–> Have you ever wondered why Western infants learn nouns at a much more rapid speed than verbs, whereas Eastern infants learn verbs at a more rapid rate than nouns? Why do Asians group objects and events based on how they relate to one another, whereas Westerners are more likely to rely on categories? These intriguing questions were first posed to me at the Institute of Suggestology in Bulgaria, more than a decade ago. I went there to expedite my proficiency in German, as I was about to pursue a choreography major in Zurich, Switzerland. I had to learn to get by in less than three months. I had previously taken some introductory German at the Goethe Institute in Sofia, but my progress was turtle-paced. I was virtually drowning in conjugations, articles and gender and had difficulty learning so much complex grammar devoid of context or situations.

Contrary to this left brain ordeal, at the Suggestology Institute, I was put in a reclining chair, equipped with a head set to listen to classical music, while studying conversational idioms and phrases that were woven into sentences and related to real life situations. I was free of any preconceptions of how I was supposed to learn. My right brain flourished, and my linguistic aptitude soared in less than a month. In class, we played grammar and vocabulary games, got involved in real situations, created actual role plays, and enjoyed classical symphony liberating ourselves from any suggested programs that often restrict intelligence and spontaneous acquisition of knowledge and skills.

The method that was discovered by the Bulgarian scientist Dr. Lozanov extended an effective bridge between the subconscious and the conscious mind reserves by simultaneously activating the different types of memory – logical, intuitive and emotional. As we practiced words and constructions in the visual context of daily conversations and situations we were no longer trying to memorize rules, vocabulary and tenses, but recognized the underlying principles that wove the tonality of the language – its inherent melody, logic and structure. We were honing the right brain and employing emotions and intuition to spark a creative chain of visual imagery and intonation, and to promote instant learning. In two months we could memorize information at first glance, and process massive amounts of data for a short period of time. We developed our spatial perception and delved into the functionality of the language, appreciating its aesthetic and cultural impact.

We also glimpsed into the geography of human thought, and learned that Western infants construct the sentence around the noun – because they have an innate sense of defining objects. Action for them is secondary. We also figured why Asian infants pick up verbs faster than nouns – because they are subconsciously trying to pin down the main action in which the subject engages. Westerners use critical, logical reasoning to comprehend and break down facts. Easterners use spatial perception and creative thinking to determine their role in the bigger picture. But in their ability to connect the dots between the rational and the intuitive, they both step on the shared ground of self-expression, the mutual zone which they access from different ways, but which leads to the same destination. The symbiotic relationship between the right and left brain is called “pole bridging” and it is the gateway to developing optimal brain fitness.

Many people will spend hours at a gym, lifting weights, doing cardio exercises and taking aerobic classes to keep their bodies physically fit. But what do people do to keep their brains in shape? Usually when people are done at the gym they crash in front of a TV and put their brain into a passive mode where all the skills the mind has, including memory, creative thinking and logic stagnate.

Practicing Yoga asana, pranayama and mudra is probably the most effective, holistic and non-invasive method that guides your brain back to its natural, healthy balanced state. It is an individually tailored method of balancing and harmonizing the brain. As you cross the meridians with every twist, or every overlap of arms and legs, you instantly bridge the left and right brain and facilitate a more efficient use of neural resources. The mind becomes lucid, serene and confident in its wholeness. You begin to amass knowledge quickly and effortlessly, you make right decisions intuitively. You can speed read. With every routine you stimulate the glands to secrete valuable hormones, and jumpstart the navigation process of the brain’s neuro-plasticity – its innate ability to rewire itself.

As you deepen your practice you allow the 500 trillion synaptic connections of the brain to re-create your thoughts, to drive your emotions and control your behaviors. Brain plasticity, the secret to optimizing your brain’s fitness, is one of the most revolutionary discoveries in modern neuroscience. While it was traditionally thought that our brains were fully formed by adulthood, the truth is that our life experiences continually shape and mold our brains in fascinating ways. As you do alternate nostril breathing or criss-cross your hands at the center of your chest in Pharaoh’s mudra, you are tapping your hidden mental potential and are actually honing your memory, refining your attention and focus, facilitating learning and creativity, while developing sensory acuity and fine motor skills.

And the paradox is that Yoga aims at suspending the fluctuations of the mind, but yet opens up space in the brain to access a state of lucidity and luminosity. When I dedicate two hours a day to practicing yoga, I tend to get the best resolve spontaneously, my ability to grasp things intuitively sharpens and I feel my right and left brain are working in synch. There is no unnecessary discerning between inner and outer, right or wrong. The veil of duality is lifted, because, the truth lies somewhere “in between”, the thoughts, the spaces, the poles, in the interval of possibilities, awaiting to be experienced and explored.

This meditation balances the right and left brain, while enhancing the mind’s ability to synthesize information as the consciousness expands. Mudra and breathing practices target the crossing of the main meridians to restore balance and inner peace. A creative visualization deepens the spatial and visual thinking of the brain and unleashes the power of the subconscious mind in making right choices. The Gap between logical reasoning and intuitive perception is bridged and a state of holistic awareness is attained. The result is an intelligent body, and a lucid mind.