Final answer:
Practicing gratitude is the activity that can shift your brain activity from the Reptilian Brain to the Midbrain. Meditation also promotes this shift by focusing attention and facilitating the transition to the Midbrain. Both practices can enhance cognitive processes like learning and emotional wellbeing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The one thing that you can do that will upshift you from your Reptilian Brain to your Midbrain is the act of practicing gratitude or thanks for something. Shifting your brain activity from the instinctual, survival-oriented Reptilian Brain to the more emotionally nuanced Midbrain can be facilitated by intentional cognitive actions. Practicing gratitude, which involves acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of life, can enhance emotional wellbeing and evoke a state of reward and contentment. This emotional shift can help move the brain's focus away from the fight-or-flight responses typically associated with the Reptilian Brain.
Meditation is also a powerful practice for promoting cognitive and emotional regulation by focusing attention and reducing stress. It is a state of deep focus on a single target—like the breath or a repeated sound—that heightens awareness of the present moment. Effective meditation often involves sitting upright on a comfortable chair, being in a quiet environment with eyes closed, repeating a mantra such as "alert mind, calm body," and focusing on pleasant thoughts, which can facilitate the transition to the Midbrain.
Moreover, meditation and mindfulness can impact cognitive processes like learning, and they can be particularly potent in individuals who are receptive to suggestion. Unlike hypnosis, which requires another person to guide the experience and is most effective for those open to suggestion, meditation can be self-initiated and self-guided.