1. Scripture and Brain Function— Aligned  Arlene R. Taylor PhD www.arlenetaylor.org Brain References

2. Brain Function & Scripture  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc I am often asked, “Does brain-function research align with Scripture?” Current brain-function research not only aligns, it helps to explain some of the scriptural texts that I found confusing as a teenager” I selected seven scriptures and have aligned them with current brain-function research—and this may only be Part 1 because there are so many more...

3. Pray continually (without ceasing) —1 Thess 5:17 Prayer, 1  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Prayer is a form of meditation; the frontal cortex lights up during meditation (it’s anti-aging) —Candace B. Pert PhD Your Body is Your Subconscious Mind Prayer is a universal being-and-not-doing phenomenon and an attitude of the heart —Larry Dossey MD, Prayer is Good Medicine

4. Neurotheology  Arlene R. Taylor PhD www.arlenetaylor.org Dr. Newberg is a founder of the field of Neurotheology  the study of the relationship between the brain and spiritual or religious phenomena He has studied more than 150 brain scans to observe brain changes that occur during different types of prayer, meditation, and religious practices  Andrew Newberg, MD How God Changes Your Brain

5. Aligned, 1  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Studies have indicated that personal meditative prayer—pondering, meditating, thinking about spiritual things, and listening—provides the greatest personal benefits Can increase blood flow to frontal, parietal, temporal, and limbic areas Can decrease metabolic activity May trigger deafferentation (pain relief) —Andrew Newberg MD How God Changes Your Brain

6. Dr. Andrew Newberg/The Atlantic

7. Heart Thinking, 2  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc As you think in your heart, so are you —Proverbs 23:7 The heart has its own independent nervous system with at least 40,000 neurons (as many as are found in various subcortical sections of the brain); there is a 2-way nervous system relay between the brain and the heart —Doc Childre and Howard Martin The HeartMath Solution

8. That’s not all!  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Researchers have found millions of neurons in your Gastrointestinal tract... The Enteric Nervous System or ENS may contain as many neurons as the spinal cord— far more than any other peripheral body organ, even your heart. Some are now even suggesting that there may be as many neurons in your ENS as there are in your brain! ENS neurons use more than 30 neurotransmitters, most of which are identical to those in the brain and central nervous system

9. ENS also contains: 90 percent of all the serotonin 50 percent of all the dopamine Perhaps because of this, the ENS has been called a second brain. IBS is now being referred to as an ‘Enteric Neuropathy’ Close Connection  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

10. Aligned, 2  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc You ‘think’ with your brain neurons, heart neurons, and gut neurons It matters how you care for your leased brain and body and what you: Think Eat and drink Do The vagus nerve connects the brain and ENS (children get stomach aches and cry when their parents argue and fight)

11. Happiness, 3  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing —Proverbs 17:22 Amplified Bible Humor and laughter are beneficial to your health — good for both the Brain and the Immune System Reduces stress hormones that suppress the immune system, increase levels of immune globulins that fight against viruses...

12. Rejoice always —1 Thess 5:16-18 (NIV) Mirthful laughter: Enhances communication between the two hemispheres (thinking!) Helps with learning, storage of data, and retrieval of information (memory!) Aids digestion, provides pain relief, helps avoid constipation (health!) Laughter Benefits  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

13. Aligned, 3  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Keep humor and laughter and happiness in your life—it’s a mindset and style of thinking The average adult needs a minimum of 30 laughs a day to be healthy—how much do you get on a daily basis? Learn to laugh at yourself and you’ll have an unending supply (you’re the only person who will be with you your entire life)

14. Worry, 4  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Never worry about anything —Phil 4:6 Worry and anxiety are forms of fear that downshift the brain – focusing both its energy and attention to lower brain levels Downshifting can keep the stress response stimulated and can decrease both health and longevity…

15. Aligned, 4  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? —Matt 6:7 Gratitude is the antidote to fear – fear and gratitude cannot co-exist in the human brain simultaneously My two strategies to deal with fear: Humor Gratitude

16. Brain Function & Scripture, 5  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc In everything give thanks —Ephesians 5:20 Give thanks in all circumstances —1 Thess 5:16-18 (NIV) Gratitude, appreciation, kindness, and joy stabilize heart-rhythm patterns Look for the silver lining Identify what you can learn Choose (insofar as possible) to avoid similar situations in the future

17. Heart Patterns, 5  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Joy, gratitude, kindness, appreciation... result in smooth and relatively even heart patterns Contrast this with the effect of frustration, as shown on the right in this actual example —HeartMath Institute

18. Brain Function & Scripture, 6  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Study to show yourself approved —2 Timothy 2:15 Approved to get a passport, a marriage license and a divorce, adopt a child, lease a vehicle... You have been leased a living vehicle to use on this planet; there is no evidence you will be taking it anywhere else You are not your own... —1 Corinthians 6

19. Everything starts in your brain The chief function of your body is to carry your brain around —Thomas Alva Edison Amazing Vehicle …  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Your living vehicle is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who communicates with you through your brain Will the care of your brain (and body) be approved when the time comes to turn them in?

20. Brain Function & Scripture, 7  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc People perish for lack of knowledge —Hosea 4:6 It doesn’t say people perish from lack of information—this is the information age, yet people perish right, left, and center Researched information versus knowledge and found there is a big difference between the two— just as there is between having versus

21. Information  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Information - a noun derived from the Latin verb informare (to inform an idea of, to instruct, or to teach) Defined as that which informs (including facts, figures, and data) and from which knowledge can be derived Vehicle metaphor: have facts and data about the vehicle, how it works, and how to care for it

22. Knowledge – a noun likely from Old and Middle English ‘to know’ and denoting action or practice Defined as understanding something through a process developed by learning, by experience of practical application, by evaluating the outcome and determining if it was negative or positive, and course correcting as needed Vehicle metaphor: have skills in caring for and operating the vehicle safely and appropriately Knowledge  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

23. A man must examine himself —1 Cor 11:28 Examine yourselves! —2 Cor 13:5 Know Yourself  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc The unexamined life is not worth living —Socrates The very best experience we can gain is to know ourselves (brain, bone, and muscle) —EGW Manscript 65, 1899 In order to be fitted for translation, the people of God must know themselves —EGW CDF p 2

24. People perish, not because they don’t have the information... because information alone is insufficient; it must be turned into knowledge and they must know themselves Acquiring knowledge, especially that most elusive self-knowledge, requires awareness, intention, and a choice to learn, daily practical application of knowledge using willpower, consistent effort, and ongoing evaluation … Be Your Own Sleuth  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

25. The daily practical application of knowledge can change your brain, your choices, your behaviors, and your life It can help you move beyond merely surviving to thriving—and in the process may help you improve your health, increase your likelihood of success, positively impact your relationships, and even extend your longevity. Knowledge Is Power  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

26. Typical Human Condition  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc It is not that I do not know what to do—it is that I do not do what I know —Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) What I want to do I do not do but what I hate I do —Apostle Paul, Romans 7:15 NIV

27. Know versus Do  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc What do you know and what do you do? Learn... and turn information into knowledge When you KNOW better, access willpower to enable you to DO better... And ‘prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers’ —3 John 1:2