Sharpen The Mind

Sharpen Your Mind

Intelligence has been defined in so many different ways. These include understanding concepts and logic, having self-awareness, learning things quickly, reasoning, planning, problem-solving, higher creativity, learning from experience, and a few more.  Scientists have been trying to figure out ways to measure intelligence through measures like the intelligence quotient (IQ), emotional quotient (EQ), and others.

Somewhere along the way in life, almost all of us have taken some form of an IQ or EQ test and were provided with a number as a result. That figure number is supposed to indicate some level of intelligence. Irrespective of the limitations of such a method to quantitatively measure intelligence, you can (over time and through hard work) increase the number and become smarter. What’s more amazing is that the teachings of MCKS can accelerate your ability to get smarter and more intelligent.

Several techniques taught by MCKS can help one become smarter, but one of the most essential techniques remains Superbrain Yoga.

The Magic of Superbrain Yoga

One of the easiest ways to become smarter is through regular practice of Superbrain Yoga. MCKS developed this technique to be a simple and effective way to energize and recharge the brain. This powerful technique is explained in Master Choa Kok Sui’s book Superbrain Yoga and is dramatic in its simplicity, given that the exercise takes less than 60 seconds a day to perform. This exercise benefits young students and adults seeking brain wellness into their senior years and patients with developmental challenges and cognitive delays seeking normalcy and cures. Superbrain Yoga can additionally help keep our brain fit and functional, and how these can help counter the common mental effects of aging, memory loss, as well as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Plenty of studies have been conducted on Superbrain Yoga – especially on children. What is remarkable is that the children studied almost showed a significant increase in academic and behavioural performance, greater class participation, and improved social skills. In one study, the result of an electroencephalograph showed increased amplitude in the parietooccipital region of the brain following the Superbrain Yoga. This indicates increased brain electrical activity following the exercise. 

In the USA, pilots have been conducted using Superbrain Yoga. A pilot study of two classes totaling thirty-six students served as the experimental group and sixteen as the control group. These students performed the exercise regularly. In that year, 83% of the students in the experimental group improved their standardized test scores using the GatesMacGinitie Reading Inventory as a measurement tool. The average percentage point change in scores was 24 points for the experimental group. For example, students who once scored 64% on tests now scored 88%. In the control group, only 50% of the students improved their test scores, with an average percentage change of 14 points. In another pilot, 36 students performing Master Choa Kok Sui’s Superbrain Yoga were compared to a control group of 36 students. Once again, the data reflects that students performing Master Choa Kok Sui’s Superbrain Yoga perform better academically and behaviourally. The following year, the experimental group increased test scores by 25%, while the experimental group only increased by 15%. It was also determined through the scientific evaluation of Dr. Eugenius Ang, Jr. (Ph. D Post-doctoral fellow in the department of Neurobiology at Yale University School of Medicine) and Dr. Glenn Joseph Mendoza (M.D., M.P.H. Practicing Physician and Director of the Neonatology and Neurodevelopment program in Upper State New York and Associate Professor, Clinical Paediatrics at the New York Medical College), that the quality of the experiment has a p-value of .0001 which supports that the data collected is statistically and scientifically strong thereby proving the Superbrain Yoga is capable of improving intelligence levels. 

Meditation and Intelligence

In addition to Superbrain Yoga, Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga together introduce several meditation techniques. Meditation as a tool helps optimize mental functioning. According to research, people who meditate even in small doses can remodel the electrical patterns of the brain, which can help optimize mental functioning. Jeff Tarrant, Ph.D., and Neus Raines, Ph.D., found that the experienced meditators had significantly more gamma brain waves (30-90 Hz). A Harvard study used MRI scans to document how Meditation rebuilds the brain’s grey matter in 8 weeks. Specifically, the Meditation on Twin Hearts is known to activate the brain. 

Research and Scientific studies have been completed on the neurophysiological, psychological, sociological, and psychospiritual effects of Meditation on Twin Hearts. These studies have been conducted mostly in New York City, New York and in Bangalore, India. In conjunction with Pranic Healing, Meditation on Twin Hearts has also shown increased academic performance, behavioural functioning, improved memory, and overall school and job performance.

You may ask what is the link between the Meditation on Twin Hearts and intelligence. Simply stated, the procedure for the Meditation on Twin Hearts entails activating the heart and crown chakras. Chakras have multiple functions – including physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Specifically, the crown chakra also controls the brain. When the crown chakra is highly activated, it also activates and energizes the cells in the brain, thereby boosting brain power. This is yet another reason why we should try and meditate regularly. 

Mental and Intuitive Intelligence

In addition to mental intelligence, MCKS also discussed the concept of intuitive intelligence (or intuition). Our present educational system emphasizes the development of mental intelligence. Intuition, on the other hand, is known as inner knowing or inner perception. This is how MCKS explained the difference between mental intelligence in his book Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul (Pages 29-30):

 What is Intuition? What is the difference between intuitive and mental intelligence? The difference is similar to a man who can see and a man who is blind. If a blind person wants to know an elephant, he has to touch it for quite some time to gather data and process them in order to have an idea of the shape of the elephant. A person who has eyes to see will simply open his eyes and say, “That is an elephant,” and will know exactly what an elephant looks like. Intuitive intelligence is just like opening your eyes and saying, “I know what that is.” Mental intelligence requires study and the use of logic through inductive and deductive reasoning.

Our present educational system does not place any focus on development of the faculty of intuitive intelligence because it is not considered as scientific or “rational”. However, many scientific discoveries do have a role in intuition. The most famous of these discoveries were made by Sir Isaac Newton. Newton supposedly watched an apple fall from a tree and suddenly connected its motion as being caused by the same universal gravitational force that governs the moon’s attraction to the Earth.  Likewise, Frederick Kekule discovered the benzene molecule’s structure after an intuitive dream and lots of analytical thinking focused on understanding molecules in general. Kekule saw the answer in a dream of a snake coiled and biting its tail. In an intuitive flash, he realized that the molecular structure was characterized by a ring of carbon atoms (Benzene is a 6-carbon ringed compound with six hydrogen atoms with the carbon-carbon bonds arranged alternately single and double). This discovery opened the way to modern theories of organic chemistry. Another famous example of intuition leading to scientific discovery is Archimedes, who suddenly awoke to a significant principle that would enable him to measure the volume of an object based on the amount of water it displaced.

These are not isolated examples. One of the greatest scientific minds of all time, Albert Einstein, was very aware of the role of intuition in scientific discovery. He had to say this: “The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it Intuition or what you will; the solution comes to you, and you don’t know how or why,”.

So, how does one develop intuitive intelligence? According to MCKS: “The crown chakra is the intuitive center.” Therefore, if we can activate our Crown Chakra, we can increase our intuition. Meditating regularly is one of the safest ways to activate the chakras.

Intelligence and Spirituality

Yet another factor can help make people more intelligent, though one that is not commonly known. This factor is called Spiritual Practice.

One of the hallmarks of spiritual practice is that it makes you more intelligent. To put this into perspective, have you ever heard of the story of a Spiritual Teacher or Saint who lacked a sharp mind? When you read stories about great spiritual teachers across traditions in antiquity, you would observe that almost all of them were extraordinary from the standpoint of possessing a sharp mind. According to Master Choa Kok Sui, the key purpose of Arhatic Yoga is “to produce intelligent, compassionate, good-hearted, powerful disciples who will become great divine servants.” Notice the emphasis on the word “intelligent.”

Several other techniques to enable students to sharpen their minds lie within the MCKS Arhatic Yoga system. These include the practice of the virtues, the Arhatic Kundalini meditation (also known as the Arhatic Meditation on the Inner Breath), and the understanding Meditation (which is introduced in Arhatic Yoga Level 1). You may read more about the different types of yoga taught in the MCKS Arhatic Yoga system in our online magazine.

How to Learn Pranic Healing?

Learning Pranic Healing is like learning to drive. The introductory two-day Basic Pranic Healing workshop provides an intensive and systematic approach to learning and applying healing techniques on themselves and others. The concepts and techniques are thoroughly clarified using a simple cookbook approach which makes learning practical, engaging and most importantly a lot of fun.

There are a significantly large number of applications on how Pranic Healing can benefit you in everyday life. You can read about some of our experiences on our testimonials page. You can access the answers to frequently asked questions on Pranic Healing here. It’s our pleasure to assist you in exploring the benefits of Pranic Healing for yourself.