ON THE OTHER HAND, HUMANS HAVE A SECOND INNATE RE- flex that is almost the mirror image of the fight-or-flight re- sponse. Instead of mobilizing our bodies for outward activity, this second system mobilizes our bodies' resources for inward activity. The effects of this response include reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating, increased functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, relaxation of muscles, and increase in the percentage of oxygen and blood flowing to the brain. Also, the predominant type of electrical activity in the brain changes from the low-amplitude, rapid-frequency beta waves indicative of external attention to the slower, higher- amplitude, more strongly rhythmical alpha and theta waves, which characterize attention to inner experience and are found in such states as meditation and contemplation. This reaction has been called the relaxation response or the quieting re- flex.341,31
The relaxation response is an innate human (and mamma- lian) characteristic - one thinks of how cats and dogs, for ex- ample, can quickly go from states of extreme arousal to deep relaxation, yawning, stretching, curling their tails about them- selves, and instantly falling into a state of absolute rest. Un- fortunately, perhaps because of increasing evolutionary pressures caused by urbanization and industrialization, humans seem to have largely lost the knack of instant relax- ation. They have, however, sought to develop many tech- niques or disciplines to bring on this beneficial state, including meditation, controlled breathing, progressive relaxation, bio- feedback, and so on. Interestingly, study after study has con- cluded that this state of relaxation is not only pleasant and stress-relieving, but also leads to superior performance on
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RELAXATION AND THE BRAIN
both mental and physical tests. We know this instinctively when we talk about the value of being "cool-headed" in solv- ing problems, when we describe superior performers as being cool as a cucumber or loose as a goose and claim that they "make it look easy."
Recently, scientists have tried to find the common roots of all such techniques. One of them, Dr. Herbert Benson of Har- vard Medical School, who popularized the term "relaxation response," concluded that the essential preconditions for elic- iting the response are:
- a "constant stimulus - e.g., a sound, word, or phrase repeated silently or audibly, or fixed gazing at an object. The purpose of these procedures is to shift from logical, externally oriented thought."
- a "passive attitude." Any distracting external events or thoughts that occur during the practice "should be disregarded and one's attention should be redirected to the technique."
- "decreased muscle tonus. The subject should be in a comfortable posture so that minimal muscular work is re- quired."
- a "quiet environment with decreased environmental stimuli."31
The mind machines described in this book are all quite relaxing. One explanation is that they all provide the four elements Benson says are essential components of the relax- ation response. In general they produce a "constant stimulus" that is either light, sound, body movements or vibrations, an electromagnetic field, or some combination of these elements. The users are encouraged to have a "passive attitude," to as- sume a comfortable posture so that they have decreased mus- cle tonus and to use the devices in a quiet environment. Thus, since stress hinders mental functioning and relaxation en- hances it, the simple fact that the mind machines rapidly in- duce deep relaxation can explain some of the increases in mental functioning experienced by users of the devices.
But there is an additional aspect we must take into account. We started out by asking how it could be that the mind ma-
MEGABRAIN
learn, and, at least as measured by IQ tests, it lowers our intelligence.
RELAXATION AND THE LOOSE-GOOSE EFFECT
ON THE OTHER HAND, HUMANS HAVE A SECOND INNATE RE- flex that is almost the mirror image of the fight-or-flight re- sponse. Instead of mobilizing our bodies for outward activity, this second system mobilizes our bodies' resources for inward activity. The effects of this response include reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating, increased functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, relaxation of muscles, and increase in the percentage of oxygen and blood flowing to the brain. Also, the predominant type of electrical activity in the brain changes from the low-amplitude, rapid-frequency beta waves indicative of external attention to the slower, higher- amplitude, more strongly rhythmical alpha and theta waves, which characterize attention to inner experience and are found in such states as meditation and contemplation. This reaction has been called the relaxation response or the quieting re- flex.341,31
The relaxation response is an innate human (and mamma- lian) characteristic - one thinks of how cats and dogs, for ex- ample, can quickly go from states of extreme arousal to deep relaxation, yawning, stretching, curling their tails about them- selves, and instantly falling into a state of absolute rest. Un- fortunately, perhaps because of increasing evolutionary pressures caused by urbanization and industrialization, humans seem to have largely lost the knack of instant relax- ation. They have, however, sought to develop many tech- niques or disciplines to bring on this beneficial state, including meditation, controlled breathing, progressive relaxation, bio- feedback, and so on. Interestingly, study after study has con- cluded that this state of relaxation is not only pleasant and stress-relieving, but also leads to superior performance on
84
RELAXATION AND THE BRAIN
both mental and physical tests. We know this instinctively when we talk about the value of being "cool-headed" in solv- ing problems, when we describe superior performers as being cool as a cucumber or loose as a goose and claim that they "make it look easy."
Recently, scientists have tried to find the common roots of all such techniques. One of them, Dr. Herbert Benson of Har- vard Medical School, who popularized the term "relaxation response," concluded that the essential preconditions for elic- iting the response are:
- a "constant stimulus - e.g., a sound, word, or phrase repeated silently or audibly, or fixed gazing at an object. The purpose of these procedures is to shift from logical, externally oriented thought."
- a "passive attitude." Any distracting external events or thoughts that occur during the practice "should be disregarded and one's attention should be redirected to the technique."
- "decreased muscle tonus. The subject should be in a comfortable posture so that minimal muscular work is re- quired."
- a "quiet environment with decreased environmental stimuli."31
The mind machines described in this book are all quite relaxing. One explanation is that they all provide the four elements Benson says are essential components of the relax- ation response. In general they produce a "constant stimulus" that is either light, sound, body movements or vibrations, an electromagnetic field, or some combination of these elements. The users are encouraged to have a "passive attitude," to as- sume a comfortable posture so that they have decreased mus- cle tonus and to use the devices in a quiet environment. Thus, since stress hinders mental functioning and relaxation en- hances it, the simple fact that the mind machines rapidly in- duce deep relaxation can explain some of the increases in mental functioning experienced by users of the devices.
But there is an additional aspect we must take into account. We started out by asking how it could be that the mind ma-
MEGABRAIN
chines could simultaneously induce deep relaxation in the user and, by increasing fluctuations and instability, cause the dissi- pative structure that is the brain to escape old patterns and reorganize at a higher level of order, coherence, and complex- ity. That is, how can deep relaxation coexist with increased fluctuations and instability in the brain? Now we have the elements necessary to answer that question.
HOW YOUR BRAIN IS LIKE A BUNCH OF