I rewired my brain in six weeks(bbc.com)
bbc.com
I rewired my brain in six weeks
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230912-how-i-hacked-my-brain
69 comments
The "new-age hippy trash" impression kept me away for years. What finally got me to try was "Mindfulness in Plain English" which is available both for free and paid versions, and Gil Fronsdals audio recordings (his introductory series), which are also available for free.
They're both more like "how to" guides than spiritual, and mention Buddhism or other practices only in passing (both have much more explicitly spiritual material too for those who want that), and Fronsdal jokes about the "B-word".
What I get out of it varies, going from just 5-15 minutes of calm and relaxation to multi-hour deeper meditation, to tumultuous sessions where I get no calm but all kinds of issues or ideas force themselves to the surface. I feel I benefit from all of it, but it's a method or a tool for me, not spiritual.
They're both more like "how to" guides than spiritual, and mention Buddhism or other practices only in passing (both have much more explicitly spiritual material too for those who want that), and Fronsdal jokes about the "B-word".
What I get out of it varies, going from just 5-15 minutes of calm and relaxation to multi-hour deeper meditation, to tumultuous sessions where I get no calm but all kinds of issues or ideas force themselves to the surface. I feel I benefit from all of it, but it's a method or a tool for me, not spiritual.
Seconding Gil Fronsdal's audio. He's very clear and reasonably concise.
> hip
I just realized that "hippie", "hip", "hep" make more sense, for the area in context, than the disgraceful label K-Z introduced.
'Hippie' was used for those who wanted to be "hip", i.e. "up-to-date", because "aware". Originally, the term was used in the underground and was 'hep'.
Now, it is pretty clear from the sound why 'hep' can be related to "awareness". And it would make more sense, in reference to that "zone", than using terms that refer to the "mind".
I just realized that "hippie", "hip", "hep" make more sense, for the area in context, than the disgraceful label K-Z introduced.
'Hippie' was used for those who wanted to be "hip", i.e. "up-to-date", because "aware". Originally, the term was used in the underground and was 'hep'.
Now, it is pretty clear from the sound why 'hep' can be related to "awareness". And it would make more sense, in reference to that "zone", than using terms that refer to the "mind".
Ugh this is so dismissive. I'm glad learning gratitude helped you. How would you feel if, instead, I said "your gratitude practice is actually new age hippy trash"?
Different people derive benefit from different things. Why not just leave it at, "the other stuff didn't work for me"?
Different people derive benefit from different things. Why not just leave it at, "the other stuff didn't work for me"?
>How would you feel if, instead, I said "your gratitude practice is actually new age hippy trash"?
I would say: "I don't care what you think. It works for me, if it doesn't for you then it doesn't."
I would say: "I don't care what you think. It works for me, if it doesn't for you then it doesn't."
> Different people derive benefit from different things. Why not just leave it at, "the other stuff didn't work for me"?
Different people have different opinions. Why not leave it at "I think the other stuff is not new age hippy trash"?
Different people have different opinions. Why not leave it at "I think the other stuff is not new age hippy trash"?
Your correction wasn't my point.
I would prefer to live in a kinder world. I explicitly appealed to the parent's likely desires for same. If you prefer to live in a world where people are casual dicks to one another, then I guess there's nothing to take away from my original comment.
I would prefer to live in a kinder world. I explicitly appealed to the parent's likely desires for same. If you prefer to live in a world where people are casual dicks to one another, then I guess there's nothing to take away from my original comment.
And I would prefer to live in a world where people can say what they mean, without having to censor or sugarcoat their speech because someone else prefers not to hear their words.
Different people have different preferences. Can't you just leave it at that? Why do you have to go around telling people not to say stuff you dislike in a public forum?
Different people have different preferences. Can't you just leave it at that? Why do you have to go around telling people not to say stuff you dislike in a public forum?
If you truly believe what you just wrote, why did you write it? Didn't you, in effect, dislike what I said and tell me not to say it?
The whole point of forums is to productively disagree and hopefully learn something. It's not sugar coating to avoid being casually mean or dismissive -- it's advancing the very reason we're supposedly here.
The whole point of forums is to productively disagree and hopefully learn something. It's not sugar coating to avoid being casually mean or dismissive -- it's advancing the very reason we're supposedly here.
Original attacked a concept, you attacked an individual. Don't equate the two.
The first person who starts to attack an individual will be told to stop, that is the only reasonable way to make people stop attacking individuals so we can argue freely.
The first person who starts to attack an individual will be told to stop, that is the only reasonable way to make people stop attacking individuals so we can argue freely.
Oh snap. I just said a long-winded version of the same (didn't see because HN is gloriously old-fashioned)
I couldn't have said it better. Thank you for the eloquent explanation.
I don't normally get into this type of conversation, and I don't mean to pile-on either, but I think that the target of the dismissiveness is a distinction worth pointing out. The post that you originally replied to was dismissive about some mindfulness techniques. You made it more personal, accusing the poster of being dismissive. This is directed at a person. It's less abstract, and their more likely to cause offence or annoyance.
My general rule is that I try to have thicker skin when it comes to assaults on ideas, and be careful not to offend persons.
My general rule is that I try to have thicker skin when it comes to assaults on ideas, and be careful not to offend persons.
> I would prefer to live in a kinder world.
OP is being kind to everyone by allowing them to avoid the frustration of wasting time with something that adds no value.
You on the other hand are being needlessly confrontational just because someone has an opinion you don't like.
OP is being kind to everyone by allowing them to avoid the frustration of wasting time with something that adds no value.
You on the other hand are being needlessly confrontational just because someone has an opinion you don't like.
> How would you feel if, instead, I said "your gratitude practice is actually new age hippy trash"?
Directing the putdown "trash" to an idea and presenting it as a subjective opinion ("The rest of it felt like new-age hippy trash") is quite different to applying the putdown "trash" to a person and presenting it as a fact ("your gratitude practice is actually new age hippy trash").
"Felt like" means "It feels like this to me, your experience may be different"
while
"is actually" means "This is objective fact, regardless of how I feel about it".
It's the difference between saying "that idea is idiotic" and saying "you are idiotic".
Directing the putdown "trash" to an idea and presenting it as a subjective opinion ("The rest of it felt like new-age hippy trash") is quite different to applying the putdown "trash" to a person and presenting it as a fact ("your gratitude practice is actually new age hippy trash").
"Felt like" means "It feels like this to me, your experience may be different"
while
"is actually" means "This is objective fact, regardless of how I feel about it".
It's the difference between saying "that idea is idiotic" and saying "you are idiotic".
You're taking that offense. He's not giving it. He's only giving his singular 1 in 8 billion opinion.
I guess gratitude != generosity
Maybe because being grateful and acceptance/tolerance (in contrast to being judgemental) are to different things?
I did the same, and found a different subset of techniques useful, and the rest new-age nonsense.
There are studies showing mindfulness works, but they've only tested the whole smorgasbord of techniques vs. placebo. I guess it would cost a lot more to test each one individually.
There are studies showing mindfulness works, but they've only tested the whole smorgasbord of techniques vs. placebo. I guess it would cost a lot more to test each one individually.
> hippy
The origin of this wave of academical interest comes from that: a few mates in Harward - including K-Z, who butchered the concept introducing the absurd naming which uses the reverse of the concept of 'mind' - were intrigued by suggestions from the Orient. Events such as the fall into disgrace of Leary have been relevant (creating difficulties to said wave as a reaction - a general reaction with the crisis of its parent "hipster" wave).
The origin of this wave of academical interest comes from that: a few mates in Harward - including K-Z, who butchered the concept introducing the absurd naming which uses the reverse of the concept of 'mind' - were intrigued by suggestions from the Orient. Events such as the fall into disgrace of Leary have been relevant (creating difficulties to said wave as a reaction - a general reaction with the crisis of its parent "hipster" wave).
Thank you.
You have always been this honest? or is this something you realize you have to be after being exposed to "mindfulness" mumbojumbo?
You have always been this honest? or is this something you realize you have to be after being exposed to "mindfulness" mumbojumbo?
I have always been a fairly direct person, possibly to the detriment of my career :)
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Grateful/thankful to whom, exactly?
It seems to me that the popular (American) practice of gratitude is just a substitute for Christianity, filtered out not to mention any deities explicitly, but still containing references to them implicitly.
I consider universe a random and chaotic place. In that worldview, there is nobody to be grateful/thankful to, so the practice of gratitude doesn't make sense.
It seems to me that the popular (American) practice of gratitude is just a substitute for Christianity, filtered out not to mention any deities explicitly, but still containing references to them implicitly.
I consider universe a random and chaotic place. In that worldview, there is nobody to be grateful/thankful to, so the practice of gratitude doesn't make sense.
For being able to see
For having all of my digits
Clean drinking water
Effectively infinite light at my fingertips (most of humanity couldn't do much when it got dark).
The world's knowledge.
So much food that I have to monitor how much I eat so I don't get too fat.
For having a loving family, friends.
For being given the opportunity to go to university.
For having a career that pays well.
That's just on the top of my head, but there's many more reasons to be grateful. That kind of thing. I have some physical disabilities, but reminding myself of the good things I do have grounds me, makes me realise all the things I used to stress about aren't really that important.
For having all of my digits
Clean drinking water
Effectively infinite light at my fingertips (most of humanity couldn't do much when it got dark).
The world's knowledge.
So much food that I have to monitor how much I eat so I don't get too fat.
For having a loving family, friends.
For being given the opportunity to go to university.
For having a career that pays well.
That's just on the top of my head, but there's many more reasons to be grateful. That kind of thing. I have some physical disabilities, but reminding myself of the good things I do have grounds me, makes me realise all the things I used to stress about aren't really that important.
I try to do the same, and I find a good time to do it is as soon as I wake up in the morning, before I even get out of bed. It puts me in the right frame of mind to tackle the day.
I'm not asking for reasons. I'm asking: whom are you grateful to?
You are misunderstanding the idea. You can be in some internal posture without an excuse. There is no need to have an "eternal reference".
I don't believe in a "creator/higher being" if that's what you're getting at, with that in mind - as I said above - the other people I'm grateful for are my family and my friends.
Thinking about it more, I suppose I'm also grateful for the individuals in this world who have had an incredible impact on this world. e.g. Jonas Salk, the guy who invented penecillin, etc.
Thinking about it more, I suppose I'm also grateful for the individuals in this world who have had an incredible impact on this world. e.g. Jonas Salk, the guy who invented penecillin, etc.
In your case, just substitute "feeling gratitude for positive things in your life" with "consciously acknowledge positive things in your life".
That makes sense.
I just really dislike people framing it as "practicing gratitude". I guess it comes from the childhood feelings of being thankful to one's parents for stuff, which is then generalized to "any feeling that resembles that feeling".
I can accept "consciously acknowledge positive things in your life" and I can see why it would be beneficial to one's mental health. Depression and anxiety are often caused/worsened by focusing on the negative aspects of life.
I just really dislike people framing it as "practicing gratitude". I guess it comes from the childhood feelings of being thankful to one's parents for stuff, which is then generalized to "any feeling that resembles that feeling".
I can accept "consciously acknowledge positive things in your life" and I can see why it would be beneficial to one's mental health. Depression and anxiety are often caused/worsened by focusing on the negative aspects of life.
No, that is "run" vs "make an inventory sitting at the desk".
Grateful to life, I guess.
And not so much as grateful to but more like grateful for.
And not so much as grateful to but more like grateful for.
Gratitude does not require an object. You can have the feeling without feeling it towards anyone or anything.
Serious question: are you making this comment to justify being cynical? I can’t tell if you’re being neutral or not.
I am making this question because I am trying to understand what exactly people mean when they say things. In this case, I'm trying to understand the full context of the phrase practicing gratitude.
A definition of the word "gratitude" I've found online is:
So when you say "I'm grateful for being alive", to whom exactly are you grateful? Who exactly has shown you kindness by letting you be alive? More generally, who exactly has shown you kindness by giving you everything good that you're grateful for?
The only entity that could possibly be responsible for everything is a hypothetical omnipotent entity - a god. So outside the religious frame of mind, the answer is "nobody", and the word "gratitude" here means something else than it usually means when used in everyday context. In that case, I'd like to know the exact meaning in this special case.
But I think I've got my answer in this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37566516
A definition of the word "gratitude" I've found online is:
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness
So when you say "I'm grateful for being alive", to whom exactly are you grateful? Who exactly has shown you kindness by letting you be alive? More generally, who exactly has shown you kindness by giving you everything good that you're grateful for?
The only entity that could possibly be responsible for everything is a hypothetical omnipotent entity - a god. So outside the religious frame of mind, the answer is "nobody", and the word "gratitude" here means something else than it usually means when used in everyday context. In that case, I'd like to know the exact meaning in this special case.
But I think I've got my answer in this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37566516
>I consider universe a random and chaotic place. In that worldview, there is nobody to be grateful/thankful to, so the practice of gratitude doesn't make sense.
Grateful for the outcome of the cosmic dice roll.
Or really just relief that things aren't a lot worse.
The dictionary definition isn't the only meaning of a word.
Grateful for the outcome of the cosmic dice roll.
Or really just relief that things aren't a lot worse.
The dictionary definition isn't the only meaning of a word.
> Grateful for the outcome of the cosmic dice roll.
To whom, the cosmos? Cosmos is not a person. You can personify it if you want, sure, but that doesn't make sense to me.
> The dictionary definition isn't the only meaning of a word.
Which is exactly why I'm asking for what people mean when they say stuff.
To whom, the cosmos? Cosmos is not a person. You can personify it if you want, sure, but that doesn't make sense to me.
> The dictionary definition isn't the only meaning of a word.
Which is exactly why I'm asking for what people mean when they say stuff.
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I can't help but feel that obsessively mindful people always seem to have some deeper underlying issues that they need to cope with. I know a guy who for years went into all kind of new-age seminars, practised mindfulness constantly and then in a moment he told me about his traumatic event that has plagued him since childhood.
All the mindfullness was practised because deep down he felt at unease. Don't get me wrong, it is good to be observant and mindfull, but it is unnatural to be it all the time.
Our minds also need daydreaming, dull phases, excitement, the whole package.
All the mindfullness was practised because deep down he felt at unease. Don't get me wrong, it is good to be observant and mindfull, but it is unnatural to be it all the time.
Our minds also need daydreaming, dull phases, excitement, the whole package.
You're definitely not wrong. Mindfulness tends to appeal to three types of people: people who want to "hack" their consciousness (these types often experiment with drugs, usually psychadelics), people who have mental health issues and don't want to use drugs, and spiritual/religious sorts who are looking for some form of spiritual meaning. Often you'll find people with some mix of these desires in the community. I think this makes sense though; the kind of people who are going to deliberately cultivate some property of the mind is generally someone who cares a lot about their mind for some reason or the other.
> all the time
In order to correct a bad tendency, you have to exercise effort (as resistance) in all the spans in which the tendency may show.
Suppose for example you are standing: you have consolidated the function and the effort is optimal - but if you tended to fall you would have to spend more.
In order to correct a bad tendency, you have to exercise effort (as resistance) in all the spans in which the tendency may show.
Suppose for example you are standing: you have consolidated the function and the effort is optimal - but if you tended to fall you would have to spend more.
I don't think so. If you want to be more sporty, because you are overweight the lasting solution isn't going to be to try to be sporty all the time, because that is a too big jump. It is going to be to move more when you can and have make a small sustainable habit of doing a sport acrivity — and you do this on top of adressing other root causes of your overweight, which may be psychological and have to do with the food you're eating.
Don't fet me wrong, I have nothing against mindfulness, as I said it can be very good to be mindful. But as I said I have met quite some people who talk about practising it who do not come across as the balanced individuals they believe themselves to be.
I still don't believe being mindful all the time is good. Maybe being "meta-mindful" — so to be aware when it is also good to tap into other modes of perception — is better.
Don't fet me wrong, I have nothing against mindfulness, as I said it can be very good to be mindful. But as I said I have met quite some people who talk about practising it who do not come across as the balanced individuals they believe themselves to be.
I still don't believe being mindful all the time is good. Maybe being "meta-mindful" — so to be aware when it is also good to tap into other modes of perception — is better.
> If you want to be more sporty, because you are overweight
Then you would be in a very different context from that which I was mentioning: you brought to topic two, that of some discipline and that of "people with issues". I was explaining why discipline can be a full time job.
> Don't fet me wrong
You are probably getting me wrong, because I never said I am defending proposals from Harvard.
> who do not come across as the balanced individuals
Where is the surprise? Already since students are not qualified teachers by definition. (And there are evident reasons even before that, about the different categories called by some interest.)
> I still don't believe
Are you sure you understood what should be understood with an imprecise expression "all the time", with reference to what I wrote in the parent and which may have little to do with the practice that the people with issues described to you?
Then you would be in a very different context from that which I was mentioning: you brought to topic two, that of some discipline and that of "people with issues". I was explaining why discipline can be a full time job.
> Don't fet me wrong
You are probably getting me wrong, because I never said I am defending proposals from Harvard.
> who do not come across as the balanced individuals
Where is the surprise? Already since students are not qualified teachers by definition. (And there are evident reasons even before that, about the different categories called by some interest.)
> I still don't believe
Are you sure you understood what should be understood with an imprecise expression "all the time", with reference to what I wrote in the parent and which may have little to do with the practice that the people with issues described to you?
Well there are people who make CrossFit or veganism or entrepreneurship their whole personality... doesn't mean they are any good at it. In fact the ones who make the biggest show are often just overcompensating.
> A final note of caution – it is important to acknowledge that any brain changes we had seen could also be random. The brain is constantly changing anyway.
Well, at least they're honest about that :)
Well, at least they're honest about that :)
I had brain trauma. No amount of new-age brain rewiring bullshit will unfuck me. This is /r/thankimcured material, not HN.
In other news, exercise benefits thoroughly debunked after quadruple amputee points out “that doesn’t help me”.
Of course there is little margin against a shotgun wound, and of course even light damage can leave some scars. This is a matter of margins. The article seems to stick to that.
Then obviously this isn't for you. There will always be edge cases where things don't work. Even if you take away "new-age brain rewiring bullshit" and turn to trusty ol' western medicine, it doesn't work for everyone.
You may as well be a bald person complaining about a hairstylist's article - "Ah! but I'm bald! No amount of styling will give me hair!"
You may as well be a bald person complaining about a hairstylist's article - "Ah! but I'm bald! No amount of styling will give me hair!"
[deleted]
I don't think they were claiming it would undo brain trauma.
What damage if I may ask?
I think it's really sad that despite all of the evidence that meditation is good for you, people still treat it as some kind of pseudo-science hippie non-sense.
It makes sense why people would think that since this started as a religious exercise (and also because to this day there are still lots of people who connect the two in their practice), but you can simply not do that. I treat it simply as an exercise to make my brain calm down from stress and anxiety and it has been extremely helpful for me.
It makes sense why people would think that since this started as a religious exercise (and also because to this day there are still lots of people who connect the two in their practice), but you can simply not do that. I treat it simply as an exercise to make my brain calm down from stress and anxiety and it has been extremely helpful for me.
Most people are allergic to any sort of effort, so having excuses not to do something beneficial yet challenging is very convenient.
Here's a timely article. I've been meditating regularly for a little bit now (not that long), in a mindfulness/insight ("vipasana" maybe?) style. I had a spill on my bike today and got some obnoxious road rash, took some fall trauma, and had to wfh; nothing I couldn't dress at home, but enough that my arm has been pussing and stinging and I've had to cover it all up in gauze for a lot of the day. It's "known" among medidators that focusing the attention on pain can cause its displeasure ("suffering") to decrease. Sure enough, I spent a bit of time focusing my meditation on the pain and it caused me less displeasure. I mean, of course I'm also cleaning the road rash, airing it, and then covering it up and using all the tools modern medicine gives us, but it's a cherry on top to be able to be able to decrease the displeasure from the pain. Cool stuff! Now to work up to being able to hold this state at will...
Just the simple practice of regularly inquiring where your focus is has helped me a lot. Helps to detect when you're too tired from work and when you're not really relaxing in your downtime.
tldr on this?
> Research has shown that mindfulness is a simple but powerful way to enhance several cognitive functions. It can improve attention
Also, there's a link to the mindfulness course they used: https://caring-mindfulness.thinkific.com/
Does anyone know who created this course? I've enrolled, out of curiosity, but I can't find any mention to the authors.
Practicing mindfulness/meditation is good for the brain
I thought that there has also been some research that these kinds of "mindfulness" exercises can enhance existing tendencies toward mental illness--depression, dissociation, paranoia, etc.
Of course, that doesn't get reported in every new age social media channel.
Of course, that doesn't get reported in every new age social media channel.
Probably should say it "can be" good for the brain.
It seems to me the interesting thing is that they showed there was some measurable change in the brain scan after six weeks. Her amygdala has reduced in size while the cingulate cortex has increased in size, although they didn't say by how much.
And we don't actually have any means to prove those brain changes were caused by mindfulness.
It could be coincidence.
I'm not dismissing it, but we have no means to go back in time, split her in two and examine a copy of her brain after six weeks without mindfulness as the control.
It could be coincidence.
I'm not dismissing it, but we have no means to go back in time, split her in two and examine a copy of her brain after six weeks without mindfulness as the control.
*maybe
Practicing gratitude daily, e.g. giving myself reasons to be thankful for my lot in life is 1) really easy to do, and 2) takes about 5 minutes.
The rest of it felt like new-age hippy trash, if I'm completely honest.