Neuroscientists now understand that the parts of the brain where physical and emotional trauma are stored are not the same parts governed by our thinking mind. We now know that rhythmic experiences, such as drumming, chanting, dancing, walking, running are best practices in trauma informed care. Daily routines are another way to ground and heal trauma. [1]
Autumn
Fall
Leaves changing colors.
Gold, burnt orange
Orange with reflections of gold, pink brown.
Changing weather
Cold, crisp, clear.
The smell of winter.
The touch of winter.
Darkness coming.
Autumn,
Fall
Fall into winter,
Fall into darkness,
Fall into yourself.
Fall into your life.
Fall into relationships.
Fall inside, into interior.
Falling, falling, falling.
Nina Massey
I met my husband at the Grand Canyon. He was a chef and I was a waitress. We had a love of hiking in nature in common. We hiked nearly all the trails in the canyon throughout the seasons, in the year we met. Throughout the spring, summer and early fall of 1977, we spent about 6 months hiking and backpacking together. We journeyed across the northern United States to the Dakotas and on into Glacier National Park in Canada. Then we traveled into the Canadian Rockies to Banff, Jasper, Mt. Assiniboine, and other areas. Later we hiked in the Cascades, the Olympic Peninsula and Yosemite. Finally, we returned to the Grand Canyon for a visit with friends.
During these months, we would fill our packs with enough food for a planned hike of 5-10 days. Each time we took a different, new trail into the wilderness. The beauty of the mountains, the smell of fresh air, the freedom without deadlines, filled our beings. Then we would come into town, shower, eat a hot breakfast and prepare for another journey. The majority of our time was spent in the quiet of nature. It was here that I truly learned of inner peace and communion with the beauty of the natural world. We lived by the rhythm of the day and night, of the light and dark. I learned to read the color of the light to tell time. We accepted the variations of the weather as a normal part of life. The stillness and quiet of the wilderness permeated our beings.
I learned to arise at dawn and meditate and pray. I learned that alternating stillness and movement made my body and heart feel its strongest. Walking and moving in rhythm with my breath created a feeling of deep ecstasy and contentment in my heart. A state of being arose in which mystical experiences were a natural outcome. I learned that rhythm is one of the secrets of a calm, happy life.
The Crusader Trip
Surrounded by water
The deep greens and blues
Of the ocean depth.
The pale blue aura
Of the frozen ice,
Fallen from glaciers drifting out to sea.
The quiet expectancy
Of new wonders awaiting discovery
Exploration and contemplation.
An inner quiet, a deep peace
From a mind watching, observing
And flowing with nature.
Nina Massey
Rhythm & Memory
Our brain is a mass of neural networks producing electrical waves of energy. Our emotions and feelings affect the working of our brain by changing the chemistry and the rhythm of our brain waves.[2] Indeed, everything we do has an effect on the architecture, chemical and wave state of our brain. By feeling deeply in our own energy field, we can begin to notice and understand our brain wave state at any current moments, and how it affects our engagement with life.
Gamma rhythms (above 40 Hz) help us encode and retrieve memories from our senses. They produce our states of intense focus. They reduce fear and anxiety, perhaps because we are completely present in the moment, not concerned with the past or the future. They move the fastest, but have the lowest amplitudes in their wave. They are sometimes associated with intense “feeling of blessings.”[3] Some benefits listed from gamma brain waves include improved focus, memory, sensory perceptions, happiness, inner peace and compassion.
Beta waves (about 12-30 Hz) help control our working memory, the thoughts that are passing through our minds, as well as what information is stored in our long-term memory.[4] They are used to become aware and concentrate, and when we are making plans and setting goals.
A state of alpha waves (about 8-12 Hz) can calm the nervous system and make us feel more peaceful. They indicate that the mind is awake. Aerobic exercise and daydreaming can cause a restful, idling state of mind,[5] which can be conducive to creativity and new ideas.
Theta waves (about 6-10 Hz) are present during sleep, meditation, mystical experiences and are associated with our inner wisdom. They also work with a type of long-term memory in which we do many things by rote.[6] A common example is that once we learn to ride a bike, we can evermore ride successfully. The memory is stored in our body, in our muscles, as well as in our brain. Creativity is enhanced by this state of being. It is a very relaxed state of being, aware but not anxious.
Delta waves (about 0-4 Hz) are present when we are in a deep sleep. Deep compassion and empathy arise, as well as healing from the anti-aging hormones, DHEA and melatonin.
Meditation, contemplation, and relaxing activities help us to calm our brain waves, and assist them to work in coherent rhythms that are effective for success in our daily lives. They can lead to lower stress depression and anxiety. Healing can also arise from these states of inner peace and serenity. Allow yourself to be drawn by what you love, by what makes your heart sing and be filled with loving qualities. Learning to recognize the different states and what helps them arise is very helpful for inner peace and effectively moving through our days.
| What activities are a part of your life which lead you to feel calm and in a state of blessing? |
Silent Retreat
Thoughts and ideas tumble together
In the space of allowing.
The space of ease and quietude,
Gently nourished by the soft feminine voices
And the presence of the Goddess.
There’s no need to worry too much.
Nina Massey
Rhythmic Schedules
Everyone has a biological clock which is influenced by day and night, seasons, age, etc. There are 4 main types of biologic rhythms[7] in the human body.
The circadian rhythm is the rhythm of sleep and being awake over a 24-hour period. Most people tend to feel tired and sleepy at certain times of each day. We say that some are ‘night owls’ because they are full of energy late at night, when ‘morning people’ are most productive early in the day. These rhythms work best with regular sleeping times.
Infradian rhythms last longer than 24 hours. An example of this biologic cycle is a woman’s menstrual cycle. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is another infradian rhythm related to seasons. Light seems to have an influence on these cycles.
Rhythms that occur more than once a day are called ultradian rhythms. Sleeps follows cycles of about 90 minutes, moving between slow wave and REM states, which repeat throughout the night. Other examples of ultradian cycles include temperature, pulse rate, blood circulation, and hormonal secretions.
Rhythm which comes from inside the body without outside signals is called an endogenous cycle. Many of the rhythms mentioned above can be controlled within the body and not be affected by external influences. Exogenous rhythms are affected by outside stimulus, such as light.
The main point of the discussion of these biologic rhythms is to emphasize that we are by nature rhythmic beings. Our bodies tend to work best when we understand our natural rhythms and facilitate them through our life style choices. Regular work hours, sleeping time, and meal time help to make our lives less stressful, and help to alleviate mood disorders.[8]
| What is your natural biorhythm? How can you adjust your daily activities to facilitate healthy, productive schedules? |
There is a place
Between sleeping and waking,
Between the worlds.
There is a sound, a tone.
Listen and you will hear it.
The pulsing wave of energy
Rising and falling into silence.
The stillness comes as a relief.
A release of movement and tension.
The calm inner stillness of total peace.
Nina Massey
Rhythmic Activities
There are many things we can do that are rhythmic, that will improve the state of our brain by increasing the healing neurotransmitters, and increasing the strength of our neural pathways.[9] New novel learning, mental stimulation and physical activity are helpful. Walking in nature, bike riding, working out at the gym are part of a healthy lifestyle. Learning to play an instrument, puzzling out a mystery, playing video games, etc. are novel experiences that can help develop new neural pathways.
Thinking of A.
I just wanted to see you,
To look into your eyes,
To hold your heart in mine.
I just wanted to see you,
To drink tea and love,
To tell you of my dreams.
I just wanted to see you,
To listen to your song,
To sing with you in amour.
I just wanted to see you,
To paint another memory
To hold in my heart.
Nina Massey
[1] Rhythm2Recovery. Why Rhythm? Retrieved from https://rhythm2recovery.com/why-rhythm/
[2] Neo, Dr. Perpetua. 5 Types of Brain Waves and Effects of Meditation on Them. Retrieved from https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/types-brain-waves-effects-meditation/#gref
[3] Diaz, Cheyenne. What Are Gamma Brain Waves? Retrieved from https://blog.mindvalley.com/gamma-brain-waves/
[4] Trafton, Anne. New Study Reveals How Brain Waves Control Working Memory. 2018: MIT News. Retrieved from http://news.mit.edu/2018/new-study-reveals-how-brain-waves-control-working-memory-0126
[5] Bergland, Christopher. Alpha Brain Waves Boost Creativity and Reduce depression. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201504/alpha-brain-waves-boost-creativity-and-reduce-depression
[6] Implicit memory. Retrieved from https://www.brainhq.com/brain-resources/memory/types-of-memory/implicit-memory
[7] States of consciousness. Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/consciousness/section2/
[8] Marino, Patrick C. Biological Rhythms as a Basis for Mood Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/marino.html
[9] American Society on Aging. A Healthy Lifestyle can Build a Healthy Brain. Retrieved from https://www.asaging.org/blog/healthy-lifestyle-can-build-healthy-brain