Lemons and The Brain

I want to remind you about the power of our brains and the fact that the brain can't tell the difference between imagination and reality!  "Don't be ridiculous" I hear you cry, but it is true.  Let me prove it to you - get someone to read this to and visualize it as it's read out....

Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths, and allow the body to start to let go and relax.  Just allowing those shoulders to drop and maybe even the head as you relax.

I want you to imagine that you are in your kitchen, a home.  Look around the kitchen and see all of the familiar things. Maybe there’s food cooking, breathe in the smells and aromas of the food.

You walk over to a counter where there is a basket of lemons and chopping board. You reach out and select a ripe, bright yellow lemon. You feel the weight of the lemon in your hand, as you slide your fingers over the lemon you can feel its smooth waxy skin... feel the dimpled texture... You lift the lemon to your face and breathe in that fresh lemony smell... and then you place the lemon on the chopping board and slice the lemon in half. As the bright yellow flesh is exposed you see the juice oozing out... a lovely lemony citrus aroma fills the room. You pick up half of the lemon and look at the juicy segments inside and then you put it in your mouth and then you sink your teeth into the lemon .... the juices run over your tongue... your mouth fills with the taste of lemon juice...be aware of how it feels in your mouth, how it feels on your tongue.  Be aware of any changes taking place in your mouth, in your body and in your mind.

Most people will find their mouth-watering after experiencing this visualization exercise. It's because in order to make sense of what you hear or read your brain has to retrieve the memories - the images, smells, and textures - that the Lemon Visualization brings to mind. The experience of eating a lemon is something that generates powerful physical reactions. Recalling eating the lemon recalls the distinctive reaction, and your body responds with a conditioned reflex. The Eating a Lemon visualization exercise demonstrates that the brain cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality because the visualisation has the same physical effect on the body as if you were really eating a real lemon.

 

Interesting stuff eh?