Free your Mind

Free your Mind A guide to the internal mechanics of the Mind This book is aimed to educate and support those who have experienced anxiety and or trauma. The book explores the concepts neurology and how it connects with the emotional states and also demonstrates the psychological aspects of the personality

Kelly Bristow 1

COPYRIGHT © 2016 KELLY BRISTOW ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL METHODS, WITHOUT THE PRIO R WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BRIEF QUOTATIONS EMBODIED IN CRITICAL REVIEWS AND CERTAIN OTHER NON-COMMERCIAL U S E S P E R M I T T E D B Y C O P Y R I G H T L A W. T H I S B O O K I S A WO R K O F F I C T I O N .

NAMES, CHARACTERS, BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, PLACES AND EVENTS ARE EITHER THE PRODUCT OF THE AUTHORS’ IMAGINATION OR ARE USED F I C T I T I O U S L Y. A N Y R E S E M B L A N C E T O A C T U A L P E R S O N S , L I V I N G O R D E A D , EVENTS OR LOCALES IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL.

About the Author Kelly is a registered and qualified Occupational therapist, She has spent her career in the mental health sector, working with children and families with challenging behaviour and also working with adult and older adults and their mental health needs. Kelly often led workshops and groups on the mental health wards that addressed anxiety and delivered relaxation therapy, to help patients with their recovery from anxiety and other psychological conflicts.

Kelly’s client base in mental health ranges from age three years old up to age 98, ranging from supporting people to overcome their anxiety and access vocational rehabilitation to treating sensory processing disorder in people with non-verbal communication skills.

Kelly is currently working as an international case manager and in her spare time, she enjoys creating stories and loading them onto her website www.kellybristow.com

2

MY A MAZ I NG B RA I N We now know that vital chemicals carry messages between brain cells. In essence, they allow brain cells to "talk to" one another. The complexity of the human brain and its many divisions in the health and medicine world are all distributed, and maintained, via the brain and its many different functions.

The central nervous system, the endocrine system and its corresponding glands and the 12 cranial nerves, all interact with the environment in which you currently reside.

This complex system of plexuses, glands, chemical reactions and intracranial activity, all correspond, to enable the human to function, at optimal capacity. These specific regions of the human body have a direct and profound impact on fear conditioning and fear control.

The brain produces more than 50 identified active drugs. Some of these are associated with memory, others with intelligence, still others are sedatives. More than 100,000 chemical reactions go on in your brain every second!

3

The Brain is divided into sections, the hind brain, which includes the brainstem, including the thalamus and the cerebellum, often referred to as the reptilian brain, incorporating our survival instincts, fight or flight conditioning. The functioning of the thalamus and brainstem is to sort incoming and outgoing messages. The cerebellum controls muscular movement. Its main purpose is survival and maintenance of homeostasis. The reptilian brain controls movement, circulation, hunger, breathing, movement and reproduction. It is concerned with territory, social dominance and the fight flight mechanism. In addition to real threats, stress can result from fact that the sub conscious cannot differentiate between reality and imagination.

The behaviours of the reptilian brain are largely unconscious and automatic, highly resistant to any change.

The mid brain, which comprises mainly of the limbic system, amygdala, and hippocampus, often referred as the mammalian (monkey) brain, associated with feeling and memory instincts, the emotional regulation and sensory information highway. The limbic system is the mainframe for all emotional regulation, memory storage.

The mammalian brain is involved in emotions, memory formation, and long term memory, connecting events with feelings and controls hormones and temperature.

Sometimes is referred to as the visceral or feeling brain. Like the reptilian brain, it operates largely on a sub conscious level, without any sense of time. The limbic system is active in situations that arouse fear, anger, frustration, and pity. By linking emotions with behaviour, this aspect of the brain adds a layer of control to the automatic responses of the reptilian brain. The mammalian brain is dominant when relating to another.

When confronted with a situation, the mammalian brain searches its stockpile of past experiences for information on how to react. The sub conscious will go back to the earliest time of experience, to check what the response was at the time and responds similarly. In a nutshell, the current reaction replicates the response and emotional age of the response, triggered by the early situation.

The forebrain, which comprises of the two hemispheres and four lobes, - parietal, occipital, temporal and frontal, is the neocortex, the thinking part of the brain, where use of language, reasoning, logic and forward planning. It makes logic speech and 4

writing possible. The neocortex enables executive decision making, purposeful behaviour and allows us to see ahead to plan for the future. It has specialised areas that make sense of and also process information received from the senses. This brain operates on a conscious level.

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM The nervous system is a complex anatomical structure which collects millions of stimuli per second. The encephalon is divided into three parts, depending on their structure and function, a network of nerves and sensors, forming a centralised neuronal system, including the encephalon and within the vertebrae of the spinal Colum.

The peripheral nervous system is the ganglia, which forms the physiological response, free from human will, also referred to as the autonomous nervous system, because it induces a behaviour that does not involve conscious effort. It is also called the vegetative system, because it automatically regulates the basic vital functions for the body. 

The sympathetic nervous system are two chains of ganglia, symmetrical to the spinal column, organized into plexuses and distributes to organs to enable



co-ordination and control.

The parasympathetic nervous system is mainly consisting the Vagus nerve, which not only controls homeostasis, but also all the functions of the internal organs. Therefore, the parasympathetic system, connects to the plexus sites!

Afferent nerves or sensory fibres, transfer messages collected from sensory stimulus to CNS.

5

Efferent nerves or motor nerves transfer nerve impulses from CNS to body organs, muscles or glands. i.

*memories of traumatic events can be stored to memory via the Vagus nerve.

An experience may trigger the efferent nerves to transmit to the pituitary gland.

The central nervous system is a combination of 10 billion nervous cells binded with glia cells. The two nerve stimuli make up the cerebral tissue inside the skullcap. The grey matter that surrounds the brain and also includes the cerebral spinal fluid, within the sub arachnoid space within the brain, the nerves and sensory senses are maintained through the pituitary gland, and also has its origin in the pineal gland – via the third ventricle.

The two hemispheres of the brain operate on an opposite direction to their location on the body. Thus, the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and the right hemispheres controls the left side of the body. This is due to the pituitary gland, which is part of the reptilian brain, which houses the 12 cranial nerves. These twelve nerves are connected via the internal surface of the encephalon. The 12 nerves send and transmit sensory stimulus via the Vagus nerve. Often referred to by roman numerals, X or 10, runs directly through the pituitary gland.

Three nerves are exclusively affluent, meaning they carry information from the sensory organs to the encephalon. These nerves are the optical nerve, acoustic nerve and olphactory nerve, thus, the information that is processed from the environment into the pituitary gland. Two nerves are exclusively motor nerves, the assessor nerve XI (which sends information to neck muscles) and the hypoglossal neve XII (which moves the tongue and other muscles involved in speech. The other seven nerves are both motor and sensory fibres. The vagus nerve is the only nerve which is attached to the thymus gland and the pancreas, thus affecting internal metabolism and glucose!

The twelve nerves from the brain into the spinal cord;   

I Olphactory – II optical nerve – III Occular Motor – 6

        

IV Trochlear – V Trigaminal nerve VI Abducent nerve VII Facial nerve VIII Acoustic nerve IX Glossopharingeal nerve – X Vagus nerve – XI Accessory Nerve XII Hypoglossal nerve –

Nerves I, II & VIII all correspond together in the pituitary gland.

The central nervous system has four primary plexuses that are located along the spine.    

Cervical plexus - throat Brachial plexus - lung Lumbar plexus - stomach Sacral plexus – sexual organs

The choroid plexus is located within the mammalian brain, one in each side of the lateral ventricle, which circulates around the limbic system. The third ventricle sits directly over the pineal gland, surrounding the third eye, the fourth ventricle is located lower, in the brain stem, where is travels down in the spinal fluid, in central nervous system and to the various plexus sites. The four ventricles communicate 7

with each other. Studies have found evidence of an enlarged ventricle, indicating a loss in neural tissue, leading to suggestions that, cytokines and related mediators of neurodegeneration, play a role in disease.

The four ventricles produce cells in the nervous system.   

The venous plexus is related to the blood.

The cardiac plexus is related to the heart, emotions.

The celiac plexus is related to the 1st lumber vertebrae, and is often referred to

 

as the solar plexus, self-esteem.

The averbachs plexus is gastrointestinal tract The meissners plexus (submucosal) gastrointestinal tract.

The endocrine system is designed to be the chemist within the brain system. This system responds to sensory stimuli and also, experiences that are traumatic, or a shock, to the mind.

THE VAGUS NERVE In Medieval Latin, “vagus” literally means “wandering.” What a perfect fit, because the cord-thick vagus nerve (remember, there are two) originates in the brain stem, extends through the neck and chest, and terminates in the abdomen. The vagus nerve is the most important element of the parasympathetic nervous system (the one that calms you down by controlling your relaxation response).

8

It originates from the brainstem and it is “wandering” all the way down, into the stomach, spreading fibres to the tongue, pharynx, vocal chords, lungs, heart, stomach, intestines and glands that produce anti-stress enzymes and hormones (like Acetylcholine, Prolactin, Vasopressin, Oxytocin), influencing digestion, metabolism and of course the relaxation response.

Vagus nerve acts as the mind-body connection, and it is the energetic cabling behind your heart’s emotions and gut instincts. The key to manage your mind state and deal with anxiety lies on being able to activate and calming the nervous pathways of your parasympathetic system.

You cannot control this part of the nervous system on demand, but you can indirectly stimulate your vagus nerve by:  

Immersing your face in cold water (diving reflex) Attempting to exhale against a closed airway (Valsalva manoeuvre). This can be done by keeping the mouth closed and pinching the nose while trying to breathe out. This greatly increases pressures inside the chest cavity stimulating the vagus nerve and increasing vagal tone. A modified – less impactful on the Eustachian tubes – version can be performed by breathing with the glottis (the vocal folds and the opening between them) partially

 

closed.

Singing And of course, diaphragmatic breathing techniques.

Strengthening this living nervous system can pay great dividends, and the best tool to achieve that is by training your breath. The diaphragm is your primary breathing muscle. It is belled shaped and when you inhale it patterns out (or should flatten out), acting as piston and creating vacuum on your thoracic cavity, so your lungs can expand and air gets in.

On the other side it creates pressure, pushing the viscera down and out, expanding your belly.

Breathe with the glottis partially closed; the Glottis is at the back of your tongue and it is closed when you are holding your breath. Here we want have it partially closed.

It is that feeling you have in your throat while you exhale and make a “Hhhhh” sound, like your about to clean your glasses, but without actually making the sound. It also 9

resembles the way you breathe when you are in the verge of sleep and you are about to snore a little bit.

By controlling the glottis you are: • Controlling the air flow, both during inhale and during exhale • Stimulating your vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve acts as the mind-body connection and controls your relaxation response. You can stimulate your vagus nerve by practicing diaphragmatic breathing with the glottis partially closed.

Starting from the muscles of the throat, damage to the vagus nerve can produce problems with the person's voice as it supplies nerves to the vocal cords. The voice will sound strained, deep, and hoarse. There will be difficulty with swallowing and even a reduced gag reflex. Thus the person might choke during eating and drinking if they have vagus nerve damage. This can be really deadly if the laryngeal muscles are paralyzed.

As a result of the vagus nerve innervating the external ear canal and eardrum, sound waves are not properly interpreted and this can result in partial or full hearing loss.

With vagus nerve innervation to organs inside of the thoracic cavity, damage to both branches of the vagus nerve will not cause a reduction in heart rate but an increase.

There will also be an increase in blood pressure. This is because the vagus nerve provides parasympathetic support to the cardiovascular system.

The body’s natural defence against pain are endorphins.

Endorphin is the brain's painkiller, and it is 3 times more potent than morphine.

Scientific research over the last several decades has led to the revolutionary discovery of opiate-like chemicals in the body that associate with opiate specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord, including Serotonin, a hormone manufactured by your brain.

10

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, involved in the transmission of nerve impulses.

The neurotransmitters are dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. At the neurochemical and physiological level, neurotransmitters are extremely important, since they carry impulses between nerve cells. The substance that processes the neurotransmitter called serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan. It increases the amount of serotonin made by the brain. Certain amino acid, cause you to have better feeling of wellbeing. Serotonin is a chemical that helps maintain a "happy feeling," and seems to help keep our moods under control by helping with sleep, calming anxiety, and relieving depression.

The brain also makes Dopamine, which makes people more talkative and excitable.

It affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and ability to experience pleasure and pain. All of these chemicals are natural chemicals that affect our bodily processes. Besides being involved in the process of addiction, low Serotonin levels are believed to be the reason for many cases of mild to moderate depression which can lead to symptoms like anxiety, apathy, fear, feelings of worthlessness, insomnia and fatigue.

Scientists have long hunted another way to attack depression. It has been discovered that some foods influence the brain's behaviour, and the brain's neurotransmitters which regulate our behaviour, can be affected by what we eat.

Beware: The body will react more quickly to the presence of sugar than it does to the presence of complex carbohydrates. The increase in energy supplied by the simple carbohydrates is quickly accompanied by fatigue and depression. Tyrosine is also needed for brain function. This amino acid may be good for those who have prolonged and intense stress. Uncontrollable stress may thereby be prevented or reversed if this essential amino acid is obtained in the diet. Vitamin C is required for the conversion of the amino acids L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine into noradrenaline.

The conversion of tryptophan into serotonin, the neurohormone responsible for sleep, pain control and well-being, also requires adequate supplies of vitamin C. An herbal remedy has become popular. St. John's Wort contains an ingredient called "Hypericin, which prevents too much of the MAO (Mono Amine Oxidase) activity from being released and destroying Serotonin.

11

The ability to be healthy and happy appears to be related to several simple techniques that are all related to relaxation, exercise, and nutrition.

Exercise has been shown to produce another chemical known as endorphins, which help with depression, anxiety, sleep, and sexual activity. So, besides eating certain foods, relaxation, exercise, and are things that we do that can also affect the level and activity of these chemicals.

In other words, if you find small things that make you feel good, and do them on a regular basis, your overall level of happiness is greater than if you fall in love, win the lottery. Seemingly little things that taste good, smell good, or delight the senses can be very significant when systematically included in your daily routine. Violets for the soul may be one of your best investments, especially if you consider the fact that people who feel good are significantly less likely to be tardy, absent, ill, or involved in accidents of all kinds.

THE EMOTIONAL BODY Anxiety is the body’s response to a threat. Our bodies are comprised of 80% water.

Our subconscious mind is also 80% of what’s commonly known as the ice berg effect. Where a majority of what we learn, how and why we behave. We only use a small amount of the brain for things like verbal communication; most of our interactions are recorded, subconsciously. Thus, we only use a small portion of our minds capacity. The other 80% lays dormant, in the individual.

Water, in the body also responds to emotions, or states of mind. The cellular body, within each individual, is the repressed, sub conscious mind. This subconscious mind is the human body, which receives stimulus and translates this to the mind, or the mind thinks of something and the body responds to the thought. Both are interconnected and work simultaneously with each other. Practicing mindfulness and being present in the moment, enables the person to feel emotions to their environment, or allows them to let turbulent emotions pass by, without affecting them. This is the challenge of the emotional body, as it rules everything in the individual.

12

Water responds to vibration. Science has proven this fact with the experiments on plants and by analysing through a microscope, the Fibonacci numbers and sequences that are present through vibrational changes, in the water. Good thoughts help the cellular body to function in a healthier manner, negative thoughts possess and hinder the body, increasing sickness through depression or addiction.

Vibration is the body, feeling the environment, feeling the words spoken to them, feeling the ego and its commands, feeling the divinity and blessings felt, from meditation and service to others. Vibrating at a lower spectrum, when anger and vanity rule the human, the cellular memory records and sends out a signal, or feeling for the person, according to external stimulus, such as admiration, validation etc., when the person doesn't receive the same response, such as praise, admiration, or obedience, they will seek it out, from outer sources to relieve their inner turmoil and ego, which has been offended and slighted. If there is no outer source to respond to their needs, they may then go on to irrational or psychotic behaviours, to get their internal feelings met.

On the other hand, those who vibrate at a higher level, where they are consciously aware of their feelings and what these feelings react to, they can then allow the emotion to pass by, without reaction or concern, which in turn, programmes the mind to bypass, anxious and frightening thoughts, places and people.

Most of our self-talk comes unconsciously from our subconscious. Yet every thought that exists in our subconscious got there through a conscious decision to accept that thought. We need to become aware of our self-talk, so we can at will, choose to replace negative beliefs with positive ones. We have the power to choose an identity we love, but we need to do the work. The process of changing our subconscious beliefs requires awareness, diligence, consistency and repetition.

THE MENTAL BODY The intellect, the right brain hemisphere is the foundation and basis, for anxiety to breathe and grow. The mental body is the human’s ability to retain, recall and remember sequences, skills and to analyse data. The right hemisphere is of the 13

brain is dominant for spatial abilities, face recognition, visual imagery and music. The right brain reflects creativity, whereas, the left hemisphere is the logical, rational and solution focused mind. The right brain is strengthened through mediation, nurture, and engaging with the intuition. When someone is focused with the right brain, they are in tune with their heart, with their desires; they can lose themselves in the activity and enjoyment of the moment. The left hemisphere is the feminine brain.

Some people are more creatively driven (right hemisphere dominance) and others are more rationally (left hemisphere, literal thinking) driven. The challenge is to bridge the two hemispheres together, to unite the masculine with the feminine. This is called duality. To rise above the two hemispheres and acknowledge the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful, to understand and accept all aspects of the self and the ego, without judgement, which can be achieved, through mindfulness and meditation.

THERE IS A THOUGHT IN YOUR MIND RIGHT NOW. THE LONGER YOU HOLD ON TO IT, THE MORE YOU DWELL UPON IT, THE MORE LIFE YOU GIVE TO THAT THOUGHT. GIVE IT ENOUGH LIFE, AND IT WILL BECOME REAL. SO MAKE SURE THE THOUGHT IS INDEED A GREAT ONE.

THE INTUITIVE BODY This body responds to the sub conscious mind which holds 100% of the person and the soul’s voice. The soul is heard or understood, through the intuition. The intuition is the hidden part of us, the inner voice, the inner world of distant lands and adventures and all its entirety can be accessed, via the intuition. Most people who meditate are able to access their intuition in this way. Others are more adept at connecting with their core self and have epiphanies daily. Intuition is the all-knowing feeling, the gut instinct. The hunch or the unseen truth, that cannot be described in human, earthly language.

The intuition is the gateway to knowing our core selves, through nurture, tenderness and self-love, we discover jewels and hidden abilities, and extra sensory perception is enhanced. It the individuals compass, or internal GPS system, which communicates to us through symbols, metaphors and other

14

The intuition is strengthened by the pineal gland, the gland acts as a receiver for the human and helps to direct their life, according to their soul’s desires. A strong pineal gland will enable the individual, with practice, to develop their extra sensory capacity, enabling them to address their psychology of their persona and shadow, directly.

MOST OF US ARE IN TOUCH WITH OUR INTUITION WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT, BUT WE'RE USUALLY IN THE HABIT OF DOUBTING OR CONTRADICTING IT SO AUTOMATICALLY, THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT HAS SPOKEN - SHAKTI GAWAIN

Intuition is strengthened by the condition of the pineal gland. If the gland is stagnant and diseased, through diet, lifestyle choices and/or medications! The gland fails to function at a healthy level for the individual, therefore the pineal gland lays dormant and unused. The potential of each human is lost, due to damage, dysfunction and abuse to the organ.

The pineal gland is the seat of the soul; some scientists say it is the portal to other worlds. To strengthen this organ, the individual needs to reduce the fluoride in their diet, along with following a vegetarian, or vegan diet, as the density and protein from meat, hinder the pineal glands function.

THE CELLULAR STRUCTURE The cellular body is the blueprint or foundation for our existence. Our body is composed of 80% water; therefore this water is what carries imprinted messages within the body via the emotions and into subconscious storage. The cells in our body are information codes that are passed back and forth via the central nervous system. The cellular body is the total of all our experiences, physical, emotional, psychological, mental and biological, including the sensory information and how we perceive things, from our own point of view.

What we feel is what we are in the cellular body. For example, if we feel sad, we express sadness or we will become apathetic or more reclusive. The cellular body is structured through the internal vibration of the thought, transmuting it into a feeling.

15

If we feel anger, we are bubbling inside, we may start to pace back and forth to expend the energy that is felt through physical activity. Or we may sit and seethe, distracted from the surroundings because the internal commotion keeps us from thinking and feeling that we are in control. When we feel love or compassion, we feel a connection a uniting factor that enables the experience to be shared. The cellular memory is the information of all our surroundings, sensations, thoughts, feelings and emotions. Certain sensations, thoughts and emotions can trigger the cellular memory.

TO EASILY EXPERIENCE SOUL, FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO AND IMMERSE YOURSELF IN IT. CONSCIOUSLY SAVOUR A FAVOURITE PIECE OF MUSIC. CONSCIOUSLY ENJOY A WALK IN NATURE. REALLY EXPERIENCE YOU’RE BREATHING AND THE POUNDING OF YOUR HEART AS YOU EXERCISE. REALLY BE PRESENT TO YOUR PARTNER, YOUR KIDS, AND YOUR PET OR ANOTHER, AND YOU WILL KNOW THE CONTENTMENT OF SOUL. Emotions and experiences from childhood are stored in the mind. Our sensory experiences are recorded through our five senses, which accumulates all the sensory stimulation and records and stores all the sensory data into the memory hard drive. These experiences, especially emotional experiences that impacted on our development, remain in the memory hard drive and are reactive or reactionary, when probed.

The cellular memory includes the whole of the body, including the subconscious and the unconscious actions that are driven by thoughts and emotions. Our cellular body is controlled by our thought processes. Therefore, if we think of positive things, the cellular structures inside the body will Increase and enhance positivity. If we feel anger, the cellular body of water will be turbulent and this forces the person to adopt a fight flight reaction.

Stored in the cellular memory are all the forms that are conscious and unconscious patterns and behaviours. The unproductive patterns, such as habits, addictions, attitudes and behaviours impair our ability to feel well-being.

FEW ARE THOSE WHO SEE WITH THEIR OWN EYES AND FEEL WITH THEIR OWN HEARTS - ALBERT EINSTEIN

16

To quiet the overstimulated mind, mindfulness is a useful tool to help to reduce stress and increase positivity and productivity. It also helps the individual to take responsibility for their thoughts, accepting them as they are, or challenging the thoughts or beliefs, encouraging and increasing well-being.

By default, the body is built to support health, harmony and connection between all parts. When the body gets sick, (more chemicals upset the balance). Neuropeptides are cells that communicate with each other, brain to body, body to brain. These individual cells, including brain cells, immune cells and other cell bodies that encompass the human body, all have receptor sites that receive neuropeptides. The kind of neuropeptides that are available, are dependent on emotions throughout the day.

The chemicals running our body and brain are the same chemicals that are involved in emotion – thus, pay attention and be more aware of your emotions!

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND Most of our self-talk comes unconsciously from our sub conscious mind. Yet every thought that exists in our sub conscious, got there through a conscious decision to accept that thought. By becoming more self-conscious of our self-talk, we can at will, choose to replace negative beliefs with positive beliefs. We realise we have the power to choose and identity we love, but we need to do the work. The process of changing our sub conscious programming of beliefs requires awareness, diligence, consistency and repetition.

Your subconscious mind is revealed in your dreams. Therefore, recording and studying your dreams provides you with access to your unconscious mind. A dream journal or some other form of recording your dreams is a useful way to discover and uncover different aspects of yourself and your experiences.

Your subconscious mind can and should be a great ally in achieving success in your life. All you need do is to establish a working relationship with your subconscious

17

mind. In order to do this, one must become conscious and familiar with this hidden, mysterious aspect of ourselves, and the role it plays in our life. The subconscious has two main functions in our life. The first function is to attract to us conditions and circumstances according to the predominant thought patterns that reside within it. My reoccurring mantra is, “What you focus your attention on, you attract.� Now with this new subconscious information, you can begin to understand why this is true. Your subconscious mind is not limited in any way and will forever attract to you according to your thoughts. It has no volition of its own and will simply act upon what resides and vibrates within.

Imagine that your subconscious mind is like main computer that accepts any programme you upload. Your habitual thoughts and beliefs are the seeds that are being constantly sown within, and they produce in your life what is sown. Just as surely as corn kernels produce corn and wheat seeds produce wheat your thoughts will have an effect in your life.

You will reap what you sow. This is law The conscious mind is like the hard drive, storing and saving all the data that you experience. It is your responsibility to be aware of how this process works, and to choose wisely what reaches the main computer ram. Unfortunately for most of us our role as gardener has never been explained to us. And in misunderstanding this role, we have allowed seeds of all types, both good and bad, to enter the inner garden of our subconscious.

The subconscious will not discriminate, judge or censor. It will manifest success, abundance and health just as easily as failure, ill health and misfortune. It works to reproduce in our life according to the seeds we have nurtured within. Your subconscious accepts what is impressed upon it with feeling and repetition whether these thoughts are positive or negative. It does not evaluate things like your conscious mind does.

Further to this, your subconscious mind will act upon any request or instruction you give it. Any thought that is repeated over and over again will take an imprint within the subconscious, which cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. This is why visualizations, affirmations and repeated images can have

18

such a powerful effect in our life. By doing these exercises we are creating images within ourselves which the subconscious then acts upon.

What was your peak experience of the past week? What is your most challenging experience that you can draw on and learn from? By stepping back to review your week you can empower yourself to discover new alternatives or different options that will help bring forward a solution or enable you to find a resolution to a pressing challenge.

Write down what happened and try and elaborate as much as you can in your journal, this will help you to develop a plan of action to how you will accomplish the challenge or situation. “ASK THE EXPERIENCED RATHER THAN THE LEARNED." ARABIC PROVERB.

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE When rationally our minds know something is bad for our health, we rationalise the experience to alleviate internal pain such as anxiety or stress. A common ingredient in addiction is the cognitive dissonance of knowing the substance is bad for us, but feeling compelled and driven to have it even more.

It’s a powerful motivator, central to all forms of persuasion and manipulation tactics in shaping a change in beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours.

Dissonance is strong when we believe something about ourselves and then do something against that belief, a decision of opposites. An example would be; smoking.

From a health perspective, we are told that it is bad for our health, causing diseases and affecting physical energy levels, yet a smoker will an addiction to smoking will rationalise the concept by telling themselves that it either will not affect them, or that they want to die young anyway. Their thoughts direct their behaviour and the cognitive dissonance is applied to the experience.

19

WH AT I S ANXI ET Y Anxiety is the body's way of responding to being in danger. Adrenaline is rushed into our bloodstream to enable us to run away or fight. This happens whether the danger is real, or whether we believe the danger is there when actually there is none. It is the body's alarm and survival mechanism. Primitive man wouldn't have survived for long without this life-saving response. It works so well, that it often kicks in when it's not needed - when the danger is in our heads rather than in reality. We think we're in danger, so that's enough to trigger the system to go, go, go! People who get anxious tend to get into scanning mode - where they're constantly on the lookout for danger, hyper-alert to any of the signals, and make it more likely that the alarm system will be activated.

THOUGHTS THAT OFTEN OCCUR IN ANXIETY Include our overestimating or exaggerating the actual threat, and underestimating or minimising our ability to cope:

  

I'm in danger right now The worst possible scenario is going to happen I won't be able to cope with it

Physical Sensations The Adrenaline Response When there is real, or we believe there is a real, threat or danger, our bodies' automatic survival mechanism kicks in very quickly. This helps energise us to fight or run away ('fight or flight response'). We will notice lots of physical sensations, which might include: Heart racing - This helps to take the blood to where it is most needed – his legs so that he can run faster (flight); his arms so that he can hit out (FIGHT); his lungs to increase his stamina. At the same time blood is taken from the places it is not

20

needed for example fingers, toes and skin. These changes cause tingling coldness and numbness.

Breathing gets faster - This helps the bloodstream to carry oxygen to the arms, legs and lungs. This will give him more power. The side effects may include chest pain, breathlessness and a choking feeling. As there is a slight drop in the blood and oxygen being sent to the brain he may feel dizzy or light headed, he may experience blurred vision.

Muscles tense and prepare - The large skeletal muscles tense and create power, this may cause pain, aching and shaking. Sweating - Sweating helps to cool the muscles and the body. It helps to stop them from overheating. Sweating can also make us more slippery to our enemies!

Pupils dilate - This lets enhanced light into his eyes so his overall vision improves.

Side effects may include sensitivity to light or spots before his eyes.

Digestive system slows down - These are not important while in danger and so are slowed down then the saved energy goes to where it is most needed. Side effects may include nausea, butterflies and a dry mouth.

More alert - He will be concentrating on looking for danger, much less able to concentrate on anything else. He will be waiting for something to happen. This is the basis of the way we worry.

Behaviours might include: Avoiding people or places Not going out Going to certain places at certain times, e.g. shopping at smaller shops, at less busy times Only going with someone else Escape, leave early Go to the feared situation, but use coping behaviours to get you through: examples include: self-talk, holding a drink, smoking more, fiddling with clothes or handbag,

21

avoiding eye contact with others, having an escape plan, medication. These are called 'safety behaviours'.

THINKING IN ANXIETY: People who are anxious tend to think very negatively about themselves and their abilities, the future and the safety of the world around them.

Thoughts that often occur in Anxiety include our overestimating or exaggerating the actual threat, and underestimating or minimising our ability to cope: 

I'm in danger right now



The worst possible scenario is going to happen



I won't be able to cope with it

Even thinking about situations we find anxiety provoking can lead us to experience our anxiety symptoms. They can also reinforce our desire to avoid particular situations and keep our anxiety going by strengthening our already negative perception of a situation.

How to recognise a negative thought: Negative thoughts can be like a bad habit, that may have formed over many years, be entrenched and difficult to shift. Recognising that you are having a negative thought is an important step in beginning to be free of them.

Negative thoughts are: AUTOMATIC they just seem to come into your mind without any effort.

DISTORTED they are not always supported by the things you know to be true.

UNHELPFUL they keep you feeling low, and make it difficult to change.

PLAUSIBLE you accept them as facts and do not question them.

INVOLUNTARY you do not choose to have them and they are very difficult to stop.

22

Which of the filters below do you use the MOST?      

defence mechanisms excuses and justifiers social influences limiting beliefs victimization Fears?

Exercise; imagine you have flu or a bad cold. Look at what thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical sensations we might have, using it to highlight and exemplify links between different aspects.

CBT can help you to change how you think ("Cognitive") and what you do ("Behaviour)". These changes can help you to feel better. Unlike some of the other talking treatments, it focuses on the "here and now" problems and difficulties. Whilst it is often useful to discuss the past and understand how our pasts have influenced our lives and how problems have arisen, CBT mostly focuses on looking for ways to improve your mental wellbeing now.

CBT says that it's not the event which causes our emotions, but how we interpret that event - what we think or what meaning we give that event or situation, identifying the difference between thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical effects.

To help untangle what affects our anxiety levels, we can begin to look at some of the different components; we can divide these up into behaviour, feelings and thoughts.

You might find that you can link them: some behaviour’s might go with certain thoughts and emotions.

Doing this will help give us a template for making changes!

Nothing and no one can make us a victim. We do it to ourselves when we allow external circumstances to hold power over us. Although we have no control over

23

what happens to us, we ALWAYS have a choice in how we respond. We hold our power when we accept complete responsibility for our thoughts, feelings and actions.

What is an emotion?

An emotion is a feeling that we have in response to an event. When we’re anxious we feel bad. Our emotions can be effected by our response to events; our perception of an event can be negative or positive but when we become anxious we can give events a more negative interpretation, which can be often linked to our thoughts!

What is a thought?

An example of a thought is ‘everything is useless’. Our thoughts can give us insight into why we may feel anxious and the effect that thoughts have on our mood and behaviour. A thought is created from a negative or positive mindset, that says, ‘why not’ or a sudden epiphany! Our thoughts can be destructive, to our wellbeing, where the negativity can either suck you down, or motivate and enliven.

What is behaviour?

Behaviour is something we do: we can have behaviours that help us and behaviours that are less helpful. Helpful behaviours include learning relaxation techniques, taking part in activities you enjoy etc. Less helpful behaviours can be avoiding doing things that we find difficult, to addictions that are harmful to our health!

What is a physical effect?

Some of the physical effects of anxiety can include palpitations, butterflies, dizziness, feeling shaky and panic attacks.

To begin to make ourselves aware of our own thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical responses we will need to slow this process down and look at it; we can do this by using the four quadrants to help with this. To do this we need to think about the following: 

The situation or event: if you can identify what you find difficult about the situation?

24



Thoughts and images: what thoughts come to mind when you are involved in the situation? They may be complete sentences, an image that comes to mind or just a word. They can be sometimes difficult to identify so even if you just



put down one word that’s fine; as you practice this will get easier.

Physical sensations: write all the physical effects that you experience when

 

you feel anxious.

Moods and emotions: how do you feel? Frightened, sad, guilty, angry etc Behaviours: what do you do? Do you avoid particular places or people? Do you have any safety behaviours, such as smoking, drinking, staying in?

As you begin to notice the different traits and habits you have picked up, be aware of the impact that each element has on the other: for example, if you feel guilty how, does that affect your mood or behaviour etc.

The Cognitive Behavioural Approach (CBA) asserts that it's not the event which causes our emotions, but how we interpret that event - what we think or what meaning we give that event or situation. With CBA, we aim to break those cycles by changing something - what we think or what we do. In the coming weeks we will start to look at these cycles more closely and find techniques to help break and change them. Each week we will identify ways you can practice these techniques at home before the following group.

Throughout the day, continually ask yourself about your underlying motivation? Are you doing what you are doing for selfish, manipulative or fearful reasons, or in honest service? Maybe you will discover that much of your activity lacks purpose.

YOUR INTENTION AND MOTIVES ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE RESULTS YOU RECEIVE. SET HIGH INTENTIONS AND YOUR LIFE WILL BLOSSOM.

"A GOOD INTENTION CLOTHES ITSELF WITH POWER." GOAL SETTING

25

Before we continue and focus on the tools that can help you manage your mood, we need to think about goals. In order for any self-help to be effective, it is important to set some SMART goals.

Imagine you’re planning a journey and you are looking for directions. Is it possible to get directions to a destination that you do not know yet?

If you do not have any goals, how do we know what techniques to use to help you reach your goals? Not having goals is like trying to find directions to a destination when you have not decided where you would like to go.

Identify one part of your life that you would like to be different and that can be achieved in the next 4 weeks.

Make this a goal – break it down into manageable and achievable levels or layers of the set goal!

Some examples of SMART goals: I would like to meet a friend for a drink 3 times a week and spend 30 minutes talking to them. I would like to achieve this within the next 3 months.

I would like to learn how to challenge my negative thinking so that I do not always jump to conclusions. Instead of worrying about things all day, I would like to allocate 20 minutes a day writing down all my worries and try to manage them. I would like to achieve this by the end of the month.

Setting SMART Your Goal: Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you could answer the six “W” questions: Who:

Who is involved?

What:

What do I want to accomplish?

Where:

Identify a location.

26

When:

Establish a time frame.

Which:

Identify requirements and constraints.

Why:

Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.

EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Go to the supermarket.” But a specific goal would say, “Go to the supermarket… Alone, to do my weekly shop on a Friday morning.”

Be specific with your goal setting, write out as much as you can about the goal and give yourself a realistic and measurable goal to begin with, then as you begin to gain confidence in achieving your goals, you can then begin to make changes in your life that correspond with your true purpose and align with your values. Setting goals and achieving them can help inspire and encourage further self-development, in many areas of your life.

Measurable: When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……  

How much? How many? How often? How long will it take?

How will I know when it is accomplished?

Attainable: Goals you set which are too far out of your reach, you probably won’t commit to doing. Although you may start with the best of intentions, if the goal is too difficult you may falter at the first hurdle. A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it and it will need a real commitment from you. For instance, if you aim to lose 20lbs in one week, we all know that isn’t achievable. But setting a goal to loose 1lb and when you’ve achieved that, aiming to lose a further 1lb, will keep it achievable for you.

27

The feeling of success which this brings helps you to remain motivated, starting small has its benefits.

Realistic: Realistic, in this case, means “do-able.”

Devise a plan or a way of getting there which makes the goal realistic. The goal needs to be realistic for you and where you are at the moment. A goal of never again eating sweets, cakes, crisps and chocolate may not be realistic for someone who really enjoys these foods.

For instance, it may be more realistic to set a goal of eating a piece of fruit each day instead of one sweet item. You can then choose to work towards reducing the amount of sweet products gradually, when this feels realistic for you.

Be sure to set goals that you can attain with some effort! Too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but too low sends the message that you aren’t very capable. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!

Time limited: set a timeframe for the goal: for next week, in three months. Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards.

If you don’t set a time, the commitment is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can start at any time. Without a time limit, there’s no urgency to start taking action now.

Time must be measurable, attainable and realistic. And requires your Honesty!

NEGATIVE THINKING Over the years, we tend to get into unhelpful thinking habits. We might favour some over others, and there might be some that seem far too familiar. Once you can

28

identify your unhelpful thinking styles, you can start to notice them – they very often occur just before and during distressing situations.

Once you start to notice them, then that can help you to challenge or distance yourself from those thoughts, and see the situation in a different and more helpful way.

Mental Filter; When we notice only what the filter wants or allow us to notice, and we dismiss anything that doesn’t ‘fit’. Like looking through dark blinkers or ‘gloomy specs’, or only catching the negative stuff in our ‘kitchen strainers’ whilst anything more positive or realistic is dismissed!

Judgements; Making evaluations or judgements about events, ourselves, others, or the world, rather than describing what we actually see and experience!

Negative thinking styles; Describe the following negative thinking styles with examples: 

Mind-Reading; Assuming, we know what others are thinking (usually about



us) Emotional Reasoning; I feel bad so it must be bad! I feel anxious, so I must

 

be in danger Prediction Believing; we know what’s going to happen in the future Mountains and Molehills; Exaggerating the risk of danger, or the negatives.

Minimising the odds of how things are most likely to turn out, or minimising



positives Compare and despair; Seeing only the good and positive aspects in others,



and comparing ourselves negatively against them Catastrophising; Imagining and believing that the worst possible thing will



happen Critical self; Putting ourselves down, self-criticism, blaming ourselves for



events or situations that are not (totally) our responsibility Black and white thinking; Believing that something or someone can be only good or bad, right or wrong, rather than anything in between or ‘shades of



grey’ Should’s and musts; Thinking or saying ‘I should’ (or shouldn’t) and ‘I must’ puts pressure on ourselves, and sets up unrealistic expectations

29



Memories; Current situations and events can trigger upsetting memories, leading us to believe that the danger is here and now, rather than in the past, causing us distress right now.

OVERCOME NEGATIVE THINKING What you focus on you attract. Basically, you train your mind to think about what you want in life, and you avoid thinking about what you don’t want. Worry, fear, negative thinking, these are all allowing the mind to focus on what you don’t want. Not only does this drain your energy but it is counterproductive. That is why fear is so destructive and why despair and hopelessness must be avoided. They are in many ways Mind Power in reverse.

So how do we eliminate this negative thinking? The first step is to recognize the importance of eliminating them, and the second step is to be aware when negatives are happening to us.

Now you can’t avoid negative thinking entirely. Sometimes negative thoughts just pop into our mind. What we can do, however, is to be vigilant and aware, so that we immediately recognize when we are thinking negatively. And when we catch ourselves thinking negative thoughts we can use any of these techniques: 

Change the negative thought into a positive one. The mind can only think one thought at a time; so changing the negative into a positive eliminates the

  

negative.

Use an affirmation.

Use humour and fun.

Remind yourself that the negative thought you are thinking is “only a negative



thought.” It has no power.

Do something that uplifts your mood and helps you to challenge and change the unhelpful thought.

PSY CHOLOGY – TH E CONSCI OUS MI ND 30

Psychologically, it’s a thought or a memory that kicks the mind into action, the thought could be a fear, based on previous earlier experience or it could be a warning, of the fight, flight hormonal reaction. This is then translated over to the emotional room, which instructs the body to stay alert, vigilant and aware, as if your internal antennae have picked up on the emotional content of the fear. The pituitary gland in your brain, then secretes a hormone or chemicals into the blood stream and into the central nervous system, the hormone cortisol is dispersed into the body.

These chemicals then travel through the body, via the central nervous system in the spine and the peripheral nervous system, which is the proprioception sense, beneath the skin, down the endocrine system. The endocrine system sends messages to our organs and transmits this via the blood stream and central nervous system, kick starting the internal biology into physical reaction!

Anxiety is then felt in the body; one of the main glands is the adrenal glands where adrenaline is released. It’s also felt in the heart giving the racing heartbeat. This activates the physical body, the pancreas, which is why we feel bowel urges or nausea, also the heart, racing and pounding with fear. These organs communicate together and secrete a chemical called cortisol, which causes fight, freeze or flight reaction. Depending on previous conditioning and buried memories from sensory systems of childhood programming, the memory transmits a chain of emotions, directing the body. Essentially our body has stepped into overdrive and we are then faced with a choice, to run from this uncomfortable feeling, to freeze in shock or fight against it! This activates how we respond emotionally, so we can either become terrified, or agitated to this overwhelming feeling.

The anxiety itself has its root cause in sensory stimuli. Sensory stimuli are what we perceive with our senses. So it could be a visual or audio trigger. What I mean is when we are young children; we experience lots of things and learn to regulate our responses to what we feel emotionally. Therefore, if we hear a loud bang, we learn to associate load bangs with a jump or a startle. If we taste something that was edible, but then develop and upset stomach we no longer like that particular food we were consuming. It's the same with textures and touch, being uncomfortable wearing something but unable to challenge our carers at the time, we carry on wearing the uncomfortable clothing; however, during this experience we attach memories or emotions and develop an aversion to it. Therefore, the sensory stimuli that we 31

experienced as children, created an emotional attachment to something physical in this world.

That emotional attachment is then in the driving seat of further anticipated anxiety in the future of our lives!

Anxiety is a fear of the future! A fear of something that hasn't actually happened, but we have conditioned our brain and mind to respond to something that we believe is going to either fail or be unrewarding. So the anxiety is then holding you as hostage to your life! This can then escalate and permeate into other areas of your life, destroying any possibility of a future as the anxiety that grips you, controls you, and your direction.

Sometimes we think of something and this jump ignites anxiety. Other times it could be an emotion we feel that then becomes associated to anxiety and we start to plant thoughts in our mind. The two work in tandem and are expressed physically through our bodies, such as racing heart, overwhelming dread and so on.

The connection to psychological anxiety is rooted deeply, within the sensory system for many. The psychological archetypes of the Father – Animus, Mother - Anima and the, Holy Ghost - Spirit!

The father being our masculine traits and habits, Mother, the feminine and same traits and habits and the inner child is the rejected or ignored aspect of the underlying psychology, behind the behaviours integral to early trauma. The inner child is the inner you, the real you!

PSYCHOLOGICAL ARCHETYPES The anima/animus represents our true self, as opposed to the masks we wear every day and is the source of our creativity. These archetypes may appear as someone exotic or unusual in some way, perhaps with amazing skills and powers. In fiction, heroes, super-heroes and gods may represent these powerful beings and awaken in us the sense of omnipotence that we knew in that very early neonatal phase.

32

Anima and animus are female and male principles that represent this deep difference. Whilst men have a fundamental animus and women an anima, each also has the other, just as men have a feminine side and women a masculine. Jung saw men as having one dominant anima, contributed to by female members of his family, whilst women have a more complex, variable animus, perhaps made of several parts.

Jung theorized the development of the anima/animus as beginning with infant projection onto the mother, then projecting onto prospective partners until a lasting relationship can be found.

ANIMA The psyche is such that it contains and embraces both the feminine and masculine.

It is inherently an androgynous entity regardless of what the gender of the physical person is.

The personality or persona naturally takes on the gender role that you are born to physically. Not always, as we know, but this is the general default orientation. o Women take on a feminine role and persona. o Men take on a masculine role and persona.

The psyche compensates for this by birthing, contra sexuality in the inner life of the person. So: o Women have a contra sexuality which is masculine in nature and this is called the Animus. o Men have a contra sexuality which is feminine in nature and this is called the Anima.

The part of the psyche which is directed inwards is in touch with the subconscious and often contrasted with persona! Persona and anima switch roles and merge in slow, smooth ways, it is also known as the inner ego, inner self, soul or spirit. (This does not indicate that men will become emancipated, on the contrary, by uniting their own anima, they become balanced and whole).

33

Anima is, in short, the woman in man. There are certain secondary female sexual features in male. On the psychological plane we talk about the soul, or sensuality as opposed to rationality and reason (animus). But anima is much more than the sexual and psychological aspects. It is relational. That is, the anima archetype rules over the relationship between men and women. It is a kind of innate guide that leads one through the ambiguous path of meeting the woman and interact with her.

The most known anima image is the mother archetype. It rules over the mother-son relationship.

Just like any archetype, the mother archetype has a positive as well as negative side. Her positive side is the birthing, nurturing and care giving, the comfort she brings to all souls as the Holly Virgin. She is ready to sacrifice her life for the sake of her child. Or she is the saviour of the decayed men - The Sophia or the Wisdom of God from the Gnostic mythology!

When we talk about the role of the Anima and Animus we are talking about: Relatedness – our ability to relate as whole human beings to the world and other people. In order for the relatedness to have an equal measure of heart and mind the psyche relies on the contra sexuality to compensate for the natural one sidedness of the personality.

Animation or Spirit, the anima/animus plays a significant role in determining how we think and feel about our lives in the innermost chamber of our hearts. It is not what we say but the spirit we bring to the world that we feel inside ourselves and that others become aware of when they interact with us.

The archetype of the Anima/Animus forms a bridge between our personal unconscious, and what Jung refers to as the Collective Unconscious. The anima/animus is the image making capacity which we use to draw inspirational, creative and intuitive images from the inner world (strictly speaking transpersonal inner world).

The Integrated Animus: The animus when it is integrated in a healthy female psyche would typically imbue the following qualities:

34

o Good rational and logical ability o Ability for clear non-attached thought o Ability to construct by sustained effort and application o A strong centre o Good external strength in the persona o Bridge to knowledge and creative thought o Problem solving The Displaced Animus: When the animus is displaced or overwhelms the female psyche it may exhibit some of the following symptoms: o Know it all behaviour. o Bullying o Sadism o Controlling o Loud o Inability to effectively and meaningfully relate

ANIMUS Animus is the archetype of reason and spirit in women. This is the male aspect of the female psyche, as the anima is the female aspect of male psyche.

This archetype is projected in various male images and characters like great artists, heroes, warriors, sportsmen, philosophers, and so forth. When identified with the animus (animus-inflated), women develop an excessive rational drive which may end up in excessive criticism and stubbornness.

Woman is compensated by a masculine element and therefore her unconscious has, so to speak, a masculine imprint. This results in a considerable psychological difference between men and women, and accordingly I have called the projectionmaking factor in women the animus, which means mind or spirit. (From The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, Collected Works, 9ii, par. 28f.)

35

The animus is the deposit, as it were, of all woman's ancestral experiences of man and not only that, he is also a creative and procreative being, not in the sense of masculine creativity, but in the sense that he brings forth something we might call... the spermatic word. (From Anima and Animus, Collected Works 7, par. 336.)

In combination, the anima and animus are known as syzygy (a word also used to denote alignment of planets), representing wholeness and completion. This combining brings great power and can be found in religious combinations such as the Christian Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost). Jung described creation of the self as a process of individuation, where all aspects are brought together as one.

Thus 're-birth' is returning to the wholeness of birth, before we start to split ourselves into many parts.

The Anima is generally related to in the singular both in the inner and outer worlds.

Meaning, a man will generally project his anima onto only a single woman at any one time, whereas a woman would frequently have more than one animus projection in her life.

Some typical qualities of the integrated Anima are: o o o o o o o o

Self-soothing, self-nurturing and self-loving Access to creative inspiration Strong centre and contained inner life.

Capable of empathy Able to make value judgements beyond the realm of pure rationality Access to feeling life Good relatedness Happy

The Displaced Anima: Some typical qualities of the displaced Anima are: o o o o o

Uncontained, constantly seeking external affirmation.

Lack of creativity Moody Bitchy Poor relatedness, behaviour in relationships designed to isolate the

person from others. o Masochistic o Greedy, grasping o Self-centred 36

THE SHADOW The shadow is simply the black side of someone's self-personality. What is black is always known only indirectly through projection upon others. This is why the first meeting with the shadow is considered to be a moral effort. Also one discovers his black side as like coming from the outside The Shadow is a very common archetype that reflects deeper elements of our psyche, where 'latent dispositions' which are common to us all, arise. It also reflects something that was once split from us in early management of objects in our lives.

It is, by its name, dark, shadowy, unknown and potentially troubling. It embodies chaos and wildness of character. The shadow thus tends not to obey rules, and in doing so may discover new lands or plunge things into chaos and battle. It has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly fascinating. In myth, it appears as the wild man, spider-people, mysterious fighters and dark enemies.

We may see the shadow in others and, if we dare, know it in ourselves. Mostly, however, we deny it in ourselves and project it onto others. It can also have a life of its own, as the other. A powerful goal that some undertake is to re-integrate the shadow, the dark side, and the light of the 'real' self. If this can be done effectively, then we can become 'whole' once again, bringing together that which was once split from us.

The Shadow may seduce through false friendship or threaten with callous disregard.

Encounters with it, as an aspect of the subconscious, may reveal deeper thoughts and fears. It may also take over direct physical action when the person is confused, dazed or drugged.

The shadow encompasses everything that we repress or deny about ourselves. One of the quickest ways to observe your own shadow is through denial, or prejudice.

When you are pre-judging something or someone, it is the internal shadow, expressing itself. Whether the expression is one of disgust or repulsion, it is

37

integrally, an aspect of your own hidden psyche, communicating through prejudice opinions and beliefs.

MANDALAS Mandala is a graphical representation of the centre (the Self for Jung). It can appear in dreams and visions or it can be spontaneously created as a work of art. It is present in the cultural and religious representations. In the yoga practices mandala can be a support for meditation or an image that must be internalized through mental absorption. This image organizes the inner energies and forces of the practitioner and puts them in relationship with his ego.

Generally speaking a mandala is a geometrical form - a square or a circle - abstract and static, or a vivid image formed of objects and/or beings.

‘My mandalas were cryptograms concerning the state of self which were presented to me anew each day. In them I saw the self - that is, my whole being - actively at work. To be sure, at first I could only dimly understand them; but they seemed to me highly significant, and I guarded them like precious pearls. I had the distinct feeling that they were something central, and in time I acquired through them a living conception of the self. The self, I thought, was like the monad which I am, and which is my world. The mandala represents this monad, and corresponds to the microcosmic nature of the psyche.

When I began drawing the mandalas, however, I saw that everything, all the paths I had been following, all the steps I had taken, were leading back to a single point namely to the mid-point. It became increasingly plain to me that the mandala is the centre. It is the exponent of all paths. It is the path to the centre, to individuation.’ (Jung. From Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Vintage Books, 1989, p.196.)

THE NEUROLOGY OF ANXIETY - EMOTIONAL NEUROCIRCUITRY 38

Emotional neurocircuitry is how the brain is wired for emotion. However, in the brain of a person with PTSD, (which is directly connected with anxiety) emotional distress could physically (and perhaps even visibly) change the neurocircuitry. In a normal brain, unmarked by trauma, the interaction between the hippocampus and the amygdala is important for processing emotional memory. It’s suspected that they both change in response to experience as well, which re-directs the circuit, due to the peptides instruction and processing, of the said event.

Studies highlight that war veterans with PTSD had significantly decreased grey matter volume in the hippocampus in addition to a decrease in volume coverage between the hippocampus and amygdala compared to the control group where no PTSD was disclosed. This decrease in volume may be associated with the dysfunctional emotional memory processing in PTSD patients that leads to symptoms like hyper-arousal or avoidance.

THE AMYGDALA AND LIMBIC SYSTEM Our experiences can cause brain circuits to change and form new memories. For example, when we hear an unpleasant sound, the amygdala heightens our perception of the sound. This heightened perception is deemed distressing and memories are formed associating the sound with unpleasantness. If the noise startles us, we have an automatic flight or fight response. This response involves the activation of the sympathetic division of the peripheral nervous system. Activation of the nerves of the sympathetic division, results in accelerated heart rate, dilated pupils, increase in metabolic rate, and increase in blood flow to the muscles. This activity is coordinated by the amygdala and allows us to respond appropriately to danger.

Function The amygdala is involved in several functions of the body including: •Arousal •Autonomic Responses Associated with Fear •Emotional Responses

39

•Hormonal Secretions •Memory

SENSORY INFORMATION The amygdala receives sensory information from the thalamus and from the cerebral cortex. The thalamus is also a limbic system structure and it connects areas of the cerebral cortex that are involved in sensory perception and movement with other parts of the brain and spinal cord that also have a role in sensation and movement.

The cerebral cortex processes sensory information obtained from vision, hearing, and other senses and is involved in decision-making, problem solving, and planning.

Location Directionally, the amygdala is located deep within the temporal lobes, medial to the hypothalamus and adjacent to the hippocampus.

Amygdala Disorders Hyperactivity of the amygdala or having one amygdala that is smaller than the other has been associated with fear and anxiety disorders. Fear is an emotional and physical response to danger. Anxiety is a psychological response to something that is perceived as dangerous. Anxiety can lead to panic attacks that occur when the amygdala sends signals that a person is in danger, even when there is no real threat.

Anxiety disorders that are associated with the amygdala include Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and social anxiety disorder.

Two hemispheres Each side holds a specific function in how we perceive and process emotion. The right and left portions of the amygdala have independent memory systems, but work together to store, encode, and interpret emotion.

40

The right hemisphere is associated with negative emotion. It plays a role in the expression of fear and in the processing of fear-inducing stimuli. Fear conditioning, which is when a neutral stimulus acquires aversive properties, occurs within the right hemisphere. When an individual is presented with a conditioned, aversive stimulus, it is processed within the right amygdala, producing an unpleasant or fearful response.

This emotional response conditions the individual to avoid fear-inducing stimuli.

The right hemisphere is also linked to declarative memory, which consists of facts and information from previously experienced events and must be consciously recalled. It also plays a significant role in the retention of episodic memory. Episodic memory consists of the autobiographical aspects of memory, permitting you to recall your personal emotional and sensory experience of an event. This type of memory does not require conscious recall. The right amygdala plays a role in the association of time and places with emotional properties.

The amygdala is rich in androgen receptors – nuclear receptors that bind to testosterone. Androgen receptors play a role in the DNA binding that regulates gene expression. Though testosterone is present within the female hormonal systems, women have lower levels of testosterone than men. The abundance of testosterone in the male hormonal system may contribute to development. In addition, the grey matter volume on the amygdala is predicted by testosterone levels, which may also contribute to the increased mass of the male amygdala.

In addition to sex differences, there are observable developmental differences between the right and left amygdala in both males and females. The left amygdala reaches its developmental peak approximately 1.5–2 years prior to the right amygdala. Despite the early growth of the left amygdala, the right increases in volume for a longer period of time. The right amygdala is associated with response to fearful stimuli as well as face recognition. It is inferred that the early development of the left amygdala functions to provide infants the ability to detect danger.

(Eumatsu et al 2012). In childhood, the amygdala is found to react differently to same-sex versus opposite-sex individuals. This reactivity decreases until a person enters adolescence, where it increases dramatically at puberty. (Telzer et al 2015) Connections: The amygdala sends projections to the hypothalamus, the dorsomedial thalamus, the thalamic reticular nucleus, the nuclei of the trigeminal nerve and the 41

facial nerve, the ventral tegmental area, the locus coeruleus, and the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus. (Best 2004) The medial nucleus is involved in the sense of smell and pheromone-processing. It receives input from the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex. (Carlson 2012) The lateral amygdalae, which send impulses to the rest of the basolateral complexes and to the centromedial nuclei, receive input from the sensory systems. The centromedial nuclei are the main outputs for the basolateral complexes, and are involved in emotional arousal in rats and cats.(2010) In complex vertebrates, including humans, the amygdalae perform primary roles in the formation and storage of memories associated with emotional events. Research indicates that, during fear conditioning, sensory stimuli reach the basolateral complexes of the amygdalae, particularly the lateral nuclei, where they form associations with memories of the stimuli.

Memories of emotional experiences imprinted in reactions of synapses in the lateral nuclei elicit fear behaviour through neuronal connections with the central nucleus of the amygdalae and the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis.

The central nuclei are involved in the origin of many fear responses such as defensive behaviour (freezing or escape responses), autonomic nervous system responses (changes in blood pressure and heart rate/tachycardia), neuroendocrine responses (stress-hormone release).

The amygdala is also involved in the modulation of memory consolidation. Following any learning event, the long-term memory for the event is not formed instantaneously. Rather, information regarding the event is slowly assimilated into long-term (potentially lifelong) storage over time, possibly via long-term potentiation.

Buddhist monks who do compassion meditation have been shown to modulate their amygdala, along with their temporoparietal junction and insula, during their practice.

(Davidson) In an fMRI study, more intensive insula activity was found in expert meditators than in novices. (Lutz Antoine et al 2008) Increased activity in the amygdala following compassion-oriented meditation may contribute to social connectedness. (Hutchison 2008)

42

The clusters of the amygdala are activated when an individual expresses feeling fear or aggression. This occurs because the amygdala is the primary structure of the brain responsible for flight or fight response. Anxiety and panic attacks can occur when the amygdala senses environmental stressors that stimulate fight or flight response.

The amygdala is directly associated with conditioned fear. Conditioned fear is the framework used to explain the behaviour produced when an originally neutral stimulus is consistently paired with a stimulus that evokes fear. The amygdala represents a core fear system in the human body, which is involved in the expression of conditioned fear. Fear is measured by changes in autonomic activity including increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, as well as in simple reflexes such as flinching or blinking.

The central nucleus of the amygdala has direct correlations to the hypothalamus and brainstem – areas directly related to fear and anxiety. This connection is evident from studies of animals that have undergone amygdalae removal. Such studies suggest that animals lacking an amygdala have less fear expression and indulge in nonspecies-like behaviour. Many projection areas of the amygdala are critically involved in specific signs that are used to measure fear and anxiety.

THE LIMBIC SYSTEM The limbic system, named after the Latin word limbus for edge, is the innermost part of the brain, wrapped around the core ventricles. It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid and various clumps of white matter, which does not play much of a role in cognition.

This system is called the "old mammalian system" or the "mammalian brain," in the popular triune brain model, which splits the brain into three parts depending on their location and functions. The other parts are the reptilian brain or the brain stem, and the cerebral cortex or the neocortex. These are responsible for "lower" and "higher" behaviour respectively.

The limbic system is the home of emotions, motivation, the regulation of memories, the interface between emotional states and memories of physical stimuli, 43

physiological autonomic regulators, hormones, "fight or flight" responses, sexual arousal, circadian rhythms, and some decision systems. It is what gets "duped" when people get addicted to hard drugs. Because the addiction happens in the "lower," "preconscious" portion of the brain, we cannot rationally consider its effects, and therefore recovery and relapse avoidance can be difficult. Rats given switches connected to electrodes which electrically stimulate their nucleus accumbens will continue pressing the switch at the exclusion of all else, including food or sex.

On top of the limbic system is the cerebral cortex, the "thinking brain." The thalamus acts as a liaison between the two. The cortex evolved dependent on the limbic system, which was present before it. Every beneficial adaptation in the neocortex had to "play nice" and interoperate efficiently to justify its own retention through improving the overall fitness of the organism. The pineal gland, a famous part of the limbic system located in the epithalamus, is a rare example of a vestigal brain organ, which was much larger and differentiated in an earlier part of our evolutionary history.

THE FRONTAL LOBE The frontal lobe is the mainframe of the brain that enables us to plan, sequence, time and execute a task or activity. Recent research has identified a structural abnormality in the brains of those with narcissistic personality disorder, specifically noting less volume of grey matter in the left anterior insula (a portion of the cerebral cortex, (Van der Kolk 2003) a connecting feature between the temporal lobe and the parietal lobe. This brain region relates to empathy, compassion, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning.

That amygdala and Limbic system in the left and right hemisphere of the brain play a central role in aversive conditioning, social interaction, moral judgement and emotional reasoning. Amygdala lesions can cause abnormalities which can block episodic memory in emotionally arousing events. (Wright 2016) This then correlates directly with an injury to the prefrontal cortex (Blair 2003). Scientists say that a traumatic brain injury, emotional dysfunction and seizures, can cause personality changes, poor impulse control and poor episodic memory.

44

EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING The pre frontal cortex is also the mainframe of the brain. In here, we have executive functioning, (EF) this enables us the skills to plan and execute a task. For those with damage in this region of the brain, executive functioning is impaired.

People are unable to time, plan, predict and execute tasks in sequence. People with dyslexia and ADHD are also affected due to pre frontal cortex impairment.

The EF is also impaired in those with Autism, Brain injury, Learning Disability, Mood disorders, Fatal Alcohol syndrome, Concussion, Stroke, Cancer treatments and ADHD. Asperger’s, a similar disorder Psychopathy also has EF dysfunction.

Resiliency to the adverse effects of extraordinary emotional trauma on the brain varies within the human population. Accordingly, some people cope better than others with traumatic stress. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36-amino-acid peptide transmitter abundantly expressed in forebrain limbic and brain stem areas that regulate stress and emotional behaviours.

THE CNS & PNS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM The PNS consists of sensory neurons running from stimulus receptors that inform the CNS of the stimuli. Motor neurons running from the CNS to the muscles and glands - called effectors - that take action The CNS consists of the spinal cord and the brain.

The PNS is subdivided into the sensory-somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) The sensory-somatic system consists of 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves.

Cranial Nerves Type Function 45

I - Olfactory sensory - olfaction (smell) II - Optic sensory vision - (Contain 38% of all the axons connecting to the brain.)

III - Oculomotor motor - eyelid and eyeball muscles IV - Trochlear motor - eyeball muscles V - Trigeminal Mixed Sensory: facial and mouth sensation. Motor: chewing VI - Abducens motor - eyeball movement VII - Facial Mixed Sensory: taste. - Motor: facial muscles and salivary glands VIII - Auditory sensory - hearing and balance IX - Glossopharyngeal Mixed Sensory - taste. Motor: swallowing X - Vagus mixed main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) XI - Accessory motor swallowing; moving head and shoulder XII - Hypoglossal motor - tongue muscles The peripheral nervous system is the part of the nervous system that consists of the nerves and ganglia, which is on the outside of the brain and spinal cord. The main function of the PNS is to connect the central nervous system to the limbs and organs, essentially serving as a communication relay going back and forth between the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body. Unlike the CNS, the PNS is not protected by the bone of spine and skull, or by the blood–brain barrier, which leaves it exposed to toxins and mechanical injuries.

The peripheral nervous system is mainly divided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. In the somatic nervous system, the cranial nerves are part of the PNS with the exception of cranial nerve II, the optic nerve, along with the retina. The second cranial nerve is not a true peripheral nerve but a tract of the diencephalon. Cranial nerve ganglia originate in the CNS. However, the remaining ten cranial nerve axons extend beyond the brain and are therefore considered part of the PNS. The Autonomic nervous system is an involuntary control of smooth muscle. The connection between CNS and organs allows the system to be in two different functional states: sympathetic and parasympathetic.

46

There is actually one more part of the autonomic nervous system that we don't mention too often: The enteric nervous system. This is a complex of nerves that regulate the activity of the stomach. When you get sick to your stomach or feel butterflies when you get nervous, you can blame the enteric nervous system.

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system has the following effects:       

dilates the pupils opens the eyelids stimulates the sweat glands dilates the blood vessels in large muscles constricts the blood vessels in the rest of the body increases the heart rate opens up the bronchial tubes of the lungs

 inhibits the secretions in the digestive system One of its most important effects is causing the adrenal glands (which sit on top of the kidneys) to release epinephrine (aka adrenaline) into the blood stream.

Epinephrine is a powerful hormone that causes various parts of the body to respond in much the same way as the sympathetic nervous system. Being in the blood stream, it takes a bit longer to stop its effects. This is why, when you get upset, it sometimes takes a while before you can calm yourself down again!

The sympathetic nervous system also takes in information, mostly concerning pain from internal organs. Because the nerves that carry information about organ pain often travel along the same paths that carry information about pain from more surface areas of the body, the information sometimes get confused. This is called referred pain, and the best known example is the pain some people feel in the left shoulder and arm when they are having a heart attack.

The other part of the autonomic nervous system is called the parasympathetic nervous system. It has its roots in the brainstem and in the spinal cord of the lower back. Its function is to bring the body back from the emergency status that the sympathetic nervous system puts it into.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is a chief subdivision of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the function of body organs, blood vessels, and smooth muscles. Whereas most of the actions of the parasympathetic nervous

47

system are automatic and involuntary, some, such as breathing, work in concert with the conscious mind.

Some of the details of parasympathetic arousal include... 

pupil constriction



activation of the salivary glands

    

stimulating the secretions of the stomach stimulating the activity of the intestines stimulating secretions in the lungs constricting the bronchial tubes decreasing heart rate

The parasympathetic nervous system also has some sensory abilities: It receives information about blood pressure, levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, and so on.

Although the autonomic nervous system is considered to be involuntary, this is not entirely true. A certain amount of conscious control can be exerted over it as has long been demonstrated by practitioners of Yoga and Zen Buddhism.

During their periods of meditation, these people are clearly able to alter a number of autonomic functions including heart rate and the rate of oxygen consumption. These changes are not simply a reflection of decreased physical activity because they exceed the amount of change occurring during sleep or hypnosis.

The Nobel Prize winning physiologist Otto Loewi discovered (in 1920) that the effect of both sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation is mediated by released chemicals. He removed the living heart from a frog with its sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve supply intact. As expected, stimulation of the first speeded up the heart while stimulation of the second slowed it down.

Loewi found that these two responses would occur in a second frog heart supplied with a salt solution taken from the stimulated heart. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve leading to the first heart not only slowed its beat but, a short time later, slowed that of the second heart also. The substance responsible was later shown to be acetylcholine. During sympathetic stimulation, adrenaline (in the frog) is released.

Parasympathetic stimulation causes 48

•slowing down of the heartbeat (as Loewi demonstrated) •lowering of blood pressure •constriction of the pupils •increased blood flow to the skin and viscera •peristalsis of the GI tract In short, the parasympathetic system returns the body functions to normal after they have been altered by sympathetic stimulation.

In times of danger, the sympathetic system prepares the body for violent activity. The parasympathetic system reverses these changes when the danger is over.

CHEMICALS OF THE NEUROLOGY Neurons are the activating stimuli that binds one site to another The discovery of neuropeptides is founded on ground breaking research in physiology, endocrinology, and biochemistry during the last century and has been built on three seminal notions: 1 Peptide hormones are chemical signals in the endocrine system; 2 Neurosecretion of peptides is a general principle in the nervous system; 3 The nervous system is responsive to peptide signals.

Neuropeptides are related to peptide hormones, and in some cases peptides that function in the periphery as hormones also have neuronal functions as neuropeptides. The distinction between neuropeptide and peptide hormone has to do with the cell types that release and respond to the molecule; neuropeptides are secreted from neuronal cells (primarily neurons but also glia for some peptides) and 49

signal to neighbouring cells (primarily neurons). In contrast, peptide hormones are secreted from neuroendocrine cells and travel through the blood to distant tissues where they evoke a response. Both neuropeptides and peptide hormones are synthesized by the same sets of enzymes, which include prohormone convertases and carboxypeptidases that selectively cleave the peptide precursor at specific processing sites to generate the bioactive peptides.

A neuropeptide is a chain of amino acids that is released either into the blood where it activates receptors in our body, or directly into the brain where it can activate receptors in our brain. When a neuropeptide is released it binds to the receptor and that activates a series of events inside the cell, inside the neuron, and then that causes that neuron to become active. If that neuron is placed within a particular circuit, it can activate that circuit. So now you can begin to see how you can have a single molecule released from one neuron, activating another neuron, and then activating a circuit and then a circuit, can change an emotion and a behaviour.

The oxytocin and vasopressin are neuropeptides that are produced in the hypothalamus. They are projected to other regions of the brain where they act by binding to receptors. The receptor distribution in the brain determines what sort of effect the peptides are going to have.

We know that dopamine is involved in reward and reinforcement, and we know that the dopamine system is activated during social interactions or mating. We also know that the dopamine system is interacting with the oxytocin system to promote the pair bond formation. So for example if you block dopamine, a female will not bond with a male or a male will not bond with a female. Simply by blocking that dopamine input, even oxytocin can’t stimulate the bond; blocking oxytocin receptors will also block the bond formation. Even dopamine can’t stimulate the bond. But if you have both acting at the same time to sort of activate the social aspects and the reward aspects, then it comes together to form a bond which is a preference to interact with another individual.

Neuropeptides, molecules that contain two or more amino acids linked by peptide bonds, function as critical chemical messengers and are heterogeneously distributed through the peripheral and central nervous system (CNS). Many of

50

these peptides exert diverse actions functioning as hypothalamic hypophysiotropic releasing factors, as neuromodulators, and/or neurotransmitters. As understanding of the behavioural effects of these neuropeptides continues to grow, it has become increasingly apparent that dysregulation of the proper functioning of neuropeptide systems may be relevant to particular psychiatric disorders.

References American Psychiatric Association (2013) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Baer RA (2003) Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review.

Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 10(2): 125–143. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Baer RA, Smith GT, Hopkins J, et al. (2006) Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment 13(27): 27–45. Abstract/FREE Full Text Brown CE, Dunn W (2002) Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile: User’s Manual, San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation. Google Scholar Brown KW, Ryan RM (2003) The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 84(4): 822–848. CrossRefMedlineOrder article via InfotrieveWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Brown KW, Ryan RM, Creswell JD (2007) Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry 18(4): 211–237. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Buchheld N, Grossman P, Walach H (2001) Measuring mindfulness in insight meditation (Vipassana) and mediation-based psychotherapy: The development of the Freiburg mindfulness inventory (FMI).

Journal for Meditation and Meditation Research 1(1): 11–34. Google Scholar Carlson, Neil (12 January 2012). Physiology of behaviour. Pearson. p. 336. ISBN 978-0205239399.

Davidson, J. Richard. Cultivating compassion: Neuroscientific and behavioral approaches" a talk given by Richard J. Davidson found online at http://ccare.stanford.edu/node/25 Dunn W (1997) The impact of sensory processing abilities on the daily lives of young children and their families: A conceptual model. Infants and Young Children 9(4): 23–25. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Dunn W (2001) The sensations of everyday life: Empirical, theoretical, and pragmatic considerations.

2001 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 55(6): 608–620.

Google Scholar

51

Elliot ML (2011) Being mindful about mindfulness: An invitation to extend occupational engagement into the growing mindfulness discourse. Journal of Occupational Science 18(4): 366–376.

CrossRefGoogle Scholar Engel-Yeger B, Dunn W (2011) Exploring the relationship between affect and sensory processing patterns in adults. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 74(10): 456–464. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Engel-Yeger B, Shochat T (2012) The relationship between sensory processing patterns and sleep quality in healthy adults. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 79(3): 134–141. CrossRefGoogle Scholar Engel-Yeger B, Palgy-Levin D, Lev-Wiesel R (2013) The sensory profile of people with post-traumatic stress symptoms. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health 29(3): 266–278. CrossRefGoogle Scholar Feldman G, Hayes A, Kumar S, et al. (2007) Mindfulness and emotion regulation: The development and initial validation of the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavior Assessment 29(3): 177–190. Google Scholar Hebert KR (2015) The association between impulsivity and sensory processing patterns in healthy adults. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 78(4): 232–240. CrossRefGoogle Scholar Hölzel BK, Lazar SW, Gard T, et al. (2011) How does mindfulness meditation work? Proposing mechanisms of action from a conceptual and neural perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science 6(6): 537–559. Google Scholar Hutcherson, Cendri A.; Seppala, Emma M.; Gross, James J. (2008). "Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness". Emotion. 8 (5): 720–4. doi:10.1037/a0013237. PMID 18837623.

Jha AP, Krompinger J, Baime MJ (2007) Mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention.

Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 7(2): 109–119. Google Scholar Kabet-Zinn J (1982) An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: Theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry 4(1): 33–47. CrossRefMedlineOrder article via InfotrieveWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Kabet-Zinn J (2003) Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice 10(2): 144–156. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Kerr CE, Shaw JR, Wasserman RH, et al. (2008) Tactile acuity in experienced Tai Chi practitioners: Evidence for use dependent plasticity as an effect of sensory-attentional training. Experimental Brain Research 188(2): 317–322. Google Scholar Kimball JG, Birstler CT, Bosse EF, et al. (2012) The relationships among sensory processing styles, personality traits, and body mass index: A pilot study. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health 28(1): 72–87. CrossRefGoogle Scholar

52

Kinnealey M, Fuiek M (1999) The relationship between sensory defensiveness, anxiety, depression and perception of pain in adults. Occupational Therapy International 6(3): 195–206. CrossRefGoogle Scholar Linehan M (1993) Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, New York: Guildford Press. Google Scholar Liss M, Mailloux J, Erchull MJ (2008) The relationship between sensory processing sensitivity, alexithymia, autism, depression, and anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences 45(3): 255–259.

Google Scholar Lutz, Antoine; Brefczynski-Lewis, Julie; Johnstone, Tom; Davidson, Richard J. (2008). Baune, Bernhard, ed. "Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise". PLoS ONE. 3 (3): e1897. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001897. PMC 2267490free to read. PMID 18365029.

Miller LJ, Anzalone ME, Lane SL, et al. (2007) Concept evolution in sensory integration: A proposed nosology for diagnosis. American Journal of Occupational Therapy 61(2): 135–140.

CrossRefMedlineOrder article via InfotrieveWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Murray, Elizabeth A.; et al. (2009). "Amygdala function in positive reinforcement". The Human Amygdala. Guilford Press.

Palmer A, Rodger S (2009) Mindfulness, stress, and coping among university students. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy 43(3): 198–212. Available at: http://cjcrcc.ucalgary.ca/cjc/index.php/rcc/article/viewArticle/648 (accessed 21 June 2016).

Pohl P, Dunn W, Brown C (2003) The role of sensory processing in the everyday lives of older adults.

Occupational Therapy Journal of Research 23(3): 99–106. Google Scholar Polit DF (1996) Data Analysis and Statistics for Nursing Research, Stamford, CO: Appleton and Lange. Google Scholar Reid D (2011) Mindfulness and flow in occupational engagement: Presence in doing. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 78(1): 50–56. CrossRefWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar Reike EF, Anderson D (2009) Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile and obsessive compulsive disorder.

American Journal of Occupational Therapy 63(2): 138–145. Google Scholar Segal ZV, Williams JMG, Teasdale JD (2002) Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse, New York: Guilford Press. Google Scholar Shapiro SL, Schwartz GE, Bonner G (1998) Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on medical and pre-medical students. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 21(6): 581–599. Google Scholar

53

Solano-Castiella E, Anwander A, Lohmann G, Weiss M, Docherty C, Geyer S, Reimer E, Friederici AD, Turner R (2010). "Diffusion tensor imaging segments the human amygdala in vivo". NeuroImage.

49 (4): 2958–65. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.11.027. PMID 19931398.

Tang YY, Ma Y, Wang J, et al. (2007) Short-term meditation training improves attention and selfregulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(43): 17152–17156. Google Scholar Uematsu, A., Matsui, M., Tanaka C., Takahashi, T., Noguchi K., Suzuki M., Nishijo H. (2012).

Developmental trajectories of amygdala and hippocampus from infancy to early adulthood in healthy individuals. PLOS One Journal. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046970 Wright J, Sadlo G, Stew G (2006) Challenge-skills and mindfulness: An exploration of the conundrum of flow process. OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health 26(1): Telzer, E. H., Flannery, J., Humphreys, K. L., Goff, B., Gabard-Durman, L., Gee, D. G., & Tottenham, N. (2015). 'The cooties effect': Amygdala reactivity to opposite- versus same-sex faces declines from childhood to adolescence. Journal Of Cognitive Neuroscience, 27(9), 1685-1696. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_00813

54