Executive Functions of the Human Brain

The executive system is a theorized cognitive system in psychology that controls and manages other cognitive processes.  The executive system is thought to be heavily involved in handling novel situations outside the domain of some of our 'automatic' psychological processes that could be explained by the reproduction of learned schemas or set behaviors. The executive functions are often invoked when it is necessary to override responses that may otherwise be automatically elicited by stimuli in the external environment. For example, on being presented with a potentially rewarding stimulus, such as a tasty piece of chocolate cake, the automatic response might be to take a bite. However, where this behaviour conflicts with internal plans (such as having decided not to eat chocolate cake while on a diet), the executive functions might be engaged to inhibit this response.  Click anywhere in this sentence to continue reading...

Via:  Wikipedia

Effective psychotherapy with depressed clients is associated with changes at the brain’s cellular level--Jakob Koch

Can therapy really change your brain?

There is increasing evidence to support the potential for true change within the brain via the therapeutic relationship. I’m no expert in neuroscience and relationships – but am excited about the notion that people’s brains can be rewired within their intimate relationships and within the therapist-client relationship. Click anywhere in this sentence to continue reading...

Via:  Psych Central

Accept Change

Life continually evolves. We’re always moving into new experiences, new possibilities. This constant change unsettles the personality, which finds security in stability. But with life always in flux, that security is an illusion. We experience pain by trying to hold on to things that are not solid.

Life becomes joyful when we can open to the constant flow and ride freely with it. This requires us to let go of the need to control. We need to learn to trust.

"Can it then be that what we call the ‘self’ is fluid and elastic? It evolves, strikes a different balance with every new breath."
-- Wayne Muller

Via: Higher Awareness

Perspectives On...

Revising Your Life
 

If we do not challenge ourselves to think new thoughts and revise our past and present ideas, our personal world will begin to shrink. This is typical of aging and a sign that one is getting old, regardless of one’s age.


Every idea and thought we have is sufficient to our needs at the time that we first think them. But all is movement, everything is changing. And if we do not change our thoughts about ourselves and about life, we no longer have thoughts that support our continuous development and growth. In fact the old thoughts inhibit our natural growth processes, and block soul from manifesting its intelligence in the present moment. We thus block our natural creativity and intuition. This is like new wine in old wine skins, as the biblical image is presented. This spoils the new wine.


It is easy to recognize people who think and feel the same way as they have always done in their relationships. Their relationships do not change and they as people do not change through their relationships. These relationships can then become boring, stifling and unloving.


We need to continuously challenge ourselves to learn, to gain new perspectives, to enlarge our vision, to rediscover ourselves because we are different today than we were yesterday. And the changes that go on within us are not the changes of mood and emotion, but of the way soul is seeking to manifest itself in response to ever-changing need in our lives and in our relationships. Soul always responds to need, so as needs change then our response must also change if we are to allow soul its natural expression.

The fundamental relationship that we have is between personality and soul; this is our most important relationship. If we do not allow ourselves to be open and conscious of soul in our lives, we will get stuck in our lower mind and emotions, and not open ourselves to the heart, to intuition and to soul wisdom.

Via: The Soul Journey

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. -- Judy Garland

Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
Come to the edge!
And they came,
and he pushed,
and they flew.
-- Christopher Logue