LETTING GO
"You are not a drop in the ocean.- Rumi
You are an entire ocean in a single drop"
BE CREATIVE
It will not surprise you that human creativity – whether it's coming up with a new kitchen recipe or formulating an alternative to the way we live – takes place in our brains.
In summary, our brains – essentially a large network of smaller neural networks – create new neural connections between existing concepts.
A complex interaction between multiple brain networks allows us to transform existing concepts into new ideas. Knowledge is the main ingredient of creativity. The more knowledge you store, the more new connections between networks must be made by the brain.
We have also gained insight into the emergence of the creative process. Focus – driven in our executive attention network – can be counterproductive. Daydreaming, on the other hand, makes your brain associate more freely, creating diverse connections.
This doesn't happen by chance, as the condition of the brain waves that trigger 'a flow state' is closely related to this imagination process. When our logical prefrontal cortex pauses, we become more imaginative.
HELP OTHERS
Do we help others or do we help ourselves? This is an age-old discussion. In recent years, the concept of 'altruism' has increasingly been subjected to critical scientific research.
A large amount of research data points to a helpful nature, even though it stems from selfish motives. According to the basic principles of evolutionary theory, helping others increases the chance of our species surviving. This behavior has also been found in toddlers and chimpanzees, suggesting its innate character.
However, there is still much discussion about the why and how of this behavior. Some scientists claim that mirror neurons stimulate empathetic behavior: these neurons mirror the experience of others and our brains process those experiences as if they were our own. Many scientists, however, still find this a far-reaching interpretation.
Science has developed an extensive interest in the neurology behind altruism: more nuanced views on this can therefore still be expected. What we know is that the functioning of our brain rewards altruistic behavior: giving to others stimulates mesolimbic brain pathways – usually linked to food and reproduction.
CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
The environment in which we move is the theater of our lives. To be honest, we don't know – apart from a Darwinian interpretation – why we tend toward sustainability.
An entire scientific branch tries to provide answers: environmental psychology. This branch offers us insights into the why of environmentally responsible behavior.
Environmentally responsible action requires not only knowledge and awareness but also a sense of responsibility. Additionally, the social pressure we experience also influences our environmentally friendly behavior.
Some have a more pronounced personality focused on nature conservation. Some studies also suggest that being in nature and experiencing nature directly influences our willingness for environmentally friendly behavior.
INNER PEACE
Although it is very difficult to put your finger on it, finding inner peace and feeling part of 'a greater whole' is the most spiritual need we have.
Science – which naturally quantifies – has difficulty explaining this intangible need. There is a wide range of scientific perspectives on our spiritual needs. However, none of them can provide conclusive evidence, which speaks for science as a whole. Isn't science essentially about our continuous process of wonder and questioning things?
With that in mind, we can approach our spiritual needs, broadly speaking, mechanically, psychologically and 'non-scientifically', where the latter does not detract from its actual value.
The mechanical principles of our quest for inner peace are becoming increasingly clear thanks to recent neurosciences. The adjustment of our breathing that brings peace to our minds, the cornerstone of meditation, brings about physical changes to our brain structure.
From a purely mechanistic standpoint, you could say that our spiritual need supports other needs and is not a stand-alone need. It helps us with stress management, increases our focus and self-control and reduces our anxiety.
This is the moment when we bring up transcendent psychology, a domain that studies the spiritual on its own. Many studies delve deeper into the need for mysticism, alternative forms of consciousness and peak experiences. This research is supported by neuroscience, which shows that these experiences are accompanied by specific brain activity.
Since it touches the boundaries of science, it's not surprising that this entire domain receives much criticism . On the other side of the spectrum, some physicists claim that they can draw parallels between physics and Eastern mysticism. Physics heavyweights like Heisenberg and Einstein have said that their scientific discoveries led them to spiritual insights.
Since the currently accepted physics model remains standing and we cannot fathom the true nature of the universe, no person in the world knows the precise truth. With only a few centuries on the clock, science is still in its infancy and there is still so much to discover.
It is therefore up to each individual to determine whether and what place spirituality gets in their life. To quote 'The Tao of the Universe': 'Science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science, but humans need both.'
What science shows is that there is a clear correlation between spirituality and the way we experience our quality of life. Spirituality therefore plays a key role when we try to increase our quality of life and happiness.