Ever feel like your thoughts are beyond your control? Maybe even your emotions and reactions too? It’s easy to feel this way. After all, we’re only human, right? But what if this weren’t the case? What if you could tell your brain how to operate – your emotions how to respond?
Dr. Ski Chilton was a victim of sexual abuse as a child. He’d faced horrific devaluing and as he grew into adulthood, he struggled with fear, anxiety, control, and more. The things he’d experienced left him victim to overwhelming shame and choices which resulted in failed marriages. There had to be more than this. There had to be a way out – a life beyond this captivity.
And so goes the motivation for Chilton’s work and research which resulted in The Rewired Brain – a scientific study meets biblical teaching meets personal memoir meets self-realization book. The Rewired Brain teaches readers about the brain, how it operates, and how we can train it to operate differently.
Given his scientific background and the nature of his research, Chilton uses the first part of this book to explain the two systems in the brain: System 1 and System 2. If you don’t come from a science background, do not fear. Considering the nature of the subject, Chilton actually does a pretty good job explaining the neuroscience and his theories in reasonable and understandable terminology. This portion of the book isn’t light or casual reading by any means, but it’s easy to grasp the teachings and follow along.
Chilton describes System 1 (the limbic system) as our instinctually and most used area of the brain for decision making. This portion of the brain determines feelings and reactions. It remembers the events of the past (especially those which induced fear) and results in a need to control the situation and in anxiety. It’s quite useful for survival as it houses our “survival of the fittest” and “fight or flight” instincts. However, System 1 does not reason and isn’t interested in responding maturely. On the other hand, System 2 (the Neocortex) is more developed and helps us to make more well informed decisions. It weighs the pros and cons of situations before leading us to a more creative and appropriate decision. For the Christian, it’s this part of the brain where we most reflect the idea of being made in God’s image and where we house the ability to be intimately connected to God through prayer and a renewing of the mind (as referenced in Romans 12:2).
After Chilton sheds light on the functionality of the brain and the problem we face in System 1’s hastiness to respond before System 2 can make wiser decisions, he explores areas in which we can make bad decisions and the areas of our life that suffer as a result. Living life controlled by our System 1 brain can lead us toward hurt, difficulty in relationships, and a loss of intimacy. Peppered with sound biblical teaching and blended with scientific information, Chilton does as any preacher or teacher would do – he makes the application for the audience and poses a challenge.
That challenge comes in the third part of the book where Chilton give tips and examples of how we can – in essence – rewire our brain to allow System 2 dominance in our thinking and responding. Backed with evidence (including his own vulnerable and honest journey), the readers are encouraged toward a practice of owning their minds and focusing their thoughts. We’re urged to live in a way which results in joy and peace rather than fear and hurt. As a fan of living a mended life, I’m a fan of The Rewired Brain and the ability to choose healing