How Our Brains Work

 

If you ask her husband, Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett has just written the first neuroscience beach read. But Dr. Barrett considers her new book, Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain, more of a choose-your-own-adventure, a chance to distill her favorite dinner party stories about the mind—from how our big gray blobs evolved to the myth of the “lizard brain”—into a witty and information-packed page-turner. “At a time where science is under attack in some political circles, I wanted to show people that it can be useful and interesting. Science may not be a perfect endeavor, but it’s still the best way we have for learning about ourselves and the world.”

That’s part of why she challenged herself to turn her typical scientific writing—“extremely technical, filled with gazillions of references”—into a series of essays that reflect a more conversational approach. “I’m not telling people what kind of human they should be. I’m trying to get them to think about what kind of human they want to be, and help them to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their own brains. And that shouldn’t require a lot of background knowledge or wading through massive tomes.”

For more non-jargony insights into the way our weird, wonderful brains work, Dr. Barrett shared 10 Pocket-ready links to essays, videos, profiles–plus one delicious chicken pot pie recipe (you’ll see why).

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Golwalkar Mission of Hindu Rashtra

Matadin Bhangi: A Dalit hero of 1857 Revolt

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  Matadin Bhangi was one of the Dalit heroes of 1857 Revolt who is seen as the one to have inspired the 1857 War of Independence and not Mangal Pandey that the elite history claims. The narrative for Matadin Bhangi published by D C Dinkar in “Swatantra Sangram Mein Achhuton Ka Yogdan” (1990) is given in the following words:  "There was a factory in Barrackpore where cartridges were manufactured. Many of the workers of this factory belonged to the untouchable communities. One day one of the workers felt thirsty. He asked a soldier for a mug of water. That soldier was Mangal Pandey. Mangal Pandey, a Brahmin, refused him water because the worker was an untouchable. This was very humiliating for the worker. He retaliated to the Brahmin soldier saying, “ Bara awa hai Brahaman ka beta. Jin kartuson ka tum upayog karat ho, unpar gaaye or suar ki charbi lagawal jaat hai, jinhe tum apan daatun se torkar banduk mein bharat ho. O samay tomhar jati aur dharam kahan jawat. Dhikkar tumhare is b
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The Tara Sara Upanishad (The Supreme Goddess and Her Cosmic Essence)

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  The Tara Sara Upanishad  (The Supreme Goddess and Her Cosmic Essence) That which is Om is the indestructible, the supreme, and the Brahman. That alone should be worshipped. It is this that is of the eight subtle syllables. The Tara Sara Upanishad is classified as one of 14 Vaishnava Upanishads attached to the Shukla Yajurveda. This Upanishad delves into the worship, symbolism, and spiritual significance of Goddess Tara Sara, guiding seekers on the path of spiritual awakening and liberation. Rooted in the ancient Vedic tradition, this Upanishad continues to hold enduring significance as it unveils the divine mysteries of the cosmic feminine principle. Goddess Tara Sara is revered as the Supreme Goddess, transcending the dualities of existence and representing the ultimate reality. The origins of this Upanishad can be traced back to the ancient Vedic period which dates back to approximately 1500-500 BC. The text is notable for its discussion of Om for yogic meditation as Taraka or that
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