Times of Social Unrest Appear to Boost Our Brain’s Neuroplasticity
New research suggests that times of global unrest present a unique opportunity for neurological growth and profound behavior change, but only when leveraged correctly.
Kayla Osterhoff is a neuropsychophysiologist who studies the interaction of the mind and brain, which she calls the ‘human operating system.’
“One of the greatest mysteries in modern neuroscience is actually how the brain produces the mind. The reason why we have not been able to come up with the answer for this is because that’s not how it works. These two are actually separate systems that interact together to produce what I call the ‘human operating system,’ which is responsible for our version of reality as humans,” Osterhoff said.
Osterhoff has recently been researching the hypothesis that times of social unrest provide a valuable opportunity to neurologically upgrade this human operating system.
“Right now, we have this very unique opportunity to upgrade our ‘human operating system’ globally,” Osterhoff said. “And that is because as a society around the entire world we are experiencing this social unrest and this has caused a couple of significant cognitive and neurological shifts that have provided an opportunity for us to grow and evolve as a society.”
Osterhoff points to several fascinating factors that contribute to this phenomenon.
“So, studies are showing that acute states of stress, like shock, trauma, or something surprising like what we’re currently experiencing in our world, caused this cognitive psychological shift that actually makes our subconscious mind more suggestible, meaning that our subconscious mind is brought forward so to speak, and it’s more malleable, it’s more programmable,” Osterhoff said.
“If you look back at clinical hypnosis research and Ericksonian research — he was kind of the father of clinical hypnosis — he found in his research that shock and surprise are actually a form of hypnotic induction that can be utilized to reprogram the subconscious mind or increase subconscious suggestibility,” she said.
Another contributing factor Osterhoff has uncovered has to do with the phenomenon of neuroplasticity.
“So, neuroplasticity refers to the way that our neurons, our brain cells, fire, and wire together. So, neuroplasticity increases our ability to change and reshape these neural pathways,” Osterhoff said. “The second opportunity that we have right now is a global increase in neuroplasticity. Now, in these times of unrest, our lives have been upended, our patterns have shifted, and we’re experiencing things for the first time. So, because of this our globe is experiencing heightened neuroplasticity and heightened subconscious suggestibility.”
What are the implications of these findings?
“Now, the opportunity here is that we can leverage these two abilities to change, grow, evolve, shift, and learn to our benefit or if we remain unaware of this, we can be shifted in a way that is detrimental to us as well,” Osterhoff said.
“For instance, if you want to quit smoking, or you want to change some kind of behavior, you have a greater ability to do that right now than ever before. On the opposite side of things, if you spend this time in fear or in worry, you risk hardwiring those behaviors into your physiology. Because this is happening on a mass scale, our world has a greater capacity to evolve, shift, and grow than it ever has before. So we need to leverage this, we need to take advantage so that we can make the positive changes that we want to see in the world happen.”
The Pineal Gland’s Spiritual Connection With the Third Eye Chakra
The third eye is our greatest gift to connect us to source and remind us of a universe much more mystical than we can perceive with our physical senses. It’s through the awakening of the third eye and its corresponding pineal gland that we’re able to attain supernatural feats of telepathy, psychic vision, and an intimate connection with God.
Rare is a conversation on higher consciousness without a mention of the pineal gland. Its prevalence is more than a fad; it’s an imperative first step to attaining our full human potential.
What is the Pineal Gland?
The pineal gland, often referred to as the “third eye” in Eastern esoteric religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism), is a pea-sized endocrine gland located deep in the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres. In Western medicine, it is an organ primarily recognized for its role in regulating the body’s circadian rhythms and melatonin production, which helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. The pineal gland also plays a part in the body’s response to light and darkness, influencing mood, energy levels, and overall well-being. While it holds significant physiological importance, some spiritual practices also attribute metaphysical qualities to the pineal gland, linking it to intuition, perception, and spiritual enlightenment.
The Pineal Gland and Third Eye Chakra
The chakra system is the way the spirit moves within the physical body—how the spirit animates form. The chakras can be imagined as wheels of energy to remain balanced and open for optimal human function. If stagnation appears within the chakra system, the physical body will be affected by unease, depression, and even illness.
Chakras are energy centers, whereas organs have defined locations. The chakras are ruled by the organs but are not confined to a specific location. The heart chakra, for instance, is in the center of the chest, while the physical heart is on the left side. Similarly, the third eye chakra is located in the center of the forehead near the pineal gland.
The pineal gland is known as the third eye chakra or ajna chakra in the Hindu system. A closed ajna (i.e. mind) is said to lead to confusion, uncertainty, cynicism, and pessimism.
Every esoteric tradition heralded the third eye as our connection to spirit. It’s the space between humans and God, moving us from the isolation experienced in the human condition—through an open and vibrant third eye, we find our highest source of ethereal energy. A return path to God is offered when one works to expand third-eye awareness.
