A recent study showed that the relaxed brain wave state of theta not only increases memory, it also increases learning.
Synchronization in the brain is influenced by “theta waves” which are associated with relaxation, daydreaming and drowsiness, but also with learning and memory formation, the scientists explained in the study in the journal Nature.
Before healing my dyslexia and Asperger’s syndrome, I personally experienced that not being relaxed significantly affected my ability to remember and learn. The scientists from this study suggest that the findings from this and similar studies should lead to assisting people with learning disabilities. I would agree.
My personal experience with my learning disabilities taught me that the harder I tried, the tenser I became – and the worse I performed. I know this is true for everyone. For whatever reasons, a person processing a learning disability has a mind that not only works differently than most, it is more sensitive. We have a difficult time focusing under multiple distractions and we will tend to be less likely to follow through on a task. Yet, we have the potential to be more aware of subtle stimuli and their significance. When the body and mind is relaxed, such as in the theta brain wave state, the distractions disappear and leave us to easily focus our awareness on the task.
Asara Lovejoy’s book, The One Command teaches you to enter into a theta brain wave state to “connect up to source” so to have your commands be actualized. Her contention is that in this relaxed and connected state your affirmations are more powerful, and more likely to come true.
She’s right. Being in theta presupposes that you are relaxed and “in your body,” meaning your body and your mind are working in unison. Neither one, nor your external environment is distracting you. You fall into a place of having the focus of a type A personality and the relaxed awareness of someone with a learning disability.
The short course
A quick way to access theta wave’s power is to find a non-distracting space, and then begin to start to sense your body. For most of us, this is a foreign experience (I will be offering more on how to do this in future posts). I suggest you start by internally feeling your toes. You can imagine you are breathing in and out of your toes. Continue this process up both legs then through your entire body.
After ten minutes or more of relaxing and connecting o your body, start your task. If you fall asleep, as many will first do – that is what you needed. When you awake, you will be more relaxed. Either way, you will be more able to remember, learn or create.
Let us know how much smarter or richer this makes you :).
PS. Here are some apps that might help kids. There is a lot more available for dyslexic kids now than I had. Some of what is available I believe can be useful. I am still a big fan of address the cause — that is what help me.