Shifting Brains 

• In the Classroom - Lesson 17
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After the Exercise: 

 

Ask the students what it was like bringing the problem down into their Belly Brain.

 

You might also ask them

• When is a good time to think from the non-analytical Belly Brain?

• When is a good time to think from the analytical mind?
   

After the first practice, your students may (most likely) express that it was confusing. If that is their response, it is perfect.
 

• The Belly Brain short-circuits the analytical stressing mind, and that is confusing.
   

• The Belly Brain functions, interprets, informs, energizes in the NOW, not in the idea of the future or past. The Belly Brain doesn’t work in the imagination or memory, as problems do. It only works in the present, where the solutions are. So you might explain that this is a practice that trains them to let their preconceptions go, and trains them to get ready to come from the problem-solving center (the Belly Brain) in the future, when they need it.
   

• Ask them when they could see being very helpful to them. Encourage them to think of opportunities in the classroom (perhaps suggestions for you). Also give them a moment and encourage them to think of opportunities to do this practice outside of school, such as at home. (These answers they may want to keep private.)
   

• Remind them that this exercise is training them to respond to adversity in a way that is automatic, clear-headed, relaxed, confident, and with more physical strength and dexterity. This is the training of Ninjas and all martial art Masters.