Week 2 (Anatomy: Fire) **1. List as many divisions of the nervous system as you can and relate their function.** Nervous system-Central (involuntary), Peripheral (voluntary), Autonomic-Parasympathetic (rest and digest, freeze, faint), Sympathetic (fight or flight), Enteric (digestion). **2. List as many regions of the brain as possible and relate what they are associated with.** The three major divisions of the brain are sometimes called reptilian, mammalian and neocortex. 1. In the reptilian section (part we share with our reptilian ancestors) we have: a. brain stem—vital functions (plus voluntary breathing) b. cerebellum (balance and coordination). The neurons are packed very densely here and doubled on both sides in case of injury or failure the other side can take over. There is basic zero neuroplasticity in this section of the brain. 2. The mammalian section (part we share with our mammalian ancestors) contains the: a. limbic system (amygdala-first sign of danger or opportunity) b. hippocampus— lays down new memories and develops strategies for handling stress c. the basal ganglia (constructs and maintains habits) d. the cingulate cortex (greatly involved with attention) e. striatum (reward mechanism) There is much more neuroplasticity in this region as the neurons are more spread out than the reptilian section. 3. There are four parts of the neocortex. a. Frontal Lobe: Executive Function, emotional inhibition and generation, regulation of positive emotions and negative emotions b. Parietal Lobe: Sensory perception and integration c. Temporal Lobe: Understanding language, face and object recognition, processing Auditory Information d. Occipital Lobe: Visual Perception, color, form and motion **3. Describe the process of digestion from mastication to elimination.** Some say that digestion begins with the eyes (seeing our food, the color and texture can trigger the release of saliva, etc.) or the nose (smelling = olfactory) or even the hands (touching the food to bring it to our mouth). Mastication is where we bite into food and begin chewing to break it down. Saliva and enzymes are released to help break it down chemically and send messages to the stomach, etc. to prepare accordingly. Tasting invokes a combination of friction on the tongue along with chemical reactions aiding by smelling. Once the food is ready (ideally chewed approximately 20-30 times) it travels down the esophagus where it enters the stomach. There it is greeted by hydrochloric acid that breaks it down even further before it passes through the pyloric valve into the beginning of the small intestine (duodenum) giving us the natural signal that we are full and can stop eating. From there the small intestine combs the food (now called chyme) for basic nutrients that are distributed to various organs (liver, pancreas, kidneys or throughout the blood stream). Whatever remains from the chyme enters the large intestine to further extract any nutrients before becoming stool that collects in the colon awaiting elimination. (Anatomy : Air) **4. What muscles are involved in the process of respiration and what is it for primarily?** The main muscles involved with respiration are the: 1. diaphragm, which pulls the lungs down when contracted and helps to empty the lungs when released 2. intercostals between the ribs help to expand and contract the rib cage Respiration is necessary for taking in fresh organized energy (mainly from sunlight) and expelling disorganized energy (to avoid entropy—the 2nd law of thermodynamics—disorder always increases in a closed system). The majority of our energy comes from breathing. We can survive for weeks without food, days without water, but only a few minutes without breathing. Similarly, the majority of our toxins (disorganized energy) is expelled through respiration. Urination and defamation are a distant 2 and 3. Sweat is not an ordinary means of expelling toxins (unless one is near death due to sepsis), despite overconfidently incorrect claims that we sweat out our toxins. Sweat is primarily for cooling down our temperature and sending out a chemical signature for mating purposes (body odor). **5. What are ATP, dopamine, serotonin, gabba and norepinephrine associated with respectively?** Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is the main way that our body stores and distributes energy as a concoction of water, oxygen and glucose. It’s the closest equivalent to what some have called prana, chi, qi or ojas, yet not exactly the same. That said if our body has a deficit of ATP globally we cannot move, or locally, that area will break down. Dopamine is a chemical associated with craving (deficit) and reward (surplus) and most concentrated in the nucleus acumens of the ventral striatum. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved with executive functions and mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been used to help people struggling with anxiety and depression with a spectrum of results ranging from lifesaving to unhelpful at best. Gabba is a neuroinhibitor that is associated with calming down our nervous system and rest and digest. Though it is mostly involuntary, slow unforced exhales can help increase its supply somewhat voluntarily. Norepinephrine is involved with attention. Too much (rajas) and it may seem scattered and agitated. Too little (tamas) and it may seem dull and sludgy. Just the right amount (sattva) and our attention will seem stable, clear and calm. It is usually governed involuntarily by a nucleus in the pons of the brain stem, the same one involved with regulating the breath. **6. Describe Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and how voluntarily influence over breathing can affect it.** HRV or heart rate variability is not only a measure of how much the heart beats during the inhale compared to the exhale, but is used to determine vagal tone, resilience to stress, and predict longevity. The greater one's HRV (more variance of heart beats between inhale vs exhale) the greater correlation of one’s vagal tone, life expectancy and overall quality of life measured in positive relationships. By slowing our breath rate down to 6 breaths cycles per minute or slower, which can temporarily increase our HRV and by doing so for a prolonged period of time, followed by intentional rest, we can gradually increase our overall resting HRV. This is probably one of the most important aspects of what some scholars call modern postural yoga’s popularity. There are many forms of pranayama techniques with a variety of short and long term outcomes. All of them are geared toward helping us increase HRV and thus resilience, reducing anxiety, depression and increasing overall quality of life. Many have been studied with well controlled experiments to better understand their unique benefits and costs. Similarly, many of the classical meditation techniques have been studied properly to see how they transform the connectivity between structures of the brain over time that can correlate with emotion and subjective states. (6 Divisions of Sanskrit Literature) **1. Who is the traditional founder of the Sankhya school?  When did he live?  What was the name of his text?** The Sankhya school was founded by Ishvarakirshna who lived around 200 CE.  His text is called the Sankhya Karikas (or verses on Sankhya). **2. Explain the first verse of this text.** The first verse of this text says that because of the three kinds of suffering, we must understand the wisdom that is the antidote for these three sufferings. **3. Explain the second verse of this text.** The second verse explains that the wisdom that eliminates suffering is the knowledge of: 1. Pure consciousness 2. The manifest 3. The unmanifest. In Sanskrit these are called purusha and prakirti. **4. In Sankhya philosophy are mind and consciousness the same thing?** No.  Mind has the functions or sorting, analyzing, and collecting data from the senses. It however is not the ultimate source of consciousness. The goal of Sankhya is to isolate pure consciousness from manifest reality and to rest in this pure state of consciousness called Kaivalya—a state of total purity. **6. Who is the founder of the Advaita Vedanta school and when did he live?** The Vedanta school is broken out into three groups.  The Advaita school was founded by the great Adi Shankaracharya who lived in the 8th century CE. **5. Define Brahman and Atman** Brahman is ultimate or absolute reality.  It is beyond time, space, and causality. Atman is this same ultimate reality but localized in living beings.  It is the same unchanging reality behind the 5 layers of being. **6. Name the five paths of yoga.** The five paths of yoga are 1. Seva 2. Karma Yoga 3. Bhakti Yoga 4. Raja Yoga 5. Jnana Yoga (Niyamas) **1. Name and briefly describe the third niyama.** Tapas means more than just hard work. It means joyfully overcoming obstacles and putting up with hardships for the sake of our spiritual development. It is also having fun working hard, in virtuous projects like serving others. **2. How might you practice this niyama in your life, and what would the result of these seeds be if you did?** There are infinite examples of joyful effort. It could be as simple as getting on our meditation cushion or yoga mat when we really don't want to, or going that extra mile to help someone out who needs a helping hand. A great master, Shantideva says the highest form of tapas is not getting angry when we have every reason too. The result of joyful effort is mastering both body and senses. **3. What is the purpose of the 3rd niyama, tapas, and how does it purify the body and mind?** Tapas involves engaging in practices that purify the body and mind, such as enduring hunger and thirst, and putting up with spiritual hardships. These austerities generate heat, which symbolizes the purification process. By limiting desires and controlling the senses, a yogi can reduce distractions and achieve liberation, allowing the body and mind to become agents of spiritual progress. **4. Name and briefly describe the fourth niyama.** The fourth niyama is svadhyaya or the “study of the self”: It can mean study of scripture, deeply meditating on the nature of the self, or the repetition of sacred sounds or mantras. **5. How might you practice this niyama in your life, and what would the result of these seeds be if you did?** By engaging in regular study of sacred texts we plant the seeds to learn these text from great masters, or as Master Patanjali says: from the “Angel of our deepest dreams”. **6. What are the different practices included in Svadyaya, and how do they contribute to personal growth?** Svadyaya includes the study of sacred texts, repeating mantras, and reflecting on the nature of reality. These practices help in deepening one's understanding of spiritual teachings, fostering self-awareness, and promoting personal growth by aligning one's actions and thoughts with higher spiritual principles. **7. Name and briefly describe the fifth niyama.** The fifth niyama is Ishvara pranidhana or “seeking the Master’s blessing”. Ishvara is the “one who has attained their highest wish”. It is this kind of person, one who embodies our highest vision of attainment, that we seek out to learn from as a teacher and mentor. **8. How might you practice this niyama in your life, and what would the result of these seeds be if you did?** It is interesting to note, that of all the yamas and niyamas, it is only Ishvara pranidhana that is said to result in the highest of attainments: samadhi. **9. What does Ishvara Pranidhana mean, and how does it relate to achieving Samadhi?** Ishvara Pranidhana means devotion to God or the ideal of a perfected being. It involves aligning one's mind and actions with this higher ideal. According to the Yoga Sutras, this devotion helps one attain the final goal of Samadhi, the state of perfect concentration and spiritual insight.