1. Our Brain

2. What does our brain do for us?
Provides important messages throughout entire body to signal hunger, pain, sensation, fear, emotion etc.
Provides an ongoing ability to learn and adjust to our environment

3. Parts of our brain

4. Responsibility
Your brain is responsible for most actions, thoughts and processes that happen in your body!
Messages are sent from your brain to your nerves to make your muscles, organs and systems function!
Each section of your brain has it’s job to do.

5. 3 Part Brain
“3 part brain”

6. 3 Part Brain

7. 3 Part Brain 3 parts that control functioning and learning:
1. Amygdala – emotion center – signals danger or strong emotional reaction to a situation
2. Hippocampus – memories – stores memories either positive or negative
3. Prefrontal cortex – thinking and reasoning – learning a new skill, reasoning through a difficult situation

8. Amygdala
This is the “reptilian” section of your brain that is hard wired to signal danger and forces you to act
The amygdala can’t tell you if the stress you are experiencing is life threatening (being chased by a bear) or perceived stress (semester end exams)

9. Amygdala + Hippocampus
Sends signals to your body (fight, flight or freeze) to act in response to this perceived danger
May not always be fear – amygdala may signal feelings of frustration, anger, happiness etc.
Hippocampus is responsible for your MEMORIES
Hippocampus may send message to your Amygdala saying something seems safe, unsafe based on previous memories
Smell, sight, taste, sounds, feeling/touch

10. Amygdala + Hippocampus

11. Amygdala + Hippocampus

12. When you feel safe
The amygdala is a very powerful and influential section of your brain as it draws on memories, current feelings and perceived dangers to make your body react to a certain situation.
When you feel at ease, safe, happy your amygdala will ensure your brain is functioning at full capacity and you are able to learn new information

13. Prefrontal Cortex
If Amygdala signals to your prefrontal cortex that you are safe and this situation is perceived as safe and okay…. You can learn!
If your amygdala ever says to your PFC that you are unsafe – you will be unable to reason or think in a logical manner

14. Pathways in your brain
Habits and ways of doing things become “second nature” – those are pathways formed by our brain to use less thinking power to make something feel easier
Learning to play guitar you are building new pathways

15. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
WRONG!
For our entire life there are new pathways being built within our brain – if we let them!
Learning new skills, practicing and perfecting old ones, continuing with school, travelling the country/world, meeting new people, a new job all create new pathways in our brain

16. Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity, also called brain plasticity, is the process in which your brain's pathways are altered as an effect of environmental, behavioral, and neural changes. When it comes to neuroplasticity, your brain's makeup changes when it's exposed to new information, so that it may retain that information.

17. Neuroplasticity and Mindfulness
the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique

18. Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity

19. The Science behind Mindfulness

20. Phil Jackson & Mindfulness
Phil Jackson on Mindfulness & Basketball