How Is Your Neurobiology An Obstacle In Living Your Divine Purpose?

Can  neurons really block your ability to live a life of purpose?

I never gave this much thought, but in reading Joan Borysenko’s book, A Woman’s Book of Life: The Biology, Psychology, and Spirituality of the Feminine Life Cycle, I have an insight into why it can be difficult to follow your dreams.

It is important to understand how the brain develops connections.

Borysenko says:

If a little girl is repeatedly abused by a drunken father, for example, the resulting helplessness, rage, and fear of men are likely to be deeply embedded neurologically.  Change is possible in later years by myelinating new pathways, but that change may require tremendous effort, considerable therapy, and sustained attention over many years since the initial circuitry will always remain.

While this site is not focused on abuse, it is clear in this enlightening example that repetition can greatly impact what we think, say, and do.  (And in a sense how we abuse ourselves by discarding our dreams.)  Through a process of myelination, thoughts and beliefs and the resulting actions are, not only formed, but set in stone.  Suddenly it makes sense to me the difficulty so many people face in changing their programming.

This is why we can’t just recite affirmations all day long and have our lives change overnight.  However, we can reprogram ourselves through the same myelination process that left us with our current limitations.

The deep personal, and often spiritual, work that we undertake to become a more authentic expression of ourselves requires a firm commitment that is stronger than our doubts and fears.  The doubts and fears are the myelinated path that is laid in brick of an old and outdated paradigm, but our brain doesn’t know it!  The synapses are strong…

This is one way we develop our sense of right and wrong.  Myelination is also how we come to develop  our set of beliefs and behaviors that accompany those beliefs.  That ‘dug in’ path is what leaves us living below our potential.  Embedded in our thoughts is the belief that we “can not” or “should not” do something different.  Especially if it goes against what was ingrained in us as children.

Use your Neurobiology to your advantage!

Borysenko says that our initial circuitry remains the same throughout our lives.  However, it makes sense to me that when you have the awareness of what your underlying patterns are, then you can consciously change them–even if the new patterns you are implementing don’t feel authentic in the beginning.

Repetition does work to replace old paradigms, but it requires that you get underneath it all and expose the commitments that you’ve made that no longer serve you.  Once you have this information, you will have unlocked the key to living your Life Purpose enabling you to step into right livelihood and the life of your dreams.

ps:  I have no background or training in neurobiology, but this makes sense to me.  I also haven’t done any research on myelination, but there are many people who have researched brain rules.