“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us” (Mindful.org, 2021).

Cognitive flexibility, the ability to flexibly switch between tasks, is a core dimension of executive functions (EFs) allowing to control actions and to adapt flexibly to changing environments (Buttleman, 2017).

Mindfulness increases the connectivity between the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC), responsible for the emotional and cognitive center of the brain; and the Posterior Circulate Cortex (PSC), the hub of the Default Mode Network which provides a sense of self and your own perception on reality (Murphy-Beiner & Soar, 2020).

Strengthening those connections through mindfulness and cognitive flexibility will help self-regulate and achieve homeostasis when the allostatic load becomes unstable, which contributes to HPA-axis and dopamine dysfunction (Murphy-Beiner & Soar, 2020).

“Ayahuasca’s afterglow: Improved mindfulness & cognitive flexibility.” Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner

(*Six Tips to Build Self-Efficacy for Success*, 2018.)

Mastering the Art of Self-Efficacy.

“Self-Efficacy describes belief in your own abilities...belief you can achieve your goals, belief you can resolve challenges, belief you can overcome obstacles, belief you can stay committed, belief you can be resilient, and importantly belief you can realise your vision. A robust belief in you...underpinned by your own evidence” (Six Tips to Build Self-Efficacy for Success, 2018.)

“Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment.

These cognitive self-evaluations influence all manner of human experience, including the goals for which people strive, the amount of energy expended toward goal achievement, and likelihood of attaining particular levels of behavioral performance.

Unlike traditional psychological constructs, self-efficacy beliefs are hypothesized to vary depending on the domain of functioning and circumstances surrounding the occurrence of behavior” (Self-Efficacy Teaching Tip Sheet).

Self-Efficacy Theory (Lippke, 2020) has had considerable influence on research, education, and clinical practice. In the field of behavioral psychology, for example, the construct of self-efficacy has been applied to behaviors as diverse as:

Self-management of chronic disease
Smoking cessation
Alcohol use
Eating
Pain control
Exercise
Dopamine Control
Emotional Regulation

Educating others to understand the differences among constructs from related social-cognitive theories (e.g., self-efficacy, behavioral difficulty, self-esteem, optimism, etc.).
Empowering others to develop a personalized measure of self-efficacy for any health-related behavior that avoids the confounding of self-efficacy with these other constructs.
“If behaviors are socially stigmatized, or if social norms suggest that one should engage frequently in a specific behavior or set of behaviors, discuss how social desirability response biases might inflate self-efficacy scores” (Self-Efficacy Teaching Tip Sheet, n.d.).

Discuss self-efficacy measurements and statistical (e.g., transformation of data) solutions to such problems.
Encourage practitioners to develop methods to assemble evidence for the validity of their self-efficacy measure.
Help practitioners to design personal goals that will enhance self-efficacy, and a research design to measure changes in self-efficacy and whether these changes alter risky behaviors in a positive or negative way.

References:

A Beginner’s Guide to Pranayama. (2021, March 25). Yoga Journal. https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/beginners/how-to/pranayama/

About Holotropic Breathwork®. (n.d.). Grof Transpersonal Training. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from http://www.holotropic.com/holotropic-breathwork/about-holotropic-breathwork/

American Music Therapy Association | American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.musictherapy.org/

Ayahuasca Dieta. (n.d.). Arkana Spiritual Center. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.arkanainternational.com/ayahuasca-dieta

Bergland, C. (2010). The Athlete’s Way: Training Your Mind and Body to Experience the Joy of Exercise. St. Martin’s Publishing Group.

Boling, Melanie. (2021). Melanie Noelani Boling. Imagery Beyond Borders. https://imagerybeyondborders.org

Boling, Melanie (2021). Reported results of Amazonian Entheogens for treatment of Complex-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD); Military Sexual Trauma (MST); and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) among U.S. Military Veterans and the benefits of application through small group indigenous shamanic ceremonies. The Amazon Rainforest: From Conservation to Climate Change-research. Harvard Summer School, August 9, 2021.

Bunny Lebowski. (2012, July 12). Maude Lebowski’s vagina monologue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs3OWJ53rHE

Buttelmann, F., & Karbach, J. (2017). Development and Plasticity of Cognitive Flexibility in Early and Middle Childhood. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1040. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01040

Castelli, V., Cimini, A., & Ferri, C. (2020). Cytokine Storm in COVID-19: “When You Come Out of the Storm, You Won’t Be the Same Person Who Walked in.” Frontiers in Immunology, 11, 2132. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.02132

Cools, R., & Roberts, A. C. (2004). The Role of Dopamine in Cognition: Insights from Neuropsychological Studies in Humans and Non-Human Primates. In S. Otani (Ed.), Prefrontal Cortex: From Synaptic Plasticity to Cognition (pp. 219–243). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-7949-4_10

Chromium May Help Treat Depression Naturally and Curb Carb Cravings. (2020, May 4). University Health News. https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/depression/beating-depression-naturally-while-simultaneously-curing-your-carb-cravings-yes/

Dopamine Pathways. (2013). Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University OIST. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.oist.jp/news-center/photos/dopamine-pathways

Felger, J. C., & Miller, A. H. (2012). Cytokine effects on the basal ganglia and dopamine function: The subcortical source of inflammatory malaise. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 33(3), 315—327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2012.09.003

Felger, J. C. (2017). The Role of Dopamine in Inflammation-Associated Depression: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, 31, 199–219. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2016_13

Foo, C., Lozada, A., Aljadeff, J., Li, Y., Wang, J. W., Slesinger, P. A., & Kleinfeld, D. (2021). Reinforcement learning links spontaneous cortical dopamine impulses to reward. Current Biology, 31(18), 4111-4119.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.069

Frontiers | How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing | Human Neuroscience. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353/full

Garofalo, S., & di Pellegrino, G. (2015). Individual differences in the influence of task-irrelevant Pavlovian cues on human behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 9, 163. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00163

GREG DUNN NEURO ART- Brain and Neuroscience Fine Art Paintings. (n.d.). GREG DUNN NEURO ART. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.gregadunn.com/

Keltikangas-Järvinen, L., & Salo, J. (2009). Dopamine and serotonin systems modify environmental effects on human behavior: A review. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 50(6), 574–582. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9450.2009.00785

Lieberman, D., & Long, M. (2018). The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity--and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race. Faculty Bookshelf. https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/books/249

MIND Foundation. (2019, December 22). Ayahuasca’s afterglow: Improved mindfulness & cognitive flexibility | Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WADjcFNbhrg

Murphy-Beiner, A, and K Soar. “Ayahuasca’s ‘Afterglow’: Improved Mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility in Ayahuasca Drinkers.” Psychopharmacology 237, no. 4 (April 2020): 1161–69.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-019-05445-3.

Neuroscientifically Challenged. (2015, February 13). 2-Minute Neuroscience: Reward System. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7E0mTJQ2KM

Nordgreen, J., Edwards, S. A., Boyle, L. A., Bolhuis, J. E., Veit, C., Sayyari, A., Marin, D. E., Dimitrov, I., Janczak, A. M., & Valros, A. (2020). A Proposed Role for Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Damaging Behavior in Pigs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 646. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00646

Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. (2010, May 13). Stanislav Grof “The Opening of the Collective Unconscious.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWJC8ZizI0I

One Neurotransmitter May Alter the Music You Like or Dislike | Psychology Today. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201901/one-neurotransmitter-may-alter-the-music-you-or-dislike

Peter, A. E., Sandeep, B. V., Rao, B. G., & Kalpana, V. L. (2021). Calming the Storm: Natural Immunosuppressants as Adjuvants to Target the Cytokine Storm in COVID-19. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 11, 2305. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.583777

Plotkin, M. J. (2021). The Amazon: What everyone needs to know. Chapter 8 seminar. Lecture notes The Amazon Rainforest: From Conservation to Climate Change- seminar. Harvard Summer School. Delivered 3 August 2021.

Razzaq, A., Samiha, Y., & Anshari, M. (2018). Smartphone Habits and Behaviors in Supporting Students Self-Efficacy. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (IJET), 13, 94. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v13i02.7685

Research Shows Ancient Solfeggio Notes Can Heal Body and Mind | Gaia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.gaia.com/article/healing-frequencies-of-the-ancient-solfeggio-scale

Rise and Grind. Reporter. Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://reporter.rit.edu/views/rise-and-grin

Russo, S. J., Murrough, J. W., Han, M.-H., Charney, D. S., & Nestler, E. J. (2012). Neurobiology of resilience. Nature Neuroscience, 15(11), 1475–1484. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3234

Self-Efficacy Teaching Tip Sheet. (n.d.). Https://Www.Apa.Org. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/education/self-efficacy

Singh, R. B., Wilczynska-Kwiatek, A., Fedacko, J., Pella, D., and De Meester, F. (2009). Pranayama: the power of breath. Int. J. Disabil. Hum. Dev. 8, 141–154. https://doi.org/ 10.1515/IJDHD.2009.8.2.141

Six Tips to Build Self-Efficacy for Success. (n.d.). Change Builders Consulting. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://www.changebuilders.com.au/new-blog/2018/10/18/six-tips-to-build-self-efficacy-for-success

Speaking of Psychology: The molecule of more—Dopamine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/dopamine

Spiny Neurons Receive Dopamine. (n.d.). Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University OIST. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.oist.jp/news-center/photos/spiny-neurons-receive-dopamine

SomaEnergetics: Ancient Solfeggio Frequencies—SomaEnergetics Sound Tools & Training. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://somaenergetics.com/pages/ancient-solfeggio-frequencies

Substantia nigra. (2021). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Substantia_nigra&oldid=1045490165

Sudevan, S., Muto, K., Higashitani, N., Hashizume, T., Higashibata, A., Ellwood, R. A., Deane, C. S., Rahman, M., Vanapalli, S. A., Etheridge, T., Szewczyk, N. J., & Higashitani, A. (2021). Loss of Contact in Space Alters Dopamine System in C. elegans (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 3919931). Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3919931

Tang, L., Yin, Z., Hu, Y., & Mei, H. (2020). Controlling Cytokine Storm Is Vital in COVID-19. Frontiers in Immunology, 11, 3158. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.570993

The Dangers Of Deep Breathing (When Done Incorrectly). (2018, March 13). Motherhood Community. https://motherhoodcommunity.com/dangers-deep-breathing-done-incorrectly/

Toenders, Y. J., Laskaris, L., Davey, C. G., Berk, M., Milaneschi, Y., Lamers, F., Penninx, B. W. J. H., & Schmaal, L. (2021). Inflammation and depression in young people: A systematic review and proposed inflammatory pathways. Molecular Psychiatry, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01306-8

Uthaug, M. V., van Oorsouw, K., Kuypers, K. P. C., van Boxtel, M., Broers, N. J., Mason, N. L., Toennes, S. W., Riba, J., & Ramaekers, J. G. (2018). Sub-acute and long-term effects of ayahuasca on affect and cognitive thinking style and their association with ego dissolution. Psychopharmacology, 235(10), 2979–2989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-018-4988-3

Yoga Ed. (2020, November 26). Digital Wellness Break: Lion Breath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK2-GUWtiIw

Zaccaro A, Piarulli A, Laurino M, Garbella E, Menicucci D, Neri B and Gemignani A (2018) How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 12:353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353

About the author:

Melanie began attending Harvard in 2020 to complete a Graduate Certificate in Human Behavior with a specialization in Neuropsychology. Boling’s research has examined extreme environments and how they can have a potential negative impact on humans operating in the extreme environment. During her time at Harvard, she has built a mental wellness tool called a psychological field kit. Implementing these tools will allow an individual to thrive in an extreme environment while mitigating negative variables such as abnormal human behavior which can play a role in team degradation.