Manifestation miracle
Showing posts with label brain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brain. Show all posts
Your Perceptions, Beliefs, and Thoughts Control Your Genes
Now that I've shared the above statement from the field of neuroscience with you, I need to explain how it works.
To some of you, my explanation will sound unbelievable.
One of the many functions of the brain is to watch what's going on in your surroundings... just to keep you safe. The brain does this by formulating perceptions of the world around you.
Your brain's perceptions are the ways in which it "sees" the reality around you. But... does your brain really see that reality, or does it rather see its "perception" of that reality?
The answer is this: What your brain "sees" is the reality it understands. However, the reality your brain understands may not be reality at all! For example, the brain may perceive the reality as "threatening," even if the reality is not threatening at all.
Whenever your brain has a perception of your surroundings, it translates that perception, right or wrong, into signals that are communicated to the body's cells. The signals might say, for instance, everything is okay or you're in trouble. Without questioning the brain's "opinion" about your surroundings, your body reacts immediately to the brain's signal. If the brain sees a threat as real, your body reacts by preparing you for a "flight/fight or freeze" response, even if the brain is incorrectly seeing a problem when there is no problem at all!
Yes, it's possible for you and me to see the very same reality differently, since our brains perceive our environment differently; this is completely normal.
When your brain sends signals to your body, it's actually giving commands to your cells, thereby controlling their activity and behaviour. Your cells will adjust their activity depending on the signals from the brain.
Now we're getting closer to the main point of the story.
Not only do environmental signals control the behaviour and activity of the cells, but your own mind-set also plays a role in controlling them. Your brain's interpretation of outside signals is transferred to its chemistry, and your body's cells react to that chemistry accordingly.
In other words, your brain's perception and interpretation of the environment around you determine the chemistry of your cells.
The chemistry of your cells is your life. It's your health... or your sickness. Bad cell chemistry (e.g. stress hormones) will kill the cells unless you know how to handle stress, fear, anger, jealousy, or any other emotion that produces "bad hormones" (e.g. cortisol, norepinephrine, or histamine).
Now you know how your perceptions, beliefs, and thoughts control not only your cell activity and your genes, but also your destiny.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Perceptions,-Beliefs,-and-Thoughts-Control-Your-Genes&id=9972538
Which Foods Keep Your Brain Working Well?
Thanks to all the pressures of modern living, we all discover that from time to time, we are often too tired or stressed to think. Nevertheless, this may not be the case since there are varieties of readily available spices, drinks, and foods that we can consume, not only to boost or energize our memory and help us focus, but also to delay or reverse the onset of debilitating diseases which affect the brain such as the Alzheimer's Disease.
Sometimes we all lose interest or focus in whatever we are doing due to stress or fatigue. By good luck, there are some supplements or foods that can improve focus, memory, and concentration, in accordance with the recent research by the World Health Organization (WHO). If you combine and mix these 'brain foods' with daily exercise, good night's sleep and good hydration, you could significantly boost your brain power. So if you are searching for ways to boost your memory, enhance concentration and stay focused, you can check out these simple and readily available foods that will make you smarter like Einstein in no time.
APPLES
Apples are the king of fruits and they are also known for the brain food. They are one of the foods that scientists say will contribute to overall good health, help you to think clearly and of course, boost your memory. We all know the old saying, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' and 'you are what you eat' which certainly stills holds true even today. So what makes the apple the top of this list? Well, they contain a certain group of compounds and nutrients such as pectin which are fiber, quercetin which protects and boosts memory, riboflavin which produces energy and lastly polyphenol which are strong antioxidants. These compounds help to protect the brain from the kind of damage that cause neuro degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Not only do they have brain power but they also help to lower blood cholesterol levels, build strong teeth and prevent the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol (a chemical process that turns it into an artery clogging plague). They also decrease the risk of liver, lung, colon, breast and other cancer as well as asthma and heart disease.What a wonderful fruit! Also, make sure that you eat the peel as the apple skin has 2 to 6 times the antioxidants as the flesh.Cherries, oysters, berries and even curry also have a high rank among foods that can help boost your brain, promote heart health and give you energy.
CINNAMON
Did you know that cinnamon was worth more than gold to the ancient Egyptians? This is mostly because cinnamon was long believed to have healthy and medicinal properties which made it extremely valuable. There are thousands of man made supplements, food products and chemically manufactured tablets that claim to increase or boost brain power but none of these offers the delicious, tasty flavor cinnamon does. Even today, cinnamon is still one of the most consumed and used products in the world. It is a sweet smelling spice that has been found to boost and energize brain activity and help to relieve memory loss and nervous tension. Cinnamon is also a safe and tasty method to slow down the aging process. Chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling it can help to improve and enhance the cognitive process. It also contains a chemical compound known as sodium benzoate which is used to treat neural disorders. Cinnamon has 3 active compounds which make it so nutritious such as the Cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol and cinnamyl acetate. It also contains a flavonol range and other antioxidants along with a remarkable amount of fiber, calcium, and manganese. These compounds have proved to boost memory, curb food cravings, reverse or delay cognitive impairment and benefit Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetic patients. Cinnamon is indeed nature's wonder spice.
COFFEE
Coffee is the planets most single valuable traded food commodity with more than 2 billion cups enjoyed worldwide daily. It's effectiveness as a high-performance brain fuel continues to make it liquid gold and it is not surprising that it's main active ingredient is caffeine. Coffee helps you to wake up in the mornings and keeps you active throughout the day. So how does this magic ingredient help boost your brain? Well, as the caffeine hits the brain it suppresses a neurotransmitter known as adenosine, which influences alertness, concentration, and attention. It works up on your brain during the day just like a mercury rising in the thermometer. Caffeine also stimulates brain chemicals such as dopamine and glutamate which helps and gives you an energy surge, improve your mental performance and slows down the age related mental decline. It also increases serotonin (a major mood influencer) and improves learning up to 10 percent. Caffeine has even proved to relieve headaches and migraines, benefit Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and type 2 diabetic patients. There is also a downside to coffee since caffeine can affect sleep patterns and evidence also suggests that there's an association between daily intake of caffeine, day time sleepiness and sleep quality.Coffee is truly a perfect method to energize and boost your brain.
CHOCOLATE
Today chocolate is considered an anti flammatory, anti aging 'superfood' for both the brain and the body. But how does this lenient treat live up to its plug? Eating amounts of dark chocolate is guaranteed to have many health benefits as they assist the brain to release chemicals known as endorphins (which help the brain to function much better). The studies examining the health benefit of chocolate continue to show new and appealing benefits of chocolate, especially in the realms of mood, cognitive function, and heart or blood vessel health. Also eating chocolate can improve anxiety and depression symptoms and help improve feelings of contentedness. If you consume the right kinds of chocolate every day, they can help to keep your mind sharp and alert, keep your cardiovascular pumping and keep your mood happy and calm. For instance, cocoa chocolate and dark chocolate are best known to boost attention, working memory speed, brain processing speed and speech fluency (even to the elderly). These chocolates are a rich source of flavanols, which are compounds that boost the brain activity and enhance mood effects as well. You can eat as little as a third chocolate per day to increase the blood flow to your brain and also protect yourself against age related issues such as memory loss.
EGGS
According to the latest news in nutrition, eggs are now back from exile just on time to help the aging America from memory loss. Eggs, and especially the yolk, have received a lot of attention with controversy over their cholesterol content. So how do eggs actually help to boost the memory? Well, as it turns out, eggs are packed with choline, that your brain converts to acetylcholine (a neurotransmitter that assists the brain cells to keep the memories intact and communicates with each other). With less than 80 calories each, eggs are comparatively loaded with protein and they have a low calorie. Eggs are also packed with cholesterol which made them end up on the 'bad for you' list in the first place over the past few decades.One York has 200 mg of cholesterol, and for many years, it was believed that dietary cholesterol was the major contributor and cause of heart disease. But it appears that it was mistaken much like the tenacious myth that skims milk is much healthier than whole milk. Eggs contain many nutritive elements that your brain and other body cells need every day. They are rich in choline, vitamin B12, and folate which is good for boosting g your memory.
WATER
Your body was designed to work in a specific way just like any other machine that has specific instructions about what it requires and how to keep it operating optimally. Over 70 per cent of your body is made of water and every function in the body depend on the water including the activities of the nervous system and the brain. Your body is also composed of a delicate balance of minerals, electrons, and organic compounds most of which are supplied through the water that you drink. Therefore, it is proven that if you're not well hydrated, it can affect your focus, cause headaches, lead to memory loss, cause depression, sleeping problems, anger issues and brain fatigue. Drinking water provides your brain with enough electrical energy for all the brain functions including memory processes. You will also be able to think fast, be more focused, experience great creativity and clarity and even reduce the risk of neurotransmitter diseases. It is quite easy to integrate a few supplements or foods that will enhance your memory and focus in your daily diet. You can take an egg in the morning, a cup of green tea after lunch, some curry in your spaghetti sauce at supper time and a lot of water to keep the brain working well.
OILY FISH
No doubt you have possibly heard that eating fish can make you smarter, which to some extent is completely true. Eating oily fish that are high in the essential omega 3 or fatty acids such as salmon, trout, sardines tilapia and other fish can help to boost the brain. Fatty acids that are found in fish and seafood are crucial components of our brain cells and they improve learning strength and memory function by up to 15 per cent. Studies show that eating food rich in omega 3 can boost the blood flow of the brain, improve the performance of mental tasks and reduce the risks of suffering from neurotransmitter diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Also by eating oily fish, you can increase your brain size in later life and also help to prevent age related mental decline. Fish have added the benefit of containing the nutrient choline (a chemical which is essential for memory). Since the solid (non-water) part of your brain is composed of fat, you must provide it with 'good fats' or the essential fatty acids through your diet because the body doesn't produce them. Fish is really an amazing brain food.
SPINACH
A single bunch of spinach can perform wonders for your brain. Spinach was long promoted as the food which gave Popeye his convex muscles. Spinach is loaded with antioxidants which scientists say could block the effects of the free radicals, toxins produced by the body which damage cells and cause cancer, strokes and heart disease. It is also a great source of folate and a kind of vitamin K and vitamin E which help to boost the brain memory. It contains flavonoids that act as potent antioxidants which slow the effects of aging on the brain. It also boosts learning capacity and motor skills. A few leaves of cooked spinach loads a third of foliate and 5 times the amount of Vitamin K that you require in a day. Maybe this is why a neurology study in 2006 reveals that eating three plates of leafy-green, cruciferous and yellow vegetables a day can reverse or delay cognitive decline by 40 percent. Spinach has not only proved to help the brain but it also gives a knock-out punch to cancer and it even protects and improves eyesight. Spinach is packed with high-quality nutrition enough to make you feel like the bulging Popeye.
GRAPE JUICE
Grape juice contains protein, fiber, copper, iron, potassium, folate vitamins A, K, C and B2. They are also rich in polyphenols and natural sugar, which must be consumed in moderation. Therefore, including a glass of tasty grape juice in your daily diet might just boost your memory and your brain performance. It also helps those who live a stressful lifestyle like working mothers. Studies show that by adding a glass of grape juice (especially concord grape juice) to the daily diet might boost memory function and performance of highly stressed people and even in elder people with mild declines of memory. Concord grape juice is a rich and good source of polyphenols and potent antioxidants which mop up or clear harmful reactive species of oxygen which have been recognized as the key to the ageing process. So by consuming or adding concord grape juice to your daily diet for about three months you may boost your spatial memory and drive performance. Grape juice not only helps to boosts your memory but it also protects you from cancer, lowers bad cholesterol, improves cardiovascular health, fights fatigue and it improves eyesight. It is also evident that grape juice also has a long term effect which can allow you to consistently maintain a better performance even when you have stopped drinking it.
IRON
Iron deficiency is the most common condition that is often linked to numerous adverse effects like diminished intelligence, short attention span and difficulty in concentrating. Iron is a required nutrient for it the production of hemoglobin (the component in red blood cells that carries oxygen and delivers it to the tissues). If iron becomes deficient in your body, hemoglobin levels can fail and then cause anemia. Iron also participates in the making of the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) like dopamine and serine which have broadly advantageous effects on the brain function and mood as well. An easy blood test is conducted to determine whether you have iron deficiency. Study shows that adult women require 18 mg of iron every day, post menopausal women and men require 8 mg every day. Adding more iron rich foods will not automatically boost your brain power, but being even mildly deficient in iron could negatively impact memory, learning and attention span. Chicken livers are on offer the top sources of food that is rich in iron, with 12.8mg per 3 - ounce serving. Even though they are high in cholesterol, they are comparatively low in saturated fat. Other sources of food that are rich in iron are oysters (with nearly 10 mg per dozen) and the lean beef (with 6 mg per ounces). Also beans, vitamin C and iron fortified cereals help the body to absorb iron.
Blackberries
If you want to slow down your ageing process and also preserve your brain's activity and vitality, the secret to doing so is by taking blackberries. These juicy and delicious berries have a phenomenal anti oxidant properties which boost your brain power and nourish your body. They contain high amounts of ellagic acid and garlic acid, a well known chemo preventative (with anti bacterial and anti viral properties). They are also rich in fiber and vitamin C which have been shown to help decrease the risks of certain cancers. They have low carbohydrates, calories (70 calories per cup)and they have no fat. This means that you can take a lot of this stupendous fruit without having the guilt or sabotaging you weight loss target or objectives. These taste and delicious fruit contains several micro nutrients which work wonders on your body. Blackberries are indeed an amazing superfruit.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Which-Foods-Keep-Your-Brain-Working-Well?&id=9763614
How Not To Make A Decision Under Pressure
Fight or flight? This way or that way? Yes or no?
Each of these three questions describes a brain under pressure. Could be your brain, could be mine. When it comes to pressure situations, we all tend to default to the same mode: a binary mode.
In other words, when we're under pressure and need to make a decision, we all have a tendency to simplify the situation to two choices, and two choices only. We're actually hard-wired to do this, and for good reason.
Think back to when you were a caveman or cavewoman. And if you're too young for that, think back to when your parents were cavepeople. In those days, the typical high-pressure situation involved a saber-toothed tiger, so we'll go with that.
So the situation is this: you're being charged by a saber-toothed tiger. At this point, your brain becomes a binary machine: do I try to run away, or do I stay and fight? That's it. No other options. There's no time to think, "Wait a minute - what if I were to build some sort of rudimentary trap, capture this tiger, domesticate her, name her Lollipop, and feed her two tins of tuna a day... " You'd be tiger food before you finished the word "rudimentary."
That's why we're hard-wired to simplify high-pressure situations to just two options.
The problem with this, of course, is that there are rarely just two options. The saber-toothed tiger went extinct 12,000 years ago, but our brains haven't yet caught up. As this Harvard Business Review article says, "We devote mental energy to figuring out how to avoid a loss rather than developing new possibilities to explore."
In other words, in a high-pressure situation, we're still putting most of our energy into trying not to be eaten.
How do you get around this "binary bias?" These two techniques may help.
Anticipate the crisis.
Many, if not most, high-pressure situations are predictable. A key employee leaves, a supplier goes out of business, a competitor comes up with a game-changer. All of these situations can be anticipated and planned for. So spend some time - either alone or, preferably, with your team - playing "What if?" What if the bad thing were to happen? What would you do? What options would you have?
Play the "vanishing options" game
This comes from Chip and Dan Heath, the authors of Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work. When we're under pressure, we tend to pick one option, at which point we stop even considering other options. What the Heaths suggest is a mental game that goes like this: Assume you can't choose any of the options you're considering and then ask, "What else could I do?" Unless you're in that saber-toothed tiger situation and literally have no time (rare), this game will force your brain to see other possibilities.
High-pressure situations are rarely either/or, rarely yes or no. By reducing them to a false binary, we're depriving ourselves of other - possibly better - options.
https://ezinearticles.com/?How-Not-To-Make-A-Decision-Under-Pressure&id=9985039
How The Brain Learns: Design Presentations That Audiences Remember
How does the brain process information and learn? If you give presentations then these tips may assist your audience to remember and retrieve information that you've taught. My notes were written while listening to a lecture given by Dr. Britt Andreatta¹. Her lecture is The Neuroscience of Learning.
1. Definition of Neuroscience of Learning: It is how the central nervous system & peripheral nervous system work together to create and retain new knowledge and skills.²
2. Research shows writing notes long hand or drawing pictures does better for memory retention than typing. It has something to do with the kinesthetic action of writing or drawing and the effect it has on the brain.
3. The hippocampus is divided into two halves which lie in the left and right sides of the brain. The organ is curved in shape.
4. The hippocampus is activated by the oral nerve, olfactory nerve and optic nerve when ever you focus.
5. The hippocampus is the data drive that records short-term memories and then pushes these memories into long-term memory.
6. Studies show, in a learning environment, where some people are distracted and checking their email that this impacts those who are focused. Therefore, before your talk ask people to avoid scrolling on social media or checking their emails.
7. Learn: The brain can intensely focus for 20 minutes and store information. After that it needs a break. Incorporate breaks into your lecture.
8. The brain likes to connect learning to something it already knows. Appreciative Inquiry: Ask people about an experience that they excelled at. This pulls up their successes.
9. Remember: First we learn then we remember. Five ways to do this are metacognition, word play, insight, social and music.
• Metacognition: awareness of one's own learning. [In the course people were thinking of how they learn]
• Word play: Acronyms: What acronym can your audience come up with that helps them remember and recall what you are presenting?
• Insight: People gain more insight when they do their own research then when they are given all the information.
• Social connection. People learn better in groups.
• Music touches many areas of the brain. Find a way to incorporate music into their learning. [This is one of my insights. I would have people come up with acronyms put to their favorite song and share it with the group]
• Feelings: You are shooting for rewarding, slightly positive feelings.
• Retrieval: People retain better if they have a review of the information that they learned. They retrieve information better after sleeping. Sleep re-activates the circuits of what they have learned. The last hour of sleep is the most important. In the course they suggest waking up naturally.
10. Do: The trigger needs to be:
• Something observable that you can hear or see.
• Baby steps.
• The reward needs to be meaningful.
Things that you may include in your presentation:
• Games/playfulness
• Sharing with others
• Insights/"AHA" moments
• Quiz
• Light competition
• Bring gratitude, mindfulness and humor into your presentation.
Hopefully, some of these tips have resonated with you. Wishing you great success with all of your presentations!
https://ezinearticles.com/?How-The-Brain-Learns:-Design-Presentations-That-Audiences-Remember&id=9883837
How A Brain Dump Can Help You Focus Like a Laser
The huge issue a brain dump addresses is the reality that we all have consistent ideas, issues, concepts, and concerns running through our brain. A brain dump permits you to knowingly resolve them, get them on paper, and therefore keep them from sidetracking you later on.
Here's exactly what you require to do a brain dump. Grab some paper and something to write with, then take the time to do this. Of course, a computer processor as Word is an option. That being stated, there is some genuine worth in going the old-fashioned method of pen and paper.
Simply let them stream from your brain to the paper with no editing or judging what is or is not a good idea. The concept is to get all those job ideas, things you desire to do around the home, brand-new techniques you desire to attempt at work, or even that concept you had for a book and write down. The sequence does not matter as the desire you may have to begin running once again can be listed next to that list of possible brand-new customers you desire to type up.
Let it flow, keep breathing comfortably yet deep as this brain clean up exercise can take a lot out you. Believe this as a reboot for your brain that discards all the RAM memory. It releases grey matter and assists you to focus on the jobs that are genuinely crucial without being sidetracked by random ideas.
Exactly what you do with your brain dump depends on you. You can merely remove the pages you wrote and stick them in a drawer as there's worth in the simple act of dumping them from your brain.
You can likewise go through your written pages a couple of days later on and make lists of exactly what you desire to focus and act on. You might make a list of great work associated concepts that you need to attempt to carry out over the coming weeks.
Going through your brain like this enables you to classify the info and arrange into a format that you can deal with, one job at a time. This is a lot more efficient than having those random ideas going through your head, using up important brains power.
I hope you provide this brain dump method a shot. Make brain dumps a regular practice as needed to stay focused and productive.
You can likewise go through your brain dump pages a couple of days later on and make lists of exactly what you desire to focus and do on. I hope you give this brain dump method a shot.
Related, you can get amazing stress relief and be worry-free when you write down or dump all worries and situations where you may be stressed out on a sheet of paper and place this sheet in another room. Just try it, you may find less negative thinking and worry.
It's Not About You! Avoid This Trick Your Brain Plays on You and Feel Better
I'm sitting on my couch, watching NCIS with my family. In a plot twist, the victim turns out to be the perpetrator in this episode! How dare she! I point my finger at the TV, and exclaim "Bad girl!" Katy, my Wowzer (Westie Schnauzer - think Toto), who is just getting ready to snuggle down next to me, looks at me and starts shaking.
Wait a minute! It's not about you!
I comfort my dog and reassure her she is a good girl. The shaking stops, and she settles down for her nap. Katy (my dog) can let go of hurts pretty quickly!
How often have I overreacted to what someone said to me? How often have I assumed it was about me, when it absolutely wasn't? How often have I tied myself in knots over something that doesn't belong to me? I have to tell you, I am not as quick to let go as Katy is. Luckily, this person can learn new tricks!
There's a name for this type of overreaction - personalization. This is the trick your brain plays on you when you take responsibility for things you have no real control over. It can be the result of a misunderstanding (poor Katy), an effort to be a people pleaser, or even an attempt to be a little manipulative (does anyone out there have a martyr in mind?). Regardless of the reason, it leaves you feeling cruddy. And it's unnecessary. If Katy had only asked, I would have told her it wasn't about her (OK, I did that without her asking).
Personalization increases stress levels by setting you up to think you are responsible for the wrong things. You end up banging your head against a wall with (predictably) no good result. Personalization can lead to anxiety or depression problems. You can release personalization just by pausing to ask yourself, or the other person, if this is actually about you. Then you can learn to concentrate your efforts in areas where you actually have some control. This leads to a greater sense of wellbeing.
What are you taking the blame for that doesn't really belong to you? What could you let go? What could you check out, instead of assuming it's your fault? Who knows, maybe you and I could take after Katy and just relax, instead of working ourselves up over nothing. I wish you reassurance and a good nap!
https://ezinearticles.com/?Its-Not-About-You!-Avoid-This-Trick-Your-Brain-Plays-on-You-and-Feel-Better&id=9695010
The Secret Life of Dreams
Every night while we are sleeping, our dreams are having their own secret life. Dreams serve many functions which support our waking lives: they allow our mind to sort and file data that has been acquired during the day and to release any emotional tension that has not been processed. Dreams are doorways to the subconscious and help us to see how we really feel about our lives. Our dreams tell us the truth about ourselves. They are an expression of our true sense of our self.
The average adult dreams from three to five times during eight hours of sleep. The dreams occur roughly every 90 to 100 minutes and last from 5 to 30 minutes each. During the dream state, the pathways that carry nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles are blocked. Therefore, the body cannot move while in a dream state. At the same time, the cerebral cortex-the part of the brain involved in higher functions-is extremely active. It is known that the cortex is stimulated by neurons that carry impulses from the brain stem. There is a lot of emotional content in our dreams. Unresolved conflicts, concerns about performance, and feelings about people and situations are played out in the dream world. Dreaming seems to provide a means of releasing tension and anxieties that we unconsciously suppress during our waking lives.
It is much healthier to express the content of the dreams rather than to repress them. In the process of becoming whole, dreams of violence, murder, even death, are all ways in which our subconscious is allowing a milieu of thoughts, feelings and impressions to escape our busy minds. Dreams give us release from our inner conflicts and insight into our personal potential and promise. Dreaming is a process and the dream is a creation produced by our minds to create harmony in our lives.
During our waking life we are always receiving clues and insights from our Inner Self, but we are usually too busy to pay attention. We are too busy, too distracted-too caught in our lives- to hear important messages that come from inside. In our conscious waking life we are not always open to the messages. We may also be unwilling to look at what is really happening with our lives. It is during the dream state that this information is often revealed.
Dreams are also direct routes into our Higher Consciousness/Inner Selves. Dreams may contain the most direct spiritual teaching we can receive. Every dream we have relates directly to some facet of our life. In one sense the dream world is as real as waking, and we are not consciously editing the information. It comes through whether we like it or not, whether we invite it or not. It is important to remember our being is more than just a physical body. Our being contains our spiritual self-our truth, our souls. Our dream world can frequently reveal this to us better than our waking life. Our lives contain lessons for our souls and in some senses the dream world can provide learning experiences that more directly involve our souls. This has a lot to do with the integration of the various aspects of ourselves. Sometimes these parts are cut off from our waking consciousness. By making the separate parts of ourselves one, dreams become an essential step in the process of our becoming whole, healthy people.
Tips for Remembering Dreams...
• Go to bed early... Don't get overtired before going to sleep.
• Review and process your day-clear your mind.
• Keep a Dreamwork journal and writing materials by your bed.
• Lie still when you first wake up, reviewing your dreams.
• Record everything you remember, including how you felt.
• Use your intuition to relate your dreams to your life.
• Discuss your dreams with someone else. In talking about the dream you will remember new things.
IMAGINE YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE!
Guess What You Are! There is Magic in Your Mind.
https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secret-Life-of-Dreams&id=9937066
Understanding Grounded Cognition
Grounded cognition a fairly new theory in cognitive psychology that has been the subject of much research and discussion just these past 10-15 years. Grounded cognition is the understanding that that cognition is not merely a computational process in the brain in a central module separate from the parts the parts of the brain used for perception, action and emotion, but is, in fact, grounded in those systems and grows out of them. We understand and think not with discrete mental abstracts, but with imagery and modal schemas formed from experiences we have had through our bodies and senses. Underlying our advanced thought and calculations is this grounding of experiences, perceptions, senses, environment and past actions. It removes the separation between thinking and doing; perception-action and brain-body-environment links are the underpinnings of thought. Our brain is not the only means by which we process and understand.
We can see the effects of these experiential and sensory-motor underpinnings in how we use language and metaphor. Recent studies have found out things like we respond faster to embodied insults (ugly, blockhead) than to less bodily specific ones (nitwit, stingy), and that when we hear motion language, we imagine seeing motion and mentally prepare for it. The way we use language shows this, as we use concrete metaphors to describe abstract concepts - sad is "feeling down", excitement is a "high", a baby is so cute we "could just eat him up!"
Grounded cognition explains how cognition/thinking continues whether the body is doing anything at that time or not by using mental imagery, modal systems and neurological connections formed from sensory-motor experiences. It describes the way that cognition expresses itself from these experiences several ways, including simulation, situated action, and sometimes bodily states.
Criticism often come from the mistaken belief that grounded cognition mean we must constantly be doing something bodily in order to think. While a bodily state in an environment can be a means of processing, current physical engagement is not necessary. Simulation is reenactment of states captured while doing - we have tied many pairs of shoes, and we use those past experiences to relate to new shoes. This relates to how people can understand things from books, for instance; we relate the information in them to past perceptions, experiences, sensations and actions. Situated action is the belief that cognition developed to support action in specific situations from the interaction between multiple subsystems. All the different means of experience and perception that have been experienced in the past can combine to help one figure out what to do in a new situation.
While much prescientific writing about thought included the idea that knowledge comes from mental images grown from experiences (similar to the simulation view), in the early 20th century these beliefs were attacked by behaviorists for not being scientific enough. When cognitive psychology rose in the mid 20th century to address weaknesses in pure behaviorism, those theorists avoided or derided the idea that imagery was important in cognition. However, there has been enough evidence in recent research across disciplines from cognition and neuroscience to linguistics, that it now must be taken seriously.
Although some sources describe grounded and embodied cognition as synonyms, very recent papers on the two are working to clarify how they are distinctive from each other. According to Dr. Andrew Wilson, grounded cognition is still about mental representations, just ones that are shaped by the body. The key move is the grounding, shaping internal content with external, modality specific factors. Embodied cognition replaces representations with our activity in a richly perceived world. The key move is the embodiment, emphasizing the role of the body and it's place in the environment in creating cognition.
So far, much of the research on grounded cognition has been concrete in nature. Researchers are being challenged to explain how mental imagery grounded in experiences can explain abstract ideas. There is ongoing debate of how grounded cognition can account for ideas that do not have a sensory-motor context. There is much ongoing research and discussion between theorists in this new, active and increasingly influential branch of cognitive theory.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Grounded-Cognition&id=9654768
10 Surprising Ideas To Make Your Brain More Creative
Creativity is a prized asset in any organization, helping businesses become more innovative in their markets and stand out from the crowd.
Approaches to developing a culture where creativity thrives have varied from hiring 'creative people' and letting them do their stuff, hoping that it rubs off on others, to the Google type of approach where people are allowed the freedom and flexibility to be who they are in the work environment.
But what if you're completely and utterly disorganised? Does that make it impossible to create? Amongst all the clutter is there enough space for killer ideas to crawl out?
Neuroscience suggests that disorganisation can be good for creativity - so don't despair too much if you can't find last week's timesheet. It's probably hidden beneath a stack of fantastic, world-changing ideas!
Here are ten ideas that may help you throw a spanner in the works and get more creative (thanks to Steven Johnson and his book Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation for most of these):
1. Numbers matter
Cities are far more creative than small towns. The sheer volume of ideas generated means that they 'feed' off each other and can develop a creative life of their own.
2. Develop lots of interests
Developing multiple hobbies and interests helps you establish new 'connections' that a single view doesn't always allow. The brain compares and contrasts more if you are looking at things from the benefit of several angles automatically.
3. Keep reading habits diverse
Reading several books about different subjects at the same time rather than sequentially may help the brain form new connections and generate ideas that you may not otherwise see.
4. Allow your mind to wander
Let your mind become distracted to become more creative. Probably not best to do that when you need to get that report in to the boss, but if you can find the right moments, a free mind can be a creative one.
5. Never stop learning
The most creative minds never stop learning in their field; even those considered experts who 'know it all' continue to study and make new connections.
6. Debate - don't brainstorm
Numbers may matter but neuroscience suggests that accepting everything is not necessarily a good approach to creativity. Allowing ideas to crash into each other through debate may be more effective.
7. Embrace the exhaustion
Some people can be at their most creative when their brain is exhausted and not functioning at peak. Don't throw away the notepad by the side of the bed!
8. Variety is key
Having a variety of talents, interests, and experience is a plus for promoting creative teamwork, so make sure you mix it up. Don't let your team members become too comfortable and familiar with each other.
9. Take a walk or a run
While a walk is traditionally considered a good way to 'clear your head' it can also be a way to get creative. Get the heart rate up and see what happens!
10. Listen to your gut!
Often the gut instinct or 'belly barometre' can be a good guide to a creative outcome. Follow the connections even if they don't make a lot of sense. It can take you away from logic towards a more creative solution.
You will have seen the word 'connections' used many times above. The connections your brain makes lie at the heart of your creativity. It is a complex process that requires the whole brain engaged; but neuroscience shows that this may sometimes be achieved more effectively not by quiet concentration - but by disorganisation and clutter!
https://ezinearticles.com/?10-Surprising-Ideas-To-Make-Your-Brain-More-Creative&id=9049522
Tips To Increase Your Brain Powers
The brain is a small but most powerful organ of the body that controls all our thinking, feelings, actions, emotions and much more. This small organ is made up of billions of neurons that grow with proper diet and exercise. Your success very much depends on the sharpness of your mind, improved memory and thinking skills. Take care of your brain and enjoy a successful life.
I am giving below some tips that will help you to substantially increase your brain powers:
1. Eat Brain Healthy Foods
Some foods are particularly good for the brain which you must include in your diet such as fish, eggs, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries, whole grains, almonds, walnuts, peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Avoid alcoholic and carbonated drinks instead drink plain water and green tea.
2. Take Care of Your Overall Fitness
The health of our brain is very much related to our overall fitness. The brain remains healthy in a healthy body. Physical exercise is not only good for your body but also for your brain. Do whatever exercise you like such as, walking, jogging, swimming, aerobics, yoga etc., but do it regularly.
3. Meditation and Deep Breathing
Meditation is a great way of relaxing your body and mind thus increasing your brain powers. Some people do meditation for seeking spiritual enlightenment while others do for inner peace and calmness. Always do meditation in a calm and quiet place. However, you can do deep breathing any time and at any place. Apart from the numerous health benefits of deep breathing, it is also helpful for the growth of brain cells.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Most people ignore the importance of a good night's sleep. The lack of sleep can badly harm the functioning of the brain. If you feel that your mind is blank or sleepy then it means that you need rest. Go to bed and sleep. Take enough sleep daily and see your brain functioning much better because sleep helps your brain consolidate and organize information. Also taking a 15-20 minutes nap during the day can sharpen your mind and enhance your decision making powers.
5. Read and Write
Reading and writing are good habits and quite helpful in increasing the brain powers. Keep some good books in your bed room and read a few pages before going to sleep. Also practice writing, at least a few sentences, on a new topic every day.
6. Think Positively
Stress, anxiety, depression and negative thinking are the main culprits of destroying the brain nerve cells. Get rid of all kind of negativity from your mind, as far as possible. Develop the habit of seeing the bright side of things. Positive thinking is a way of living a happy life.
7. Give Task To Your Brain
Give your brain the task of solving simple problems, puzzles and crosswords etc. The more you use your brain the more the brain cells will grow. However, avoid over thinking and multi-tasking. Do one thing at a time and do not over burden your mind with multiple tasks.
8. Love Nature
It is always helpful to spend some time in a natural environment. Go to the mountains, walk in the jungle, do boating in the rivers, sit by the side of the lake and appreciate the surrounding natural beauty. Nature refreshes your mind and heart. Sitting in a natural surrounding and breathing deeply takes away all your depression and strengthens your brain muscles.
Metaphors Gone Wild: Attics and Brain Boosts
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle consider the brain as an "empty attic." He recognized the need to stock it with metaphoric furniture, the choices of which are left up to each individual. Two important cognitive functions occurring up in that attic of yours are listening and being creative. Here are tips for polishing both these metaphoric pieces of furniture.
LISTENING
"The essence of genius," according to William James, "is to know what to overlook." And, author Mitchell Posner urges us to be "ecologists" as far as information is concerned. Here are exercises to help you be " as far as listening is concerned, to help you avoid verbal pollution.
In the center of a clean sheet of paper, draw a circle. Ask a friend to find a dense paragraph from an article. (Or, to simply go on and on about some topic for a few minutes.) Then extract three key words from the verbally- inflated paragraph that he or she spoke aloud. Write those words in the circle. Now that you have the essence of what you heard, use the three words to prompt your memory about the most important things you heard. Check with your friend to see if you have captured the main points.
This exercises not only sharpens your listening skills, but your verbal fluidity skills as well. Ask a friend to talk about an enjoyable experience and to stop unexpectedly after a few minutes. You are to take one word from the last sentence uttered and use it to begin speaking about something you enjoy doing. Stop unexpectedly and have the other person continue the conversation using one word from the last sentence you spoke.
Next, give some thought to barriers that can impede the listening process. Can you list 20 of them? Then consider which of these you can control. Finally, engage in a dialog that refutes Dr. Leo Buscagli, who said, "Most conversations are just alternating monologues-the question is, is there any real listening going on?"
CREATIVITY
Creativity is the result, in very large measure, of the belief that we are creative. To develop your creativity muscles, periodically ask yourself: "What if... ?" and "What could this be used for?" questions.
Convergent responses are typical, expected, logical. For example, asked how one gets to Heaven, you'd probably say something like "Follow the Golden Rule." Ask this question of a divergently-oriented child, though, and you might hear, "Go to Hell and take a left!" Or, "You need the God elevator." Or, "You need to buy a really big trampoline."
Think divergently about these questions:
What number does not belong with the others?
3810 6024 4816 1452
What letter belongs in the blank? FMAMJJASO ____
What letter belongs in the blank? OTTFFSSE ____
What national holiday do these letters represent?
ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Think of the symbolism associated with causes and colors. For example, we tied yellow ribbons on trees to show support for hostages in Iran. If the head of your organization asked you to create a new ribbon design, what would it look like? What message would it express? What initials would be meaningful? What color?
One of the best ways to engender creative possibilities is to put things together that normally are not aligned. (Anne Geddes did this with babies and vegetables.) List ten disparate items: "peacock" and "eraser," for example. Then search among those items for a solution to a workplace problem or for an improvement to an existing situation.
Remember that Einstein regarded imagination as more important than knowledge. Try creating some unique metaphors to describe your workplace or your neighborhood or your life.
A PLACE FOR NONSENSE
Building those brain cells can be hard work. To offset the ardors of cognitive development, it's okay to indulge in mental "junk food" occasionally. Be heartened by Dr. Seuss, who admitting to this indulgence. "I like nonsense," he admitted. "It wakes up the brain cells."
Answer: 1-,4816, (If you add the digits in the other three numbers, they add up to 12. 4816 adds up to 19.) 2-N. (The other letters are the first letters in the twelve months of the year.), 3-N, again. (The other letters represent the first letters in a counting sequence from One to Eight.), 4- Christmas, because there is no "L" in the list.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Metaphors-Gone-Wild:-Attics-and-Brain-Boosts&id=9876565
Lateral Thinking About Brain Waves
Brains waves have been monitored by science for almost 100 years. The first brain wave detected, the Alpha brain wave was discovered by Hans Berger in 1929 using an Electroencephalograph (EEG) machine.
Since then four other brain waves have been identified, which has stirred much research about their nature and purpose. So far science publicly acknowledges brain waves are an indication of the different states of mind. Behind the scenes science is discovering they do much more!
There are 5 known brain waves Alpha, Beta, Delta Theta and Gamma. These brain wave signals are at the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) range of 1 Hz to 40 Hz.
ELF's have the ability to travel long distances penetrating land, sea and air. Ultra long distance sonar operates at ELF's of 50 Hz.
This raises a few questions, Why does our brain generate ELF's? And why does it generate signals that have the ability to travel ultra long distances?
Of even greater interest, What is the true function of ELF brain waves?
Science has shown creative minds generate more powerful Alpha waves than the general population. Intelligence generates stronger Gamma waves.
Lateral thinking about brain waves reveals some profound "food for thought", (no pun intended).
Consider first how computers communicate. Their signal is wave that has only two positions high (1's) and low (0's).
Most people know these high's and low's as 1's and 0's. Tech talk calls them bits and a string of eight bits represent bytes, the foundation of a binary code. This digital wave has only two positions, 1 when the signal is high and 0 when the signal is low. At any time you look at the signal it is either high or low, one or zero.
Yet with this simple binary wave a massive amount of information can be transmitted almost instantly. All the computers in the world communicate internally and with each other using this simple binary wave.
Now consider the five brain waves we generate. Each wave is more complex, there are slopes involved creating an infinite number of positions. Each brain wave is capable of transmitting far more information than the binary wave used by computers.
Imagine, if all the information mankind has accumulated can be transmitted and received on computers by a single simple wave, how much information is being transmitted by our 5 brain waves?
An infinite amount!
Our brain waves are capable of transmitting long distances in all directions through all states of matter broadcasting continuously like a 24 hour ELF beacon.
Why? (One of the best lateral thinking questions you can ask)
Countless experiments have shown we communicate with each other and all plants and animals.
For example, read THE SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. An experiment was conducted where a room was filled with plants and each plant was hooked up to an EEG machine.
The plants generated a steady rhythmic signal, indicating a calm harmonious state. Then a man entered the room who immediately and violently ripped to shreds one of the plants. All the EEG's went crazy showing each plant was reacting to the violent attack! The man then left the room and all the plants settled down returning to their previous rhythmic calm.
What happened next astounded the researchers. They marched fifty people through the room one at a time and the EEG's all remained calm and steady for every person except one, the man who destroyed the one plant. When he entered the room all the EEG's went wild!
Draw your own conclusions but the evidence is obvious. We transmit our thoughts and feelings through our brain waves.
Have you ever been thinking of something and the person your with voices the same thoughts?
Or you think of someone and they call or later that day you run into them?
How about a gut feeling, intuition or an immediate connection with someone you just met? These are all accessing a sixth sense through our "transmission and reception" of brain waves. Signals we generate to communicate on a subconscious level with other minds and the world around us.
Most people write off this "sixth sense" as strange or weird and never give it another thought. Most do not realize that this ability is on the threshold of the next big advancement in human evolution.
The fully aware unrestricted connection between our trillion dollar machines (our bodies) and a collective infinite intelligence.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Lateral-Thinking-About-Brain-Waves&id=9124233
Your Brain Can Generate Creative Ideas by Relaxing and Daydreaming
Fantasizing during the day or daydreaming permits you to launch your internal ideas as well as initiation of implementing these thoughts. Do you find that you daydream often or even catch your mind wandering sometimes? Research study has actually revealed that fantasizing could in fact aid enhance your imagination.
Throughout the day you most likely have a hundreds of various important thoughts competing around your human brain. Not surprising that you cannot create remedies and also suggestions quickly. As soon as you are much more relaxed your mind opens as well as begins working with those internal ideas. These are the ones that you are enthusiastic about or your best desires. Also, when you awaken in the early morning you have all these fantastic thoughts for your brand-new task. You soon aspire to begin working with them as well as move on with your job.
This is the procedure that offers those Aha minutes, as well as those "why really did not I consider that" minutes. Pretty easy remedies that when provided sound simple, yet were tough to come up with at.
The exact same concept operates in reverse also. When you are undergoing a harsh spot, this disrupts your ideas, disrupts your rest as well as could provide you bad desires.
Study has actually revealed that daydreaming places your human brain to work with a much further degree. Your mind starts to utilize the location of the brain for complex problem solving, usually described as the "executive network". Additionally it draws on various other locations of the mind as well as with each other they develop an effective network that will help idea generation.
If you have not done any sort of day fantasizing recently, possibly you should start a project on the job or objective to deal with. This will certainly begin to release your imaginative juices and also obtain those suggestions moving.
You might likewise aim to not have way too many various projects in process simultaneously. By doing this you could focus on one job at once as well as do an actually excellent job on it.
When you begin a brand-new task or established on your own a soaring objective, this begins a procedure in your mind. One that develops all sort of concepts. You could have experienced this kind of sensation prior to.
Have you ever before began something brand-new then all of a sudden you create all these terrific suggestions. Or you locate that you begin daydreaming regarding the task as well as need to stand up as well as jot down your ideas? This is precisely the procedure that fantasizing could carry your imagination.. Try this more and you may be pleasantly surprised with the creativity you have. Keep in mind, in order for day dreaming or fantasizing to be really efficient though, you should currently be engaged in a project on the job or at home.
https://ezinearticles.com/?Your-Brain-Can-Generate-Creative-Ideas-by-Relaxing-and-Daydreaming&id=9164449
Use It Or Lose It
It's common knowledge that if you don't keep developing muscles, over time, they will atrophy. Well folks the same is true of your brain. Here is just one of thousands of illustrations I could give you to make my point.
There are approximately 400 billion brain cells in the average human and each one of these has on average - 10,000 neural connections - do the math - that's a lot of intricate stuff going on between your ears. Estimates are that there are over three trillion chemical reactions in the human brain every second. OK, enough of my biology lesson and to my point. In summary, there is a lot going on, thousands of activities in your body every second, that are driven by or monitored by your brain. When it stops - your life as you know it is over.
The brain is no different in many ways than your muscles - if you don't keep exercising them, over time they will atrophy and how do we know this - dementia and Alzheimer's are typical outcomes of years of brain inactivity (a lack of stretching/growing) as current medical research is finally coming to realize. Yes, there are other factors but in this brief article I just want to focus on how or whether you are exercising your brain to keep it healthy, vibrant and working effectively on your overall benefit - moment by moment for all the years you are given.
For a moment think of yourself on the treadmill walking at a vigorous pace. And the benefits are - improved cardiac function, stronger more resilient muscles, improved stamina etc. So, you continue to do this routinely to maintain these abilities. Yes, at twenty the benefits might be better than doing this at eighty but in the end doing it is better than not doing it.
The same is true of your brain. It needs challenges to maintain a healthy, creative and useful ability. And how do you accomplish this? Duh - read more, study more, play word games, artistic creations, contemplate more, evaluate more, question more - got it - use it or over time or you will lose it.
And the cost of losing it? Well for starters the ability to remember, focus, feel, share, love and create. Need I go on? OK, the ability to be of service to others, the skill of using talents and abilities in a positive and proactive way and the over ability to be a valuable human being to and for the people in your life. Don't think this is enough - think again.
I watched my mother in her seventies lose her mental function as I'm sure many of you have had the unfortunate experience as well watching a loved one become less valuable and I can't tell you how observing this downward spiral saddened me. And, to some degree it could have been avoided if she would have just spent a little more time during her life challenging herself mentally with any variety of mental activities.
Let me repeat - use it or lose it.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Use-It-Or-Lose-It&id=9671853
Who Are "We"? Who Are "You"? Are "We" Completely Defined As Our Egos?
Who are "we"? Who are "you"?
Are "we" completely defined as our egos?
Are you completely defined as your hobbies, profession, ambitions, or your physical descriptions?
Where in your physical "you" is 'who' 'you' really are?
Are "you" in your heart? We do a lot thinking so are "we" in our brain?...
Or how about in our mind?...
but physically, where is our mind?
Our eyes do the looking... but 'who' is doing the seeing?
All of our senses do the sensing... but again, 'who' is doing the witnessing?
All of these senses are brought to our brain as electro-chemical impulses...
The brain interprets this data, and our conceptual mind analyzes, judges, compares, reasons... determines if we should fight or take flight.
If there is a perceived threat or if someone is possibly attempting to make fun of us, take advantage of us or challenge our fragile eggshell egos...
"We" become the illusion of our conceptualizing mind mistakenly centered around the complex psychological influences our egos superimposed on 'who' 'we' take 'ourselves' to be.
Egos are responsible for best friends to part, marriages to fail and wars to be fought for countless eons.
But yet, through it all...
"We" still tend to consider our egos to be our true selves...
Until 'we' die.
Knowing that a funeral Hearse don't have luggage racks, we get the notion that we can't take anything material with us... nor can we take our precious egos...
If one could imagine for a moment, that perhaps 'we' are not our egos...
Then what could possible define our individual 'self' to be?
Imagine that 'we' are among a collective consciousness that is kosmically interconnected...
A oneness of everything. Then 'we' are at one with it all...
the identification of an individual 'we' dissolves in this 'oneness'...
Then 'we' are born into this 'Life'...
We become like an ice-cube, afloat in an ocean of consciousness...
The frozen water is like our illusion that we are separate from the rest of the ocean of water...
But when the ice-cube that seems to be 'us', melts with death...
The illusion of being separate from the oneness... instantly melts.
Be Here Now!
This precious ever-present moment is the Grace of all that there is.
Be fully present, give unconditionally, love unconditionally, feel the Divine Bliss of Joy in every precious moment.
May your compassion for all others arise spontaneously and through all the dynamics of life may you maintain a balanced sense of equanimity.
Live your life with these morals and virtues with no regard about heaven, nirvana; nor waste your precious time contemplating even a 'favorable rebirth'...
"who" is it that would achieve heaven, nirvana, or this so-called favorable rebirth?
Certainly not the ego we currently take ourselves to be.
Heck,
'we' wouldn't even recognize our new selves if was even possible to meet up in the 'after this life'...
All of these concepts are just the limited projections of our ego-centric, conceptualizing minds that grasp at imagining some sort of permanence in a reality that is obviously 'impermanent'.
The True Nature of 'our' Being is the primordial Oneness that never was born, nor will never die.
Yet...
to be 'At One with it All'...
leaves no room for a 'me', an 'I', an individual 'self'.
To be 'At One With It All', is to be everything...
yet...
no 'one' at all.
This is a concept, that, like 'God'...
simply can't be understood by what 'we' take 'ourselves' to currently be...
So just Be Here Now...
Meditate on your inner stillness...
there is a sacredness there... abide in this refuge.
Allow this meditation of sacred stillness to open a door to a sacred silence...
Be with this inner silence and listen for the Divine whispering of Wisdom to float into your Being.
Abide in this refuge...
it is part of your True Nature of Being.
Allow this meditation of your inner silence to open the door of your Boundless Spaciousness.
The union of these three doors will present the True Nature of who 'you' really are.
Abide there as long as you can, and take this with you throughout your busy day and into your dreams...
then, allow the clarity of Awareness to Transcend into your dreamless sleep.
When you awake, start your new day with the realization that you are part of everything.
You are part of 'God', God is part of everything...
'You' dissolve into Being...
'At One With It All'.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Who-Are-We?-Who-Are-You?-Are-We-Completely-Defined-As-Our-Egos?&id=10009313
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