Sharper Brain after Retirement Archives - Madhu Bazaz Wangu
315
archive,category,category-sharper-brain-after-retirement,category-315,wp-theme-cabin,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,select-theme-ver-2.1,vertical_menu_enabled, vertical_menu_width_290,side_menu_slide_from_right,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.9.0,vc_responsive
 

Sharper Brain after Retirement

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Posted on September 22, 2026
in #Authentic Self, #Stillness and Solitude, #Stillness, Silence, Solitude, Awareness, Meditation, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Spirituality, Well Being
5 Comments

Do not confuse the whispers of the Authentic Self with the voice in your head. Perhaps you’ve not yet separated yourself from the chain of thoughts and still unconsciously identify with that voice that is loud, pessimistic and never stops talking. Begin to be more attentive. Learn to differentiate between that critic’s voice (harsh and unproductive) and gentle nudges of your Self that are unexpected, productive and wise.  When you make “focus on the breath” a daily routine, you’ll experience the presence of Awareness, presence of your higher Self. The whispers of your Authentic Self are from the one who is within you, who knows you, knows you more than you know yourself. This Self provides you freedom from your separate ego self. You may believe that your small ego self...

Read More

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Posted on July 6, 2026
in #Neuroscience and Meditation, Attention and Awareness, Flourishing, Journaling, Meditation, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Travel, Well Being
4 Comments

July 7, 2026Dear Mindful Creators Group, Dancing Peacock, 2026, New Delhi, India I thought you might find the summation of Richard Davidson’s new book valuable. (Recently, we discussed a bit of his neuroscientific research with Tibetan monks). His latest work titled, Born to Flourish: How New Science and Ancient Wisdom Reveal a Simple Path to Thriving. Dr.Davidson focuses on transformative practices that train our brain to overcome depression, despair, and loneliness. He writes that we are all born with a natural ability to flourish but that ability needs to be trained for us to live a thriving life. The four transformative practices are: Awareness: Learn to be fully present with your emotions so that you can embrace all of life’s ups and downs. (We practice this with familiarizing ourselves with physical sensations while practicing body scan)Connection: Grow...

Read More

Thursday, July 2 2026

Posted on July 1, 2026
in #Nature Lover, #Reading Poetry, Creativity, Flourishing, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Nonverbal Activities, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Well Being
4 Comments

Framework for Longevity Michael J. Castori What is the secret of Longevity?Invest in bonds Bond with loveParental marital filial people spiritualLove thy neighbor as thyselfNo greater love hath manThan he give up his life for another Bond with natureWith its broad range of animal plant and mineral lifeWith its sun moon stars land sea and airAnd all the creatures thereon and thereinWith its solitude music challenge reverence Bond with a positive mindsetAim high and you won’t hit lowIf things go your way don’t get too highIf things go against you don’t get too low Bond with an upbeat lifestyleEngage in spiritual intellectual social recreational pursuitsThat guarantee health strength and daily breadWoo the positive spurn the negative Bond with existenceAn existence that you deem worthy of your worshipDaily lift up some thought word and deedTo Him to...

Read More

Tuesday, 23 June 2026

Posted on June 22, 2026
in Flourishing, Imagination, Meditation, Nonverbal Activities, Oral Stories, Sharper Brain after Retirement
2 Comments

# 1 We have been told that our brain has “Left” hemisphere and “Right” hemisphere, and each one of us is either dominated by the “Right hemisphere” or the “Left”? However, the recent research using brain scanning technology has revealed that brain’s two hemispheres work together intricately. They are codependent.  It is still true that the right brain is more creative and artistic and the left more technical and logical. But the processing of reading, math and language is understood to take place in both hemispheres. And more importantly for us to know that regular meditation practice connects and coordinates the two hemispheres. And the more they connect the more optimally we perform on any given task. # 2 Oral world existed before writing was invented. Verbal thought lived in the inner contemplation and spoken language. Only...

Read More

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Posted on June 15, 2026
in Flourishing, Last Quarter of Our Lives, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Nonverbal Activities, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Well Being
4 Comments

Scented Roses, Ashby Ponds, June 2026 A few notes on sleeping well from Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s book, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age (2021). It is significant that we all know how to sleep better. Yes it is that important! Seven to nine hours of sleep, including the afternoon siesta is one of the most effective things we can do to reset our brain and body and increase quality life span. As we sleep the body replenishes itself. This affects every system, “From the brain to the heart, the immune system and all the inner workings of our metabolism. While we sleep the body heals tissues, strengthens memory and even sharpens brain.”Sufficient sleep keeps us attentive, sharp and creative. The brain has a “clean cycle” system for washing away metabolic...

Read More

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Posted on June 1, 2026
in #Stillness, Silence, Solitude, Flourishing, Last Quarter of Our Lives, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Well Being
3 Comments

In-between, Ashby Ponds, 2026 Who doesn’t want to sharpen their mind at any time in their lives, especially during the final phase stage? We now know that the brain can be enriched, made faster, fitter and sharper at any age by practicing, that is doing something over and over again. We also know a sharper mind is more resilient which improves when we go through challenging experiences. Each day counts.  Body and brain are deeply connected. What is good for the body is good for the brain. Here are eight practices brain needs. You may be already exercising some of these. So one by one try to add the ones you are not: 1. Sleep for seven to nine hours a night2. Eat three nutritious meals a day3. Walk/Exercise four to five times...

Read More

Thursday, May 28, 2028

Posted on May 30, 2026
in #Stillness, Silence, Solitude, Awareness, Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Sharper Brain after Retirement
1 Comment

In 2002, the first Tibetan yogi tested in Dr. Richard Davidson’s lab was Mingyur Rinpoche. The number of his lifetime meditation practice hours were 62,000. His qualities of endless patience and gentle kindness truly impressed the researchers and were useful during the long and exhausting tests and the mappings of his mind.   Mingyur had to lay down in absolute stillness. EEG tracked his brain’s electrical activity and fMRI mapped the active regions in minute details.  It takes considerably longer than a few minutes to settle the mind. But for Mingyur as soon as he began the meditation, there was a sudden huge burst of electrical activity on the computer monitors displaying the signals from his brain. Everyone assumed he had moved. But he had not moved an iota. These were jaw-dropping results.  After his...

Read More

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Posted on May 20, 2026
in #Neuroscience and Meditation, #Stillness, Silence, Solitude, Flourishing, Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Spirituality
2 Comments

Yellow Rose, Ashby Ponds We’ve practiced variety of meditations including Loving-Kindness meditation, Full-Body Scan meditation and guided meditation. Different meditations train and develop different mental habits. At home you may practice any one of these. Whatever you practice will improve.  Mindfulness takes hold when we learn to concentrate on our inner self. We become aware of our sensations, emotions and thoughts. We become aware of our conscious self.  When we pay attention to the in-flow and the outflow of our breathing, it connects us to the present moment. The brain’s executive center, prefrontal cortex, located behind the forehead, gives us ability to anticipate the future, and recall the past. By thinking we let the stress hormones rise and worsen the experience of our physical and emotional pain.   Regarding this, Jon Kabat-Zinn the famed meditation...

Read More

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Posted on May 18, 2026
in #Neuroscience and Meditation, Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Sharper Brain after Retirement, Well Being
2 Comments

Ashby Ponds under Full Moon Neuroscientist Richard Davidson began his groundbreaking research with Tibetan monks in the early 2000s following a direct challenge from the Dalai Lama in the 1990s to apply scientific tools to study positive emotions. He is still actively conducting these studies today. The following notes are from his research detailed in the book, ALTERED TRAITS:  There are five main types of brainwaves that register on EEG (Electroencephalogram): Delta that occur during deep sleep; Theta during drowsiness; Alpha when we relax or are awake with eyes closed; Beta when we are alert, actively thinking or concentrating. Finally, Gamma, which are fastest brain waves that fire in harmony during moments of insight. To get some sense of how gamma rays feel, imagine biting into a ripe juicy sweet peach. Suddenly your senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and sound mesh into a single delectable experience. That’s...

Read More

Thursday, May 7, 2026

Posted on May 6, 2026
in #Stillness and Quietude, Attention and Awareness, Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Sharper Brain after Retirement
4 Comments

Nancy Bishop, AP Resident, Watercolor, 2025 Practicing meditation frequently can produce pleasant states but real payoffs are lasting traits that result from practicing it diligently. Our character alters. Altered traits shape how we behave in our daily lives. The most compelling impact of meditation is not better health but a development of better nature. With years of practice it cultivates selflessness, equanimity, a loving presence, and compassion.  In 1987 the Dalai Lama organized meetings of leading scientists at Mind and Life Institute he has established in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India where he now lives. Its mission “to alleviate suffering and promote flourishing or utter wellness by integrating science with contemplative practices.” To debate, discuss and engage in serious research on meditation he brought together a community of like-minded scholars and scientists from...

Read More