The marvels of the human brain

Our brain is an extraordinary engineering marvel — it does thousands of tasks without getting bored. Think of it. The brain is a pharmaceutical wonder — it maintains and processes hundreds of chemicals in our body. It warns us when danger lurks in the corner. It keeps us close to our family and our loved ones. It invents and fulfils dreams; it analyses and solves life’s multi-dimensional issues and problems. Put simply, it guides us through crises. Interestingly, science and technology have not understood our brain completely — that is, one hundred per cent.
We have taken over a millennium or more to know what we now know about the brain, but the amazing fact is that our brain takes just a micro-second for conscious functions that we perform daily. This encompasses a vast gamut of chores that are light years ahead of the most sophisticated computer chip. Some examples are communication, data processing, organising, eating, sleeping, writing, balancing our bank account and finances — or, messing with them — not to speak of health, exercise, career and a host of other activities. Our brain works in an ever-changing environment, or situation. It adapts to change at the drop of a thought. In the process, it channels our inner resources to enable us to grow in terms of knowledge, and also emotionally, logically and spiritually. Besides, it coordinates and regulates other functions at the speed of thought — emotions and actions, such as laughing, crying, blushing at the prospect of getting engaged, or going through stress just before an examination, or presentation.
The brain also regulates and maintains our psychical, psychological, and physiological systems. It heals and restores our body to optimal health too, after an illness, or even a minor injury. You may call our brain the seat of healing — this is not limited to the external aspect, the skin. It also relates to the emotional processes of our being that exist deep within us. The therapeutic power of our brain is our power to heal at every level of evolution. It is not limited to just the repairing process; it also represents an ongoing, incessant ability to handle new situations, pressures or stresses.
Just as much as our mind-body-spirit dimension is interconnected, so are our emotions, feelings, aspirations, struggles and triumphs. This is best expressed by the famed two-word phrase, ‘gut feeling.’ This is an emotional feeling, all right, but it connotes a deep-seated meaning — one that is conveyed on our face, through our eyes. It does not take a psychologist much to decipher if someone is lying.
Most forms of holistic medicine are keyed to treating our whole body and mind — not just the parts or organs that are affected by illness. It is heartening to know that contemporary medicine is aiming to become more humane and gentle. More and more physicians today are looking at the body, mind and the individual as one unified entity — not just the parts, but part of the whole. Philosophers call this credo ‘expressed resolution’ — one that celebrates a balanced state, or what our brain sends as ‘sms’ alerts to heal ourselves from the inside-out.