Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health (14 page)

memory.12 Researchers specifically found an increase in folds

in the insula, which is an amazing structure that integrates

thinking, emotions, and self-regulation.13 These studies show

once again that the more you apply a pattern of deep, intel-

lectual thought in your brain, the more you will improve the

physical structure of your brain. Clearly, then, the parts of

the brain involved in attention monitoring, working memory

(dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), and how well we monitor

our own thoughts (insula) and feelings improves dramatically

with deep, intellectual thought.14

Conclusion

These are just a few of the studies that show us that when

we discipline our thoughts, positive, physical brain changes

happen. This allows us to become more aligned with God’s

way of thinking: “Commit your works to the Lord, and your

thoughts
will be established” (Prov. 16:3, emphasis mine). Then

we will switch between tasks correctly; monitor our attention,

feelings, and thoughts; and function at a higher level. I just

love that every instruction God gives us that we actually fol-

low comes with a bonus physically and mentally. You do what

God says and peace, happiness, and intelligence will follow.

101

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 101

5/16/13 1:34 PM

HOW TO SWITCH ON YOUR BRAIN

1. The truth about multitasking is that it is a persistent myth.

2. What we really do is shift our attention rapidly and

haphazardly from task to task, resulting in two nega-

tive things: (1) We don’t devote as much focused atten-

tion as we should to a specific activity, task, or piece

of information, and (2) we sacrifice the quality of our

attention. I call this
milkshake-multitasking
.

3. This milkshake-multitasking creates patterns of flighti-

ness and lack of concentration that unfortunately are

often erroneously labeled ADD and ADHD. Too often

this results in unnecessary medication, which adds fuel

to the fire.

4. The general pattern today is that so much attention

is paid to tweeting, Instagramming, and Facebooking

that we forget all about enjoying the moment.

5. So-called social media experts tell us that information

needs to be provided in bite-size amounts and in a con-

stant stream of new information before the previous

information has even been digested. This is not stimula-

tion; it is bombardment.

6. Milkshake-multitasking decreases our attention, mak-

ing us increasingly less able to focus on our thought

habits. This opens us up to shallow and weak judgments

and decisions, and it results in passive mindlessness.

7. Scientists are seeing the evidence of deep, intellectual

thought versus milkshake-multitasking in the brain.

8. I saw the greatest changes in patients who willfully,

determinedly, and persistently chose to focus their at-

tention on improving their skills and restoring function.

102

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 102

5/16/13 1:34 PM

7

Thinking, God, and the

Quantum Physics Brain

Main Scripture: Today I have given you the choice

between life and death, between blessings and

curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness

the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose

life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT

Linked Science Concepts: The process of thinking

and choosing is the most powerful thing in the

universe after God, and it is a phenomenal gift

from God to be treasured and used properly. The

basic ingredients of quantum physics are: paying

attention, thinking and choosing, and consequence.

As we have explored in previous chapters, our mind

activity—the thoughts driven by the power of

feelings—are the designers of the landscape of our

103

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 103

5/16/13 1:34 PM

HOW TO SWITCH ON YOUR BRAIN

brains. Thinking and choosing play a central role in who God

has made us to be. In linking thought, choice, and science,

quantum theory comes up as a star player.

The process of thinking and choosing is the most powerful

thing in the universe after God, and it is a phenomenal gift

from God to be treasured and used properly.

Three Different Worlds

There is the sensory world of our five senses; there is the

world of electromagnetism and the atom; and then there is

the subatomic quantum world. This quantum world chal-

lenged physicists’ perception of linear time, orderly space,

and fixed realities and turned on its head the Cartesian New-

tonian world that sees humans as machines with exchange-

able parts.

This is God’s style: Just when humans think they are super

smart and know it all, a whole lot of new information enters

into the equation and changes everything. In the words of

Max Planck, the German theoretical physicist who won the

Nobel Prize in 1918 for originating quantum theory, “Science

progresses funeral by funeral.”1

Quantum Physics Is Another Way of Admiring God

Quantum physics
is a way of explaining how the things that

make up atoms work and makes sense of how the small-

est things in nature work.
Quantum
means “energy,” and

quantum physics tells us how electromagnetic waves—like

light waves—and particles work.
Quantum mechanics
is the

mathematical framework used to describe this energy and

how it works.

104

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 104

5/16/13 1:34 PM

Thinking, God, and the Quantum Physics Brain

Using quantum physics, scientists can describe, predict,

and quantify how we choose among a myriad of options.

This is a way of
measuring
free will or describing it using a

mathematical formula. In essence, quantum physics says that

• your consciousness affects the behaviors of subatomic

particles;

• particles move backward and forward in time and appear

in all possible places at once; and

• the universe is connected with transfers of information

that are faster than light.

Quantum Physics Aligning with Scripture

Quantum theory converts science’s conception of humans

from being mere cogs in a gigantic, mechanical machine to

being freethinking agents whose conscious choices affect the

physical world.2 This is called the
observer effect
: The ob-

server determines the direction in which the possibilities may

collapse. In the quantum universe, as we—the observers—

affect phenomena, space, and time, we turn possibilities into

realities. Mind changes matter.

Here is a simple way of understanding this observer effect.

Each day as you go through the events and circumstances of

life, you are faced with a multitude of possibilities to choose,

from what to wear in the morning to how you are going to

react to the email you have just received. There is an endless

array of possible choices you can make at any one moment in

time, but it is you, with your ability to think, who directs the

choice. So you collapse all the probabilities into one choice:

“eggs for breakfast,” “I will not be upset by the tone of this

email,” or “I will not say
can’t
today.” So as you choose, you

105

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 105

5/16/13 1:34 PM

HOW TO SWITCH ON YOUR BRAIN

collapse the probability into an actuality. Satan, the father

of lies (John 8:44), will come at you with a thousand nega-

tive probabilities, but you always need to remember that a

probability has no power. It only becomes powerful when you

believe the lie and collapse the probability into an actuality.

This is how evil is birthed.

Free Will—A Basic Ingredient of Quantum Physics

Quantum physics has as its basic ingredients free will, di-

rected attention as the result of a choice, and the effects and

consequences of these choices. For example, Proverbs 4:20–27

says that if we direct our attention to the Word of God, we

will align our thinking and subsequent choices with God,

and the outcome will be healing and health.

Thus an intentional act—such as choosing to attend to

God’s words, listen to them, memorize them—will produce

the effect of health to all your flesh. Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)

can be evaluated in the same way: “I have set before you life

and death, blessings and curses”—the options—“Now choose

life”—you intentionally evaluate the options and choose your

reaction—“so that you and your children may live”—which

is the consequence of your intentional choice.

Let’s apply the basic ingredients of quantum physics: pay-

ing attention, thinking and choosing, and consequence.

1. Information: You get a call from your doctor’s office

telling you that the results of your blood test are in and

asking you to phone them as soon as possible.

2. Thoughts: Multiple thoughts are swirling around in

your head. Option one is fear: “They said as soon as

possible! Does this mean bad news? What if I have . . .”

106

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 106

5/16/13 1:34 PM

Thinking, God, and the Quantum Physics Brain

And on it goes, down to planning the songs for your

funeral. Option two is denial: “This is routine; I’ll call

when I have time.” Option three is trust: “I have faith

that this will be good news. I am not moved by any

doctor’s report.”

3. Choice: You choose an option. For instance, if you choose

fear, your brain responds by wiring in the thought, “I

am sick,” and you live into this thought.

4. Consequence: You suddenly feel sick and are sure you

are dying.

5. New consequence: You phone the doctor; your results

are clear; and suddenly you feel fine (and perhaps a

little foolish).

So your brain becomes what you focused on (body car-

ries out the will of the spirit and soul), and what your brain

has become produces what you say and do and how you feel

physically and mentally.3

The Granddaddy of Definitions

Quantum physics has multiple definitions, but the original

Copenhagen formulation of quantum theory made by Niehls

Bohr of Copenhagen University in 1927 is considered the

granddaddy
of the definitions.4 It states that the free choices

made by human subjects are a subjectively controllable

variable, which simply means that you control your choices.

Quantum mechanics can be used to prove that thinking and

choosing are real and measurable.5 The way you experience

your feelings, the way you interface with your thoughts, and

the kind of attention you give them will change how your

brain functions.

107

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 107

5/16/13 1:34 PM

HOW TO SWITCH ON YOUR BRAIN

If you apply this principle, you can free yourself from de-

structive thoughts and actions and change bad habits for

good.

The Quantum Zeno Effect

I love quantum physics, but the quantum physics principle

that really caught my attention is called the Quantum Zeno

Effect (QZE). QZE is the repeated effort that causes learning

to take place. When you go over and over something, read-

ing it, thinking about it, writing it down, and then repeating

this process, you deepen your knowledge and understanding,

direct your attention, and grow nerve cells. The neurons

in your brain line up and fire together because you are fir-

ing synapses over and over, which causes genetic expression

to happen and makes the synapses and proteins stronger.

The changes in your brain caused by this deep, repeated,

intellectually targeted focus can be seen with brain imaging

techniques.6

Basically, the QZE stipulates that your brain becomes

what
you focus on and
how
you focus. So the consequence

is structural change in the brain that produces behavior be-

cause we operate from what we have built into our brain.

Choosing to pay selective attention to and focus on what you

are gathering in through your five senses acts on the phys-

ical structure of the brain, amplifying activity in particular

brain circuits.

In my research and clinical practice I have trained teachers

and students how to direct their attention in a systematic,

organized, logical way that followed how the brain builds

thought. This incorporated gathering the relevant informa-

tion, reading it over and over, thinking about it over and over,

108

_Leaf_SwitchOnBrain_LS_mw.indd 108

5/16/13 1:34 PM

Thinking, God, and the Quantum Physics Brain

writing it down, checking through it all again for accuracy,

teaching it out loud, and applying it. I call this my 5-Step

Switch On Your Brain Learning Process. In my PhD research,