Neuroplasticity is the concept that your brain can change. Neurogenesis is the ability for the brain to grow new brain cells. The brain can partially recover after a stroke because of this, and there are therapies that can enhance and neuroplasticity and brain regeneration after a stroke (Yamashita & Abe, 2012).

Self-directed neurogenesis refers to the intentional development of new neural pathways. This is done by repeating the same thoughts and/or behaviours over and over. It’s just like habit formation: do it for long enough and it becomes normal.

Gratitude has shown to activate the areas of the brain associated with moral cognition and value judgement (Fox et al., 2015). Expressing and experiencing gratitude regularly is linked with stronger relevant neural pathways (Kini et al., 2016).

A 1995 study required a group of volunteers to practice a five-finger piano exercise, and another group who simply think about practicing the piece, using mental visualizations of practicing each note at a time. He discovered that those performing the mental rehearsal were still able to learn – almost as well as those who practised physically and mentally! (Pascual-Leone et al., 1995).

With SOMA Breath you will learn how to use the power of intention combined with visualisation and the physiological effects of breathwork meditation to stimulate and self-direct brain growth and strengthened neural pathways.