What’s faster than the speed of sound? A speeding bullet.
What’s faster than a speeding bullet? The speed of light (I told you this was not about Superman!).
What’s faster than the speed of light? You!
Not physically perhaps. But you can think of somewhere and be there immediately. Think of home, you’re there (no matter how far away it is). Think of a favourite resting place, voila, you’re there.
“But I’m not there.” I hear you thinking. Perhaps not. But that is the point.
When you set your mind to something; you make a decision, a change or want to move in a new direction, your brain is there in an instant. The rest of you has to catch up.
If you make a decision to be different, you’re there. It’s done. In your head. The challenge then follows for you to attain that new thing; you have to shape life differently. We know inherently that there is process involved. You need to get from point A to point B, but your brain can be there instantly through the gift of your imagination.
If you dig deeper, you can gain spiritual insight, yet your brain needs time to recalibrate to accept this new revelation.
When you unlock something at a spiritual level, you do a deep work that will now impact your thoughts, emotions and physical reality.
Doctors and scientists studying the neuroscience of spirituality have discovered that when people engage at a spiritual level, they activate a distinct neural network; different from the way the brain activates for logic, emotion or functional activities.
This is great news. We are hardwired with an extra resource that many people didn’t even know was there. Spirituality is not a cultural construct; it is part of our physiology.
When we sustain an injury or something is restricted in our body, we naturally compensate by overusing other muscles. We are designed to walk in a balanced way, but where we carry inflammation, we stop using that area freely, trying to avoid pain. We might propel forward from our knees rather than our hips or walk with pressure on unnatural parts of our feet, changing our posture or causing tension where there is supposed to be flexibility.
Neuroscience imaging shows that as we strengthen our spiritual neural pathways, other pathways become less reactive. When every part of our brain does its job, those parts that were busy compensating can revert to what they were designed to do.
Where critics claim spirituality is a crutch, this research suggests that in fact, we need crutches for all our stress and anxiety because we fail to access the innate benefits of spiritual practises.
Take forgiveness as an example: we can forgive without feeling the feelings. Forgiveness is a spiritual release. When we choose to forgive, our thoughts and emotions might take a while to come into agreement, but over time, choosing to remain in agreement with our decision to forgive, our thoughts and emotions won’t have to carry so much because our spiritual neural system has taken the load off. Gradually or suddenly, it doesn’t matter, forgiveness takes the pressure off and allows healing to begin.
When we practise spiritual disciplines like prayer, journalling or walking in nature, we strengthen a part of our brain that enables the rest of our brain to carry a more reasonable share of life’s burdens.
If you find yourself highly reactive, easily offended, stressed out or paralysed by anxiety or self-loathing, this neuroscience discovery is great news!
You don’t have to deal with things the way you always have. Your neural pathways are overloaded because they were never meant to carry your burdens alone.
When you desire to improve relationships, whether at home, at work or at play, be gentle with yourself. Your brain has made a decision to be different, but there is still a process involved. Old habits bubble to the surface and new habits take time to form. Established neural patterns like ‘a raised voice makes me feel…’ take time to redirect. Past experiences parade as evidence even when every day is new. You’re dealing with two people, and you have no control over how the other person will react.
The beauty of engaging with the spiritual is that there is one who created you with this ability. You were formed by design, with a purpose. Finding that anchor opens a whole deeper level in easing your burdens.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11v28-30
Walking life’s journey doesn’t have to be heavy. You are created with the ability to carry things lightly. It is a gift, like your imagination is a gift.
Your imagination allows you to picture an outcome before you work towards it. Of course, this can work for you or against you. Remember that your brain is designed to present you with options. What you feed will grow. You have the ability to dismiss a thought or to dwell on it. Where you have a pattern of thinking, it will take conscious intent to think differently.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4v8
You make a decision. It takes time for the decision to flow through your mind, will and emotions to shape your daily choices. You can be there in an instant, but when you’re discouraged at the slow process, you can land yourself somewhere else entirely just by which thoughts you choose to entertain.
Although your mind arrives quickly, allow yourself time and space for the rest of you to join the party. Celebrate the wins, let go of the losses and utilise the amazing resources that are hardwired into each of us.
Peace.
