Spirit, Mind, & Body Resources for Making Neurochoices

The Creation and Maintenance of Wellness by Dr. Charlotte A. Tomaino

Awakening the Brain, a book by Dr. Charlotte A. Tomaino

Read an Excerpt About

Spirituality

I wrote this book because, over the years, many people facing brain-related challenges have asked me what they could read about expanding brain function. Some were interested in helping children succeed, while others were adults wanting to excel in their careers or enhance the course of their aging process. Some, like me, were related to someone with a brain injury, and wanted to understand and help. Some of these people have wanted to grasp the power of spirituality as a source of strength in overwhelming times. Because I am a trained and credentialed neuropsychologist, a member of a family that faced these issues, and a former nun before all these events came to pass, I offer stories that combine information on both neuroplasticity (the adaptability of the brain) and spirituality. This is both an unusual and powerful combination to write about. It's the most powerful combination I have yet encountered. As the title of the book, Awakening the Brain, conveys, we have the potential to make neurochoices every day if we are aware and have the information on how to do it. By neuro-choice, I mean a choice based on the intention to expand your neuropsychological ability. And this goes for healthy, well-functioning brains as well as those with limitations. Guidance from neuropsychology, combined with the power of belief in that which has not yet manifested, produces miracles that can become a "new normal" for ourselves and others.

The subtitle, The Neuropsychology of Grace, points to the sec-ond dimension of interest for me, which is belief and that spiritual power available to us, often called grace. Grace is an ancient term used in numerous cultures and religious traditions. It's like the word prayer, easily understood, but hard to define. As you will see, my interest is in sharing my observations on grace and the neuropsychological principles involved in such human functions as intuition, synchronicity, and belief. My desire is for spirituality to be relevant to life events and for belief to make sense is the basis for combining science and spirituality in the stories and concepts offered here.