Day 39 of 50 ideas in 50 days is Thresholds of the Mind by Bill Harris. Neuroplasticity is a favourite subject of mine, the power to mould and shape our minds to install the changes we want. Bill focuses on the power of meditation and says, “whatever the technique, the effect on the brain is substantially the same: synchronisation of the two brain hemispheres – and after much practice, an experience of connection with the rest of the universe, accompanied by profound inner peace and happiness.” So how does it work? Meditation, as well as hypnosis, slows down the brain to give a greater balance of the two hemispheres and as a result, creates a more peaceful state of mind.
Bill has created a meditation system called Holosync that can hold your brain in the theta state after a few minutes. The theta stage is stage 3 in the slowing down of the brain and it requires many years of meditation usually, to experience. Most of our day to day experience is in the beta state (alertness, arousal, anxiety, fight or flight). When we are in relaxation, meditation or pre sleep state, we experience alpha brain patterns. Dreams, memory and deep meditation are when our brain is in the theta state and delta brain waves are dreamless sleep and the collective unconscious.
Bill makes an important point about using Holosync that is significant with personal development in general. He says, “no matter how gung-ho you are, no matter how eager you are to be in great shape, you don’t run a marathon in the first week.” The results come steadily with daily practice and conscientious discipline. This then remoulds the brain and utilises its plasticity.
Another big idea in Bill’s work is the idea that resistance causes suffering. He says, “it isn’t that change is painful; it’s our resistance to the process that creates the pain…end the resistance and the discomfort ends.” This is an idea that has been addressed by many self-help authors, to resist reality is futile and can cause much pain, both physical and mental. The amazing author and teacher of ‘Hypnobirthing,’ Marie Mongan cites this to be one of the main reasons for the experience of pain in childbirth. Fear creates the fight or flight syndrome which sends oxygen and blood to the arms and legs – away from where they should be in the birthing process. This causes extreme tension which then causes the pain. Breathing, relaxation, going with the flow creates an experience as it should be and one that has been experienced by so many women in other parts of the world for thousands of years due to their positive social conditioning.
Bill says, “not resisting what is does not mean that you cannot want to change what is and the difference is one of the attachment to the outcome.” The secret is to have happiness and contentment within oneself and one that is not dependent on external results.
