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The Biochemistry of a New Life!
Our body is the structure that our individual consciousness, or Essence, uses for its manifestation. We can observe this manifestation through our thoughts, behaviors and creations, and also through our body responses. This awareness gives us the power to create changes in our lives.
The organ responsible for our behavior is the brain, which controls the nervous system. The brain is responsible for emotions, sexuality, memory, learning, cognition, movement and love. And also for regulating body functions, such as temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. The brain also plays a major role in our thought processes. Brain cells are called neurons, and we have billions of them, each connecting to thousands of other neurons forming a very complex neural network. Neurons communicate with each other through neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that travel across a synapse, the small gap between two neurons, until reaching a receptor site in the next neuron. When it attaches to the site the message is delivered, activating the receptor. An electrical signal then travels along the neuron until it reaches the next synapse, triggering the release of more neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, which come from the protein that we eat.
Each neuron makes more than 1,000 synaptic connections with other neurons. These synapses form patterns, which are also called circuits. The neuronal activity within circuits is the subject of much research and debate as it gives rise to behavior and also to degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. There is much knowledge available today on how neurotransmitters influence behavior and mood. There are hundreds of known neurotransmitters and researchers are constantly finding new ones. Some of the main players affecting mood are GABA, adrenaline, dopamine, endorphins, acetylcholine, serotonin, melatonin and DMT.
The understanding of how neurotransmitters act on brain function led to the manufacture of a wide variety of prescription drugs that address imbalances such as addiction, depression and attention deficit disorders, among others. Also, there are many proven natural ways to address the same issues, like choosing and preparing the right foods, exercising, using organic supplements and aromatherapy, socializing, developing energy awareness and receiving massages, to mention a few.
If we observe our behaviors, we can map out our beliefs, and vice-versa, consciously changing them if we wish to, which will create changes in our biochemistry and neuronet circuitry. The same happens when we work with our personality tendencies and our states of consciousness. Core Interactions Theory explores this interaction between body, personality, beliefs, consciousness and the environment. This interaction is responsible for our perceived reality.
Let’s quickly shift our state of consciousness to illustrate this process. For example, if you take one minute right now to close your eyes and take a few good deep breaths all the way to your belly, you may notice a shift in your body and mind. Perhaps you will feel more relaxed, thanks to the chemicals your brain will produce. Try it! And think about something really pleasant as you do it.
The key to optimum brain functioning is to get our neurotransmitters working in harmony. If we ingest a mind-altering substance, we change the balance of our neurotransmitters. A single espresso can do it! The coffee gives us an energy kick by causing the excessive release of dopamine, which is then turned into adrenaline, making us feel energized. Because this is a quick release, the effects don’t last so perhaps in another two hours we may need another shot to keep the energy up. But the higher the consumption, the lower the response because we develop tolerance. The same happens with the use of alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, chocolate...
There are many factors influencing our biochemistry apart from nutrition and exercise. Our genetic make-up, metabolism, emotions, age, accidents/trauma, intention, attitudes and our interaction with the environment also influences brain activity. A thought can have an effect on our mood. For example, if you think about something pleasant and make it real in your mind’s eye, you may experience the production of endorphins, a neurotransmitter that promotes a state of bliss.
The question is, if we know most of the factors that influence our brain chemistry why do we experience similar responses over and over again? Why do we have the same thoughts, fantasies and daydreams? Why do we keep reacting the same way? Well, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, neuronets form circuits, or patterns, releasing neurotransmitters and hormones that condition our responses. Since we tend to identify ourselves with our responses, as we do with our personality and beliefs, we keep them in order to have a sense of Self. Humans seek the comfort of familiarity!
Of course, there are many people that have a clinical condition that keeps them in a pattern, such as clinical depression or in manic/compulsive/obsessive behaviors. Appropriate treatment is required in such cases.
Cells need food in order to survive and thrive. If we feed our cells with chemicals that match our emotional states, our cells will start craving for this type of food, keeping us in the emotional patterns created by the circuits of our neuronet. This is how addiction is created, and in this case, an emotional one. A biological response can create a behavior to trigger an emotion or vice-versa. And we may get stuck in the loop, which can create codependency as well. It is very easy to see this pattern in families, sometimes through emotional abuse.
Patterns can also be observed through the food we eat, drugs we take, relationships we maintain, work that we do, emotions that we have, money that we spend, body posture and aches, and so on. It takes awareness, clear intention and conscious action to change a pattern. Not to mention discipline to overcome the sometimes agonizing craving that our body may experience through the chemical withdraw as we change a pattern. This is easily perceived when we try to quit smoking or go on a diet, but not so easily perceived when it relates to changing patterns in intimate relationships, stress or money management, for example.
Our patterns are also deeply connected with our values and beliefs, so when we want to change a pattern through a behavior it is very important to look at the values and beliefs that support the existing behavior in the first place. It is very common to change a pattern and then have it back in no time. Why? Because most of the time we don’t address the values and beliefs connected to it. Look at people’s success rate with their New Year’s resolutions!
A pattern, like a belief, is connected to other patterns. Our neuronet circuits are interconnected, firing together. As we change a pattern, we change how the circuits fire together, which can cause disorientation, or unfamiliarity. It is like changing jobs. It may take a few days to get used to a new office and coworkers. As we commit to a new behavior we do have to learn something new. Then, we create new associations, new circuits that will fire together differently from the previous ones. The popular term for this process is brain rewiring. The scientific term is neuroplasticity.
Neurons, neurotransmitters, synaptic connections, brain systems and everything else in our bodies are energy structures made of atoms and elementary particles, which vibrate at different frequencies. If you are intrigued by this, just think about how an MRI machine creates images of our internal organs.
The energy structures from our patterns create quantum fields, which we can influence through our intention. In the Conscious Path framework, intention is an impulse of energy-information that impacts the quantum field of possibilities, coalescing into a purposeful thought, which in turn influences how we create and perceive reality.
If we can influence quantum fields through intention, then we can influence our cells, especially our neuronets. So, through intention we can also influence our circuits in order to get different responses. And by holding the intention long enough, supporting it with new behaviors and structures, we can produce new associations (neuroplasticity) and even new neurons (neurogenesis).
And in order to create our desired reality we have to eliminate the conflicting intentions that we may have. In the other articles of this site you will find more information on how to get this process started. Enjoy the journey!
Copyright©2006 Miguel Franco
all rights reserved
