My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (NKJV)

Mirror Love – Part 3

Go to  PART 1  |  PART 2

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned how science explains why practice reinforces and establishes behaviours and thought patterns through neural pathways.

One of the studies that began this work was with some macaque monkeys in a laboratory in Italy. The scientists involved were trying to correlate motor function with regional brain activity. By accident, these scientists discovered that the certain parts of the monkey’s brain responsible for the motor skills in picking up a pen, would also light up when they witnessed another monkey or human picking up a pen. This was called Mirror Neuron Theory.

In essence, the act of witnessing an action reinforced the ability to do it. Mirror neurons handle that visceral reaction you get when you see someone severely injure themselves. They’re also responsible for that lump in your throat and the tears that well up when you witness a heartfelt reunion or a selfless act of compassion.

Part of the mirror neuron's function is to help reinforce behaviours that help and sustain community.

I’m pretty sure most of us would affirm that we find ourselves (or have witnessed others) repeating the habits and patterns of our parents… both good and bad. Manners, generosity, anger, working hard, being kind, being rude, addiction, exercise, discipline, church-going… just to name a few. These habits we witness become subconscious patterns we repeat purely by the nature of how we are wired to replicate the behaviours of our community or tribe.

Practising love has two powerful effects on us:

1. When we practice love, we reinforce it as an automatic response, making it easier and easier to respond with love, whatever situation we encounter. I believe this is why Mother Teresa became so good at loving others. She practiced it, day-in and day-out!

2. When we love others, we’re stimulating a neural process in the onlookers to do the same (based on the mirror-neuron theory). Once again, Mother Teresa single handedly inspired more than a million volunteers through Missionaries of Charity and other sister organisations, to serve and love the unlovable.

Rather than “Be the change you wish to see in the world” we could slightly amend Gandhi's quote to say, “Practice being the change you wish to see in the world.”

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