Aligned Mind

Aligned Mind – Achieving the vision of an ideal self

By Daniel Tweeton DC

"Lucky, indeed, shall we be if ever we succeed in throwing a gleam of light upon the modus operandi with which sense-impressions are communicated to the intellect, and transformed into thought or consciousness. The marvel does not exist in our having eyes and ears, but in our being able to see and hear. Explain this and perhaps you explain everything else that has hitherto puzzled our benighted understanding.”

After reading through The Chiropractic Adjuster, which is a compilation of writings from the founder of chiropractic, D. D. Palmer, I came upon the above passage, which was a quote from Dr. E. P. Bailey. The Chiropractic Adjuster was put together over 100 years ago. Since then, we have come a long way in the scientific pursuit of how our mind becomes consciously aware of our body state.

The mind aligned towards a vision is an ideal state. Understanding how our body and its various neurophysiological mechanisms integrates into our conscious awareness is a fascinating area of research. I will be diving into this topic, and at the end I will provide 5 concrete action steps to implement the information provided.

Recently I viewed a podcast with clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson and neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman in which they discussed this topic.

The insight provided from this discussion is extraordinary, particularly when it comes to where our autonomic nervous system connects within our brain so that we become consciously aware of what is going on in our body. As discussed by Dr. Huberman, the prefrontal cortex, specifically the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, has direct communication with two brain areas, the anterior cingulate cortex, and the insula.

Before your eyes start to glaze over from reading about the anatomy of neurological structures, let’s take a look at significance of our prefrontal cortex being an area of integration with consciousness. This brain area is responsible for higher order decision making and executive brain functions to carry out plans of operation.

To gain a better understanding of the importance of the prefrontal cortex, let’s examine what happens when it is disabled. There is the classic case study of Phineas Gage, who miraculously survived an accident in which a rod penetrated his brain’s left frontal lobe, essentially disabling the prefrontal cortex in that region. Prior to the injury, Mr. Gage was regarded as an organized and well put together businessman; however, after the accident his personality remarkably changed. This change is described by Dr. John M. Harlow:

"The equilibrium or balance, so to speak, between his intellectual faculties and animal propensities, seems to have been destroyed. He is fitful, irreverent, indulging at times in the grossest profanity (which was not previously his custom), manifesting but little deference for his fellows, impatient of restraint or advice when it conflicts with his desires, at times pertinaciously obstinate, yet capricious and vacillating, devising many plans of future operation, which are no sooner arranged than they are abandoned in turn for others appearing more feasible. A child in his intellectual capacity and manifestations, he has the animal passions of a strong man. Previous to his injury, though untrained in the schools, he possessed a well-balanced mind, and was looked upon by those who knew him as a shrewd, smart business man, very energetic and persistent in executing all his plans of operation. In this regard his mind was radically changed, so decidedly that his friends and acquaintances said he was "no longer Gage."

CLICK HERE FOR THE PHINEAS GAGE ARTICLE

Evolutionarily, the prefrontal cortex arose and developed from the motor cortex. It appears to modify our actions to carry out a higher order plan. In the podcast previously mentioned, Dr. Peterson describes the prefrontal cortex as a flexible rule setting structure which can create abstract future versions of ourselves. These abstract versions are essentially simulations of potential actions in our mind, and our prefrontal cortex helps determine the most ideal action for a given situation.

Here is where it gets interesting and why the example with Phineas Gage is relevant. Within the abstract versions of ourselves would theoretically exist an abstract ideal of our future selves. This ideal version would likely be a successful person, which is by all accounts is what Mr. Gage seemed to be prior to his injury. Without this ideal to strive towards, a person would likely revert to a more primitive functional state, being highly reactionary to both internal and external state without higher order modification.

Children are a good example of this as they lack development of their prefrontal cortex. If you observe a 2-year-old, they are like ping-pong balls bouncing around from one thing to the next. They are purely reactionary to their environment, with little higher order modulation of their actions and emotions. As we mature and the prefrontal cortex develops, our actions begin to reflect movement towards a higher order purpose.

Since our prefrontal cortex helps us determine an abstract ideal for our future selves, our actions will begin to align with movement towards that ideal. This ideal version of ourselves could incorporate a multitude of things; for example, a happier version of ourselves, a healthier version of ourselves, and/or a wealthier version of ourselves.

Here is where it gets very intriguing. The previous areas mentioned, the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, which are responsible for integrating autonomic signals to make us consciously aware of them, can in turn be directed by our prefrontal cortex to modify the activity of the autonomic nervous system. In other words, our mind is capable of telling our body’s autonomic nervous system what to do, making us better equipped to carry out a task which would take a person closer their abstract ideal. The body’s internal physiology is being modified by the will of the person so that the individual is better suited to accomplish a higher order vision for their life.

These physiological changes can go from a temporary change to a more permanent alteration through both changes in neuroplasticity and changes in hormones. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter of central importance in these neuroplastic changes. As we move towards accomplishing a goal or objective, dopamine is released as we accomplish steps in pursuing that goal. The release of dopamine is a consciously desirable feeling, as it gives a person a sense of hope, but it also plays a role in rewarding the neural circuitry and neural pathways which resulted in success. This helps to bolster this mode of action in the person and make them more readily capable to repeat it.

The reverse is also true. If a person’s actions result in failure and moves that individual farther away from their goal, dopamine levels will drop below baseline, which will result in a negative feeling consciously, and the outcome will essentially kill off the circuitry which led to failure. This will help to ensure actions and behaviors which were not successful will not be repeated.

A word of caution when it comes to dopamine and mental health. When experiencing failure, it is vital to precisely and accurately identify where exactly the failure occurred. This limits the depressive effect from experiencing a drop in dopamine, and it serves to kill off only the circuitry involved with creating behaviors counter-productive to a person’s goals. In depressed individuals, oftentimes the cause of failure spills out into other areas and becomes unconstrained.

Perhaps an example would help clarify this concept. If a student was expecting to get an A on a midterm exam but instead received a C, then the unexpected failure to accomplish their vision of achieving an A would result in a drop of dopamine below baseline, and they would experience negative emotion as a consequence. The student would need to identify precisely where he failed in getting an A. If he lets his emotional state get out of control, he may let the failure spill out and say things like, “I must not be very intelligent, I didn’t get an A so I must be a failure.” This is a bad place to be, and instead the student should identify precisely why he didn’t get the grade he wanted. In this case the student says to himself, “you know, I was up late partying the night before the exam, and I should have spent that time studying and getting a good night’s rest instead. For the final exam I will be sure to prioritize studying and getting better sleep."

I believe it is also important for a person to have multiple areas in which they are working towards achieving an ideal future. This could be relationships, finances, social interactions, education, and other areas. This way, if failure is experienced in one area, the drop in dopamine will probably not be as dramatic or as prolonged since the person has other areas in life in which they are successful. This serves to keep an individual anchored and levelheaded.

Let’s get back to the subject of using dopamine to our advantage. Perhaps one of the best ways to activate the prefrontal cortex and its aforementioned structures is by voluntary exposure to challenge. Meeting obstacles head on in order to reach one’s goals is a great way to train the prefrontal cortex to maintain control over the body and its autonomic nervous system.

A dysregulated state would exist if the roles were reversed, and the other brain areas, such as the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, directed the prefrontal cortex. Controlled voluntary exposure to situations which might invoke anxiety develops the prefrontal cortex, and this allows a person maintain control over their body state rather than their body state controlling the person. This allows an individual to stay on track with actions to attain their abstract ideal future self. These actions are rewarded, and the neural circuitry is encouraged through the release of dopamine. It is also of interest to note that sustained attention and reward is much more motivating than fear of punishment.

That is a good look at how neuroplastic changes occur to alter one’s physiological state and puts a person in a better position to achieve their abstract ideal future self. Now let’s discuss another physiological component - hormonal changes. These changes are intricately related with dopamine; specifically, the release of testosterone and estrogen.

Testosterone and estrogen are hormones found in both men and women, with men normally having more testosterone than women and women normally having more estrogen than men. These hormones are able to cross through the membranes of our cells and enter the nucleus. This effects the gene expression within the cell and changes the coding for the production of new proteins. In effect, this changes the overall function of that cell and the organ system it is a part of.

Exposure to competition increases an individual’s level of testosterone. Likewise, lower testosterone levels are observed in people who experience repeated failure. Testosterone is described as a hormone which makes effort feel good. Higher levels help a person to fight harder, forage further, and take on the challenge of competition. Testosterone even binds to the amygdala and lowers the threshold for fear, which helps reduce anxiety.

To sum up, if a person has a vision for an ideal future self, and that person voluntarily exposes themselves to challenge and competition required to achieve that vision, then that person will experience both neuroplastic and hormonal changes altering their body’s physiological state down to the genetic level. These changes will help enable the individual to continue pursuing their ideal vision both physically and mentally.

I will now add my own bit of information to Dr. Peterson’s and Dr. Huberman’s discussion from a chiropractic perspective. With the understanding that the autonomic nervous system integrates into the conscious mind through the aforementioned processes, it would reason that the integrity of the autonomic nervous system would be of great significance. We know that areas of misaligned vertebrae within the spinal column, termed subluxation, result in a facilitated segment.

This has a sequela of neurological events which result in an excitatory state of the central nervous system at the level of the cord, which is due to the increase in excitatory neurotransmitters. The spillover effect from the build-up of excitatory neurotransmitters activates the lateral horns of the cord, in effect increasing sympathetic activity. This altered neurological state would most certainly alter signals sent the brain, and it would undoubtedly result in altering the mind’s conscious awareness of the body state.

The chiropractic adjustment uses a specific contact, force, and line of drive to correct the subluxation and restore normal neurological function. This would in effect restore normal physiological function of the autonomic nervous system and result in restoration of normal signal input to the brain, giving the mind a more ideal conscious awareness of the body’s state and condition.

What about the factors and conditions which determine what a person envisions as being the ideal future versions of themselves? It is important for a person to think critically on the vision they have for their life and the goals they wish to accomplish. Dr. B. J. Palmer, who is known as “the developer” of chiropractic, is quoted in his book Fame and Fortune:

"We deplore the external, so-called educational process of pumping in ideas which is in vogue, because it makes automatic poll-parrots and robots of children and adults. We prefer pulling out personal initiative.”

“Where there is one outstanding example of strong independent thinker we find millions who are weak dependent blank repeaters, who mouth trite words of other blank repeaters who know no difference.”

“Educated minds are capable of far more work than they have ever done. An average person uses most of his muscles during mature life, but leaves dormant large areas - perhaps two thirds - of his education.”

Reference to innate is made repeatedly in his text, the force which makes us who we are as living beings. In a purely scientific sense, it would be defined as genetic coding and the neurophysiological processes which it sets in motion. The force behind this drive to make the person his own unique organism, which is a continuously evolving process molded by life’s experiences. Neurologically speaking, an individual’s drives manifest externally through efferent action, which in turn is afferently sensed and interpreted. As this process unfolds, new neurological connections are formed and influenced by the same innate force which took us from a Petri dish of cells to the human organism. The stress from action required to achieve the goal influences the physiology of the body to help take on challenge.

Clearly higher order thinking and planning achieved through prefrontal cortex development can be of significant value. The question arises as to which types of visions a person develops when creating the ideal of their future selves. To help better understand this question, I will be referencing the works of Dr. Thomas Sowell, an economist and author of a plethora of books. One of his works, A Conflict of Visions, is a book which describes the visions of individuals and society as belonging to one of two different categories, each with a separate set of assumptions. These are the unconstrained vision and the constrained vision. To better understand these two categories I will quote the book:

“The unconstrained vision is a moral vision of human intentions, which are viewed as ultimately decisive. The unconstrained vision promotes pursuit of the highest ideals and the best solutions. By contrast, the constrained vision sees the best as the enemy of the good- a vain attempt to reach the unattainable being seen as not only futile but often counterproductive, while the same efforts could have produced a more viable and beneficial trade-off.”

“The unconstrained vision speaks directly in terms of desired results, the constrained vision in terms of process characteristics considered conducive to desired results, but not directly or without many unhappy side effects, which are accepted as part of a trade-off.”

Dr. Sowell’s book discusses these two camps and goes into detail with regard to their social and political ramifications. My interest when it comes to this classification of visions is on an individual level and how it relates to a person developing a vision of their ideal future self. If an individual were to operate under a purely unconstrained vision, they would have sky-high goals that stretch above and beyond the rules of limitation. The constrained vision, in contrast, would have an individual make the best of their circumstances through the understanding that they have limitations and defects which they must work to overcome. To quote the book again:

“Running through the tradition of the unconstrained vision is the conviction that foolish or immoral choices explain the evils of the world- and that wiser or more moral and humane social policies are the solution.”

“By contrast, the constrained vision sees the evils of the world as deriving from the limited and unhappy choices available, given the inherent moral and intellectual limitations of human beings. For amelioration of these evils and the promotion of progress, they rely on the systemic characteristics of certain social processes such as moral traditions, the marketplace, or families.”

I believe it is up to each person and their own experience to determine which form of vision is most appropriate for themselves. Personally, I incorporate both visions when setting goals. I have short to medium-term goals operating in the constrained vision, which considers my current situation and concrete steps towards a better situation. There is an element of wisdom from past experiences and previous trial and error. My long-term goals tend to be more unconstrained, and they have more of the “reach for the sky” element. This comes from the understanding that I don’t want to limit the potential for what I might be capable of in the future. Perhaps through newfound knowledge or development of a skill set, new possibilities may be created, potentially opening a door to achieve things previously unattainable.

The vision of the ideal self sets the agenda for both thoughts and actions of the individual. As such, the factors which influence those thoughts and actions are of significance, specifically when it comes to ethics and morality. When you think deeply about these things, the moral standing of a person inevitably stems from a religious and/or philosophical point of reference and is influenced by social and familial factors. It also brings forth the question, “what are the consequences of not having an ideal to strive for?”

Dr. Jordan Peterson also did a podcast with Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

In the video, Dr. Peterson touched on this concept. To quote him from the episode:

“If you imagine that we have a hierarchy of conception such that some things we perceive and conceive of are shallow and other things are deep, and the deep things are those upon which many ideas are dependent.”

“The deeper down you go the more it becomes religious in some real sense, and there is no getting away from depth in that manner, because without that hierarchy of depth you have a kind of incoherence at best, and so there is no getting away from the religious if you think about it technically in that manner. And then if you don’t have a religious story or religious substrate, then it seems to me that what happens is the political starts to become the substitute for that depth.”

I will include a few additions to Dr. Peterson’s analysis. If a person has no religious or philosophical structural basis for actions guiding him or her towards an abstract ideal, then political issues may fill that void; however, I would also say some individuals would abandon any form of political ideology altogether. In this case hedonism would likely be the basis for their actions. This certainly seemed to be the case for Phineas Gage after his injury. For such a person, satisfaction of any desires would guide their actions in a much more primitive, stimulus-response, mode of existence.

This brings into the discussion the use of drugs. Certain illicit substances act upon the dopamine system and cause the release of dopamine in the brain, providing an artificial sense of satisfaction. This, in effect, creates neuroplastic changes which reward and reinforce the drug seeking behavior, hence a person becomes addicted to that drug. This shines light on how self-destructive activating the dopamine system can be if it does not result in productive behavior and only serves to drive a person to get their next high.

I could see living in a hedonistic manner easily leading to nihilism. If a person becomes unable to satisfy their hedonistic desires for any number of reasons, then they really aren’t left with anything meaningful, and I view this as a terrible place to be mentally. All I can say is that I don’t accept the nihilistic point of view. The human body is made up of trillions of cells all working in concert to make the person who he is, defying the laws of inorganic matter to carry out a new mode of existence through organic matter, and you mean to tell me the force directing all of this is meaningless? I don’t buy it.

Oftentimes, the deeper aspect of an idea is played out in stories. While writing this essay, I could not help but be reminded of a children’s movie which I was fond of as a young kid. Labyrinth is fantasy film in which a teenage girl, Sarah, must save her infant brother from a mystical figure who has kidnapped and taken the baby hostage. She must make it through many obstacles and challenges within the labyrinth to find her brother. This storyline represents a higher order vision and the path of overcoming obstacles to achieve a desired outcome.

At one point in the movie Sarah comes across a group of wild looking creatures known as “the brothers.” Being a children’s movie, they break out in a song which contains the following lyrics:

Clearly, these creatures live hedonistically without worries and without a higher order vision. What is peculiar about the brothers is they can remove their heads and toss them around. This represents living without the use of your prefrontal cortex to move towards an ideal future self. Why have a head or brain if all you are going to do is live in a primitive state?

What can be done to ensure we stay on purpose to achieve a vision of our higher order selves? Here are my 5 recommendations:

1. Have a vision for your life and think critically about creating a life plan. This may be done by creating realistic short-term goals that you can work towards achieving right away. It is also important to have long-term goals to work towards that are in line with your ideal future self.

2. Have goals in multiple life areas such as family, finance, fitness, occupation, social circle, and/or education. Break these goals down into concrete steps that can be completed incrementally and plan out an ideal future vision for yourself in each of these life areas.

3. Face challenges and obstacles head on and do what’s necessary to reach your goals. Voluntarily expose yourself to situations that take you closer to your vision. Don’t be afraid to compete, even if it means competing with yourself to be better than you were yesterday.

4. If failure occurs along the way, clearly and precisely identify exactly where the failure occurred in regard to your actions, and then correct the behavior accordingly. Don’t let the failure spill out and effect you anymore than it should. Reassess, reevaluate, and then reengage towards achieving your goals.

5. Stay engaged in activities which stimulate your mind and continue to learn new skills. Whether it’s reading a book, watching a podcast, or attending a seminar, keep engaged in activities that help you develop personally. Newfound knowledge or developing a new skill could potentially be the key to unlocking a new version of an ideal future self which was previously not possible.

I hope you found this information as fascinating as I did, and hopefully it will be useful for you.

Dr. Dan Tweeton

Tweeton Family Chiropractic PLC

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only. The information contained on this site is not medical or psychological advice and appropriate evaluation from a certified healthcare practitioner should be performed before using or following any of the general information provided. The reader of this site agrees that no existence of a professional relationship or entity exist between the practitioner or the visitor/reader. Provided information articles are for general purposes only and appropriate evaluation of a certified healthcare practitioner should be performed before implementing any of the advice within the articles. The reader understands and accepts the condition that the practitioners listed on this site accept no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the use or misuse of the information contained on the website including links to other resources. The reader assumes all risk of use or misuse of the information provided.

Tweeton Family Chiropractic

Audio Version of the following essay available on youtube

Aligned Mind – Achieving the vision of an ideal self

By Daniel Tweeton DC

Video

Recommended readings