Do you know that there is a genius in everyone? All one has to do is to simply activate the mid-brain.

Scientifically called the mesencephalon, it is the portion of the brain stem that connects the forebrain and the hind brain.  Its responsibilities include alertness, visual, auditory and motor control, sleep, regulation of body temperature.

But what makes it vital to total brain efficiency is that it is responsible for communication between the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

Based on their abilities and strengths, people are either classified as right brained or left brained.

The right hemisphere of the brain is associated with cognitive skills such as emotion, creativity, intuition.  It controls the left side of the body.  Referred to as the analog brain, it controls three-dimensional sense and artistic abilities or inclinations.  If you like to clown around, prefer rock music, are good at sports or the arts, then you are most likely right-brain.

You may also catch yourself daydreaming, and when you have a great idea you need to write it down immediately.  You don’t like anything limiting or structured.  As a student, you used to doodle a lot.

The left brain controls the right side of the body.  Left-brainers are logical, objective and analytical.  Referred to as the digital brain, it controls reading, writing, logical reasoning.  It’s comfortable with authority and prefers anything planned or structured.

If you are left dominant, problem solving is done in a sequential manner.  In short, you like to dismantle parts then put them back together again.  You look at cause and effect.  However, you are unable to express yourself well emotionally.

Weakness

Here are signs of weakness and imbalance in the corresponding hemispheres:

Signs of imbalance

Poor math skills-awkward or clumsy

Poor verbal skills-hyperactive/anxious

Poor spelling skills-poor nonverbal skills

Poor reading skills-impulsive/lacks focus

Fine motor problems-lacks emotional control

Poor letter recognition-poor reading comprehension

Poor auditory processing-obsessive/repetitive behaviors

Weak immune response-immature social behavior

Poor memory for details-allergies /autoimmunity

Misses small details-lacks interest in sports

Poor self-esteem-misses the big picture

Poor motivation-poor eye contact

Task avoidance-space invader

(Reference:  Brain Balance Achievement Centers, brainbalance.utah.com)

Leonor Medina, mother of Charles, wanted what any mother wished for her child: to excel in academics and in life.

After the MBA for Smarter Kids sessions, she noticed that her son was self-motivated; the most remarkable of changes was the fact that he actually enjoyed going to school and studying.  His self-confidence improved and his report card validated his academic excellence months later.

Pastor Art Medina, head of the MBA program, a workshop based on Russian and Japanese Studies, explains that the MBA graduate undergoes special training, which involves brain exercises.  The perception of senses and the rationalization of what the eyes cannot see is one of the goals of MBA.  The other is to develop improved communication between the right and left hemispheres—the whole brain of the child.   (Visit www.mbaforkids.com.ph; call 3728045.)

You don’t have to be a genius to know that there is room for improvement in you and your family.  There is always hope.  And there is always a way.

This week’s affirmation:

“There is a genius in me.”

Love and light!

E-mail the author at [email protected].