A Swirl of Synaesthesia Soup What color is evoked in the mind's nose "Fragrant" the color of flower and perfumes Is it red, green or yellow the "Fruity" color of apples, peaches, apricots and tomatoes "Citrus" colored lemon, lime and orange perhaps easier along the "Woody" and "Resinous" shades of green and hazel colors of pine or fresh cut grass perhaps overcome by the bright Chemical color of ammonia or bleach Sweet colors of chocolate, vanilla and caramel are the colors that go with the smells the color of the thing itself is Sweet a rich brown color or something lighter like an off white or completely different a turquoise or chartreuse Is Minty and Peppermint green what about the color of eucalyptus and strong colors of camphor or the color of Toasted and Nutty of freshly popped popcorn a thick slab of peanut butter or a handful of almonds along with the after dinner color of Pungent like blue cheese and cigar smoke or the Sickening and Disgusting colors of Decayed rotting meat and sour milk what do the colors smell like in a swirl of sensory soup - From the Upcoming book by Kimberly Burnham, 20 / 20 Seeing Color Around the World, a Daily Vision Health Program. More poetry, color research, and vision exercises at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/peace/category/color-vision Published in over 100 books, Kimberly Burnham is a writer, poet, and complementary medicine practitioner. She authored, Awakenings: Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health Program for people interested in improving their brain clarity, creativity and muscle movements. Her current project focuses on color words, the brain and vision health designed to assist people in seeing better. Kimberly's Ph.D. (Integrative Medicine) considered manual therapy techniques and health coaching for people with Parkinson's disease. She is an avid gardener and environmentalist, who bicycled 3000 miles across the U.S. in 2013. Contact Kimberly at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/ or email her at NerveWhisperer@gmail.com Synesthesia of Colors and Smells
Research with people who have a neurological association between smells and colors show that they are quicker in naming both colors and smells than people who don't associate colors and smells. "Olfaction is often considered a vestigial sense in humans, demoted throughout evolution to make way for the dominant sense of vision. This perspective on olfaction is reflected in how we think and talk about smells in the West, with odor imagery and odor language reported to be difficult. In the present study we demonstrate odor cognition is superior in odor-color synaesthesia, where there are additional sensory connections to odor concepts. Synaesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which input in 1 modality leads to involuntary perceptual associations. Semantic accounts of synaesthesia posit synaesthetic associations are mediated by activation of inducing concepts. Therefore, synaesthetic associations may strengthen conceptual representations. To test this idea, we ran 6 odor-color synaesthetes and 17 matched controls on a battery of tasks exploring odor and color cognition. We found synaesthetes outperformed controls on tests of both odor and color discrimination, demonstrating for the first time enhanced perception in both the inducer (odor) and concurrent (color) modality. So, not only do synaesthetes have additional perceptual experiences in comparison to controls, their primary perceptual experience is also different. Finally, synaesthetes were more consistent and accurate at naming odors. We propose synaesthetic associations to odors strengthen odor concepts, making them more differentiated (facilitating odor discrimination) and easier to link with lexical representations (facilitating odor naming). In summary, we show for the first time that both odor language and perception is enhanced in people with synaesthetic associations to odors. - Speed, L. J. and A. Majid (2018). "Superior olfactory language and cognition in odor-color synaesthesia." J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 44(3): 468-481. Exercise: Make a list of different smells and visualize what color you associate them with. "Our 100,000 taste buds elicit five different sensations, namely sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umami (a Japanese word for a pleasant savory taste, but distinct from pure saltiness)." 10 Smell include: Fragrant (e.g. florals and perfumes) Fruity (all non-citrus fruits) Citrus (e.g. lemon, lime, orange) Woody and resinous (e.g. pine or fresh cut grass) Chemical (e.g. ammonia, bleach) Sweet (e.g. chocolate, vanilla, caramel) Minty and peppermint (e.g. eucalyptus and camphor) Toasted and nutty (e.g popcorn, peanut butter, almonds) Pungent (e.g. blue cheese, cigar smoke) Decayed (e.g. rotting meat, sour milk) https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-human-nose-can-sense-10-basic-smells-1355489504
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Imagine if this was your day....a headache before you went to bed, then you woke up at 2 am and never did quite get back to sleep. At seven when the alarm went off you thought about calling in sick but there is just too much to do and then irritated you realized you ran out of breakfast cereal and had a pop tart instead. Your eyes can't focus on the report you are preparing. Last night's head ache is coming back and you wish that you had had time for a better lunch.....It is not a good day for you or your liver.
What would your liver say, if it had a voice, a say in how your life flows, the amount of energy you have, how well you sleep and how happy you are? In fact, your liver is talking all the time, communicating how it feels and is functioning. Here is a brief Liverese to English translation guide, followed by some things you can do to bridge the communication gap: Low energy in the afternoon : Low energy often means the liver is not doing it job. Normally the liver regulates many substances important in maintaining your body's normal state, stores nutrients including blood sugars and clears out waste products. Easy bruising or bleeding gums - The liver is partially responsible for maintaining a good level of clotting factors. Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies - The liver also stores fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K), folate, vitamin B 12 , and minerals such as copper and iron. Dark circles under the eyes and yellowish skin color - The liver is telling you it is not clearing toxins and the bilirubin from old red blood cells is turning the skin a yellowish hue. Swollen ankles - Decreased amounts of liver produced protein, albumin may lead to swelling and water retention. Difficulty digesting fats - Bile produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder is a greenish fluid need for fat digestion. High cholesterol - Cholesterol, needed for cell membrane structure, hormone balance and proper nerve conduction, is produced or processed in the liver. If the production or processing is off then cholesterol levels rise. A healthy liver keeps it all in balanced. Hot flashes and other hormonal disturbances - Yup, liver again as it plays an important role in hormonal modification and endocrine balance. Chest distention, sighing, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, diarrhea, depression, moodiness, PMS, breast tenderness, painful and/or irregular menstruation - Liver talking again. Headaches - The liver removes harmful substances and irritants from the blood, when it doesn't they can irritate the lining of the brain. Hang over - Alcohol and sugar are primarily metabolized by the liver, and accumulation of its products can lead to cell injury and liver problems. Gallbladder pain / gallstones - The gallbladder is considered in Traditional Chinese Medicine to be the pair to the liver and as you know when one partner is not doing his job the relationship suffers. Trouble sleeping between 1am and 3am - These are considered the peak hours for the liver in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Difficulty between 1 am and 3 am is often ascribed to an unhappy liver. Problems with the eyes, tendons, tears (dry eyes), nails - All associated with liver's acupuncture meridian which flows along the inner leg on both sides. Anger management issues - In Traditional Chinese Medicine the liver, considered a wood element is associated with the emotion anger. So, what is there to do to ensure everyone is happier? If you think of vision / eyesight, liver / gallbladder health and anger forming a triangle, three connected points, each influencing the other for good or for bad. Imagine one point of the triangle is your vision, your ability to see the colors of a rainbow, recognize the face of your best friend, or read an inspirational book like, Pebbles in the Pond, Transforming the World One Person at a Time. Another point is the liver and the gallbladder, they are linked in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The liver meridian associated with the color green, runs along the inner leg. The gallbladder meridian runs along the outer edge of the leg and up into the area over the ears. Rubbing the head as in a scalp massage can stimulate the liver and gallbladder points. Pressure on liver and gallbladder points along the leg is also thought to soothe the liver. Due to the interaction between the three points of this triangle, improving the eyes with exercises, eating more essential fatty acids, such as olive oil, avocado, salmon or through acupuncture or manual therapy will also have a beneficial effect on anger management and liver / gallbladder health. You can go in another door and work on improving the liver and gallbladder by eating organic foods, and maintain a diet low in processed sugars or alcohol. There are many herbs and detoxifying foods that can help the liver and gallbladder function more efficiently. Improving liver and gallbladder health typically also improves vision and anger management skills. Going in the anger door of the triangle will also affect the other two points. Another way to increase internal communication is to rest quietly with one hand over the liver (right side of the lower rib cage) and the other hand on the area you want to connect (ie) the heart to improve blood flow and cholesterol or the spleen (left side of lower rib cage) to improve the way the liver talks to the immune system or the head to improve headache symptoms. By talking to a psychologist or life coach, doing things you love and enjoy, watching one of your favorite movies, like my favorite, The Last Holiday or writing in a journal can each improve your anger management skills. As your level of uncontrollable anger or rage decreases, your vision and liver / gallbladder health may also improve. By improving one of the three you can improve the other two. One of my favorite Japanese sayings is, "There are many ways to the top of Mount Fuji." Once you understand relationships in your body or in your life you can find the access or doorway into improving the overall system. For some people doing talk therapy or coaching for anger issues can be the easiest, fastest way to improve their life. for someone else eliminating processed sugar from their diet might be the best way to improve vision and reactivity to the world. I See What Your Are Saying, If Your Liver Could Talk by Kimberly Burnham, PhD, The Nerve Whisperer Originally Published at Giving Voice to Your Story with Dorit Sasson On the interdependencies of the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine: “Food relies on water and fire. Production relies on metal and wood. Earth gives birth to everything.”.- A Collection of Ancient Works
In Traditional Chinese Medicine connective tissue (including ligaments, tendons, spinal and brain's dura and meningis, carpal tendons, bones, pericardium (connective tissue sac around the heart, the protective layers around muscles and nerves, and more) is associated with Earth elements (stomach and spleen) as well as the mouth, the taste of sweetness and a sense of anxiety. One way to use this information is to do visualization on the color yellow which is also associated with the Earth elements. While resting quietly place one hand over the stomach (lower ribcage slightly to the left of center) and the other hand on the spleen (left side of the body, deep to the lower rib cage). Focus on your breathing and the color yellow. Imagine all the shades of yellow you can and all the things, clothes, birds, books, etc around you that are yellow. Another exercise is while you are walking or a passenger in a car, look around and notice everything you see that is yellow. What if Beautiful Green Poetry Could Affect Brain Health?
Here are three articles on the positive effect of green space on the brain, health and wellness. I wonder what the affect of using color words to create vivid images in poetry can do for the brain. Lee, H. J. and D. K. Lee (2019). "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?" Int J Environ Res Public Health 16(5). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30836691 Chen, Z., Y. He, et al. (2016). "Enhanced functional connectivity properties of human brains during in-situ nature experience." PeerJ 4: e2210. Groenewegen PP, den Berg AE, de Vries S, Verheij RA. 2006. Vitamin G: effects of green space on health, well-being, and social safety. BMC Public Health 6:149 DOI 10.1186/1471-2458-6-149. [Full Article] https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1471-2458-6-149 The Brain in a Green Environment In this study on how people's brains respond to a green natural environment researchers noted, "analyses revealed that a brief [20 minutes] in-situ restorative nature experience may induce more efficient and stronger brain connectivity with enhanced small-world properties compared with a stressful urban experience. The enhanced small-world properties were found to be correlated with "coherent" experience measured by Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). Exposure to nature also induces stronger long-term correlated activity across different brain regions with a right lateralization. Researchers, "intentionally selected two typical sites with representative slopes: a wooded campus garden for the nature scene and a traffic island under an elevated highway for the urban scene. From where the participants were seated, the nature scene consisted of 89% visible greenery and water and only 4% visible buildings and/or paved areas; the urban scene consisted of only 8% visible greenery and 56% visible buildings and/or paved areas. Based on a focus group interview after a site visit, the nature environment is highly restorative whereas the urban environment is clearly not. In-situ environmental stimuli were adopted instead of pictorial representations to capture the multisensory experiences of the nature and urban environments." Concluding researchers said, "These findings may advance our understanding of the functional activities during in-situ environmental exposures and imply that a nature or nature-like environment may potentially benefit cognitive processes and mental well-being." - Chen, Z., Y. He, et al. (2016). "Enhanced functional connectivity properties of human brains during in-situ nature experience." PeerJ 4: e2210. Vitamin G for Green One of the articles referenced was Groenewegen PP, den Berg AE, de Vries S, Verheij RA. 2006. Vitamin G: effects of green space on health, well-being, and social safety. BMC Public Health 6:149 DOI 10.1186/1471-2458-6-149. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1471-2458-6-149 "This research has demonstrated that mere exposure to views of nature can improve people's health and well-being by providing restoration from stress and mental fatigue." Researchers noted, "previous experimental research in environmental psychology has shown that a natural environment has a positive effect on well-being through restoration of stress and attentional fatigue. Descriptive epidemiological research has shown a positive relationship between the amount of green space in the living environment and physical and mental health and longevity The program has three aims. First, to document the relationship between the amount and type of green space in people's living environment and their health, well-being, and feelings of safety. Second, to investigate the mechanisms behind this relationship. Mechanisms relate to exposure (leading to stress reduction and attention restoration), healthy behavior and social integration, and selection. Third, to translate the results into policy on the crossroads of spatial planning, public health, and safety. Strong points of our program are: we study several interrelated dependent variables, in different ordinary settings (as opposed to experimental or extreme settings), focusing on different target groups, using appropriate multilevel methods." Defining green space, researchers said, "restorative effects can be achieved by merely looking at nature or natural elements, indicating that the aesthetic experience of nature may play a role in this mechanism. Besides providing relief from stress, an aesthetically attractive living environment may also improve well-being by enhancing satisfaction, attachment, and a sense of responsibility. Related to stress reduction, (American) evidence suggests that exposure to natural environments may reduce feelings of anger, frustration and aggression (e.g., [6]). In turn, this may enhance feelings of social safety, and even reduce actual rates of aggressive behavior and criminal activity. Physical exposure to cleaner air may play a role also. Traffic density seems to be the most important source of polluted air in the direct vicinity, while the overall level of air pollution is rather constant in The Netherlands " Another most recent article noted, "the mounting mental health issues faced by elderly urban residents increase the social and economic costs to society associated with dementia and depression. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of elderly urban residents suffering from mental health issues, to address these issues more effectively. We used 2015 Community Health Survey data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify the demographic and social characteristics of 11,408 elderly urban residents in relation to stress levels and symptoms of depression in seven metropolitan areas in Korea, and to calculate the odds ratio for urban green space. We found that the prevalence of these mental health issues generally decreased in relation to the ratio of green space of an area. These findings suggest identifying elderly people who are vulnerable to certain mental health issues based on demographic and social characteristics and demonstrate that the ratio of urban green space within a community is an important component in improving mental health outcomes for elderly urban residents. These findings have policy implications for assisting elderly people vulnerable to certain mental health issues and for establishing a green welfare policy targeting this population." - Lee, H. J. and D. K. Lee (2019). "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?" Int J Environ Res Public Health 16(5). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30836691
Red Handed
Originating in Scotland in the 15th century "caught red handed" is thought to refer to people caught with blood on their hands from murder or poaching In Albanian "i kuq" or "kuqe" is the color red "flokƫkuq" is red-haired "kuqem" is to become red "kuq" is to make red while "kapem nƫ vendin e krimit" an idiom meaning to be caught red-handed literally means cling to place of crime so in Albania is neither about red or the hand "pƫr t'u kapur me dorƫ tƫ kuqe" is translated seized or caught with red hand but begs the question of whether the caught or the catcher's hand is red Exercise: What does "red handed" bring to mind for you? Does it change as you think about it?
- From the Upcoming book by Kimberly Burnham, 20 / 20 Seeing Color Around the World, a Daily Vision Health Program. More poetry, color research, and vision exercises at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/peace/category/color-vision
Published in over 100 books, Kimberly Burnham is a writer, poet, and complementary medicine practitioner. She authored, Awakenings: Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health Program for people interested in improving their brain clarity, creativity and muscle movements. Her current project focuses on color words, the brain and vision health designed to assist people in seeing better. Kimberly's Ph.D. (Integrative Medicine) considered manual therapy techniques and health coaching for people with Parkinson's disease. She is an avid gardener and environmentalist, who bicycled 3000 miles across the U.S. in 2013. Contact Kimberly at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/ or email her at NerveWhisperer@gmail.com
All Encompassing, a Found Poem Color vision encompasses many art, biochemistry, biophysics, cognitive neuroscience, color preferences design language with elusive nature the subjective experience of color challenging fascinating special science of color questions remain exciting color vision - From the Upcoming book by Kimberly Burnham, 20 / 20 Seeing Color Around the World, a Daily Vision Health Program. More poetry, color research, and vision exercises at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/peace/category/color-vision Published in over 100 books, Kimberly Burnham is a writer, poet, and complementary medicine practitioner. She authored, Awakenings: Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health Program for people interested in improving their brain clarity, creativity and muscle movements. Her current project focuses on color words, the brain and vision health designed to assist people in seeing better. Kimberly's Ph.D. (Integrative Medicine) considered manual therapy techniques and health coaching for people with Parkinson's disease. She is an avid gardener and environmentalist, who bicycled 3000 miles across the U.S. in 2013. Contact Kimberly at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/ or email her at NerveWhisperer@gmail.com The Fascinating Experience of Colors: This month as part of my poetry challenge for April National Poetry Month, I am going to explore color in poetry each day. Here is the research where I found this poem.
A Tour of contemporary color vision research. "The study of color vision encompasses many disciplines, including art, biochemistry, biophysics, brain imaging, cognitive neuroscience, color preferences, colorimetry, computer modelling, design, electrophysiology, language and cognition, molecular genetics, neuroscience, physiological optics, psychophysics and physiological optics. Coupled with the elusive nature of the subjective experience of color, this wide range of disciplines makes the study of color as challenging as it is fascinating.." -Conway, B. R., R. T. Eskew, Jr., et al. (2018). "A tour of contemporary color vision research." Vision Res 151: 2-6. Kimberly Burnham's Latest Community of Humanity Column
25. Healing and the Poet's Brain March, 2016 Not everyone aspires to be a poet. Not everyone enjoys reading poetry but perhaps we should rethink the role of poetry in individual healing and brain health. Start at the beginning with the feeling—what is that feeling—that creates a stirring poem .... [Full Article] @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #interfaith #spirituality #communityofhumanity #neurotheology Enjoy the October, 2014 cover story featuring Kimberly Burnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/feature-of-the-month.php and see her poetry at http://www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php #Healing #Poet #Brain #World #Peace #Healing #CommunityOfHumanity by #KimberlyBurnham #InnerChildPress Magazine http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php 24. Role of Interfaith Group in World Peace February, 2016 Role of Interfaith Group in World Peace Are you part of a religious or spiritual community? Do you feel connected and understood by your neighbors? Do you feel like we are all part of the community of humanity? There are some religious communities that are trying to convert people ... [Full Article] @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #interfaith #spirituality #communityofhumanity #neurotheology Enjoy the October, 2014 cover story featuring Kimberly Burnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/feature-of-the-month.php and see her poetry at http://www.innerchildpress.com/the-year-of-the-poet.php Role of #Interfaith Groups #World #Peace #Healing #CommunityOfHumanity by #KimberlyBurnham #InnerChildPress Magazine http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php 23. A Happy New Year the Neurotheology of Dopamine, January, 2015 A Happy New Year the Neurotheology of Dopamine. This year eat, sleep, move your body, meditate, sing, love and if you can do it in community even better. According to Kenneth Blum et al (2015) “Finding happiness may not only reside in our genome [genetic material or genes] but may indeed be impacted by positive meditative practices, positive psychology, spiritual acceptance, love of others and self, and taking inventory of ourselves-one day at a time.” [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #dopamine #parkinsonsdisease #neurotheology 22. On Motivation, Let Go of Carrots and Sticks December, 2016 On Motivation, Let Go of Carrots and Sticks ... Why do we do things? What motivates you? Do rewards or punishments motive you, truly? If we want peace and success in this world for all communities and for all people, what do we have to do? Recent world events have shown how people try to motive others. The problem ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #motivation # peace #neurotheology 21. Pattern Recognition at the Parliament of World's Religions November, 2015 Pattern Recognition at the Parliament of World's Religions. Bowls of colored sand stood ready on October 15th, 2015. Across the hallway people were preparing vegetarian food. Hanging from the walkway ceilings were flags and banners with quotes on peace, the environment, and faith. A walking mediation labyrinth was being laid down in bright blue tape. Stages ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #2015Parliament #peace #neurotheology 20. Inside, Seeing From the Fourth Dimension October, 2015 Inside, Seeing From the Fourth Dimension. If you draw a four sided square on a piece of paper, it is said to be a two dimensional object. It has length and width but not height. Of course a piece of paper does have height, so it is not truly a two dimensional object but for our purposes we will think ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #vision #peace #neurotheology 19. Thriving on the Beauty in Diversity September, 2015 Thriving on the Beauty in Diversity. There is value in enjoying our differences and similarities. When everyone is the same life is boring. Our brains are not excited if all we can see is one kind of tree or all we can buy is one kind of car, which is the same as everyone else's. Sameness also increases competition ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #diversity #beauty #neurotheology 18. The Source of Peace August, 2015 The Source of PEACE. With the 4th of July celebrated in the US, I have been thinking about war and peace and how we separate ourselves from one another and how we build our communities. My contribution to the monthly poetry anthology, The Year of The Poet II from Inner Child Press focused on peace and the first three quotes in this column. Albert Einstein said, "Peace cannot be kept by ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #peace #poetry #neurotheology 17. Inside and Outside July, 2015 Inside and Outside. Who Are We Exiling? "Is it true you used to be a Mormon?" He was tall, dark, and handsome with a bright warm smile. "Yes" I said to the man who was on Benay Lappe's Queer Talmud Retreat with me. "Me too!" He said as we explored what we had in common. ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #exile #LDS #neurotheology 16. Connection to the Earth June, 2015 Connection to the Earth. Two years ago I was bicycling through Spokane, Washington on a 3000 mile Cross-USA trip from Seattle to Washington, DC. In the last two years I moved across the country from Connecticut to Washington state and this spring just moved into a new house with trees and land for a large garden. Sponsored by Hazon which means vision in Hebrew, the bicycle adventure ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #earth #connection #neurotheology 15. Vignettes May, 2015 Vignettes ... Words shared can cause joy and pain, delight and laughter, misery and despair and ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #stories #connection #neurotheology 13. Finding the Faces of My Community April 2015 Finding the Faces of My Community ... When I look into your face do I see a predator or prey, a friend or enemy, are you trustworthy or ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #stories #faces #neurotheology 12. Neurodiversity March 2015 Neurodiversity ... We have agreed to call a certain wave length of light: RED but we can't know if we see it the same... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 11. Chronic Pain From An Alternative Medicine Perspective February 2015 Chronic Pain From An Alternative Medicine Perspective. Pain abounds in our community, but so too does joy and success and creative solutions. The pain in a child's face, tears streaming after a fall on the grassy hill or the scratch of a tree branch. The pain of loss ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #chronicpain #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 10. Brain Solids January 2015 Brain Solids. Sometimes we have to shift dimensions to see the connections and the tiny tendrils that reach across the walls and canyons. My kitchen table, for example, feels solid, a light blond wood that gives a deep solid tone when my knuckles rap on it. My hands feel solid, too. And I imagine this is what is real, the solid things in my life. In Traditional Chinese Medicine ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #brain #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 9. Conversion December 2014 The cold, solitary and hibernation energies of winter can be warmed by community, acceptance and change as once more we move toward spring and new life. What NEW life will you drink into your core? What energies will you convert in the joy within the balance of your life? Are you a convert? Do you seek converts to your cause? ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #conversion #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 8. Attachment Disorders and What Do I Need? November 2014 Every month, pick up each thing in your house. Hold it. Feel it. Notice the texture, the color, the softness and ask yourself, "Does this bring me JOY?" This is an adapted exercise from Suze Orman, a well known financial advisor and TV personality. Paying attention to what we are attached to can be good for the wallet and for the heart. A Move ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #moving #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 7. Playing Back A Colorful Life With Lots of Moving Pieces Playing Back A Colorful Life With Lots of Moving Pieces. Last week I participated in a Playback Theatre workshop or playshop as we called it. Penny Clayton from the Centre for Playback Theatre taught this amazingly rich beautiful class in Seattle about five hours drive from my home in Spokane, Washington. One of the values of Playback Theatre is to create a space where everyone feels ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #playback #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 6. Kind Possession Now October 2014 Kind Possession Now. Possession! What do you possess? What are your prized possessions? What have you worked hard for or perhaps inherited? There is a beautiful coffee table book entitled, Material World: A Global Family Portrait (1995) by Peter Menzel, Charles C. Mann, Paul Kennedy and a host of amazing photographers. It is a graphic and statistical snapshot of families worldwide ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #possession #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology If Not Now. The famous Jewish religious leader, Hillel, born over 2000 years ago in Babylon in 110 BCE said, "If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?" His words, "If Not Now?" have sparked a movement within the Jewish community which is looking at the means being applied to the peace process in Israel and Palestine. Jews are considering what is justified in the name of creating peace and safety. Is there a line that can't be crossed even if your own life, your family, your land and possessions are in jeopardy? ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #ifnotnow #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 5. Future Time and Space Unknown September 2014 Future Time and Space Unknown. John F. Kennedy said . . . "Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #future #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology Who do you consult about the future? Psychics feel the energy, look at auras and predict the future. Astrologers consult the stars, giving us guides for ways to live our lives based on what they see. Whether it helps or hurts is an individual mindset. ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #future #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 4. Real Community Prayer August 2014 Real Community Prayer ... There is a saying, "Worrying is like praying for what you don't want." ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #prayer #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 3. Poetic Responsibility and Peace July 2014 Poetic Responsibility and Peace ... Do you know someone who uses poetry to create healing or, perhaps, through poetry or other means seeks to build a stronger peace in this world? If you do, have you ever asked yourself whether you have any responsibility toward that person? Often we ask ourselves what our responsibility is when we ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #responsibility #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 2. Jiggling Eyes, Genetics and The Potential to Recover June 2014 Jiggling Eyes, Genetics and The Potential to Recover ... By the time I was twenty-eight, I was working as a professional photographer and a freelance journalist. I had seen Paris from the top of the Eifel Tower, climbed to ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #vision #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology 1. The Resilience, Beauty and Healing in Natural Diversity May 2014 The Resilience, Beauty and Healing in Natural Diversity ... Environmentalist and author of The Fifth Sacred Thing, Starhawk said, "Value diversity—for diversity creates resilience." ... [Full Article @KimberlyBurnham http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php #vision #stories #neurodiversity #neurotheology Originally Posted in Our Community of Humanity at Inner Child Magazine
Chronic Pain, From An Alternative Medicine Perspective Pain abounds in our community, but so too does joy and success and creative solutions. The pain in a child's face, tears streaming after a fall on the grassy hill or the scratch of a tree branch. The pain of loss with the death of an uncle. The pain of sore muscles after a 100 mile bicycle ride. The pain of a chronically injured shoulder stiff in the morning. The pain of rejection of a friend shaming you in public. What to do about all the pain? Noticing someone else's pain, reaching out to them and doing what we can to alleviate the pain is a sign of brain health. It can be scary to see someone in pain. I might wonder if their pain is contagious. Will I have pain if I help them? Seeing someone in pain can also make me wonder about my own fragility and vulnerability to pain. But reaching out with caring and compassion strengthens the connections in my brain, improves my clarity and cognitive function. Medical research also indicates that from a brain perspective and perceptual point of view there is very little difference between social emotional pain and physical pain. The children's taunt, "sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me!" is simply not true. So what can I do with my skills in complementary and alternative medicine to help my community find the creative solutions? What does Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupressure, CranioSacral Therapy, Matrix Energetics or Reiki have to say about pain and all the ways to alleviate it? Color Yourself Comfortable Traditional Chinese Medicine shines the way catching bits of colored light striking eyeballs and skin penetrating inward to the emotional body shifting physical and emotional pain Yellow the color of the stomach and spleen fuels immune and detoxification on the clock at work exchanging nutrients for toxins The color of bile rises and soothes anger green the nourishing light of a cool forest Heart beat red colors of blood flow rich in iron nutrients digested in the small intestine A large white breath drawing in the color of snow assuaging the grief of loss with oxygen on the path to muscles breathe in plus a long breath out find that sweet spot of comfort Blue flows the water elements the kidney deciding what will stay and what goes forward and out draining fear from life leaving in its place joy and comfort Acupressure Hands Healing Pain Three points times two improving pain conditions soothing the autonomic nervous system In the neck GB 21, SI 14 and SI 15, In the arms LI 4, LI 10 and LI 11 After acupressure she said it feels better my neck moves easier the muscles soft and supple racing heart slowing to a calm even beat - Research from Matsubara, T., Y. C. Arai, et al. (2011). "Comparative effects of acupressure at local and distal acupuncture points on pain conditions and autonomic function in females with chronic neck pain." Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2011." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952311/pdf/ECAM2011-543291.pdf Subatomic Light Visualization: Where Exactly is the Pain? This exercise and visualization can be used for any part of the body. Here we focus on the neck and shoulders. 1. Take a couple of deep breaths and close your eyes. Rest the eyelids and turn vision and intuition inward. 2. Start to focus on the neck and shoulders. Make sure your hands and arms are in a relaxed position. Let your elbows and shoulders relax. Feel your head sitting comfortably on top of the neck with your spine aligned. Be loose and supportive. 3. Name the structures as you relax them. Relax your right shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers. Focus on the left shoulder. How does it feel different as you relax the muscles in both shoulders? 4. Feel the fabric of the clothing on your shoulders. Is it easier to notice the top of the shoulder or the upper arm where the fabric meets the skin? Feel the clothing or fabric or air as it meets your skin throughout your body. 5. Now focus on a deeper layer. Which side is more comfortable? Can you visualize and feel the muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bones, blood vessels, nerve fibers and all the tissues that make up your shoulders, neck and throat. 6. Move inward to a smaller layer - the cellular level. Notice the difference in the color of muscle cells and red blood cells. Feel the density and flexibility in the bone cells compared with the tendon cells. 7. Then go even deeper. Embrace life inside the cells, each cell as it listens.Notice the activity of the cell walls pulsing positive and negative. What are the tiny organelles within the cells doing. Here lie the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cells and the genetic material. Feel the movement as the cells of the right shoulder breathes - taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Is there a sense of comfort at this level? 8. Then deeper still into the realm of atoms. Notice the carbon atoms with electrons spinning around neutrons and protons. Feel the space at the atomic level with a stable core around which electrons circle, balanced in their orbits. Does the front of the neck feel different from the back of the neck at this level? Is there comfort at the atomic vibration? 9. Then telescope into the weird and wacky realm of quantum physics, quarks and bits where electrons pop in and out of existence, where nothing is real and everything is vital. Feel the flow in your shoulders as electrons pop in and out of existence, spinning free in space, where they have as much space as they want., where photons and bits of light shine out through the neck and shoulders with warmth, compassion and creativity. 10. Now look around this tiny universe inside your shoulder at the cells and tissues that make up the muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bones, blood vessels, nerve fibers and all the tissues that create the reality of your shoulders, neck and throat. 11. Notice again the feeling of the fabric of your clothing on your skin. Does the temperature feel different where there is a sweater or a shirt or bare skin touching the air? 12. Breathe in some of that air and expand your senses out into the room as you feel the air in the room. Is it still or moving? What do you hear around you? And finally when you are ready open your eyes and notice all the things that have changed in you and in your surroundings. Visualizing yourself with an expanded sense of ease. Meditating on the ways to bring success and comfort to all those in your community of humanity as you reach out to yourself and others with compassion. https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/peace/category/community-of-humanity-blog http://www.innerchildmagazine.com/the-community-of-humanity.php
Robert Sapolsky in a fascinating book entitled Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, notes that zebras have very stressful lives. There can be droughts with not enough food. There are lions lurching in the bushes. Zebras don't get ulcers because when a lion comes out of the bush, the zebra takes off running. The zebra is either successful or not. But what the zebra does not do is stress over the event. They don't say to themselves, "why are lions always coming after me? Why did I go to that watering hole? I knew I shouldn't have gone there. What if that bush has a lion behind it? What if that one does? What about that one over there? They don't do this. They just take off running when they sense a lion.
āZebras act on the information that is available to them through their eyes, ears, sense of taste and smell. They don't worry about what might happen if they try something new. The information we take in helps us create an appropriate response, keep us safe, keep us interested and learning and developing. We take the information in via nervous system receptors in the retina of the eye, the central portion of which is called the macula. This is the part that breaks down in macular degeneration. We take in a tremendous amount of information about our surroundings through our primary senses: touch, vision, hearing, taste, smell and intuition. There is a whole range of Information Medicine approaches used to improve your nervous system's ability to take in, interpret and respond to the world of information around you. Often Information Medicine approaches change the way information is carried to your brain. Some examples of Information Medicine approaches are homeopathic remedies, sound and vibration therapies, matrix energetics, integrative manual therapy, colors and visual imagery therapies, and more. Today virtual reality tools are also being used in nervous system rehabilitation with good results. Virtual reality is made up of bits of information, tricking the brain into perceiving that information, pressure, vibration as a solid reality. It is information that is presented in such a way as to convey the feeling of something different from the current reality. Health coaching approaches use questions, choices and number scales to change the clients perspective or response to certain health issues and symptoms. It can also laterally change the way information is conveyed to the brain and how that information is interpreted. There are many famous studies where the placebo out did the actual medication or in some cases the surgery. Placebo surgery is where they cut you open and then do nothing but sew you up again. What is a placebo? We don't have all the data yet but for sure it is not nothing. It carries information, intention and triggers a response in the person. It is a form of information medicine because the information that makes the person thinks they are getting something of value, actually provides the value. āWhat kind of information and sensations are you taking in from your environment? What information is your customer taking in from you? What are they telling themselves about the way you influence their reality? - Originally Published on The Catalyzed Leader Blog
Kimberly Burnham, PhD
Published in over 100 books, Kimberly Burnham is a writer, poet, and complementary medicine practitioner. She authored Awakenings: Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health Program for people interested in improving their brain clarity, creativity and muscle movements. Her current project focuses on color words, the brain and vision health designed to assist people in seeing better. Kimberly's Ph.D. (Integrative Medicine) considered manual therapy techniques (Integrative Manual Therapy, Matrix Energetics, Acupressure, Reiki) and health coaching for people with Parkinson's disease. She is an avid gardener and environmentalist, who bicycled 3000 miles across the U.S. in 2013. Kimberly Burnham is the managing editor of Inner Child Magazine and on the board of The United World Movement for Children. For a brain health coaching phone consultation or an appointment in Spokane, Washington contact Kimberly at https://www.nervewhisperer.solutions/ or email her at NerveWhisperer@gmail.com. |
Medium Blog
Home of the Daily Peace Challenge. Learn about world peace - one word and one language at a time. (c) Kimberly Burnham, 2022 The Meaning of Peace in 10,000 Languages Looking for grant money to complete this peace project
Kimberly Burnham, PhD (Integrative Medicine)
860-221-8510 phone and what's app. Skype: Kimberly Burnham (Spokane, Washington) NerveWhisperer@gmail.com Author of Awakenings, Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health and P as in Peace, Paix and Perdamiam: an Inner Peace Journal To Stimulate The Brain Kimberly Burnham, The Nerve Whisperer, Brain Health Expert, Professional Health Coach for people with Alzheimer's disease, Memory Issues, Parkinson's disease, Chronic Pain, Huntington's Ataxia, Multiple Sclerosis, Keratoconus, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Neuropathy, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries, Brain Health Coaching ... Contact Kimberly Burnham in Spokane Washington (860) 221-8510 NerveWhisperer@gmail.com. Chat with Kimberly about Parkinson's, Poetry or other Brain related issues.
Not Taking Advantage of Your Amazon Author's page?
Kimberly Burnham helps authors get their books out into the world more broadly by improving their free Amazon Author's page and book pages, posting a book review on her blog and on her LinkedIn Pulse blog (over 12,000 followers) Promotion packages start at $50. Contact her at NerveWhisperer@gmail.com. See her Amazon Author's Page. See her list of publications including her latest book of brain health meditations, Awakenings: Peace Dictionary, Language and the Mind, a Daily Brain Health Program.
Now Available: AwakeningsPlease share and write a review on Amazon.
Poet-In-Residence Position
I am looking for guest blog opportunities and a position as poet-in-residence. My current project is writing dictionary poems using words in different languages for the English word "peace." You can read some of my poems on Poemhunter . As poet-in-residence I would write poems on different words in different languages and broadcast them throughout the social media blogosphere. Each poem would link back to your site where the word or language appeared. I would expect some sort of stipend and a six month to one year placement. Please contact me for details if your organization is interested in having a poet-in-residence to help get your message out. Nervewhisperer@gmial.com Buy the print or eBook, review Awakenings then contact Kimberly for a free 20 minute brain health consultation. Email or Phone
(Regular rates $120 per hour or 10 sessions for $650.) (Integrative Medicine)
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