PMP3 – Varied Stimulation in Athletics and Yoga

The human nervous system favors variation of stimuli, especially when it comes to invigorating it in a way that encourages it to develop to higher levels of functioning. We believe the ideal stimulation of the nervous system resembles a sine wave (albeit a less symmetrical sine wave, due to each individual’s unique stimulation and recovery cycles, which can change over time), with the peak of the wave representing the stimulation cycle and the trough representing the recovery cycle.

Put simply, the human nervous system is designed to evolve through an oscillating process, much like breathing. The inhalation phase is yang—active and stimulating, while the exhalation phase is yin—passive and relaxing. But, as the Taoist philosophy explains, this process is optimized when a basic yin posture of deep receptivity and openness underlies the entire process. (This is expressed as, “Know the yang, but keep to [i.e., always remain in the inner posture of] the yin.”)

The stimulation-recovery developmental cycle has not only been shown to be vitally important in sports science (where the significance of recovery is now more emphasized than ever before), but also in Yogic science. It is well known in the Yogic arts that an overpowering flow of kundalini energy, with constant amplitude day-in and day-out for many weeks and months, will eventually overwhelm the nervous system and thus the yogi or yogini in training. Great care is given to not only prepare the way for such flow with preparatory cleansing practices, but also alternative practices used intermittently after the kundalini flow has begun.

This variation, intuitively alternated rhythmically according to each individual’s unique stimulation and recovery cycles, allows the nervous system enough time and space to accrue the energy needed to recover from such stimulation. PMP 3.0 is designed to facilitate such cyclic flow for optimal neural functioning and emotional and spiritual growth.

NOTE ON NEEDLESS OVERWHELM: While some other entrainment systems take the stimulation cycle into consideration, most of them ignore the importance of the yin/recovery cycle, and therefore tend to be associated with periodic experiences of pronounced and needlessly extended overwhelm. For more information on this important subject, please see the Multi-Level-Approach-VS-PMP Comparison.