It used to be thought that our brains weren’t always busy. German psychiatrist Hans Berger (1873-1941) blew this idea out of the water. He invented electroencephalography and showed the world (1929) the brain is always, always active, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Several weeks ago I picked up on the existence of a DMN as a brain function. It seemed like a handy idea to be aware of. It is generally known as the Default Mode Network (DMN), or the Default State Network (DSN) or even, in referring to actual brain areas, the Medial Frontoparietal Network (M-FPN).
For our discussion let’s use DMN. That’s the parts of the brain active when a person is not focused on an outside task. (Outer-directed activity is recognized as the Attention Network or Task-Positive Network, clearly the opposite of the DMN.)
Regardless, we know the DMN is active when we’re in a resting state, musing—thinking of ourselves, actions (past, present and possible future), remembering experiences, thinking of others, or idly problem-solving. It can be negative. I had direct experience of its stop-motion negativity in contemplating diving into this brain activity as a visual: I can’t, I’m not a neuroscientist, it’s too complicated, I’m not smart enough, it’s too much work.
I got past that recently by running into a piece presented by the BBC re: Mantras. See https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0cqt0yc/mantra-meditation-the-ancient-practice-to-heal-our-minds?xtor=ES-213-[BBC%20Features%20Newsletter]-2022August19-[https%3a%2f%2fwww.bbc.com%2freel%2fvideo%2fp0cqt0yc%2fmantra-meditation-the-ancient-practice-to-heal-our-minds] for the 9-minute presentation. Mantra practice utilizes the DMN to bring calm and quiet.
Note that as the DMN takes over we are virtually absent, and retain no memory. This state may feel familiar, perhaps comfortable, regardless of how one might or might not be sabotaging oneself with negative thought.
My visualization of the DMN is a drawing using watercolor and ink. The top background is blank (or white) signifying the direct absence of self; the yellow band around the middle of the page recognizes balance and other sorts of brain activity; the background stripes along the bottom suggest some alarm, some doubt, some slight intrusion of self. The primary activity, the DMN, dominates the page in almost a floral activity. It’s prickly. It’s pinkish. The artwork has yet to be photographed, but will be presented on the usual 15th studio report in September.
Several weeks ago I picked up on the existence of a DMN as a brain function. It seemed like a handy idea to be aware of. It is generally known as the Default Mode Network (DMN), or the Default State Network (DSN) or even, in referring to actual brain areas, the Medial Frontoparietal Network (M-FPN).
For our discussion let’s use DMN. That’s the parts of the brain active when a person is not focused on an outside task. (Outer-directed activity is recognized as the Attention Network or Task-Positive Network, clearly the opposite of the DMN.)
Regardless, we know the DMN is active when we’re in a resting state, musing—thinking of ourselves, actions (past, present and possible future), remembering experiences, thinking of others, or idly problem-solving. It can be negative. I had direct experience of its stop-motion negativity in contemplating diving into this brain activity as a visual: I can’t, I’m not a neuroscientist, it’s too complicated, I’m not smart enough, it’s too much work.
I got past that recently by running into a piece presented by the BBC re: Mantras. See https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0cqt0yc/mantra-meditation-the-ancient-practice-to-heal-our-minds?xtor=ES-213-[BBC%20Features%20Newsletter]-2022August19-[https%3a%2f%2fwww.bbc.com%2freel%2fvideo%2fp0cqt0yc%2fmantra-meditation-the-ancient-practice-to-heal-our-minds] for the 9-minute presentation. Mantra practice utilizes the DMN to bring calm and quiet.
Note that as the DMN takes over we are virtually absent, and retain no memory. This state may feel familiar, perhaps comfortable, regardless of how one might or might not be sabotaging oneself with negative thought.
My visualization of the DMN is a drawing using watercolor and ink. The top background is blank (or white) signifying the direct absence of self; the yellow band around the middle of the page recognizes balance and other sorts of brain activity; the background stripes along the bottom suggest some alarm, some doubt, some slight intrusion of self. The primary activity, the DMN, dominates the page in almost a floral activity. It’s prickly. It’s pinkish. The artwork has yet to be photographed, but will be presented on the usual 15th studio report in September.