Physician Harvey Zarren, Principal at Connected Healing Institute in the Greater Boston area, reminds us that we all have the potential to alter our physiology through our thoughts. You don't have to be stuck where you are.

We have been created with certain genes inherited from our parents. But, that genetic makeup, or DNA, only determines only part of our physiological make up. We are all wired differently and our environment can have a large impact on how we see the world.

For example, if you were raised in a household full of stress or fear, you may have an overactive and sympathetic nervous system. But, science shows that you do have the ability to change and alter that circuitry to arrive at a more relaxed state of mind.

According to Dr. Zarren, only two percent of the 23,000 genes we inherit can not be changed, like the color of our eyes or how tall we are. The other part of genetic make up can be controlled, turned on or off, by us. One way to activate those switches is through taking time to appreciate beauty, alter our breathing, or engage in a creative task like making art. Relaxation exercises and mindfulness meditations are also ways to begin to adjust the balance of our anatomy.

Dr. Zarren shares a quote from a Jewish Prayer Book: "We shall walk with hope, we the children of God, who crowded the heavens with stars, endowed the earth with glory, and filled our souls with wonder." We all have individual beliefs about the existence of God and religion. What is most important to Dr. Zarren is making a connection to a divine presence in our lives.

Hear Dr. Zarren in the audio file below describe the human brain like an onion.

REFLECTION

Think of a time and place when you felt especially at peace, calm, and relaxed. Where were you? What was the setting? When is the last time you were there? Can you put aside some time each day to think about these feelings of peace?

In the next lesson, Dr. Harvey Zarren talks more about scientific evidence for how our brain works, and also offers this prayer: "We shall walk with hope, we the children of God, who crowded the heavens with stars, endowed the earth with glory, and filled our souls with wonder."