Random Acts of Kindness Stimulate the Brain, Change the World, and divert attention from our Political Quagmire

The Power of Kindness

How to stimulate the brain and change the world.

What exactly is a random act of kindness?  While Wikipedia takes a stab at defining it whatever is on Wikipedia is subject to continuous change.  As a result there are numerous references on the Internet to Wikipedia definitions for the phrase, "Random acts of kindness" but all of them are different.  Here is the latest incarnation of their definition.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.  Either spontaneous or planned, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities.

Any further search for a definitive definition for this phrase has been met with frustration, deception and despair, all reactions contrary to the whole concept of random acts of kindness.

Perhaps the problem with today is our preoccupation with precisely defining what we are doing before we can do it.  When there is confusion in terms of the definition, there can only be chaos in the execution or lack of execution.

In other words, maybe we just think to much.

Why in the world do we need definitions in order to do good?  I mean do we really adhere to a world view that if it is not in Wikipedia or the Urban Dictionary then it cannot be right, or good or even worthwhile?

I use both resources on occasion but as a journalist I also realize that any effort to use democracy to create truth is doomed, and both resources do it.

What does that mean?  Both services allow their definitions and other content to be submitted by the public, edited by the public, changed by the public and even interpreted by the public.

That sounds like a form of democracy, power to the people, regardless of whether the people know the subject or understand the power.  It is like the French Revolution, a brutal and bloody overthrow of a monarchy in 1789 with no idea what to do if it succeeded.  It took them three times to get it right.

Encyclopedia Britannica defines it as follows:

French Revolution, also called Revolution of 1789,  the revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789. Hence the conventional term “Revolution of 1789,” denoting the end of the ancen régime in France and serving also to distinguish that event from the later French revolutions of 1830 and 1848.

So what exactly is a "Random act of kindness" and why should we care what it means?

Well, I say a "Random act of kindness" is a selfless and often spontaneous act performed to help others or to cheer them up.  It is usually performed anonymously with no expectation for acknowledgement or recognition.

If we worried less about motive and reward and more about giving we would need no definition and no reason to act.  It would be an everyday occurrence because it was just the right thing to do whenever you can do it.

But from a scientific perspective there may be compelling reasons why you really should be doing it every opportunity you may get.

Helping others feel good and happy might just be your ticket to happiness and to a whole lot of other people, and that sounds like a good thing.

Science has proven that the brain generates chemicals naturally,  One of these is a hormone called serotonin found in the pineal gland, digestive tract and the brain.  It serves to transmit nerve signals to nerve cells.

Changes in the hormone level can alter your mood by making you sad when the level goes down and making you happy when the level goes up.  When you stay happy this endorphin protects you from depression while helping to strengthen your immune system.

Studies have proven when a person does a random act of kindness it not only increases the happy feeling, through production of more serotonin, for the recipient of this act of kindness, but also for the giver and anyone watching the act or reactions.

Imagine that, we spend billions of dollars on prescription drugs because we don't feel good only to feel worse and destroy our immune system in the process, when we could be feeling well by doing random acts of kindness.

Unfortunately, here in America it may be difficult to find people able to react naturally to a random act of kindness.  You see, if they are already under the influence of prescription drugs their brain is no longer able to react naturally to such acts of kindness.

Think about this, based on our national addiction to legal, prescription drugs, one could conclude Americans are about the most depressed people on the planet.  We have the highest standard of living, most expensive health care and education, more wealth and better homes and diets than most people.

Yet we have had a 400% increase in anti-depressant pill use the last two decades because of our depression.  That figure comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not me.

Helplessness, hopelessness, and immobilization are now the fashionable keys to being good Americans and great fodder for social gatherings.

Sooo.  Maybe our first random act of kindness should be to help people get off the drugs that are keeping them from being depressed in the first place.  There are a host of prescriptions to take care of our plethora of mind illnesses.

Here are some of the manifestations of depression and mood swinging.

Which Drugs Are Abused?

The most commonly used prescription drugs fall into three classes:

1. Opioids

Examples: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol)

Medical uses: Opioids are used to treat pain or relieve coughs or diarrhea.
How they work: Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the central nervous system (the  brain and the spinal cord), preventing the brain from receiving pain messages.

2. Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants
Examples: pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax)
Medical uses: CNS depressants are used to treat anxiety, tension, panic attacks, and sleep disorders.

How they work: CNS depressants slow down brain activity by increasing the activity of a neurotransmitter called GABA. The result is a drowsy or calming effect.

3. Stimulants

Examples: methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall)

Medical uses: Stimulants can be used to treat narcolepsy and ADHD.
How they work: Stimulants increase brain activity, resulting in greater alertness, attention, and energy.

Here are some of the results of our obsession with depression.

Therapeutic Drug Use
(Data are for the U.S.)
Percent of persons using at least one prescription drug in the past month: 48.5% (2007-2010)
Percent of persons using three or more prescription drugs in the past month: 21.7% (2007-2010)
Percent of persons using five or more prescription drugs in the past month: 10.6% (2007-2010)
Source: Health, United States, 2012, table 91  [PDF - 9.8 MB]

Physician office visits
Number of drugs ordered or provided: 2.6 billion
Percent of visits involving drug therapy: 75.1%

Most frequently prescribed therapeutic classes:
Analgesics
Antihyperlipidemic agents
Antidepressants
Source: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2010 Summary Tables, tables 22, 23, 24  [PDF - 382 KB]

What other people are saying.

Imagine this!  Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!

Did you know that a single act of kindness can; bring a rush of euphoria, followed by a longer period of calm, reduce stress, increase the sense of self worth, happiness, and optimism, lower blood pressure, diminish pain, an increased sense of self-worth, greater happiness and optimism, translate to immense immune and healing benefits, increase a sense of self-worth, greater happiness and optimism, enhance our feeling of joyfulness, helps reverse feelings of depression and lower the heart rate.

Kindness Breeds More Kindness: In findings sure to gladden the heart of anyone who's ever wondered whether tiny acts of kindness have larger consequences, researchers have shown that generosity is contagious.

Goodness spurs goodness, they found: A single act can influence dozens more.

The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proven in research studies. Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful.

In fact, the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, helping to ease depression. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness.

Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this! Kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved!

Wayne Dyer

Kindness isn't just a fluffy, feel-good, warm-fuzzy concept. It is a powerful, energetic experience that transforms both the giver and recipient at such deep levels that some say it can work miracles. When we open our hearts and reach out to others in kindness, our brain releases endorphins—the morphine-like chemicals that produce the feelings of exhilaration know as the "runner's high." Acts of kindness, according to researcher Paul Persall, also cause your brain to release "Substance P," a neurotransmitter chemical that blocks pain. These two powerful physiological processes have an immense influence on our body/mind/spirit and the way that we experience life.

A steady flow of endorphins and Substance P through our bodies strengthens our immune system, keeps us feeling happy, joyful, optimistic and energized. This heightens our sense of well being so that we feel calmer, more centered and focused no matter what kind of stressful events might be happening around us. Physiologically, these brain chemicals improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, increase body warmth and improve weight control. Kindness helps us relax so that we can connect with others and with our own good feelings.

Janae Weinhold, Ph.D.

Now heal thyself and then help heal the world.

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Christmas Videos you might have missed along with those forgotten - Remember the Children

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For King and Country – Little Drummer Boy

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What Child is This - Lindsey Stirling

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Alabama - Angels Among Us

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An Appalachian Christmas Tour - Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

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Yo-Yo Ma, Alison Krauss - The Wexford Carol

(Double click for full screen)

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Twelve Days of Christmas - December 27 - Feast of St. John the Evangelist

Feast of St. John the Evangelist, December 27

Today we honor St. John the Evangelist, December 27, and does he pack a lot in his resume.  It seems he is in quite good standing with God and Jesus, because he was the only Apostle not martyred.  He was too busy writing the story to get caught up in the action.  Perhaps that is what drew me to a life of writing.

Today is the third day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist.  According to Catholic Culture, he was born in Bethsaida, he was called while mending his nets to follow Jesus. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and the life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament. 

He is the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and His fraternal love. With James, his brother, and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, he leans on the Master's breast. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts His Mother to his care. John's pure life kept him very close to Jesus and Mary in years to come. John was exiled to the island of Patmos under Emperor Domitian.    

The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on December 25, the celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus.  Of course there are probably not many of you who even know there is a "Twelve Days of Christmas" celebration, let alone that it dates from the Fifth Century, which happens to be sixteen centuries ago.   

Perhaps this seems more familiar for the modern person.

 

[Oops, FAKE NEWS]

 

 
Sometime in November, as things now stand, the "Christmas season" begins. The streets are hung with lights, the stores are decorated with red and green, and you can't turn on the radio without hearing songs about the spirit of the season and the glories of Santa Claus. The excitement builds to a climax on the morning of December 25, and then it stops, abruptly. Christmas is over, the New Year begins, and people go back to their normal lives.

December 26 is the 4th busiest shopping day of the year

LOS ANGELES, CA (FOX 11) - December 26 is the 4th busiest shopping day of the year, and certainly a lot of people come out to get deals and all the gifts they didn’t get under the Christmas tree.  

People also make those returns of gifts they either didn’t want or didn’t fit.  About 4% of gifts actually do go back.  If you’re going to make a return, make sure you have that original receipt or gift receipt to make your experience a lot faster and easier.  It’s also a good idea to know the store’s policy when it comes to returns.  Make sure the tags are on the items as well. Employees are making sure those shelves are stocked for those exchanges.

This is the best shopping season since 2011, so retailers are getting the spike they need. Online sales were up 18%, and even brick and mortar stores were seeing more foot traffic.  The economy is doing well according to analysts. Mastercard stated that it’s not just wealthy people coming out to spend their dollars; people living paycheck to paycheck are spending, too. The economy is booming and more people are willing to shell out some money.

Here's another sign that shoppers spent big this holiday season

Americans spent at a record pace this holiday shopping season, according to a report from MasterCard's SpendingPulse.

That's good news for retailers that need to finish strong after a difficult year.

Sales jumped nearly 5% between November 1 and Christmas Eve compared to the same time period last year, according to the MasterCard report. That number tracks in-store and online purchases no matter the payment method, and it excludes car sales.

It's the biggest percentage gain since 2011, when the economy was still coming back from the Great Recession.

Online purchases accounted for much of the increase: They spiked 18% this year. But brick-and-mortar stores posted sales gains, too.

In fact online sales still made up only 11% to 12% of overall purchases, even with the pace of growth this year, said Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of market insights for MasterCard.

"While online is important and it's growing, it is dwarfed by what occurs in the physical stores," she said. "The brick-and-mortar growth drove this holiday shopping season."

Back to the Past...

Compare that to the traditional Christian celebration of Christmas, which is exactly the opposite. The season of Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and for nearly a month Christians await the coming of Christ in a spirit of expectation, singing hymns of longing. Then, on December 25, Christmas Day itself ushers in 12 days of celebration, ending only on January 6 with the feast of the Epiphany.

 

There are some serious ceremonies around the world.

So the first three of twelve days are dedicated to saints and feasts are held in their honor.   

The three traditional feasts (dating back to the late fifth century) that follow Christmas reflect different ways in which the mystery of the Incarnation works itself out in the body of Christ. 

December 26 is the feast of St. Stephen—a traditional day for giving leftovers to the poor (as described in the carol "Good King Wenceslas"). As one of the first deacons, Stephen was the forerunner of all those who show forth the love of Christ by their generosity to the needy. But more than this, he was the first martyr of the New Covenant, witnessing to Christ by the ultimate gift of his own life. 

St. John the Evangelist, commemorated on December 27, is traditionally the only one of the twelve disciples who did not die a martyr. Rather, John witnessed to the Incarnation through his words, turning Greek philosophy on its head with his affirmation, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14, KJV).

On December 28, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents, the children murdered by Herod. These were not martyrs like Stephen, who died heroically in a vision of the glorified Christ. They were not inspired like John to speak the Word of life and understand the mysteries of God. They died unjustly before they had a chance to know or to will—but they died for Christ nonetheless. In them we see the long agony of those who suffer and die through human injustice, never knowing that they have been redeemed.

In the Middle Ages, these three feasts were each dedicated to a different part of the clergy. Stephen, fittingly, was the patron of deacons. The feast of John the Evangelist was dedicated to the priests, and the feast of the Holy Innocents was dedicated to young men training for the clergy and serving the altar. The sub-deacons (one of the "minor orders" that developed in the early church) objected that they had no feast of their own. So, it became their custom to celebrate the "Feast of Fools" around January 1, often in conjunction with the feast of Christ's circumcision on that day (which was also one of the earliest feasts of the Virgin Mary, and is today celebrated as such by Roman Catholics).

Boxing Day UK Style

By the way, in the UK the Feast of St. Stephen (December 26) is called Boxing Day, a rather odd sounding name for a sacred holiday that incorporates rather odd means of celebrating the feast of St. Stephen.  I would explain it all to you but I suspect most of you could care less about it, and if you are interested, why Goggle is certain to have the information just a fingertip away, just by using a send key, and triggering the swarming, penetrating electromagnetic waves feeding off your mind.

Here is how they celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen, now called Boxing Day, in the former British Commonwealth.

[You cannot be serious]

Well leave it to the Brits to redefine sacred while demonstrating creative ways to subvert the true meaning of the birth of the Savior, the first step in the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies of the coming Messiah.  Father Creator sends us His only begotten Son, Jesus, to fulfill the prophecy of the Bible, and we, well, we go for a swim in goofy outfits.    

Not what I expected to find on the Road to Kingdom Come.

The Feast of St. John the Evangelist

Today, December 27,  we honor John the Evangelist. 

Finally, on Epiphany (January 6), the celebration of Christmas comes to an end. "Twelfth Night" (as all lovers of Shakespeare know) is the ultimate celebration of Christmas madness (Shakespeare's play features one of his many "wise fools" who understand the real meaning of life better than those who think they are sane). 

Epiphany commemorates the beginning of the proclamation of the gospel—Christ's manifestation to the nations, as shown in three different events: the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the turning of water into wine. In the Western tradition, the Magi predominate. But in the Eastern churches, Jesus' baptism tends to still be the primary theme.

How are you honoring the traditions of religion over the magic of the Magi?  Before the end of the Twelve Days I will show you how magic aided in the role of Jesus and was essential to completing his mission.  I thank you for enduring with me and assure you your pathway to seeking truth will be greatly aided when you call on the Holy Spirit to enlighten you, to the path of Jesus, to the perfect love of the Father.