The Amazing Human Brain

From Ilchi Lee’s book Power Brain Kids

The human brain is an amazing organ. It is in charge of all of our physical functions, and it is the source of all our emotions and thoughts. All human creations--our art, our architecture, our technologies--begin with the brain. Our brains, in fact, are what make us essentially human. The unique abilities of the human brain are what most clearly separate us from mere apes, and it is our brain, not brawn, that has established our predominate role on the planet. Our physical bodies, while amazing in their own right, are relatively weak. We have no fangs or talons, and even the most developed human musculature pales compared to that of a grizzly or an ox. Nevertheless, we thrive as no other animal has thrived upon this planet. Why? Because the brain has allowed us to control and adapt the environment to suit our needs, delivering us from many of the harsher realities of nature.

Kids Need Body Awareness

From Ilchi Lee’s book Power Brain Kids

While it is true that the brain is “in charge” of the human body, it can also be said that the brain is useless without the body. Our brain gives the orders, but it is the body that puts these orders into action. Sometimes, we are not in conscious control of these actions--as in the beating of the heart or breathing while we sleep-- but for the most part we have conscious control over our body’s movement. We can control our bodies because we can control our brain.

It is important, therefore, that children have a good basic understanding of the body and its functions. It is helpful to speak of the various organs of the body as “little brains,” organs that are in charge of specialized functions within the body. Through familiarity with various organs and their connection to the brain, children gain the ability to take charge of the body and its overall state of health.

Become Your Child’s Stress Management Coach Become Your Child’s Stress Management Coach

From Ilchi Lee’s book Power Brain Kids

Adults sometimes mistakenly think that kids have no experience of stress and tension. This is far from the truth. Kids are under a lot of pressure to compete in school, to maintain a desirable status with their peers, and to live up to parental expectations. To top it off, family situations are often unstable, leaving them with little sense of foundation and centeredness. Doctors report that the incidence of serious anxiety disorders is on the rise, and that now as many as 10 percent of children suffer from these problems.
It is a mistake to wait until adulthood to begin teaching stress-management. By this time, negative habits may be very deeply ingrained. As a parent, you might think of yourself as your child’s stress-management coach. Very naturally, your child will look to you for ways to cope with the many difficult issues that are part of life.
So, first become a good role model to your children. The ways you choose to handle stress in your own life are likely to be mimicked by your children. If you need to, change the ways you react to stress and find ways to release stress, such as breathing and meditation. If you incorporate these things into your daily life, your children will consider them a normal and natural part of life.
Also, watch your children carefully for signs of stress. Children often lack the words needed to verbalize the stress they feel and their physical and emotional symptoms may be very different than an adult’s. Physically, children will often manifest stomach aches and head aches in response to stress, or they may have trouble sleeping. Emotionally, they may be prone to outbursts about seemingly petty tings, situations unrelated to the actual cause of stress. Also, you may find that they have become very suddenly shy or introverted.
As with so many human problems, communication offers many solutions for stress. Make it clear to your children that they can talk to you about any problem freely and openly. No matter how small a problem may seem to your adult ears, listen with openness and acceptance. A child may hide a problem if he or she feels it will disappoint you. So, demonstrate to your child that your love is unconditional, and that you are honored to help your child in this way. Make it clear that no problem is too small or too embarrassing to be dealt with honestly and sincerely.

The Brain Contains the Answers

The Brain Contains the Answers

From Ilchi Lee’s book BEST 5 Handbook

All of the answers to life’s challenges reside in the brain. If we can release that potential, I believe that humanity can solve many of the world’s difficult challenges. This is also true for you on a personal level. Do you have too much stress in your life? Relaxing your brain waves can have a profound effect on the stress reaction in your body. Do you have relationship problems? Examining the addictive emotional patterns established in your brain will help you begin to change them, which will in turn change your interactions with others. Every human problem is created in the brain, and so is every solution. Through better understanding and care of our brain, we gain greater confidence and capacity for mastering all our life skills.

Ilchi Lee on Your Child’s Confidence

If we are to instill genuine confidence in our children, we must first have confidence in them. I truly believe that every child’s brain has extraordinary potential to create health, happiness, and peace in the world. Don’t underestimate and limit your children’s potential with typical preconceptions and judgments. Greatness is not limited to those who perform well on standardized tests or to those who know how to sit still at age eight. Learn to see your children’s struggles and difficulties as part of the natural process of becoming the uniquely talented people they are meant to become. Always believe in your children and help them to trust and respect themselves. Help them to discover the great gifts hidden beneath the surface. Let them know that they have great power to choose the conditions and circumstances of their lives. Remind them often that they can do anything that they choose to do.

Why children must move

The body is essentially the brain’s connection to the outside world. A person’s brain can have little effect on the surrounding environment if the rest of the body lacks strength and stamina. And, the condition of the body drastically affects the functioning of the brain. A sluggish, tired body usually equates with a sluggish, tired brain. A strong, vibrant body generally houses a strong, vibrant brain.
For that reason, the goal of strengthening the body should go hand in hand with the goal to strengthen the brain. Sitting behind a desk studying a book is a great way to gather piles of facts and figures, but it will do little to create new and stronger connections in the brain. Rather, this happens through overcoming physical challenges and developing new skills.
Make physical exercise a normal and natural part of your child’s daily routine. Children who spend the day watching TV or sitting in front of a computer monitor are being deprived of the chance to develop brain connections that will be much harder to develop later in life. Also, the sense of confidence and accomplishment that comes with physical strengthening will be invaluable to them in many areas of life.

12 HT Maxims for Authentic Living

1. Return to your breath and body as tools for your health.
2. Breathe slowly, deeply and lightly, especially when you are upset.
3. Keep afire in the belly and a cool head.
4. Celebrate your sexuality with purpose and responsibility.
5. Listen for the voice of your soul until you find your passionate life purpose.
6. Embrace suffering and emptiness as the foundation of enlightenment.
7. Live as your soul directs with honesty, integrity, and diligence.
8. Train your body so that change feels better than habit.
9. Smile and be at peace for no reason.
10. Recognize that you are what you choose and what you act.
11. When you need an answer, ask your brain.
12. Remember to exhale at the moment of death.