Brain mastery means executing what you choose to achieve, consciously manifesting your intentions.
What does it mean to master your brain? I believe it means to employ the brain’s core functions intentionally. Brain mastery is another way to say “self-mastery,” as the brain provides the means through which we control and experience our body, emotions, and mind. Through consciously becoming the masters of our brains, we can actually create our lives.
“Brain Mastering” is the fifth and final step of my Brain Education method in which you first become more aware of all five senses plus the sixth sense of feeling subtle energy (Step One: Brain Sensitizing), become more agile in making new neural connections (Step Two: Brain Versatilizing), free yourself from limiting thoughts and emotions (Step Three: Brain Refreshing), and discover who you really are while integrating all parts of you to be in alignment with it (Step Four: Brain Integrating). In “Brain Mastering,” you repeatedly and ceaselessly apply the principles and methods of the previous steps in order to implement the self-identity and core values you obtained through Brain Integrating in your daily life.
By minimizing the gap between what you want and your actual life, you’ll be able to pour your energy completely into action without internal conflict, creating the results and life you want.
Through the process of Brain Mastering, your brain continually transforms and solidifies neural connections that support the creation of a truly happy life. Increasingly, your brain becomes able to find creative, workable solutions to life’s basic problems. You become more decisive, and your mind develops the habit of forming more peaceful relationships with other people and the world as a whole.
In this way, Brain Mastering can make the seemingly impossible possible. It’s a way to overcome perceived limitations to achieve whatever you sincerely choose.
Brain Mastering can make the seemingly impossible possible. Click To TweetHow to Master Your Brain
The concept of brain mastery may sound grand and/or nebulous, but practicing it can be made quite simple.
Here are some steps:
- Make a vision.
The vision you choose is very important. For it to be used for brain mastery, pick a goal that reflects your true self. How do you know which goal fits this criterion? You know when the very thought of it fills you with pure joy. It gives you unlimited motivation while requiring you to use your energy and abilities to their limits. Such a vision holds your attention and is realistic enough that your success can be measured by concrete methods. Besides being good for you, a vision worthy of your true self is also beneficial for others—the more, the better. - Affirm you have what it takes to achieve your vision.
As soon as you choose a brain mastery vision, your natural doubt and fear will kick in. Your negative self-talk will go on overdrive. Exercises for Brain Refreshing and Brain Integrating can help combat this reaction so you can begin to move forward. Another helpful exercise is Self-Declaration (see below), which you can use to ingrain the qualities you need to achieve your goal. - Direct all your resources and concentration toward your vision.
The more your internal and external resources and energy go toward your vision, the more they will move into alignment with your true self and its values. It’s also important to have a mind sharp like an arrow, like a knife’s edge. A mind strongly focused cuts through the noise in your life and directs energy toward your goal, because energy concentrates wherever the mind does. - Use the first four steps of Brain Education, as well as the principles of the Brain Operating System and the Plan-Do-Check-Act technique to achieve your vision.
Working on a vision is a lifestyle and a practice. It involves applying tools over and over as you doggedly move forward through inevitable obstacles, believing you can succeed. With time, you’ll become more proficient at using these tools, plus the exercises below, to live a life of self-mastery. - Repeat as you refine your character to match your true self.
Going through life, you can create new visions and refine and redirect existing ones. In every case, as a master of your brain, you can use these visions to propel yourself to action. With each iteration, you come to trust yourself more, closing the gap between your true self and everything else. What you learn through taking action for your vision turns into wisdom and a strong character that not only benefits you but all those that your life touches.
Brain Mastering Exercises
VISION MEDITATION
Your brain is the tool that’s been given to you to complete your journey of self-actualization, and Vision Meditation is a way to converse with your brain to access the ideas and strength you’ll need to make your vision come true. Your true self uses your brain to deliver its messages to you.
- Sit comfortably, and breathe in and out three times.
- Lift your hands to chest level, and begin this Energy Sensing Exercise. Once you feel the energy in and between your hands and quiet your thoughts and emotions, put your hands over your heart.
- Bringing your awareness inside the center of your chest, where the energy of your true self resides, ask yourself, “What do I really want?” Ask repeatedly until you get an answer. Trust in your answer, but if doubts arise, dig deep again and listen to be sure the messages come from a place that’s authentically you.
- Lower your hands to your knees. Then imagine a stream of energy entering the crown of your head and shooting out through the third eye point between your eyebrows. Imagine that the energy is projecting a bright screen in front of you, the MindScreen. Your MindScreen is a place to make your visualization more tangible with the great assistance of your attention and energy. Your MindScreen hosts and channels energy to whatever and wherever your mind directs it.
- Visualize what you want to create on your MindScreen as if a movie is playing it. Experience the outcome with all of your senses. Imagine yourself being filled with joy as you achieve your vision.
- When you are finished, breathe in and out three times and open your eyes. Record your vision in a notebook or make a vision board.
SELF-DECLARATION EXERCISE
Create a statement to help keep your brain infused with the will to complete your vision.
- Use a simple declarative sentence, especially an “I am” statement, that describes the kind of person who naturally embodies your goal. It can be one that’s in direct opposition to your negative self-talk. For example, if your brain has habitually undermined your exercise goals with thoughts like, “I am lazy,” then replace that with a strong statement in the reverse, such as, “I am hard-working.” You can also have a non–I am statement such as “I can do it” or “I love myself.” The best way to discover the most potent self-declaration is by listening to your inner voice.
- Once you have discovered your declaration, write it down. Say it over and over. Sometimes when you say it, express it with your body and put all your power and energy behind it. Declare it to your brain with all your might, and it will believe you even more.
- You can also talk to a supportive friend or mentor about the life you envision. Find ways to declare yourself consistently, diligently, and sincerely. Your declaration is truth.
SELF-CREATION EXERCISE
Self-creation is the development and nurturing of your brain by supplying it with information that reveals what you want to be and create from your innermost being. The new identity you’ve chosen and your new vision needs to be practiced in everyday life; you define who you are through your actions—actions set in motion by information in your brain. In turn, the information in your brain is reaffirmed by your actions, and a cycle of mutual reinforcement is established.
When your words and actions become one and the same, then the nature of the experience is likely to become permanently etched into your brain. When the information is proven beyond a doubt, it’s linked in your brainstem to the cosmic network of information that drives the universe, and you “move heaven and earth” to achieve your vision.
Set aside a specific time in the morning or evening to do this exercise.
- Sit comfortably, and breathe in and out three times. Lift your hands, and do Energy Sensing Exercise.
- Once you feel the energy flow, bring each hand to either side of your head and repeatedly move them toward and then away from it. Feel any stimulation in your head or the rest of your body. Once you feel relaxed, rest your hands on your knees.
- Tell your brain about the vision you hold for yourself as if you were speaking to your best friend. You can speak aloud or silently.
- Imagine that the vision is being accepted and acknowledged by your brain. Visualize brightly shining energy entering your brain, passing through the neocortex and the limbic system to reach the brainstem. See your whole brain illuminating brightly as if it were promising you the very best support.
- Ask your brain what you should do to achieve your vision, and listen to what it has to say. Notice the first feelings, sensations, or thoughts that come to you. They may offer new insights or ideas you need.
- Repeat the following sentences out loud or in your mind: “My brain is productive. My brain is creative. My brain is peaceful.”
- Breathe in and out slowly three times to finalize the exercise.
BRAIN STRENGTHENING EXERCISE
You can build up your ability to achieve larger, more complicated goals by practicing with simple, physical challenges. Physical-fitness training is an excellent way to practice stepping beyond obstacles.
- Choose a measurable physical exercise (walking/push-ups).
- Determine what you can do comfortably at your current level (walking for 20 minutes/ doing 10 push-ups).
- Decide on a goal (walking 1 hour/doing 100 push-ups).
- Practice the exercise every day, increasing how much you do each day (one minute of walking/one push-up). Do your best not to skip a single day. With time, you’ll be sure to reach your goal and prove your capability and diligence to your brain.
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Although the steps and exercises for mastering your brain may be simple, they are not easy. True mastery of anything can never be achieved without hard work and commitment. But like a coal that turns into a diamond under great stress and pressure, through the process of brain mastery, you’ll be able to radiate pure light to everyone you meet. And you’ll become an example for them of the potential we all have.
It’s hard to do it alone, however. That’s why I always suggest taking the hand of the person next to you and behind you. Then you can go together, hand in hand. Two going together is easier than one going it alone, and three going together is easier than two.
At its heart, brain mastery is a commitment to continuous self-improvement. It’s that dedication to living in the most dynamic and fulfilling way possible that I believe is the greatest reward.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about Brain Education and its five steps in Ilchi Lee’s books: The Power Brain: Five Steps to Upgrading Your Brain Operating System and Principles of Brain Management: A Practical Approach to Making the Most of Your Brain.
You can also take classes that bring you through the five steps of Brain Education at a local Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi center. Find one in the United States at BodynBrain.com.
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