Daily Mini-Lessons on Contemplative Practice

More from the Norm Farb neuroscience of contemplative studies training:

The Triune brain model shows that our brains are composed of three parts:

1 - The reptile brain, or the hypothalamus and thalamus - the most centrally located parts - also known as the reptile brain. We share this part of our brain with all the animals down to the reptiles. It controls homeostasis and the four F's (fighting, foraging, fleeing, and you can use your imagination on the fourth F word that this part of the brain might be in charge of)

2 - The Middle Brain, or the limbic system, aka the Mammal Brain - shared with the other mammals, generally growing up in size and complexity through the species. This part of the brain handles the visceral emotions and links the neocortex, or new brain, with the older systems below.

3 - The Neocortex, or New Brain, or primate brain - This is the cerebral cortex, and this is where most of the brain changes that we will discuss happen following engagement with the contemplative practices, specifically in the prefrontal cortex, which can be further subdivided.

The prefrontal cortex is divided into:

1. Dorsal prefrontal cortex, where direct awareness, direct noticing, and executive function lives.

2. Middle prefrontal cortex, where we ask questions like "does what I am sensing relate to me? Is this about me? How is this like me?", the self-referential part of the brain

3. Ventral prefrontal cortex, where judgements and evaluations reside: good/bad, like/don't like, pleasant/unpleasant.

Interestingly, the Buddha perhaps predicted the actions of the ventral prefrontal cortex when he taught about the vedanas, or sense tones, and how they would come up as you practice. These sense tones are immediate responses to stimuli, as you judge things to be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral (boring). Typically, things that we find pleasant, we cling or hold on to or seek out. Things that we find unpleasant are followed by aversion or avoidance, and things that are neutral or boring often send us off to find some distraction or send us towards thinking about other things that we enjoy more and find more pleasant.

As you practice today, either in your comfortable seated posture, lying down, walking, or in a restorative pose, you can play with the vedanas, and, therefore, with your ventral prefrontal cortex. Focus your awareness on the breath or on sensation in the body if breath is not a comfortable anchor for you. Whenever your mind wanders, notice what has called it away. Can you look for the sense tones around the distraction - pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral? Can you notice what visceral reaction you might have (aversion, grasping, distraction) in response?

Go to it!