idea of “shaking it off” is not a metaphor, it's literal.
Shaking is like an eraser for the nervous system’s blackboard. Shaking and twitching is the fastest way to bring the nervous system out of sympathetic arousal and back to a parasympathetic restorative state. Shaking is a powerful release that brings the nervous system back to center and into regulation. It enables the muscles to unlock from the contraction pattern initiated during the fight or flight response.
Rerouting the nervous system quiets the fight or flight response, and engages the prefrontal cortex. When we understand this, we can quickly enter into a restorative state; next time you feel the need to get unstuck you can “shake it off.” “Shaking it off” for 2-3 minutes is the fastest way to break the patterns of muscle contraction, and reset your mind and body.
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vagal toning
Another way to reset the nervous system is through vagal toning.
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body; it connects the brain to many important organs including the intestines, stomach, heart, and lungs. The vagus nerve is a key part of our parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. It influences our breathing, digestive function, and heart rate, all of which can impact mental health.
Come explore the body-mind-spirit connection with me!
neurosculpting
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