3.mbh

MINDFULNESS AND
BREATHING – BASED
HEALING
A PART OF DR. SAHDEV’S ‘BREATHE AND HEAL’
THERAPY (DSBH THERAPY)

UNDERSTANDING THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM

Central
Nervous
System
Mindfulness and Breathing - Based Healing Free E-Course www.savy-international.com savyint@gmail.com

Nervous
System

NERVOUS SYSTEM
 Nervous system is the part of body that coordinates its voluntary
and involuntary actions and transmits signals between different
parts of its body. It consists of two main parts:
 Central nervous system (CNS) and
 Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)
 The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord.
 Brain:
 The brain is the command center of your entire body. The brain is the body's
main information center. It is made of billions of neurons.
 The brain helps the body respond to the information it receives from the
senses. The brain also processes thoughts. When you think, neurons in your
brain are working.
 Spinal Cord:
 The spinal cord is a tube of neurons that runs up the spine and attaches to
the brain stem. Information from nerves that branch out to the rest of the
body goes to the spinal cord.
 Some messages are processed by the spinal cord but most information is sent
on to the brain.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS)
 PNS consists mainly of nerves, which are enclosed bundles of the
long fibers or axons which connect the CNS to every other part of
the body.
 The PNS includes motor neurons, mediating voluntary movement;
the autonomic nervous system, comprising the sympathetic
nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, which
regulate involuntary functions, and the enteric nervous system,
which functions to control the gastrointestinal system.

HUMAN BRAIN
 Human brain is divided into 3 major regions:
 Prosencephalon (Forebrain):
 Mesencephalon (midbrain)
 Rhombencephalon (hindbrain)

HUMAN BRAIN

HUMAN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

HUMAN BRAIN (3 MAJOR REGIONS)
 Prosencephalon (Forebrain):
 Telencephalon (cerebral hemispheres),
 Diencephalon (epithalamus, thalamus and hypothalamus),

 Mesencephalon (midbrain)
 Cerebral Peduncles
 Colliculi

 Rhombencephalon (hindbrain)
 Metencephalon:
 pons
 cerebellum
 Myelencephalon:
 medulla oblongata
 cerebellum

HUMAN BRAIN
 Each of these areas has a complex internal structure.
 Some parts, such as the cerebral cortex and the cerebellar
cortex, consist of layers that are folded or convoluted to fit within
the available space.
 Other parts, such as the thalamus and hypothalamus, consist of
clusters of many small nuclei.
 Thousands of distinguishable areas can be identified within the
vertebrate brain based on fine distinctions of neural structure,
chemistry, and connectivity.

HUMAN BRAIN - PROSENCEPHALON
Here is a brief description of main parts of brain and their functions
as currently understood:
 Prosencephalon
 Telencephalon: Pallium, or Cerebral Cortex, is a layer of gray matter
that lies on the surface of the forebrain and is the most complex and
most recent evolutionary development of the brain as an organ.
 Multiple functions involve the pallium, including smell and spatial
memory.

HUMAN BRAIN – PROSENCEPHALON
(TELENCEPHALON)
Telencephalon (contd.)
 In humans, it is very large dominating the brain, and takes over
functions from many other brain areas.
 Cerebral cortex consists of folded bulges called gyri that create
deep furrows or fissures called sulci.
 The folds increase the surface area of the cortex and therefore
increase the amount of gray matter and the amount of information
that can be stored and processed.

(DIENCEPHALON)
 Prosencephalon: Diencephalon
 Diencephalon: Epithalamus
 Epithalamus The epithalamus is a (dorsal) posterior segment of the
diencephalon.
 The diencephalon is a part of the forebrain that also contains the
thalamus, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
 The epithalamus includes the habenula and their interconnecting
fibers the habenular commissure, the stria medullaris and the pineal.
It is wired with the limbic system and basal ganglia.

(DIENCEPHALON)
 Diencephalon: Epithalamus
 The function of the epithalmus is to connect the limbic system to
other parts of the brain.
 Some functions of its components include the secretion of melatonin
by the pineal gland (involved in circadian rhythms), and regulation
of motor pathways and emotions.

(DIENCEPHALON)
 Diencephalon: Hypothalamus
 Hypothalamus is a small region at the base of the forebrain, whose
complexity and importance belies its size.
 It is composed of numerous small nuclei, each with distinct
connections and neurochemistry.
 The hypothalamus is engaged in additional involuntary or partially
voluntary acts such as sleep and wake cycles, eating and drinking,
and the release of some hormones.

(DIENCEPHALON)
 Diencephalon: Thalamus
 Thalamus is a collection of nuclei with diverse functions; some are
involved in relaying information to and from the cerebral
hemispheres, while others are involved in motivation.
 The subthalamic area (zona incerta) seems to contain action-
generating systems for several types of "consummatory" behaviors
such as eating, drinking, defecation, and copulation.

HUMAN BRAIN – MESENCEPHALON
 Mesencephalon
 This is a portion of the central nervous system associated with
vision, hearing, motor control, sleep/wake, arousal (alertness),
and temperature regulation.
 The midbrain is located below the cerebral cortex, and above
the hindbrain placing it near the center of the brain.

(CEREBRAL PEDUNCLE)
 Mesencephalon: Cerebral peduncle
 The region includes the midbrain tegmentum, crus cerebri and
pretectum.
 They are also known as the basis pedunculi, while the large ventral
bundle of efferent fibers is referred to as the crus cerebri or the pes
pedunculi.
 There are numerous nerve tracts located within this section of the
brainstem: the corticospinal tract and the corticobulbar tract,
among others.
 This area contains many nerve tracts conveying motor information
to and from the brain to the rest of the body.

(SUPERIOR COLLICULUS)
 Mesencephalon: Optic tectum, or Superior Colliculus, a part of
the midbrain
 allows actions to be directed toward points in space, most
commonly in response to visual input.
 Its best-studied function is to direct eye movements.
 It also directs reaching movements and other object-directed
actions.
 It receives strong visual inputs, but also inputs from other senses that
are useful in directing actions.

(INFERIOR COLLICULUS)
 Mesencephalon: Inferior colliculus
 Inferior colliculus is the principal midbrain nucleus of the auditory
pathway and receives input from several peripheral brainstem
nuclei in the auditory pathway, as well as inputs from the auditory
cortex.
 This may underlie a filtering of self-effected sounds from vocalization,
chewing, or respiration activities.

 The inferior colliculi together with the superior colliculi form the
eminences of the corpora quadrigemina, and also part of the
tectal region of the midbrain.
 The inferior colliculus lies caudal to its counterpart - the superior
colliculus - above the trochlear nerve, and at the base of the
projection of the medial geniculate nucleus and the lateral
geniculate nucleus.

HUMAN BRAIN – MESENCEPHALON (BASAL
GANGLIA)
 Mesencephalon: Basal Ganglia
 Basal ganglia are a group of interconnected structures in the
forebrain.
 The primary function of the basal ganglia appears to be action
selection: they send inhibitory signals to all parts of the brain that
can generate motor behaviors, and in the right circumstances can
release the inhibition, so that the action-generating systems are able
to execute their actions.
 Reward and punishment exert their most important neural effects by
altering connections within the basal ganglia.

(OLFACTORY BULB)
 Mesencephalon: Olfactory Bulb
 Olfactory bulb is a special structure that processes olfactory sensory
signals and sends its output to the olfactory part of the pallium.
 It is a major brain component in many vertebrates, but is greatly
reduced in humans and other primates (whose senses are
dominated by information acquired by sight rather than smell).

HUMAN BRAIN – RHOMBENCEPHALON
(HINDBRAIN)
 Rhombencephalon: Metencephalon
 Metencephalon: Pons
 Pons lies in the brainstem directly above the medulla.
 Among other things, it contains nuclei that control often voluntary
but simple acts such as sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder
function, equilibrium, eye movement, facial expressions, and
posture.
 This white matter includes tracts that conduct signals from the
cerebrum down to the cerebellum and medulla, and tracts that
carry the sensory signals up into the thalamus.

(METENCEPHALON)
 Metencephalon: Pons
 The pons contains nuclei that relay signals from the forebrain to the
cerebellum, along with nuclei that deal primarily with sleep,
respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste,
eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture.
 Within the pons is the pneumotaxic center, a nucleus that regulates
the change from inhalation to exhalation. The pons is implicated in
sleep paralysis, and also plays a role in generating dreams.

(METENCEPHALON)
 Metencephalon: Cerebellum
 Cerebellum modulates the outputs of other brain systems, whether
motor related or thought related, to make them certain and precise.
 Removal of the cerebellum does not prevent an animal from doing
anything in particular, but it makes actions hesitant and clumsy. This
precision is not inherent, but learned by trial and error.
 The muscle coordination learned while riding a bicycle is an
example of a type of neural plasticity that may take place largely
within the cerebellum.

(MYELENCEPHALON)
 Rhombencephalon: Myelencephalon
 Myelencephalon: Medulla oblongata
 Medulla oblongata, along with the spinal cord, contains many small
nuclei involved in a wide variety of sensory and involuntary motor
functions such as vomiting and heart rate.

HUMAN BRAIN
PreFrontal Cortex (PFC) lies in frontal part of the cerebral cortex.

PRE FRONTAL CORTEX (PFC)
 It is constituted by superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and inferior
frontal gyrus and is further divisible into:
 Dorso-Lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC): This is the part of the brain that allows
you to look at things from a more rational, logical and balanced perspective.
 It is involved in modulating emotional responses, overriding automatic
behaviors/habits and decreasing the brain’s tendency to take things
personally.
 Ventro-Medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC): the part of the brain that constantly
references back to you, your perspective and experiences.
 It processes information related to you, including when you are daydreaming
thinking about the future, reflecting on yourself, engaging in social
interactions, inferring other people’s state of mind or feeling empathy.

 Ventro-Medial PreFrontal Cortex (vmPFC) has further two sections:
 Ventromedial medial prefrontal cortex (vmmPFC) – involved in processing
information related to you and people that you view as similar to you.
 This is the part of the brain that can cause you to end up taking things too
personally.
 Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex (dmPFC) – involved in processing information
related to people who you perceive as being dissimilar from you.
 This very important part of the brain is involved in feeling empathy and
maintaining social connections.

 Insula is a portion of the cerebral cortex folded deep within the
lateral sulcus (the fissure separating the temporal lobe from the
parietal and frontal lobes).
 The insulae are believed to be involved in consciousness
 It plays a role in diverse functions usually linked to emotion or
the regulation of the body's homeostasis.
 These functions include perception, motor control, self-
awareness, cognitive functioning, and interpersonal
experience.

 The insular cortex is divided into two parts:
 the larger anterior insula
 the smaller posterior insula, in which more than a dozen field areas have
been identified.
 The cortical area overlying the insula toward the lateral surface of
the brain is the operculum, or lid.
 The opercula are formed from parts of the enclosing frontal,
temporal, and parietal lobes.
 This is the part of the brain that monitors bodily sensations
 involved in experiencing “gut-level” feelings.
 Along with other brain areas, it helps “guide” how strongly you will
respond to what you sense in your body.
 It is also heavily involved in experiencing/feeling empathy.

 Amygdala is an almond shaped mass of nuclei (mass of
cells) located deep within the temporal lobe of the brain.
 It is a limbic system structure that is involved in many of our
emotions and motivations, particularly those that are
related to survival.
 Also called the ‘Fear Centre”
 involved in the processing of emotions such as arousal,
autonomic responses associated with fear, anger, pleasure,
emotional responses, hormonal secretions, memory etc.

 also responsible for determining what memories
are stored and where they are stored.
 It is thought that this determination is based on
how intense emotional response is invokes by an
event invokes.
 It's a part of the brain that is responsible for many
of our initial emotional responses and reactions,
including the “fight-or-flight” response

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

 Autonomic nervous system (aka visceral nervous system) is a
portion of the peripheral nervous system that acts as a control
system functioning primarily below the level of consciousness.
 It controls heart rate, digestion, respiration rate, salivation,
perspiration, diameter of the pupils, and sexual arousal.
 Divided into the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous
system (and the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic system).
 It includes visceral efferent and general visceral afferent
pathways.

 Parasympathetic nervous system
 portion of the autonomic nervous system, sends fibers to cardiac
muscle, smooth muscle, and glandular tissue.
 Functions to “rest and digest”
 Sympathetic nervous system
 portion of the autonomic nervous system which functions to mobilize
the body’s resources during stress and constantly at a basal level to
maintain homeostasis.
 Functions as “fight or flight”

 Visceral efferent pathways
 There are two neurons and a synapse within an autonomic ganglion.
 Cell bodies of the preganglionic neurons are in the brainstem or spinal
cord (CNS), cell bodies of the postganglionic neurons are in peripheral
autonomic ganglia.
 Preganglionic neurons are myelinated.

NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION
 connects the nervous system to the muscular system via synapses
between efferent nerve fibers and muscle fibers
 also known as muscle cells.
 As an action potential reaches the end of a motor neuron,
voltage-dependent calcium channels open allowing calcium to
enter the neuron.
 Calcium binds to sensor proteins (synaptotagmin) on synaptic
vesicles triggering vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane
 subsequent neurotransmitter release from the motor neuron into
the synaptic cleft

 In vertebrates, motor neurons release acetylcholine (ACh), a
small molecule neurotransmitter, which diffuses through the
synapse and binds nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on
the plasma membrane of the muscle fiber, also known as the
sarcolemma.
 nAChRs are ionotropic, meaning they serve as ligand gated ion
channels.
 The binding of ACh to the receptor can depolarize the muscle
fiber, causing a cascade that eventually results in muscle
contraction.

 Neuromuscular junction diseases can be of
genetic and autoimmune origin.
 Genetic disorders, such as Duchenne
muscular dystrophy, can arise from mutated
structural proteins that comprise the
neuromuscular junction
 autoimmune diseases, such as myasthenia
gravis, occur when antibodies are produced
against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on
the sarcolemma.

SOME PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BRAIN
 The functions of the brain depend on the ability of neurons to
transmit electrochemical signals to other cell
 their ability to respond appropriately to electrochemical signals
received from other cells.
 The electrical properties of neurons are controlled by a wide
variety of biochemical and metabolic processes
 most notably the interactions between neurotransmitters and
receptors that take place at synapses.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND RECEPTORS
 Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are released at synapses
when an action potential activates them
 neurotransmitters attach themselves to receptor molecules on
the membrane of the synapse's target cell thereby altering the
electrical or chemical properties of the receptor molecules.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND
RECEPTORS (CONTD.)
 With few exceptions, each neuron in the brain releases the same
chemical neurotransmitter, or combination of neurotransmitters,
at all the synaptic connections it makes with other neurons.
 Thus, a neuron can be characterized by the neurotransmitters
that it releases.
 The great majority of psychoactive drugs exert their effects by
altering specific neurotransmitter systems.

IMPORTANT NEUROTRANSMITTERS
 The only direct action of a neurotransmitter is to activate a
receptor.
 the effects of a neurotransmitter system depend on the
connections of the neurons that use the transmitter, and the
chemical properties of the receptors that the transmitter binds to.
 Some important neurotransmitters are mentioned here.

1. Glutamate is used at the great majority of fast excitatory
synapses in the brain and spinal cord.
 also used at most synapses that are "modifiable”
 capable of increasing or decreasing in strength.
 Modifiable synapses are thought to be the main memory-storage
elements in the brain.
 Excessive glutamate release can overstimulate the brain
 lead to excitotoxicity causing cell death resulting in seizures or
strokes.

2. GABA is used at the great majority of fast inhibitory synapses in
virtually every part of the brain.
 Many sedative/tranquilizing drugs act by enhancing the effects of
GABA.
 Correspondingly, glycine is the inhibitory transmitter in the spinal
cord.

3. Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter discovered in the
peripheral and central nervous systems.
 activates skeletal muscles in the somatic nervous system
 either excite or inhibit internal organs in the autonomic system.
 It is distinguished as the transmitter at the neuromuscular junction
connecting motor nerves to muscles.
 The paralytic arrow-poison curare acts by blocking transmission at
these synapses.
 Acetylcholine also operates in many regions of the brain, but using
different types of receptors, including nicotinic and muscarinic
receptors.

4. Dopamine has a number of important functions in the brain; this
includes regulation of motor behavior, pleasures related to
motivation and also emotional arousal.
 It plays a critical role in the reward system.
5. Serotonin mostly is produced by and found in the intestine
(approximately 90%), and the remainder in central nervous system
neurons.
 functions to regulate appetite, sleep, memory and learning,
temperature, mood, behaviour, muscle contraction, and function of the
cardiovascular system and endocrine system.
 It is speculated to have a role in depression, as some depressed patients
are seen to have lower concentrations of metabolites of serotonin in
their cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue.

6. Norepinephrine which focuses on the central nervous system,
based on sleep patterns, focus and alertness.
 It is synthesized from tyrosine.
7. Epinephrine which is also synthesized from tyrosine takes part in
controlling the adrenal glands.
 It plays a role in sleep, with one’s ability to stay alert, and the fight-
or-flight response.
8. Histamine works in the central nervous system (CNS), specifically
the hypothalamus (tuberomammillary nucleus) and CNS mast
cells.
 There are dozens of other chemical neurotransmitters that are
used in more limited areas of the brain, often areas dedicated to
a particular function.

ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY
 As a side effect of the electrochemical processes used by
neurons for signaling, brain tissue generates electric fields when it
is active.
 This activity can be recorded using electroencephalography
(EEG), or magnetoencephalography (MEG).
 EEG recordings show that the brain of a living person is constantly
active, even during sleep.
 Each part of the brain shows a mixture of rhythmic and non-
rhythmic activity, which may vary according to behavioral state.

ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY
 The different types of waves are:
 Gamma wave – (32 – 100 Hz)
 Beta wave – (16 – 31 Hz)
 SMR wave – (12.5 – 15.5 Hz)
 Mu wave – (7.5 – 12.5 Hz)
 Alpha wave – (8 – 15 Hz)
 Theta wave – (4 – 7 Hz)
 Delta wave – (0.1 – 3 Hz)

GAMMA WAVE
 Gamma wave is a pattern of neural oscillation in humans with a
frequency between 25 and 100 Hz, though 40 Hz is typical.
 According to a popular theory, gamma waves may be
implicated in creating the unity of conscious perception (the
binding problem).
 Whether or not gamma wave activity is related to subjective
awareness is a very difficult and controversial question.

BETA WAVE
 Beta wave, or beta rhythm, is the term used to designate the
frequency range of human brain activity between 12.5 and 30 Hz
(12.5 to 30 transitions or cycles per second).
 Beta waves are split into three sections:
 Low Beta Waves (12.5–16 Hz, "Beta 1 power");
 Beta Waves (16.5–20 Hz, "Beta 2 power"); and
 High Beta Waves (20.5–28 Hz, "Beta 3 power")

BETA WAVE (CONTD.)
 Beta states are the states associated with normal waking
consciousness.
 Low amplitude beta waves with multiple and varying frequencies
are often associated with active, busy, or anxious thinking and
active concentration.

SMR WAVE
 SMR Wave (sensorimotor rhythm) is an oscillatory idle rhythm of
synchronized electromagnetic brain activity.
 It appears in spindles in recordings of EEG, MEG, and ECoG over
the sensorimotor cortex.
 For most individuals, the frequency of the SMR is in the range of
13 to 15 Hz. Its significance is not clearly understood.

MU WAVES
 Mu waves, also known as mu rhythms, comb or wicket rhythms,
arciform rhythms, or sensorimotor rhythms
 are synchronized patterns of electrical activity involving large
numbers of neurons, probably of the pyramidal type, in the part
of the brain that controls voluntary movement
 it repeats at a frequency of 7.5–12.5 (and primarily 9–11) Hz
 most prominent when the body is physically at rest.

MU WAVES (CONTD.)
 Unlike the alpha wave, which occurs at a similar frequency over
the resting visual cortex at the back of the scalp
 the mu wave is found over the motor cortex, in a band
approximately from ear to ear.
 A person suppresses mu wave patterns when he or she performs
a motor action or, with practice, when he or she visualizes
performing a motor action.

ALPHA WAVES
 Alpha waves are neural oscillations in the frequency range of 7.5–
12.5 Hz arising from synchronous and coherent (in phase or
constructive) electrical activity of thalamic pacemaker cells in
humans.
 They are also called Berger's wave in memory of the founder of EEG.
 Alpha waves predominantly originate from the occipital lobe during
wakeful relaxation with closed eyes.
 Alpha waves are reduced with open eyes, drowsiness and sleep.
 Historically, they were thought to represent the activity of the visual
cortex in an idle state.
 Occipital alpha waves during periods of eyes closed are the
strongest EEG brain signals.

THETA RHYTHM
 Theta rhythm is an oscillatory pattern recorded either from inside
the brain or from electrodes glued to the scalp.
 Two types of theta rhythm have been described:
 the "hippocampal theta rhythm" is a strong oscillation that can be
observed in the hippocampus and other parts of brain
 the "Cortical theta rhythms", the low-frequency components of scalp
EEG, usually recorded in humans.
 Hippocampal theta, with a frequency range of 6–10 Hz, appears
in active motor behaviour and also during REM sleep.
 In humans and other primates, hippocampal theta is difficult to
observe.

DELTA WAVES
 Delta Waves is a high amplitude brain wave with a frequency of
oscillation between 0–4 hertz.
 Delta waves, like other brain waves are usually associated with
the deep stage 3 of NREM sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep
(SWS)
 aid in characterizing the depth of sleep.

METABOLISM
 All vertebrates have a blood–brain barrier that allows metabolism
inside the brain to operate differently from metabolism in other
parts of the body.
 Glial cells play a major role in brain metabolism by controlling the
chemical composition of the fluid that surrounds neurons,
including levels of ions and nutrients.
 Brain tissue consumes a large amount of energy in proportion to
its volume, so large brains place severe metabolic demands on
animals.
 Most of the brain's energy consumption goes into sustaining the
electric charge (membrane potential) of neurons

METABOLISM (CONTD.)
 Most vertebrate species devote between 2% and 8% of basal
metabolism to the brain.
 In humans, however, the percentage rises to 20–25%.
 The energy consumption of the brain does not vary greatly over
time, but active regions of the cerebral cortex consume
somewhat more energy than inactive regions
 this forms the basis for the functional brain imaging methods PET
(Positron Emission Tomography), fMRI (Functional Magnetic
Resonance Imaging), and NIRS (Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy).

METABOLISM (CONTD.)
 The brain typically gets most of its energy from oxygen-
dependent metabolism of glucose (i.e., blood sugar)
 but ketones provide a major alternative source, together with
contributions from medium chain fatty acids (caprylic and
heptanoic acids), lactate, acetate, and possibly amino acids.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BRAIN
DURING MEDITATION?

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE
BRAIN DURING
MEDITATION?
 The physical and emotional effects of meditation
are profound.
 Recently, using modern technology like fMRI scans, scientists have developed a more
thorough understanding of what’s taking place in our brains when we meditate.
 The main difference is that the brain stops processing information as actively as it
normally would.
 There is a decrease in beta waves, which indicates that our brains are processing
information slowly, even after a single 20-minute meditation.
 In the image below you can see how the beta waves (shown in bright colors
on the left) are dramatically reduced during meditation (on the right).

ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY
 During meditation, brain wave activity slows down from beta (16
– 31 Hz) to theta (4 – 7 Hz), even up to delta (0.1 – 3 Hz).
 It’s the same as happens in deep stage 3 of NREM sleep, also
known as slow-wave sleep (SWS)
 In old age, subjects lack this phase of sleep. This lack is more
pronounced in Alzheimer’s disease.
 When brain is in delta waves, at that time it processes Short Term
Memory (STM) and converts it into Long Term Memory (LTM).
 Intuition, at least in part, depends on LTM.
 Similarly, brain gets rid of accumulated toxins during delta wave
activity.

EFFECT OF MEDITATION ON BRAIN
This is what happens in each part of the brain during meditation:
 Frontal lobe. This is the most highly evolved part of the brain,
responsible for reasoning, planning, emotions and self-conscious
awareness.
 During meditation, the frontal cortex tends to go into complete rest.
 Parietal lobe. This part of the brain processes sensory information
about the surrounding world, orienting you in time and space.
 During meditation, activity in the parietal lobe slows down.

EFFECT OF MEDITATION ON BRAIN
(CONTD.)
 Thalamus is the gatekeeper for the senses
 this organ focuses your attention by funneling some sensory data
deeper into the brain and stopping other signals in their tracks.
 During meditation, the flow of incoming information is reduced to a
trickle.
 Reticular formation. As the brain’s sentry, this structure receives
incoming stimuli and puts the brain on alert, ready to respond.
 Meditation tones down the arousal signal.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS
 The deep state of rest produced by meditation triggers the brain
to release neurotransmitters, including oxytocin, dopamine,
serotonin, and endorphins.
 Each of these naturally occurring brain chemicals is linked to
different aspects of happiness:
 Oxytocin is a pleasure and bonding hormone.
 the same chemical whose levels rise during sexual arousal and
breastfeeding
 It creates feelings of calm, contentment, and security, while
reducing fear and anxiety.
 Its levels increase in meditation.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS (CONTD.)
 Dopamine plays a key role in the brain’s ability to experience
pleasure, feel rewarded, and maintain focus.
 Serotonin has a calming effect.
 It eases tension and helps us feel less stressed and more relaxed and
focused.
 This is also responsible for self-esteem.
 Low levels of this neurotransmitter have been linked to migraines,
anxiety, bipolar disorder, apathy, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue,
and insomnia.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS (CONTD.)
 Endorphins are the chemicals that create the exhilaration, or the
‘high’ feeling.
 These play many roles related to wellbeing, including decreased
feelings of pain and reduction of the side effects of stress.
 All these neurotransmitters are immune-modulators also.
 body immunity is optimized during meditation.
 Brain shows similar changes when one is in love.

RELEASING EMOTIONAL TOXICITY
 Ancient Vedic sages knew that meditation is a powerful practice
for regaining inner calm and equilibrium.
 Ayurveda teaches that just as physical toxins, or “ama,” can
build up in our cells
 we can also accumulate mental toxicity in the form of
unresolved anger, fear, doubt, cravings, compulsiveness, and
emotional upset.
 In meditation, we go beyond the thought process and thought
apparatus, and beyond the domain of negative thought
patterns and “stuck” emotions, into the domain of pure
awareness.
 We enter the silence in the mind and come to the present
moment, that is not imprisoned in the past or fearful about the
future.

 In this silence of the present moment, you turn off all mental
noise, and you allow intuition to bloom.
 This silence is the birthplace of happiness.
 It’s the eternal now where all possibilities for creativity, love, and
joy exist.
 When you practice meditation on a regular basis, this present
moment awareness expands into all your daily activities, allowing
you to be a still point and remain centered even when life tries to
intrude with all its inevitable ups and downs.

RECEIVING FULL BENEFITS OF
MEDITATION AND BREATHING
EXERCISES

RECEIVING FULL BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
AND BREATHING EXERCISES
In our experience, learning breathing exercises and meditation
from a knowledgeable, qualified teacher is the best way to ensure
that you get the most from your practice.
A teacher will help you understand what you’re experiencing,
move past common roadblocks, and create a nourishing daily
practice.
At SAVY, we have one of the most qualified faculty in the world.
You are most welcome to use our services.

POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR PRACTICE
1. Try to adhere to a fixed schedule. Early morning is the best time.
You can also do some exercises before going to bed.
2. No heavy meals 5 hours before your practice time & no liquids
30 minutes before or during your practice, and preferably, till 30
minutes after.
3. Choose a spot where you won’t be disturbed.
4. Choose one routine and stick to it till you have mastered it. Seek
guidance.

5. Preferably choose the same spot to sit, the same cushion, and
the same clothes for your practice.
6. Please wear loose, breathable attire for the practice. If
required, depending on weather, you can wear a warm
sweater. Be comfortable.
7. Sit Straight: Please keep your spine and neck straight while
practicing. You can sit on the floor with legs crossed or straight,
or sit in a chair.
8. Focus: Keep your focus on breathing.
POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR PRACTICE
(CONTD.)

9. Hand Posture: You may keep your hands in ‘Gyan Mudra’ or
posture of knowledge all the while they are free.
10. Put on the Audio. Do your practice with the audio recording
and follow the instructions.
11. Progress: Start with one round in the morning and evening.
Practice daily without missing a day. Slowly build upon this as
you get more comfortable with the routine.
12. PLEASE KEEP YOUR CELL PHONE SWITCHED OFF DURING YOUR
PRACTICE. Make sure nothing disturbs you during practice.
POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR PRACTICE (CONTD.)

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