Mirror Neurons and the Company We Keep

Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that fires when we perform an action or when we watch someone else perform the same action. When you watch a skateboarder attempt to jump down a flight of stairs and they crash – do you wince in pain? You are not experiencing the pain, you didn’t smash your genital area on a metal handrail or concrete steps, but you can empathize with the pain you believe they are feeling. The mirror neurons assist us in reacting, on a gut level, with others. We can understand their thoughts, intentions, and feelings to some degree.

So, that leads me to believe that the company we keep has a direct connection to the way our brain fires, the thoughts and feelings it produces and how our organism is structured. Of course, this is old news – obviously the company we keep makes a difference in our life, but having the extra piece of knowledge that there is actually a brain-process involved in this process is pretty cool (even if I am simplifying what science is learning on this topic).

When I was a child, my mother liked to say “monkey see monkey do”, which generally led me to roll my eyes at her.  But apparently, she was onto something. I know how I feel when I am surrounded by teachers, role models, and friends that elevate me, and I know how I feel when I am surrounded by the people that do the opposite.  If you have ever spent time learning from Dr. David Frawley (an incredible Vedic Scholar) he often says “you let people into your mind that you would never let into your home” in regards to the things we allow to enter our senses (think watching movies, reading news articles, etc.). That is an interesting point – what are we bathing our sense organ of sight in? How can we use this to increase our well-being instead of distracting from it? How can we gift our mirror neurons with sattvic, inspiring images so we can create neural networks that move us toward peace and happiness instead of depression and negativity?

So, where do you put yourself? Who do you surround yourself with? What are you watching on screens? Are you inspired by these people? Do they lift you up? Make you feel positive, loved, and happy? Are they doing things you would like to learn? Demonstrating states of mind you would like to adopt? If not, and after examination you find that the company you keep is doing the opposite, then perhaps this is an area you can experiment with and make some changes. And don't forget, change can happen slowly. It doesn't mean you need to stop watching your favorite action movies or ignore the news. It means to be mindful of the balance, and make sure you are also taking in positive impressions.

‍