Dr Joe Dispenza, Neuroscientist, Chiropractor, Lecturer and Author of Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One spoke to Dr. Books in Austin, Texas about the idea of the brain being elastic (brain plasticity). He says repeated activities can influence the brain and ease it into new patterns, creating new neural pathways, creating a more integrated brain-body.
He also spoke of this relevance for dyslexia: “On some level, then, the basis for learning for children that are dyslexic is that there are certain vacancies, certain networks of neurons that have to be selected and then instructed, and so once we’ve selected those networks and we instruct them, if we can repeat the process again, we’re all of a sudden causing a brain to work more holistically”, said Dispenza.
These theories are exactly what we at Books Family Health Center have witnessed happening for years with our clients of BNT, especially when they do the Brainercises along with their BNT sessions.
Books Neural Therapy™, the gentle, hands-on, non-invasive, no drug therapy that “re-wires” the nervous system and repairs communication breakdowns between the brain and body, creates the foundation of the house. For a house to weather storms and growing pains, it needs a strong and resilient structure, which is exactly what BNT provides. The nervous system is a bit like the electrical system. Actually, there are many systems in your house that need to be included in a certain order to avoid long term pitfalls. BNT helps build a strong, secure and resilient structure and a sound mind, hence out motto: “a sound mind in a sound body”
Brainercises are a series of fun, simple body coordination movements (6 in total) and are used to support the work of BNT.
Books Neural Therapy™ is performed in a three level, sequence somewhat like the construction of a house. Level One is the foundation of the house, Level 2 deals with the upper floors and Level 3 is the roof that seals it all in. The Brainercises are like the floor beams and cross beams keeping the structure strong – supported by the foundation and re-enforcing the strength of the walls and roof. In neuroscience terms, they fill in the vacancies and support the new neural pathways. With repetition, the new pathways allow information to flow faster and faster through the brain and body.
We can also liken the role of Brainercises with BNT to learning a new dance. BNT is the teaching of the new basic steps and Brainercises are the dimensional challenges that can be applied to those steps: Can you dance with your eyes closed, or can you dance without looking at your partner, or can you dance faster or slower? The Brainercises variations support and challenge the new pathways that are being created and encourage them to hold these new patterns while assimilating new stimuli specific to brain balancing.
Kathy Balcer, the Educational Consultant at Books Family Health Center says, “The parents and I have noticed that when the children practice the Brainercises, their results show up more quickly. When parents do the Brainercises with their kids, the parents come back smiling saying that they themselves notice more balance and a sense of calm energy.”
The Brainercises are demonstrated first with the client at the Center, and then the clients are given a DVD of the Brainercises so they can be easily guided through the sequence at home.
“Two students (clients) were reticent at first about doing the exercises, but then saw after two 15 minute sessions at the office, they were more balanced and found the exercises more fun and so began doing them at home on their own. Their consistent practice at Brainercises gave them a greater feeling of happiness that even their parents noticed the change!” says Kathy.
Along with the 6 brain enhancing exercises which include The Cross Crawl, Up and Over, The Balance Beam, The Infinity, Hopping and The Clock, patients of BNT also keep a journal – writing every day to monitor improved penmanship and thought structure; they follow a sugar free diet – sugar prevents the sphenoid bone realignments from holding; and they drink lots of water – dehydration prevents realignments from holding, and it causes unreliable results in muscle testing.
So, do your Brainercises for a more balanced brain-body!