neuron membrane to become depolarized and fire off an electrical signal. In this way
the endorphin system of nerves acts to inhibit other neuronal systems in the brain.
The effect of opiates is to inhibit the reaction of tissue to electrical stimulation.
Without this inhibitory action to slow down neuron firing, the racing electric
activity would result in convulsions and death. Endorphins slow breathing, reduce
blood pressure and decrease sensitivity to pain. Endorphins reduce smooth muscle
contraction, thus causing the smooth muscles in the arteries to dilate increasing
blood flow. Hypoxia or low oxygen creates acidosis stress which increases beta-
endorphins as part of the parasympathetic response to achieve balance.
long-term potentiation (ltP) is the long-lasting strengthening of the
connection between two nerve cells. Like corticosteroids, enkephalins abolish
LTP and theta activity, disrupt learning and memory, and induce hippocampal
seizure activity without convulsions, which is accompanied by abnormal, high
voltage EEG paroxysmal waves which can last from 15 to 30 minutes. Enkephalins
can also trigger hyperactivation of hippocampal pyramidal cells—neurons which
normally display synaptic growth and dendritic proliferation in response to new
learning. Enkephalins can also alter the pre- and post-synaptic substrates, thereby
injuring hippocampal neurons and producing a hippocampal amnesia as well as a
state dependent memory loss.
myelination of the nerves proceeds from the bottom to the top, back to
front and from left to right. Kundalini generally also follows this path of flow
and development over the period of an awakening. We tend to get right body
and right-brain kundalini effects occurring in December and towards the end of
ones awakening. Myelin is a fatty substance that includes acetylcholine. When we
overwork the other neurotransmitters we burn out our acetylcholine as well. Since
the myelin sheath is what facilitates ‘speed’ in the transmission of a nerve impulse,
the impairment of our myelin slows down our brain...this is obviously a major
contributor to the spiritual burn-out effect from excessive nerve activity during an
awakening.
Kundalini awakening is a method that the body uses to promote new growth,
because after myelination finishes it’s harder to change or evolve the nervous
system. Kundalini is so outrageously pervasive that I am sure that not only is there
a lot of neurons dying off, there is also demyelination and remyelination that
occurs. Research will probably prove that there are major changes in the pattern
of myelination resulting from a kundalini awakening, and the function we are left
with in the end is a result of these changes. This serves as a good case for AQAL
developmental practices and experiences during an awakening because if we “fail
to use it, we lose it.” In other words “substantiation” equals agency, praxis or use.
Glial cells
Glial cells perform a variety of functions in the central nervous system
and make up 50% of CNS by volume, and 95-98% by numbers. Neurons
are the “active” or functional cells of the nervous system and carry electrical
signals. Glial cells are small supporting cells that do not carry electrical signals.