A Bit from History
According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.
This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.
Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully.
On February 14, 270, Valentine was executed.
"From your Valentine"
Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.
The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.
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WHAT LOVE DOES TO YOUR BRAIN
**How Love Lights You Up
Neurobiologists Andreas Bartels and Semir Zeki of University
College in London used MRI brain scans to peer into the
brains of college students in the throes of that crazed, can't-
think-of-anything-else stage of early romantic love.
When the subjects were shown photographs of their sweet
hearts, the MRI images showed that four parts of their brains
'lit up.'
The researchers compared the MRI images to brain scans
taken from people in different emotional states, including
se.xual arousal, feelings of happiness and coc.aine-induced
euphoria.
But the pattern for romantic love was unique. Interestingly,
looking at a picture of their loved one also reduced activity
in three portions of the brain active when one is upset or
depressed.
**Is Love Addictive?
Why? Because your brain is experiencing a biochemical rush
of dopamine, norepinephrine and phenylethylamine -- close
chemical cousins to amphetamines.
But it's easy to build up a tolerance to these stimulating bio-
chemicals. Then, as with any other tolerance, it takes more of
the substance to get that special feeling of infatuation.
Some neuroscientists theorize that folks who jump from one
relationship to another are 'hooked' on the intoxication of
falling in love.
But interestingly, in the case of enduring romance, simply the
presence of one's partner stimulates the production of endorphins.
Endorphins are the 'feel good' biochemicals also behind the
experience of 'runner's high,' and are natural pain-killers.
**The Biology of 'Romance'
The biology of romance helps account for why we might
travel cross-country for a single ki.ss, and plunge into hopeless
despair if our beloved turns from us. It's the drive for romance
that enables us to focus on one particular person, although we
often can't explain why.
'What we're seeing here is the biological drive to choose a mate,
to focus on one person to the exclusion of all others,' claims
Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University.
Research has proven that romantic attraction activates portions
of the brain with high concentrations of receptors for dopamine,
Fisher explains. And dopamine is the chemical messenger also
tied to states of euphoria, craving and addiction.
Other scientific studies have linked high levels of dopamine
(and a related agent, norepinephrine) to heightened attention
and short-term memory, hyperactivity, sleeplessness and goal-
oriented behavior.
Sound like love?
When they first fall in love, Fisher explains, couples often
show the signs of surging dopamine: Increased energy, less
need for sleep or food, and highly focused attention.
**The Psychology of Love
We all know how new lovers tend to idealize their partner --
magnifying their virtues, and explaining away their flaws.
But though 'love may be blind,' take hope!
Pamela Regan, a Cal State LA researcher, believes such
'idealization' may be crucial to a long-term relationship.
'If you don't sweep away the person's flaws to some extent,
you're just as likely to end a relationship,' she claims.
'This at least gives you a chance,' Regan feels. 'If you think
of romantic attraction as a kind of drug that alters how you
think, then in this case it's allowing you to take some risks
you wouldn't otherwise take.'
Not a bad thing!
But if passionate romance is like a drug, as the MRI images
suggest, then it's bound to lose its kick. But perhaps viewing
romance as a biologically based, drug-like state can at least
provide some balm for a broken heart.
**Healthy Romanticizing
The researchers discovered that the couples who idealized
each other the most were closest one year later.
**The Issue of Self-Love
Recent research indicates that depressed people who feel
'unloved' are 50% more likely to get cancer.
Negativity, fear, anger and depression are not just 'in your
head.' They are biochemical states. Remember -- neuroscience
has proven beyond a doubt that we can alter such painful brain
patterns, and consciously create the biochemical states known
as joy, happiness, motivation, and even ecstasy.
If you enjoyed this article, you'll find more information on your
mind -- plus self-tests, brain quizzes, a highly original weekly
ezine, a sizzling Personal Mastery ecourse, and original
articles and ebooks -- at the author's website:
http://www.quantum-self.com
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