Book Corner

Just when I thought I was through with all the "mind over matter" advice givers, along comes Dan Brown with his newest, The Lost Symbol.
Now normally, I don't look to works of fiction for thoughts on how to become more optimistic (although maybe I should). The Lost Symbol was meant to be a little escape from my daily cares and worries. And it was fun, just like his other books, The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, though I think my favorite is still The DaVinci Code.
The age-old battle between belief and science is at the heart of the newest book, just as it was the others. But what makes this one different--and worth a look in the "Cockeyed Optimist"--is that it explores the way in which things that were once thought to be beliefs are becoming science. Things like meditation, biofeedback, the existence of a soul were once thought to be in the domain of a somewhat loopy new age belief system. But more and more, they're being tested by something called Noetic science. (Check out the Institute of Noetic Sciences site.)
This is not a book review. If you want the synopsis on the book, check out the official website.
Suffice it to say that as part of the plot, we are asked to buy into the idea of a set of ancient mysteries, purportedly unlocking powers of the mind that would bring about a utopian new world (or a distopian one, depending on whose hands hold the mysteries.)
[I read this book right after The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, by Jeff Sharlet. This book explores real life people with a plan for a Christian empire on earth, wrought by the United States. Talk about your creepy juxtaposition. Here are two books, out at roughly the same time, looking at the potential power of belief to bring about the upheaval of most of the world's stability. Whatever happens, I just hope it doesn't turn out like The Road, by Cormac McCarthy.]
But, to get back to optimism for a second...We already have a lot of studies about self-healing and biofeedback. Here's one from the Washington Post, 2005, which says experienced meditators show a marked increase in activity in an area of the brain that deals with happiness and positive thoughts. Here's an excerpt from the Post story:
Davidson's research is consistent with his earlier work that pinpointed the left prefrontal cortex as a brain region associated with happiness and positive thoughts and emotions. Using functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) on the meditating monks, Davidson found that their brain activity -- as measured by the EEG -- was especially high in this area.
Want something more recent? Here's one from Science Daily with this year's date saying Zen meditation appears to help alleviate pain.
Well, I've tried meditating on positive things, but I do not notice a marked increase in my happiness. Maybe I just haven't been consistent. Or maybe I'm rebelling against the idea that it's me--not the world--that needs to be fixed.
But, if I interpret the ideas of noetics correctly, we can also use our minds to point a laser beam at things outside ourselves that need to be changed. If that's true, I have quite a list.
So, beginning this weekend, I'm spending a little time each day visualizing things that I want to happen, but have no control over whatsoever. I guess this would be kind of like praying, but without all the self-editing.
We'll see what happens. In any case, it will be better than helpless worrying.