06 Unlocking Brains Pratiswara & Paryaasa

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Briefing Document: The Science of Learning - Pratiswara and Paryaasa

This document outlines a scientific and philosophical approach to effective learning, emphasizing the roles of sensory input, brain function, and specific modes of information processing. The core concepts, "pratiswara" (focused attention) and "paryaasa" (diffuse processing/indexing), are explained in detail, drawing parallels between brain function and computer operations, and incorporating ancient Indian philosophical principles from Mimamsa.

I. The Brain: The Master Controller and Its Structure

The text begins by highlighting the brain as the "master of our entire body," responsible for all actions and processing all sensory information.

• Five Senses as Information Gateways: All learning and interaction with the world occur through our five senses: eyes (vision), ears (sound), nose (smell), tongue (taste), and skin (touch). "Any information we grasp or anything we learn happens with our five sense organs."
• Neural Network: Information from the senses is sent to the brain as "an electric signal through the neural network."
• The Brain's Complexity: The brain is described as "one of the most magical device to be created on this universe," so complex that "even today the only human part that no medical science is able to repair or modify is the brain." It comprises "lakhs and lakhs of neurons and neural network making it impossible to crack how it actually works."

Key Brain Structures and Their Functions:

• Cerebrum (85% of brain):Receives and stores electrical signals from the senses.
• The center for thought and controls voluntary muscle movements (walking, running).
• The primary part involved in learning.
• Cerebellum:Functions as a "motor that operates all the actions from our brain."
• Responsible for maintaining balance and coordinating movements (e.g., walking, driving a bicycle).
• Crucial for physical skills and sports, enabling spontaneous calculations for complex actions (e.g., hitting a cricket ball). It is described as a "magical electromagnetic chip."
• Brain Stem:Connected to the spinal cord.
• Controls involuntary actions (e.g., heart rate, breathing acceleration during fear, digestion). These actions occur "without our knowledge or consent."
• Amygdala:Almond-shaped, located at the bottom of the brain.
• Controls reflex actions (e.g., pulling hand away from a thorn) for survival.
• Related to the generation of human emotions (happiness, sadness, anger) and stores "memories related to feelings" (e.g., first date location, first airplane journey).

II. Pratiswara: Focused Learning and Concentration

"Pratiswara" is introduced as the crucial process for effectively acquiring and storing important information in the brain.

• Prefrontal Cortex (Temporary Memory): Information from the five senses is constantly sent to the "prefrontal cortex," which acts as a "temporary memory or a short-term memory," similar to a computer's RAM.
• Hippocampus (Permanent Memory): For permanent storage, information needs to be transferred to the "hippocampus," which is "similar to the hard disk we have in our computer."
• The "Save Command" for the Brain: To move information from the prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus, a "save command" is generated by "changing the way we acquire information from our five senses."
• The Essence of Pratiswara: Pratiswara involves deliberately blocking out information from all senses except the one conveying the important information. The brain has "only one recorder to record it in hippocampus," so sending all five signals at once results in none being recorded correctly.
• Example: To memorize a bank account PIN number spoken by a spouse, one must "switch off tv, stop smelling the delicious dish... stop eating it and keep the remote down and by this put all our four senses except ear in mute mode."
• Concentration: Pratiswara is synonymous with concentration. "This process of blocking all the senses except the one we want to grasp, and keep all our concentration only on the one sense and one information when we are sending it to brain is what we call as the process of pratiswara."
• Mimamsa Analogy (Chariot and Horses): In the ancient Mimamsa learning system, the body is a chariot, driven by five horses (senses), with the brain as the charioteer. In "pratiswara mode," "all the five horses are now running in a co-ordinated way in one direction." Failure to do so leads to "stress."
• Energy Generation: Scientifically, concentrating sensory signals to one point through pratiswara "generates huge energy in the brain," equivalent to making "a 500 watts bulb glow." This "additional energy or current" is needed for the brain to send information from the prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus.
• Practical Application: To teach effectively, teachers must ensure students are in "pratiswara mode." Diversions (like a new geometry box) break this mode, rendering teaching efforts "in vain."
• Building Concentration: Concentration cannot be forced. Negative emotions triggered by scolding can block information recording in the hippocampus.
• Recommended Activities: "Drawing and music" are powerful activities to build concentration in children. Yoga is also suggested.
• Combined Sensory Action: Repeating information through different senses (seeing, hearing, writing new words) can help maintain the "pratiswara" state.

III. Paryaasa: Diffuse Processing and Information Indexing

While pratiswara focuses on acquiring information, "paryaasa" is essential for organizing and permanently storing it for easy recall.

• The Need for Indexing: Just as hundreds of saved computer files need indexing for quick retrieval, information in the hippocampus needs to be organized. The brain has an "automated indexing system."
• The Essence of Paryaasa: Paryaasa is the state where the brain is disconnected from new sensory information to allow it to index and establish relationships between newly acquired memories. It is "just opposite of pratiswara."
• "We have to keep brain free from the five senses and its information."
• The mind should be in a "state of nirvana," "totally defocused," or "diffuse mode."
• Neural Connections (Myelin Sheath): During paryaasa, the brain establishes "relationships between all these neurons" by forming a "thin myelin sheath" on the axon of neurons. This process interconnects and indexes the information collected during the pratiswara session.
• Time Allocation: Scientific research suggests that paryaasa should be "around 15% to 20% of time it was in pratiswara mode." For example, after 20 minutes of focused pratiswara learning, 5 minutes of paryaasa are needed.
• Appropriate Paryaasa Activities:"Go for a walk in nature, enjoy some good fresh air."
• "Just sit at one place close your eyes and never think anything but just say calm and still."
• "Fall asleep."
• In Yoga, this state is called "samadhi" or "shavaasana."
• Inappropriate Paryaasa Activities: Activities like checking social media (Facebook, Instagram reels) during paryaasa are ineffective. "Again when you are seeing the insta reels or facebook feeds you intermittently enter into pratiswara mode and you give no chance for your brain to create the myelin connections for the information."
• "Remember paryaasa means maintaining absolutely no action or not sensing anything. You should not even think as that will also affect the brain performance in building the myelin sheath."

IV. Mimamsa Philosophy on Paryaasa and Samadhi

The Mimamsa philosophy offers a slightly different perspective on paryaasa, introducing the concept of "mind" as an additional player.

• The Rider (Mind): Beyond the charioteer (brain) and horses (senses), there is a "rider or the master who is sitting inside the chariot and that master or rider is our mind."
• Brain-Mind-Sense Interaction: The brain receives information from both the senses and commands from the mind. Crucially, "when it is communicating with the senses, it should not communicate with the mind. When it is communicating with the mind it should not communicate with the senses."
• Uber Taxi Analogy: The relationship is illustrated by an Uber driver. During the journey (pratiswara), the driver (brain) focuses on driving (senses/GPS). If the passenger (mind) gives new commands mid-journey, the driver must stop the car (enter paryaasa) to process the new information before resuming.

1. Learning Scenario (Mimamsa Perspective):Pratiswara (20 minutes): Mind tells brain to learn physics. Brain enters pratiswara, focusing only on reading the book.
2. Paryaasa (10 minutes): After concentrated learning, the brain enters paryaasa. It "interact[s] with you [mind] and it will share the mind what all it had learnt in that twenty minutes," disconnecting from the sense organs.
3. Samadhi (Third State): The brain then focuses on building the myelin sheath for indexing. During this period, the mind should place the body in "samadhi mode," akin to a "dead body with absolutely no interaction with any of the senses." This state is difficult to achieve for most learners.

V. Proposed New Education System Model

Based on these principles, a specific learning pattern is proposed for an effective education system.

• One-Hour Class Structure (50 minutes effective teaching):25 minutes: Pratiswara Mode: Teacher starts with a fresh subject, ensuring children are in focused concentration.
• 5 minutes: Paryaasa Mode: Children close their eyes, relax, and are instructed not to think, allowing the brain to process.
• 20 minutes: Abhyasana Kriye: This concept, related to "athvara abhyasana" and "antarika abhyasana," will be discussed in future sessions.
• Optimal Learning Ratio: For efficient learning, a learner should be in "pratiswara mode for 80 percent of time" and then switch to "paryaasa mode where he will completely disconnect all his senses from brain, remain calm and relaxed and allow the brain to build the myelin sheath network" for the "remaining 20% time."

The document concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding "pratiswara" and "paryaasa" for efficient learning, setting the stage for the next concept: "nidraavasta" (sleep state).

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