The day my life started changing and accelerating was the day I started learning meditation. I borrowed the book 8-Minute Meditation from a friend. I also started listening to Kosmic Consciousness by Ken Wilber. I have never looked back and my smile is still growing.

Spiritual Brain Chemistry

Spiritual practices like meditation, mindfulness and yoga have a profound effect on our mood. We can attribute much of this mood-enhancing effect to brain chemicals like serotonin [1,2,3], dopamine [4] and GABA [5]. Almost all anti-anxiety drugs target these chemicals .

Related Reading: Psychedelic Buddha: How to Get High Without Drugs

Science Evaluates Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

These ancient spiritual techniques are starting to enter scientific treatment of anxiety. In 2014, mindfulness was compared to “normal” treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It was the first randomized controlled trial of this type [6].

Mindfulness Beats Stress Management over 8 Weeks

The 93 participants were randomly assigned to one of two programs. One was a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. The other, the control, was a Stress Management Education (SMM) program. The programs lasted for 8 weeks.

The researchers found that the mindfulness based program worked a lot better than the stress management program. Mindfulness performed better on four out of five anxiety measurement scales. On the fifth scale both programs performed equally well. It was speculated that they were equal on the fifth scale because it focused on physiological symptoms. It ignored psychological symptoms. Mindfulness also led to the greatest increase in positive self-statements.

About Vegard:
Vegard Gjerde is one of the two founders of Global Harmony Crew.

Subscribe to Global Harmony Crew to go deeper. When you subscribe you get their 20$ inner peace course for free.

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References:
[1] Bujatti M, Riederer P. “Serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine metabolites in transcendental meditation-technique”. Journal of Neural Transmission, 1976.
[2] Arita, H. “Anterior prefrontal cortex and serotonergic system activation during Zen meditation practice induces negative mood improvement and increased alpha band in EEG.” Rinsho Shinkeigaku, 2012.
[3] Mohandas, E. “Neurobiology of Spirituality”. Mens Sana Monographs, 2008.
[4] Kjaer, T.W. et al. “Increased dopamine tone during meditation-induced change of consciousness”. Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research, 2002.
[5] Elias A. N., et al. “Ketosis with enhanced GABAergic tone promotes physiological changes in transcendental meditation”. Medical Hypotheses, 2000.
[6] Hoge, E. A., et al. “Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Effects on Anxiety and Stress Reactivity”. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2014.

Serotonin is believed to be a main cause for feelings of peace, calm and fulfillment after a session of meditation [1].

Psychedelic Meditation

There also seems to be a correlation between meditation, serotonin and visual hallucinations [2].

When we meditate serotonin inhibits the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). The LGN is a relay center in the visual pathway of the thalamus.

This reduces the transmission of visual information.

When there is no visual sensory stimulus to interpret, the brain starts to generate imagery internally.

The hallucinations are similar to the effects from serotonergic and psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin. Psychedelic means “mind-revealing” – the purpose of meditation. Also, serotonin interacts with dopamine to make the experience euphoric. Continue reading →

The pineal gland – “the third eye” – has gained a mystical significance in spiritual circles. Many believe it is important – few understand what it does.

It weighs about 150 mg and sits in the depression between the superior colliculi at the back of the corpus callosum. The pineal gland is actually not a part of the brain, although it is connected to it [1].

We know that our pineal gland can get calcified [2]. Many believe that a calcified pineal gland can stop us from reaching great spiritual heights.

The jury is still out on that one, but we do know that a calcified pineal gland leads to a defective sense of direction [3]. It has also been implicated in schizophrenia [4]. Increased intake of fluoride might be a significant cause of calcified pineal glands [5], so avoid ingesting large amounts of fluoride.

The pineal gland creates the pineal hormone, called melatonin, out of another spiritually important chemical, serotonin. Continue reading →

Parenthood lies deep within us. We are wired to help our little ones survive and prosper.

Modern life, however, has removed us from our natural environment. It can be hard to raise a child in world of fear and distractions. Science and psychology bring back a big dose of reality and give practical tips for how you can help your kids turn into amazing human beings.

Rogers’ Secret for Personal Growth

Carl Rogers, a famous psychologist, believed that all humans have a built-in need for personal growth and self-actualization. To unleash this great power within us, we have to remove our internal blocks [1].

An important part of his theory was our strong need for positive regard. We need others to regard us in a positive light – we need sympathy, love and acceptance.

Positive regard comes in two different packages – unconditional or conditional.

Related reading: How to Grow Through Blockages and Find Your True Self

Perform and then You’ll Have My Love

Conditional positive regard is when parents only show affection when children behave in a way that pleases them. Research shows that conditional positive regard can have long-term consequences.

“The last year of high school is over and Sarah is coming home with her final grades. She’s gotten all A’s with one exception – a C in math. She proudly hands it over to her father who says, ‘Why did you get a C in math? You could do better than this’, then his gaze returns to the TV. Sarah goes up to her room disappointed in herself and frustrated with her father.”

College students who reported that parents used conditional positive regard for emotional control, prosocial behavior, academics and sports performance experienced large fluctuations in self-esteem and how they thought their parents perceived them. They tended to resent their parents [2]. Continue reading →

 

1 – How Efficiently You Work

Joyful. Excited. Motivated.

What do you think about when you hear the words “work efficiently”?

The path of your dreams? Another day of drudgery? You decide which is true. I choose the path of my dreams.

You have 15 to 17 waking hours per day. Fill them with as much excitement and motivation as you possibly can. You do this with the help of 3 rules:

Make It a Learning Experience
All work experiences can be learning experiences. You can learn to master skills. You can learn to master yourself. Learn to master both.

Align with Your Dreams
Align your learning goals with your biggest dream. Find what skills you can learn, and what you can learn about yourself, that will help you the most in reaching your dreams.

Make It a Flow Experience

Time disappears. Your hands and your mind move faster than what is reasonably possible. You feel both inner peace and excitement. There is just you and the task. You have felt this way many times before. You can feel this way while doing anything.

The gateway to flow is intense focus: Goal-directed focus on the edge of your current skill level

2 – How Much Gratitude You Feel

Gratitude is happiness. Gratitude is a habit. Happiness is a habit.

If you throw a rock into the air, it falls down again. If I jump into the air, I fall down again. I am a rock.

Who cares about logic? Happiness is at least 50% habit. That is why it is so important to push your boundaries for gratitude every day.

3 – How Good You Make Others Feel

“Man is by nature a social animal.” – Aristotle

Are you waiting for others to make you happy? You fool! Make other’s happy and you will see your own happiness shine back at you.

4 – Your Level of Unconditional Self-Love

When do you allow yourself to be happy? How high have you set the bar? Fuck the bar! You are always worthy of self-love. Your love for yourself should be like a large sun. Shining brightly for billions of years and ending in a supernova.

Your conditions for self-love is messing you up. You deny parts of yourself. You distort reality. Unconditional self-love is a decision you make in every moment. Choose to love yourself now. There is no later.

Related: How to Grow Through Personal Blockages & Find Your True Self 

5 – Your Presence in This Everlasting Moment

Presence is everything. Presence is now. You are flowing at work. You feel gratitude. You see other people and satisfy their needs. You love yourself with burning intensity.

Push it every day.

 

Vegard Gjerde is one of the two founders of Global Harmony Crew.

Global Harmony Crew guides people towards deep self-realisation and powerful self-actualisation. Join the crew by subscribing and you will learn about everything from the deep metaphysical questions, to basic steps you can take in your day-to-day life to manifest happiness and fulfilment. Follow Global Harmony Crew on Facebook.

Learn more about gratitude and inner peace in their course (free when subscribing).
Learn more about flow and learning fast, in my course Primal Learning.