Whole Brained … and Holy!

The following comments grew out of presentations made to us at our annual Bishop’s Convocation in Spokane, Washington this past weekend. Enjoy!

Most of us are fortunate enough to have a complete brain. That part of the brain which warns us of danger, and stores our basic acute human emotions of fear and anger, is the Amygdale (Ah mig doll uh). Our amygdale can save us from danger but get us into a “rush” of trouble, too. It is the portion of our brain that acts quickly to stressful situations … not necessarily rationally. The other day, at our annual pastors’ golf outing, I stood up at the tee and got all flustered with lots of people watching. I swung hard and hit the ball right on the top. It made a hole in the ground right in front of the tee and the ball rolled ahead maybe 20 feet. My amygdale did me a number (indeed, I did it to myself!). Know what I mean? Much of our anxiety stems from that part of the brain. Road rage, outrageous displays of anger, irrational thoughts and behaviors all have the amygdale in mind!

Fortunately there is “holy tissue,” the left prefrontal cortex of our brain. We were told that this portion of the brain only fully develops in human beings. Once formed, it helps us observe, make clear choices, weigh, assess, review and grow. Our left prefrontal cortex develops up to the age of about 26. Its development enables us to have relationships and courage, wisdom … and yes, a chance at longevity!

When we try to apply our entire brain to the business of living holy lives, the awareness that we will always have two, sometimes conflicting, areas of our mind can be helpful. Take dealing with our anxieties, for example. Unless that anxiety is rightly connected by helping us quickly respond to a potential accident or threat, our amygdale might become our enemy producing unrealistic and destructive forms of anxiety that can rob us of sleep, peace and wisdom in decision-making. We may joke that someone is making decisions with their “hormones,” but such behavior is not so funny in the end. Indeed, much “romantic love” is rooted in the amygdale. Truth, reason, honesty, balance, self-integrity can be lost when our minds are under the sway of the amygdale. We’ll even kill for the amygdale.

To protect ourselves from ourselves (so to speak), God has also equipped us with “holy tissue,” the left prefrontal cortex of our brain. Brain studies of mental activity show that this is the portion of our mind that lights up when it comes to having rational thoughts and those deeper reasoning values of compassion, courage, faith, hope and self-sacrificial love. In a sense, our presenter argued, it is here that we are “redeemed” and “saved” … from our sinful nature. It is our left prefrontal cortex that can protect us from the unbridled revenge, fear and lusts of our amygdale.

Now perhaps you’re thinking, “This is a strange way of thinking about being a Christian!” And yet all of our learning about Christ, his sacrificial love and caring compassion somehow shapes that holy tissue. On the other hand we also know what lights up our amygdale.

So here’s our dilemma. We all have a complete brain possessing both amygdale and left prefrontal cortex. And they’re often in conflict. We do get upset and don’t think straight! We may feel like slugging but hopefully we don’t. Indeed, that learning doesn’t come “naturally.” We need to develop our God-given left prefrontal cortex! And that means that we need to get our heads out of the sand and know what’s going on. We can’t leave it to others, convincing as they might appear. We need understanding or spiritual growth. Knowing that complaining, defending, justifying, blaming or withdrawing all link to the irrational emotions of the amygdale … fight, freeze or flight … can help us learn to recognize those situations when they arise and try something different. For example, instead of taking something personally and getting all upset, we might try using our spiritual and rational left prefrontal cortex and decide to think it through, consider the context, forgive the behavior, pray for wisdom, laugh, encourage more dialog and the like. Saying something like 0 “Whoa! Hey, slow down, let’s talk about this,” might be really quite spiritual!

Our speaker then sought to apply some of these things to behavior in congregations in general. When lower brain activity is predominant (people being led by strong feelings rather than rational thought) congregations may wish to get rid of conflict quickly, avoid dealing with pain, focus anxiety on the most responsible party or the most vulnerable persons or perhaps use legalism to gain control. Persons letting the amygdale rule may let a dominant and threatening person lead even when they, under better conditions and with more reflection, would not be in agreement with how things are going. Individuals who rule by the amygdale use emotion to their advantage: intimidation, bullying, mocking, demeaning, grandiosity and insisting.

When I think of how our presenter applied this to congregations I’m thinking that these principles might apply not only to congregations but also to marriages and friendships … how we relate at our places of work and school. And what about leadership styles at a national level?

One way to help our “holy tissue” develop is to pray. When we pray for God to lead we are praying for the greater use of our God-given left prefrontal cortex. We pray to think more clearly! We need God’s help to gain immunity to those emotional viruses that destroy our ability to work together and be at peace with our selves and others.

Sure, some individuals can really let their amygdale fly! And though there’s energy there (and some people seem to like that energy … even negative), it can sure make a mess of things. As Christians, we have a HIGHER calling in Christ!

I was first saddened to hear our presenter state, “Once systems are established, they are very resistant to change.” But I know he’s right. It takes time to change. Many healings take time. And indeed, we must give people freedom not to learn from life’s processes. Some people are very resistant to growing up. Sadly, we can choose out God.

Yet God never gives up on us. Thank God! Indeed, God is active in helping protect us from emotional fusion to others who would sway us by their arguments and/or emotions. God invites us to find our personal growth-center with God. In that safety our left prefrontal cortex may safely reflect on those things that it honestly wonders about, search for the truth and grow to believe in those gracious gifts of God: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. These gifts take good care of our amygdale! They don’t stimulate an emotional or even religious defense.

Jesus once said to those who would argue with him, “Go learn what this means, I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Mercy, compassion, peace and greater love all rest well in the left prefrontal cortex of God’s holy tissue … right at home where God created it … for each and every one of us.

Now if that isn’t an unusual way of talking about spirituality, you tell me! But, well, it’s usin’ our brain, huh? HUH??? J

In God’s abundant, outrageous, patient love,

Pastor Dan