In 2005, after I had my plural marriage breakthrough while in Iraq, one of the first things that became apparent to me was that in theory, no other human relational modality had more potential power to help us fulfill John 17, which is Yeshua’s last prayer. He asked our Father this: that they may all be one. As You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. Done right, a successful plural family where people have done the hard work of putting on their big boy and big girl panties and have built a team will get the “so-that-the-world-may-believe-that-You-have-sent-Me”-job done right quick. Tall order; let’s git ‘er dun.
It may be comforting to know that there is an actual neuroplastic response in your frontal lobe that physically changes the topography of your brain when you choose unity, even if getting there is daunting. The changes that occur in your brain when you choose a lifestyle of forgiveness and unity are visible and measurable.
Dr. Caroline Leaf, a world-renown neuroscientist (who is also a believer) puts it this way:
“When we study the nature of the mind and how it impacts the brain, we realize that humanity, and indeed the world, is entangled. We are designed to sympathize with one another, to reach out in love and to care about our neighbor. We all have mirror neurons, which enable us to experience what other people are going through—our brains literally act as a ‘mirror.’
When we empathize with other people, many different regions of the brain collaborate alongside the tiny, powerful mirror neurons, allowing us to truly put ourselves in another person’s “shoes”; we have been hardwired to experience powerful compassion for others. We are designed for relationships, so it would make sense to have brain wiring to support healthy relationships. Mirror neurons also explain our love of stories. These neurons help make stories real for us, allowing us to learn from each other.
But how to do mirror neurons work? We have “mirror neurons” across the brain that fire up as we watch someone else laugh or cry or drink a cup of coffee. Giacomo Rizzolatti and his team were the first to discover these mirror neurons in 1995. Through these neurons we literally fire up activity in the brain without actually using our five senses through the normal sensory-cognitive cycle. These cells appear to be activated both when we do something, and when simply watching another person do the same thing. One of the most powerful roles suggested for the mirror neuron system in humans is that of understanding not just other people’s physical actions or speech, but their minds and their intentions as well.”
It was also in Iraq that I first became aware of Dr. Leaf’s work, which has been enormously helpful in every aspect of my life, both personal (including spiritual) and business. Most recently I learned from her that what she calls “the forgiveness mindset,” (which could briefly be described as a lifestyle rather than an event) actually increases the size of certain portions of the brain.
“Forgiveness changes the brain. Research shows that forgiving someone increases the size of the brain’s anterior superior temporal sulcus (aSTS). In fact, the larger the amount of grey matter in this patch of cortex, the more likely we are to forgive those who have made a serious mistake by accident. The more you forgive, the more you are likely to forgive—the brain changes to accommodate a forgiveness mindset! This literally means the more you forgive, the easier it becomes.”
What that says to me is that it is going to be the repeated decision, intention and anointed execution of living in unity (as much as lieth within thee) coupled with rapid and relentless forgiveness that are going to get us there.
The potential for becoming much more “one,”( in a family first of all, and then with fellow believers as time goes on) appears to be a medical possibility in addition to a spiritual expectation as our mirror neurons start matching each other.
It may be comforting to know that there is an actual neuroplastic response in your frontal lobe that physically changes the topography of your brain when you choose unity, even if getting there is daunting. The changes that occur in your brain when you choose a lifestyle of forgiveness and unity are visible and measurable.
Dr. Caroline Leaf, a world-renown neuroscientist (who is also a believer) puts it this way:
“When we study the nature of the mind and how it impacts the brain, we realize that humanity, and indeed the world, is entangled. We are designed to sympathize with one another, to reach out in love and to care about our neighbor. We all have mirror neurons, which enable us to experience what other people are going through—our brains literally act as a ‘mirror.’
When we empathize with other people, many different regions of the brain collaborate alongside the tiny, powerful mirror neurons, allowing us to truly put ourselves in another person’s “shoes”; we have been hardwired to experience powerful compassion for others. We are designed for relationships, so it would make sense to have brain wiring to support healthy relationships. Mirror neurons also explain our love of stories. These neurons help make stories real for us, allowing us to learn from each other.
But how to do mirror neurons work? We have “mirror neurons” across the brain that fire up as we watch someone else laugh or cry or drink a cup of coffee. Giacomo Rizzolatti and his team were the first to discover these mirror neurons in 1995. Through these neurons we literally fire up activity in the brain without actually using our five senses through the normal sensory-cognitive cycle. These cells appear to be activated both when we do something, and when simply watching another person do the same thing. One of the most powerful roles suggested for the mirror neuron system in humans is that of understanding not just other people’s physical actions or speech, but their minds and their intentions as well.”
It was also in Iraq that I first became aware of Dr. Leaf’s work, which has been enormously helpful in every aspect of my life, both personal (including spiritual) and business. Most recently I learned from her that what she calls “the forgiveness mindset,” (which could briefly be described as a lifestyle rather than an event) actually increases the size of certain portions of the brain.
“Forgiveness changes the brain. Research shows that forgiving someone increases the size of the brain’s anterior superior temporal sulcus (aSTS). In fact, the larger the amount of grey matter in this patch of cortex, the more likely we are to forgive those who have made a serious mistake by accident. The more you forgive, the more you are likely to forgive—the brain changes to accommodate a forgiveness mindset! This literally means the more you forgive, the easier it becomes.”
What that says to me is that it is going to be the repeated decision, intention and anointed execution of living in unity (as much as lieth within thee) coupled with rapid and relentless forgiveness that are going to get us there.
The potential for becoming much more “one,”( in a family first of all, and then with fellow believers as time goes on) appears to be a medical possibility in addition to a spiritual expectation as our mirror neurons start matching each other.
