The brain is the marrow of the body; the other parts are mere appendages, grown by leave of conditional consequences which we commonly call natural selection. Such of these appendages as have not been obstructed by conditional consequences remain, as we can see, and have been threaded by numerous telecommuting nerves fed by conjunctive arteries and veins. The brain directs and guides the actions of these appendages as well as of the entire body in a supervisory and even in a supervening capacity, releasing energizing neurotransmitters and providing protective surveillance for the body.
And the cooperation between body and brain is coordinate and immediate. Neuroscience has proved that the instant the body begins to perform some activity; the brain begins adaptive adjustment to make that activity easier, more skillful and more effective. This adjustment (practice making perfect) consists of strengthening some neuronal routes, weakening some and rerouting others. Feedforward is stimulated (experiencing the start of an activity before the activity starts. The expression is opposed to feedback). One can look closely at an inert ceiling fan and think of its turning a certain direction and feedforward will soon make it appear to turn slowly in that direction. One can look at a small black inanimate dot on the floor and wonder if it”s a bug and feedforward will soon make it appear slowly to move, as a bug crawling. Try it. This illusory movement is continual because the stimulation, a mere fancy, is too slight to incite the optical sense to correct it. If correction is incited, it happens in about half a second.
And finally, one can take a placebo to ease a genuine pain; and the body will often reward confidence with relief or sometimes will even cure an illness, real though the illness may be; for the body contains medicines of its own: endorphins, the brain”s own opiates and enkephalin, a neurotransmitter having to do with mood and pain perception are two. I expect there are many.
Who is to say but the act of thinking of a cure will sometimes stimulate the brain to remap, adjust and adapt to bring that cure within the pale of practicality? It happens and it”s easier to believe than magic.
Dean Sparks
Lucerne
