Dr D R Kapoor
“Each of us has a unique mind: unique thoughts, feelings, perceptions, memories, beliefs, and attitudes, and a unique set of regulatory patterns. These patterns shape the flow of energy and information inside us, and we share them with other minds”. (Gyatoso, 2002)
People often confuse the brain with mind, even though the brain and mind are two distinctively different entities. For instance, the mind is “software,” the mystical and mysterious product of all that we are. The brain is “hardware,” a bodily organ that requires nutrition, rest, use, and proper medical care. Question arises, what is the role of mind? What is the relationship between brain and mind? Why mind is called sensorium? How does external environment help in learner behavioural changes? How does experiential learning support in developing cognitive ability of the learner? Is experiential learning and knowledge all self-discipline and character building? Is learning a lifelong process to gain knowledge, experience, professional acumen and values?How brain, mind, pedagogy and external environment work in tandem to achieve the goals of life?
However, the nature of mindis difficult to understand because it is very subtle as well as hidden,therefore, it has beendefined in different ways. A mind that knows how to continually regenerate itself might no longer be locked into ‘the old linear pattern of aging-degeneration- death’. Freud originally presented a topographical model of mindand defined in terms of conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.-conscious as the part of psychethat includesmaterial of whichone is fully aware, ‘preconscious ‘as the part of psyche that includes material which is not at the moment within one’s access but can readily be brought to the conscious mind, and ‘unconscious’ as the part of psyche that includes material which is not within one’s awareness and which cannot readily be brought to the conscious mind(Ewen,1980). Bandler and Grinder (1979) explained thatthe conscious mind is a whatever we are aware of at a moment, ‘subconscious’ mind is a whatever we are unaware at a moment, and ‘unconscious’ as everything else beyond the access-otherwise as a whole, it is one.It is the conscious part of the mind which does all the processing of informationbecause it is logical, reasonable and can change its point of view at will.
We can understand mind intellectually either through its generic code or through experiential learning. It is conscious mind, which communicates with subconscious and super conscious mind as one mind. It perceives mental factors namely: feeling, discrimination, contact, intention, and attention as significant variables which develop learner capacity to solve difficult problems and enhance the power of taking decisions. Objects ascertaining factors namely, aspiration, firm apprehension, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom are driving force which prepare learner for deep learning to fulfil his aspiration through virtual means. It builds character and makes life disciplined.
It is fact that, Mind is a “sensorium” which controls the senses. According to Vedanta, the mind is known as ‘Antakarana'(internal instrument) which perceives through five sense organs-eye, ear, nose, tongue, and skin and acts through five organs of action-the organ of speech, the hands, the legs, the organ of procreation, and the organ of evacuation. Thus, it recognises different functions of the mind. It assumes that all these functions are possible only through the conscious mind.
The power of consciousness is not built-in-characteristic of the mind. It comes from some higher source known as “Soul, Atman or self”. Vedanta differentiates between mind and the self-the mind as an object (known), the Self as a subject (the knower). The intellect is the faculty which helps in making decisions, but the brain is not decision maker. It is the self which decides, using the power of intellect. More elaborately, “Beyond the senses there are the objects, beyond the objects there is the mind, beyond the mind there is the intellect, and the “Great Self” is beyond the intellect.(The Gita).Why? Consciousness or self is the seat of soul. How? In fact, Man (Self) the microcosm, is resurrected from the Man (Supreme soul), the macrocosm; therefore to know man is to know the Universe; therefore, man is the Measure of all things”. Truth (rata) that is a world-order manifests itself in man and society as dharma, moral law and social order; therefore rata is natural order, both rooted in divine order.
According to Vedanta “the richest soil, the soil of human mind lies fallow. If it could tilled well it would yield golden crop, but since lies fallow, it yields brambles, thorny bushes and weeds. It is fact that achieving optimal function of brain’s “pleasure pathway” is to rebalance and replenish overall brain bio-chemistry. Hippocampus, amygdala, and neocortexwork in tandem to support the “Limbic System” of the brain.
The brain, mind, and environment interact with each other in developing the cognitive ability of the learner. The function of the brain is to filter the raw information, store memories, transmit and retrieves memory when required. The role of mind is to send signals to the brain. Environment provides opportunities, opens paths and platforms, and generates energy to accelerate theta ‘waves’ to achieve the best results/outcomes. The mind interaction with external environment provides a space to positive energy to transform individual attitude. Compassion, empathy, altruism, intuition, yoga and meditation facilitate in sharpening memories especially retrieval of the stored data in the subconscious mind. Scientists and researchers get something new only in this state of intuitive mind. Super conscious mind thus refers to the state of mind when we experience cosmic connectivity and have good understanding, peace, wisdom and enlightenment.
Mind processes, executes, controls and does meta- analyses beyond mundane- domain, scientifically limited to reason and logic to spiritual domain of myth, reality, and storytelling, There are two cognisors namely, direct valid cognisor & inferential valid cognisor. These go beyond logical and verified facts or can explore the unknown areas -subconscious mind. Processes and standard operational procedures are possible through conscious mind. Focus is on understanding, modification and prediction of learner’s behaviour and development of cognitive ability of the learners.The access to ‘unconscious mind” (Vedanta) comes from some higher source known as Soul, Atman or self, which makes invisible visible, unknown known, and impossible possible. The mind can go beyond logical and verified facts and can explore the unknown areas -subconscious- super conscious mind.
Super Learning: Since the mind is constant swirl of thoughts, ideas, and emotions, slowing down the “centrifuge” even for few second can help learner feel more relaxed and leave him with a sense of clarity. Meditation generates ‘alfa and theta brain waves’. For those experienced in meditation, these waves appear right, while it might take half an hour for beginner to experience them. These relaxing brain waves are the ones that are activated right before we fall asleep or we lie in the sun or right after taking hot bath. There is apart in our brain called the central or periaqueductal grey matter. It is connected to the orbitofrontal cortex which is responsible in great part for nurturing behaviour. Compassion, empathy, love and affection, justice, humility, and equanimity are virtual elements which strengthen ‘theta wave’ or ‘brain limbic system’.
There are also three quantum states of mind: the state of Ordinary Perception (OP); the state of Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP); and the state of Extra-Ordinary Perception (EOP) which are observed as stepping stone to super conscious mind. It becomes easy to access data and ideas outside beyond conscious mind. That is why it is called a form of universal or infinite intelligence. Sharma (2005) maintains thatscientists and researchers working in the extra-ordinary perception perhaps get something new in this state of intuitive mind. Super-conscious mind thus refers to the state of mind when we experience cosmic connectivity and have good understanding, peace, wisdom and enlightenment.Koh(2004) there is only one super-conscious mind to which all our minds are connected It helps to make good decisions since it has infinite intelligence.It is the source of all true inventions. Great innovators like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein have mastered the technique of receiving great ideas from the super- conscious Mind.It helps us achieve our goals. Once we truly understand the super-conscious Mind Power, we will realise that success is not a function of luck.
Moreover, scientist’ enquiry or exploration is limited to reason and logic or conscious level. Subconscious mind is the domain of Mind and seat of knowledge or self (Ataman). It goes beyond reason and logic or conscious level. It is a fact that the deep knowledge is required to explore the unknown area. (1999), “It is truth obtained by internal apprehension, without the aid of perception or operation of reasoning powers” (Swami Omkarananda, 1999). Scale (2006) has rightly said, “Intuition is spiritual energy, not psychic energy. Psychic energy is purely mental energy, and limited to mental energy, while spiritual energy embraces the totality of the universe. Spiritual energy acknowledges that there is profound knowledge and wisdom available when we become one with “Spiritual or the Universal consciousness”. We have been learning to tune into our intuition which is natural gift born in every one, but it becomes most effective in a person who is engaged in deep learning and meditation.
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