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BrainDance.com Newsletter: August, 1996

by Patrick Magee, author of Brain Dancing

Summary of this issue

Our thinking is state bound  
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Tony Robbins teaches that our emotions are influenced by our state. I've noticed that the flow of ideas into my mind is also influenced by changes in physiology and mental focus. One reason we get so many ideas while taking showers may be the unique physiology's involved. I am often amazed at how many creative ideas I seem to get while flying. I attribute this to the fact that I am surrounded by a variety of people of diverse backgrounds, and to the fact that flying in a pressurized cabin at 30,000 feet promotes unique physiology's.

If I'm having trouble coming up with ideas in my office, I sometimes take a pencil and notepad into a conference room, the cafeteria, or to the top of a nearby hill. This state-bound idea-flow phenomenon is the main reason that I use idea collection sheets to accumulate related thoughts across space and time. As explained in my on-line metalearning handbook, an idea collection sheet involves taking a blank piece of copy paper (non-lined), turning it sideways (this allows us to see more of the page at once since our eyes are arranged horizontally), and doing a 5-10 minute mental burst. Begin by writing the topic in the middle of the page and then use abbreviations or keywords and symbols to record related ideas as quickly as possible. Then set the sheet aside for an hour, day or week. Oftentimes, this short mental burst will prime your subconscious mind to be on the lookout for related ideas, and they will drift into your awareness without effort as you are doing other things.

Cool products

Internet Surfing Chair  
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I can only sit upright so many hours in a day and still maintain a healthy back. Yet I enjoy surfing the net far more than watching TV. So I ended up purchasing a reclining lawn chair, sliding it under my desk, setting my monitor on the edge of the desk, and setting the mouse on a book in my lap. This allows me to cruise the Internet without doing anything but moving a finger to click the mouse. I've noticed that this chair has significantly extended the number of hours I can comfortably surf the net. Admittedly, keyboard use is a hassle from this position. Hopefully someone will solve this problem soon.

Cecilia CD: At a recent seminar, Wayne Dyer played a song from a CD called "Cecilia: The Voice of the Feminine Spirit". The song was Amazing Grace, sung to the accompaniment of humpback whales. I purchased the CD and must say it is one my all-time favorites. I have since given away 8 of these CD's and they have been very well received. Most of the songs are written by Stuart Wilde. If I am remembering Wayne Dyer correctly, Cecilia is one of the few people on the planet with a 10 octave range voice! She is one of two people in the history of Norway's top music school to score a perfect 10 in every category. I have no financial interest in this CD. I mention it only to give credit where credit is due, and to share with you music that has touched me deeply. Click here to visit their website.

Why Clarity is Power  
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The reason clarity is power, the reason we should begin with the end in mind, the reason goals are so important, is that these things provide the basis for communicating direction to our vast subconscious mental resources. The feedback loop for determining the effectiveness of your self-communication efforts is the direction your actions are taking you. "It's not what the vision is. It's what the vision does," as Alan Kay puts it.

The key to weight loss  
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It's not how many calories you burn when you exercise that is important. It is that you exercise in a way that changes the metabolism of your muscle cells so they burn fat more efficiently, even when you are not exercising. The way you do this is by exercising aerobically 3 to 6 times per week. "Aerobic" is defined as an exercise that gets your heart rate up to 80% of maximum and keeps it there for 12-30 minutes. The duration depends on how many of the large muscle groups are involved in the exercise. The exercise should involve the leg muscles if possible. You should be able to carry on a conversation comfortably while exercising, otherwise you are overdoing it. See "Fit or Fat", by Covert Bailey, for more information. In his words, tell your cells to "Release the grease!"

Why is this important to Brain Dancers? Because the brain feeds on glucose and oxygen. Aerobic means "to exercise with air." Aerobic exercise increases the flow of oxygen to your brain, and this usually increases mental capacity. "Fatigue makes cowards of us all," said Vince Lombardi. I believe the opposite is also true: increasing your energy level increases the chances that you will be motivated to take the actions necessary to manifest your dreams, and regular aerobic exercise is an excellent way to cultivate high levels of personal energy.

Here are some cool self-development articles you may want to check out:

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