"We’re on the brink of an adventure children, don’t spoil it with questions. "
~ Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins could’ve been a graduate of the Silva Method thinking this way. :-)

Asking too many questions can put such a damper on things. Yet as adults, we become so serious and demanding because we want to know exactly what comes next, that we lose our sense of adventure, wonder and uncertainty. After all, what is an adventure if not uncertain?

Why do we crave knowing? Knowing what comes next, when things will happen, where we need to go, and so on.

Because we have forgotten what it’s like to play! Would you agree?

You see, playing is learning in a relaxed and unconstrained manner. In school we have been told how to learn, what to learn, and that if we don’t learn what the teacher tells us to learn, we will be punished. Either with bad marks, or a call to our parents. However, how it has been done, is not the best way to do it.

Neuroscience has been studying how play affects our learning in a white paper titled
Neuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence

The researchers find that the characteristics of joy, meaning, active engagement, iteration, and social interaction – are associated with brain processes involved in learning. These processes include reward, memory, cognitive flexibility, and stress regulation that are activated during learning, and serve to prepare a child’s brain for further development.

But I am sure you don’t need a white paper to tell you that! You experience it every single day. You have a hobby because you enjoy it. Because it gives you satisfaction and joy. Yet it’s something that you learn on your own, at your own pace with the focus on the experience you are having throughout. Hobbies are like playing. They are not primarily about the outcome, but the challenge, and the journey of getting there. And this is what is missing from our adult lives.

There is more to it though.

As children we live in a different frame of mind, one that is more relaxed. A natural state of mind as coined by Hans Berger. He discovered that the brain emits electrical currents which speed up, or slow down depending on the state of one’s mind. A child’s brain wave activity, their natural state of mind, he called alpha. In the Alpha state the brain emits an electrical current of an average of 7 hertz/second.

This is the state where we are in when we play, create, listen to music, walk, meditate, and are the most creative. This is the preferred state to be in. It is an effective learning and creating state.

Berger also found that when people were active, their brain waves increased in speed upwards to 20 hertz/second. That is about 3x faster than in Alpha. He called this more active state of mind Beta. This is the preferred state to be in when doing something like driving your car, looking after your child, doing math equations, and so on. However, it also relies on the 5 senses, and cuts off your intuition.

Ideally we would be able to move in and out of these states as required. Alpha would help us be more creative, kind, and playful. While being in Beta is key to getting some stuff done.

Once we get it done, it makes sense to go back to Alpha.

If you are having trouble sleeping, relaxing, or playing with children, it’s because your tendency is to be in a state of Beta or doing. When in this state, then we are focused on "I", and are disconnected from the world around us. We internalize lots of anxiety, and this causes stress. Being in Beta too much, will cause physical and mental stress which will affect us.

So how to get out of this crazy loop?

Relax!
Just relax.

Meditate.
Get out a book and read.
Go out for a walk.
Have a glass of wine (not two).
Play with your pet, and relax.

Get yourself back into Alpha and have some fun.

If you are stressed out and need some help in getting to Alpha, check out my Silva Method courses. It’ll teach you how to get there and heal your inner child.

Wishing you Abundance, Joy and Ease!
Stephen Dobos