flynn012

I noticed the article which follows in a recent brief from Big Think , a wonderful informative and insightful resource for articles about the Human Potential Movement and about Global Futurism . Please take a moment to read the article, a portion of which I have extracted below, and then hit the "BACK" button on your browser to come back for some Braintenance commentary and an extrapolation of what this means for the potential development of the Human Species . --------------- Learning to See in 3-D: A Neurobiologist Rewires Her Own Brain Megan Erickson on March 25, 2012, 12:00 AM What's the Big Idea? If the scientific consensus had been right, Sue Barry would still be seeing in 2-D. Barry was born with strabismus , a condition in which the eyes couldn't look in the same place at the same time. By the age of two, she’d undergone three surgeries, but the operations succeeded only in making her eyes appear not to be crossed -- th...

Oxymorons are self-conflicting or self-cancelling combinations of words. They are often humorous, brief, thought-provoking (associatively) and memorable. They also help stimulate our mind's ability to freely associate and visualize with greater speed and clarity. They stimulate imagination and creativity. What's more, they're great fun at parties. We've all heard these: JUMBO SHRIMP, AUTHENTIC REPLICA, MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, HELPFUL CIVIL SERVANT and THE WAR ON TERRORISM (more obscure, but a bit more through-provoking in terms of semantics and shades of meaning). With the following list, read each one aloud in your mind , and when you've finished, visualize the conflicting physical images . Then : 1 ) See how many of them you can easily remember; 2 ) See how many you can remember in the sequence in which they are presented. Incidentally, this is my collection of the best of the worst of these creatures: Stretch those neurons....let them reach out and touch one anoth...

Any mental exercises which require that you arrange things (in the same positions as they were in before, i.e., memorizing and conforming to a map, floor plan or layout), order things (based upon a rule, i.e., smallest to largest) or categorize things (i.e., based upon rules, parameters or attributes) have the wonderful ability [whether you are a file clerk, a S.W.A.T. team member, or a Braintenance philosopher (i.e., unemployed, lazy or on an academic fellowship) can and will: 1 ) improve your memory; 2 ) improve your spacial perception and navigation ability; 3 ) improve your associative intelligence; 4 ) improve your neuroplasticity (the flexibility of brain cells to 'substitute in' for each other or to make adaptations to their functionality); and may ... 5) possibly contribute to new neuronal growth (i.e., brand new brain cells) and an newly-establish neural channels. Following is a wonderful game, courtesy of Brain Metrix, which provides an opportunity to do some ...

Shadow Leaders (puppeteers) and Alternative Governments (secret controllers ) are notions which have now gone beyond the realm of futuristic sci-fi books and movies, 'crackpot' websites, and other forms of either imagination-fueled or paranoia-fueled media and become increasingly prevalent in the headlines and subject matter of articles and posts in highly-respected media and blogs. Such authors as Dan Brown , Vince Flynn , Robert Ludlum , David Icke , and such mainstream television shows as The Unit, StrikeBack, Burn Notice are pressing the notion of secret societies, black-ops government units, private armies, cabals, conspiracies, privileged families pulling strings, and very small, secretive, amoral groups exerting incredible force (without allegiance to any country or cause) over the population and resources of the entire planet. The Warren Commission , Area 51, Roswell, Fort Knox , Ruby Ridge , BP's ecological accident , Stealth Weapons, The World Trade Center Trag...

BRAINTENANCE borrows from the TAKING COMMAND! Blog ... Dear Braintenanciers [which is how they should be spelling and pronouncing it en Francais ]: It appears that we have opposing views regarding the effects of the passage of time during the course of one's life. On the one hand, many believe that the passage of time gives one a clearer perspective ; on the other, many believe that the passage of time creates distortions. What do you think? The answer, I believe, is a combination of both . Neither view is false, but neither view is complete of itself. Regarding the first view, with the passage of time comes the acquisition of experience and knowledge, and a broader data base upon which to construct comparisons, qualitatively and quantitatively. As this base increases with time, our ability to measure, to understand, to see against a greater backdrop of different and similar experiences heightens. This is a gift of perspective. A person who has lived only five years has a much ...

Image via Wikipedia about brain-scanning (fMRI) technology. Tongue-twisters provide an entertaining way for us to refine and strengthen our elocution . They are also used therapeutically by speech pathologists and others [remember Bertie and Lionel in " The King's Speech "?] help overcome a variety of speech impediments , including the most troubling one of all: a lack of self-confidence. Tongue-twisters are not childish, and they are not merely speech exercises. They are certified (* by some organization which does not currently exist, but which should be formed ) brain-builders. In speaking them, your mind must clearly identify each word and its proper pronunciation, and differentiate it from the rest of the  words. This does several things: 1) It forces the mind to ascribe some meaning or sense to the riddle. It pushes the imagination and creativity; 2) It increases the ability to focus because of the inherent need for precision; 3) It improves visual discernment and...

If you were to ask everyone whom you chanced to encounter if the following two statements were true, you would mostly get answers in the affirmative. And yet, despite conventional wisdom , they are only partial truths: 1. The MIND is the seat of intelligence and learning, and, 2. The MIND controls the BODY. -- Just ask any ordinary person. He or she will likely confirm it (and perhaps even grin gratuitously). One would think that our bodies were robotic; that they are merely slaves to our minds . When meeting a challenge (i.e., running a race, lifting weights, making a presentation in front of a group, somebody's well-intended uncle invariably chimes in with, " You can do it , kid! It's just mind over matter !" If that were completely true (and I'll confess that I believe it to be partially true),   then how is it possible that:  Physical pain profoundly affects how we think and feel?  We can walk down a familiar flight of st...