Shall We Heal?

DeAnna Willman photo oleg illarionov @unsplash

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and YHWH your God brought you out from thee with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, YHWH your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15

The past few weeks we looked at things that are, in reality, enemies to our mind and to mindfulness. We honestly admitted that since the brain can only hold one thought at a time, multitasking is a myth that leaves us with a short attention span, the struggle to focus and to delay gratification, and hinders wise decision making, along with many other issues. Busyness, too, prevents our minds from focusing on one thing at a time and keeps the brain from operating as it is designed to operate; finishing one task at a time with excellence. This too leaves us with many struggles as the frontal cortex is short circuited. Many of those struggles result in frustration with learning, with waiting, with thinking beyond the moment, and with being present in the moment within our relationships with God and with others.

Social media and internet is another enemy when not used very mindfully. It prevents us from truly processing all the information that is coming at our brains in order to clarify, classify, and categorize (consideration) each bit of information and its relevance to us, our situations, our beliefs, our relationships, our health, our safety, our goals, our lives. We are not able to process and decide (choice) what to do with the “old” information before we are hit with “new” information. This also leads to problems in the frontal cortex where we learn social skills, delayed gratification, focus, problem solving, mood regulation, and so much more.

Throw in bad diet, sedentary lifestyle, isolation from community, and each of these things lead to negative thinking. All of these affect the chemicals and energy that the brain releases moment by moment to flow through the brain and then through every organ and cell within our bodies. So, what is helpful to the mind and to our mindfulness?

Again, we go to the Creator, the one who created our brains and minds to function in a certain way, for the answers. Let’s start with Rest. After God created everything in heaven and on earth and in the seas, He rested. Then, He instructed us to do the same. He told us to work 6 days a week and then rest on the seventh day. Slaves do not get to rest and take off a day from their work. But God’s people are not to be slaves to anyone. They have been freed from slavery and their Deliverer has provided them with at least 24 hours a week to stop work and to remember why it is we can take that time to rest and commune with the One who gave us that blessing.

Just as the body needs rest, so does the brain. I mentioned in an earlier post that studies have shown children learn more efficiently when they spend 15-30 minutes on one lesson, then spend 15-20 minutes “at rest.” That rest can be play, another activity, creating something, listening to music, or even taking a nap. But the idea is for the brain to “rest” from learning the subject and allowing it time to process the information that was taken in during the lesson. While adults can usually go up to 45 minutes to an hour on one subject or lesson, we still need that 15-20 minute period of rest so our brains can process the information received. Let’s honor the work of our Creator and listen to His instructions. Take a rest! Rest from the scrolling, from the screens, from the busyness, from the “I have to… I should… I need to…” Let’s choose to take time between each activity, each bit of information that we receive, and allow our brains to process it so our mind can truly consider and make wise choices. We will be much healthier both in mind and in body.

With the mention of rest, I must also mention the importance of Sleep. With very few exceptions, each of us needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This needs to be quality sleep. God programmed the body, including the brain, to do the majority of healing and repair between the hours of 10 pm and 2 am. However, its function will be greatly hindered if you are not asleep or if your body is still trying to digest your last meal (eaten after 7pm). If you are stressed, worried, anxious, your hormones are out of whack, or your circadian rhythm is disturbed, your sleep will not be of good quality. Studies have shown that when a person is not getting enough sleep, the brain starts to “misfire” and even struggle to function as it should. This affects the mind in what is called “brain fog”; being sluggish in making decisions, struggling to focus and pay attention to anything, and is a perfect “storm” for negative thoughts.

To encourage better sleep, we need to leave our cares with God, think on positive things, turn off ALL screens at least one hour before bedtime, don’t eat after 7pm, exercise regularly (for those who don’t have a job that requires manual labor), and be sure to get sunlight several times during the day. Having a regular bedtime routine is also helpful. God created night to provide the perfect environment for sleep. He created our bodies and minds to need sleep in order to function in health. Let’s stop denying our mind and body the very things our God created us to need and choose something better. May your sleep be sweet!

I will ponder all your work and meditate on your mighty deeds. Psalm 77:12

Make me understand the way of your precepts and I will meditate on your wonderous works. Psalm 119:27

Therefore, whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think upon these things. Ephesians 4:8

The next helper for our brains is also found in Scripture. I do not know the exact number of times that our Father told us to “meditate” or to “think upon” or to “remember” something. Mindful meditation is not the new age/hippie model of sitting on the floor, emptying your mind, and chanting a mantra repeatedly until you reach a form of “oneness with the universe.” Mindful meditation is defined by His words “to think upon” and “remember”. When He tells us to meditate upon His works, He is telling us to remember them, to dwell upon them. What are they? How did He do that work? How did He manifest Himself and His character in that situation? What does this event/work tell me about God? About myself? About my relationship with Him and with others? Why would He ask me to remember this event? How did He instruct me to remember this event or work? How can I share this with others, specifically the upcoming generation?

There is so much more to this mindful meditation! The mind is to not only come away from the meditation with awe and reverence and love for our Father/Savior, but to make choices regarding what was considered. What choice will your mind make and what will be the consequence of that choice?

Mindful meditation increases intelligence, wisdom, and a real sense of long lasting peace. It increases and strengthens your immune system and heart health. This form of meditation is especially helpful for a better night’s sleep as it centers your mind on God and not on problems, worries, frustrations, or other negative thoughts. Give it to God and choose to let go.

You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Exodus 23:9

Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Messiah. Galatians 6:2

Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

The next helper for our brains and for mindfulness is empathy. Empathy is the ability to identify with another person’s situation or feelings. Practicing empathy helps a child solidify their own identity while learning that others’ needs, feelings, and experiences are different but also need to be respected. When we practice empathy, we stimulate and strengthen our communication center within the brain, and it helps strengthen self-regulation of own emotions, words, desires, and actions. Empathy engages the brain in thinking beyond self to others- how might I feel if I were in that situation? Could they be experiencing the same? How might what they are experiencing be affecting their words and/or behavior? And apologizing or asking for forgiveness (also a part of empathy), strengthens the neurons within the brain dealing with relationships. Empathy helps the brain and mindfulness, but it also takes mindfulness to practice empathy.

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. Proverb 15:13

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverb 17:22

Therefore, my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

Psalm 16:9

The final helper we will touch on today is laughter. Laughter causes the brain to signal the release of endorphins, the “feel good” chemicals within our body that are natural pain killers and mood lifters. A body awash in endorphins will enter the rest and recovery phase produced when the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged. The muscles, arteries, and veins will relax. Blood flows easier, oxygen is transported swifter and more efficiently, both of which benefit the brain as well as the rest of the body. It greatly reduces stress chemicals and even encourages a sense of safety, replacing fear. (Ps 16:9!!!) Laughter enhances memory and cognitive function within the brain. When experiencing laughter with another person, oxytocin is also released, strengthening the bond between those sharing the experience. Laughter strengthens mindfulness since it requires mindfulness for the mind to decide the incoming information is funny!

This week I hope you will CHOOSE to practice these five helpers for your brain and mind. Rest on a regular basis daily and weekly. Get 7-9 hours of Sleep! Practice mindful Meditation. Look for situations in which to practice Empathy. And share some Laughter with others. Ultimately, it continues to come down to making a choice in what you will accept and keep within your mind.

Until next time….

For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off…But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it. See I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. Deuteronomy 30:11-15