Reclaiming the Mind
Moving from distraction to self-control, focus, and freedom
(Original article released January 5, 2025.)
The rush of traffic…
The alluring pull of billboards and advertisements…
The chime of our cellphone — Oh! A new text message!
Our minds are increasingly succumbing to the influence of the technological world, trapped in cycles of doomscrolling and task-switching. As a result, our attention has become scattered and our ability to focus has fragmented.
In other words, the commodity of the modern day is attention, and if we truly wish the live lives of freedom and interconnection, we must set our priorities straight, take hold of our own minds, and teach ourselves the skills of focus and self-control…
“Reclaim your mind and get it out of the hands of the cultural engineers who want to turn you into a half-baked moron consuming all this trash that's being manufactured out of the bones of a dying world.”
―Terence McKenna
It has been reported that about 1 in 20 people in the United States now experience Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to the CDC. As we know, ADHD is characterized by difficulties in focus and attention, but what exactly is going on in the brain, why has it become so prevalent, and how do we train our brains for focus?
ADHD has been linked to difficulties in what are called executive functioning skills.
These skills include attention and focus, organization, planning, decision-making, emotional regulation, and logical reasoning. When we utilize these executive skills, we’re using various cortical regions of the brain, particularly the frontal portion.
When we are doomscrolling, however, we’re engaging a part of the brain called the amygdala — the brain’s fear center. The modern technological age has effectively hijacked the amygdala with dopamine-driven rewards, alerts, and information, controlling our actions and addicting us. When the amygdala is constantly activated in this way, logic, critical thought, and emotional control become more and more difficult to maintain. We gradually become disconnected — numb to our emotions, our bodies, our connections with others, and the inherent Beauty of life.
Still, there’s hope.
With modern science revealing the brain's remarkable ability for neuroplasticity, we now understand that we have the power to retrain our brains for greater focus and self-control...
"Find the still point within yourself, the place where your attention is focused and unwavering, and from there, you can change the world."
—Terence McKenna
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to form new connections and grow new cells in response to learning or undergoing new experiences. This means that by intentionally practicing tasks that require focus and organization, we strengthen neural connections in the cortex, allowing these skills to naturally grow and improve over time.
As we adopt this understanding, we quickly come to see ourselves as the creators of our own lives…
A growth-oriented mindset soon sinks in, and we improve what is known as our internal locus of control, which empowers us to choose how we respond to life’s events rather than blindly reacting to external circumstances. That is to say, we become increasingly responsible (response-able)…
We gain greater control over our words and actions.
We consciously learn new skills that enhance our health and happiness.
We begin to steer our lives toward a chosen destiny, transforming life into a grand adventure of purpose and service.
Ultimately, we embrace our inherent nature as creators — the artists of our own lives.
"The artist’s task is to save the soul of mankind, and anything less is a dithering while Rome burns. If the artist cannot find the way, then the way cannot be found."
—Terence McKenna
As humans, we are natural-born adventurers, explorers, and of course, creators. Our ancestors journeyed across vast distances, fearlessly explored unknown territories, tirelessly crafted new technologies, and joyfully celebrated cultural successes.
With this act of creation came well-functioning systems that provided us with stability. These stable systems, such as routines and supportive communities minimized chaos, freed up energy for creativity and deeper pursuits, and enabled us to flourish as a species.
To apply this in our lives today, if we find that our current experiences aren’t supporting our growth, it is imperative to create new systems. This intentional act of exploration and creation can be seen as a form of art, with our lives as beautiful pieces of clay, ready to be shaped by our choices.
Artistically creating new systems begins with a clear vision, setting simple goals that align with it, and intentionally building a balanced daily routine to support it. (Click here to read more about crafting an ideal daily routine.) By establishing stability within these routines, we become grounded in presence, effortlessly entering states of flow and fully immersing ourselves in deep, focused work.
Then, in establishing our own optimally functioning systems, those around us also benefit. Our mental, physical, and spiritual stability creates a ripple effect, inspiring and supporting others to build stability in their own lives. We furthermore serve as pillars of healing and sources of support, offering shelter, guidance, and even financial prosperity to those around us.
Simply put, the health of a society begins with each individual creating healthy systems, returning us to the inherent order found in the natural world.
"The Archaic Revival is an effort to reawaken in ourselves the awareness that nature is alive, sentient, and interconnected, and that we are part of that living system."
—Terence McKenna
When a culture reaches a point of stagnation, it becomes essential for each individual to recognize their inherent creative potential. By creating new systems and offering fresh perspectives, we push the boundaries of said stagnant cultures and discover new paths to growth and flourishing.
Just as Nature generously gives and endlessly creates, we too have the capacity to do the same. As we again learn to focus, reclaim our minds, and utilize our creative capacities, we return to the inherent order found in Nature…
We become healthy.
We become whole.
We become “holy.”
Each of these words points back to returning to a state of wholeness, reuniting the individual with community and Nature.
So, although we may be facing a worldwide situation in which we tend to feel scattered and disconnected, it is indeed within our reach to return to health and harmony, shaping our lives as the artists and creatives we truly are.
May we reclaim our minds, learning to focus, and utilizing our inherent creative capacity as human beings.
Max Kristopher Komes
www.MaxKomes.com
Max Komes is a master’s-level mental health professional in Pensacola, Florida. His philosophy is that each and every individual holds wellsprings of wisdom within them, and with the right tools, can access this wisdom to live purposeful, healthy, and resilient lives.
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Love the framing of responsibility as response-ability! Was just writing about that this morning. When we have that, we have so much choice in how we show up.