TLDR

(too long, didn’t read)

• Brain Benefits of Altruism: Engaging in selfless acts and witnessing altruistic behavior is scientifically proven to positively impact brain function and wellbeing, challenging the notion that humans are inherently evil.

• Inspiration from "The Book of Joy": Inspired by "The Book of Joy" featuring dialogues between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, the post explores how individuals can find lasting joy amidst suffering by reframing experiences and cultivating positive outlooks.

• Neural Circuits for Wellbeing: Research by Dr. Richard Davidson identifies four neural circuits governing wellbeing, with the Generosity Circuit being notably responsive to altruistic actions, offering hope for those with affective disorders.

• Personal Reflections on Meditation: The author shares personal experiences with meditation, highlighting its goal of being present with thoughts rather than suppressing them, and finding comfort in the ever-changing nature of the self.

• Empowerment through Kindness: Encouraging acts of kindness as a means to uplift oneself and others, the post emphasizes the transformative power of compassion and altruism in navigating life's challenges and fostering personal growth.

Give Me the Deets!

Give me the juicy details

Did you know that performing selfless acts and even seeing other people perform altruistic actions is really good for your brain? Thinking about this topic has been challenging, because I don’t mean to write a post about how we can use compassion or altruism to help ourselves. I just find it fascinating that our brains are so hardwired to benefit from helping others, watching other people help others, or what Jonathan Haidt calls “elevation”. Religious and secular folks I know and love have argued with me for years that humans are innately evil. However, if that were true, why would we benefit so extremely from having compassion and empathy and seeing those traits in others? Moreover, I do not believe we are so easily defined.

The inspiration for this week's post was ignited by “The Book of Joy”, by the Dalai Lama (DL), Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams as witness and scribe. It is the last in-person meeting and conversation had by two best friends who happen to be spiritual leaders of two war torn countries. The DL is Buddhist, Tutu is Christian, and Abrams is a secular Jew, so the mix of perspectives are as diverse as they are unique. The ideas are personal, spiritual, and scientific. Insert chef’s kiss here.

Their conversation is about how humans can find real lasting joy even after extreme pain and suffering. In the chapter “Why Are You Not Morose?”, Tutu asks the DL why he isn’t sad after being exiled from Tibet by the Chinese. If you aren’t aware, because of this, Buddhism will no longer exist the way it has for centuries. As a leader of such a compassionate culture and spirituality, the DL is truly the last of his kind and Buddhism as we know it will end. The DL essentially reframes his situation for Tutu. He says that the places he loves and feels like home are his country. The people who love him and he loves are his family. That he would not have reached and been able to help so many people if he had spent the rest of his life in Tibet. He is able to create a positive outlook from a truly devastating situation by reframing his experience. No small feat.

Abrams then offers scientific evidence for how this habit actually changes the human brain. Dr. Richard Davidson, a Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, has researched the neural mechanics of emotion and wellbeing for the last almost 40 years. He has distinguished 4 neural circuits in the human brain that govern maximum wellbeing and shows how these can be tuned (changed) like instruments. The circuits are Resilience, Positive Outlook, Attention, and Generosity. 

Regarding the Generosity Circuit, Davidson says that participating in altruistic action is analogous to having a personal revolution in the brain, and this circuit is the most positively, visibly responsive in neural plasticity (brain growth and transformation). Davidson’s research shows how people with affective disorders, like depression and anxiety, can change their brain aka automatic neural pathways to feel better. Personally, I have worked hard to change my neural pathways- as I am considered someone who has, due to one reason or another, struggled with affective disorders like depression and anxiety. I feel extra lucky just recently, because pregnancy hormones have caused me to reach even further, to try even harder to be the best version of myself that I can be. It is extremely clear now to me that my words will mean very little to my unborn child. Actions are everything, and I am determined to show her a different life and help her develop skills that I had to struggle tooth and nail to gain as an adult. 

Separately, I have been reading another book called “Mindful Birthing” which harnesses meditation as a way to focus during childbirth and stay present. In reading up on and practicing daily meditation, I just recently realized that the goal is not to think of nothing. The goal of secular meditation is only to be able to be present with your thoughts and let them pass without staying attached to them. Because of how our brains think and feel, we often can’t distinguish how a thought might not be true and therefore need not make us feel bad. The DL also mentions practicing meditation to find the self. He focuses on independent parts of himself: physical, mental, or emotional, but he is comforted in never finding himself. I personally find it helpful to lose my sense of self in order to realize none of us is so easily definable or even static. We are always changing. But we can get stuck so easily by believing in a stream of consciousness that we never question or break free from. When we focus or lose focus, however you want to think about it, we are better able to create an experience that is more beautiful, more peaceful, and better for ourselves and others.

Free Meditation Apps: The Healthy Minds Program & Medito (My personal fav.)

In conclusion, life will ultimately be painful; more likely that it’ll be extremely so if we are lucky enough to live long lives. We have a choice on what to focus on and how we evolve to handle our individual and even collective pain. Science shows that meditation is beneficial for strengthening the Positive Outlook and the Attention Circuits over time. We can use this information to help ourselves and others. Watching someone do kind things and participating in altruistic or selfless actions immediately and extremely positively affects our brains. If you are feeling down today or anyday, in the least creepy way possible, go do something kind for anyone else. Watch a film or even a short clip on the DL. Look for someone who needs a hug, or a cup of coffee, or just a hello. We need each other more than most people know and reaching out doesn’t just help the person you are reaching for. It helps you too. We have the power to be catalysts for our own growth and for others.

Much Love, Astrid