1.1) Introduction:

Even people who believe they are logical, analytical left brained thinkers without any ability for using intuition will benefit greatly from developing this incredible, innate power. In fact, if you are truly logical, you will see the obvious advantages of learning to use the right hemisphere of the brain in your head, along with the brain in your heart, and the brain in your gut in order to maximize your combined intuitive brain power. It would be irrational to ignore researching such an advantageous gift that is just waiting for us to open, would it not?
Most of us want more "eureka" and "aha" and "i get it" moments in our lives, and developing and utilizing our intuition and subconscious mind are just two of the ways of creating more of these life-changing benefits in our everyday lives.

As mentioned above, Intuition is the equivalent of 2020 foresight, similar to how fact based knowledge offers nearly 2020 hindsight. Both can be wrong or misconstrued due to bias, ego, wishful thinking, selective memory, faulty information, and other factors, but when used properly, foresight (intuition/precognition) and hindsight (knowledge/rationality) are very effective tools in the advancement of what is good, positive and beneficial for us. Intuition is also critical in determining what may be destructive, damaging and potentially dangerous to our health and well-being. Thus, intuition is necessary to both help protect us from hardship and to guide us towards harmony, goodness, kindness, charity, unity, peace, success and happiness.

"Indeed, it is not intellect, but intuition which advances humanity. Intuition tells man his purpose in this life."

We will not solve the problems of the world from the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. More than anything else, this new century demands new thinking: We must change our materially based analyses of the world around us to include broader, more multidimensional perspectives."
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein

1.1.a) Intuition is similar to instinct but yet quite different. Instinct is a survival tool that comes partly from our rudimentary reptilian brain stem, specifically from the amygdala which is a small gland at the base of the left-brain. It is the home of the wounded self - it stores emotional memories that often get triggered in stressful situations, seldom with good outcomes. When instinct kicks in, we are not operating from thought or intuition but rather from survival needs, fear or intense emotion. It is what causes the "fight, flight or freeze" mechanism when we are in danger or extremely upset. An "amygdala hijacking" may also create an intense reaction and cause us to "see" red, setting off a chain of events within the next minutes that can potentially harm the rest of your life (or your relationship with another), depending on how you react to the stimuli. Hopefully we learn at an early age to thoughtfully "respond" rather than rapidly "react" when dealing with emotionally charged relationship issues. Another term for this is being "mindful and intuitive".

So there is a huge difference between instinct and intuition, and it is important to differentiate between them, especially right now with so much difficulty and uncertainty on our planet.
To summarize, Instinct is about Survival and swift reactions. Intuition is about Guidance and heartfelt responses.
Although the words, intuition and instinct may seem interchangeable to many people, they are quite different.
Intuition is our ability to know something without reasoning.
It is when we feel as if we know what is going to happen, or what to do without having any real facts.

Instinct is a sudden, sharp reaction to a sense of danger or attack, while intuition is a more fluid, gradual message. In fact, intuition is precisely about flow and sensibility. The purpose of intuition is to inform us, guide us, to literally lead us to our highest level of self-actualization and transcendence.

Intuition can arrive as spontaneously as instinct but does not usually require such an immediate response or decision. Instead it is a feeling, a sense of knowing what is true versus what is not. It is a sense of knowing what the future is likely to hold if you choose to be guided by your intuitive wisdom.
It is both the tool and the process of becoming all that we essentially are and nothing that we are not. It helps us become our Better Angel, the person we want to be.

Instinct and intuition are not the same. The first one keeps you in prison. The second offers you the keys to your emancipation.
~ Roxana Jones

1.1b) Intuition is our inner guiding voice ("let your conscience be your guide"), our gut feelings, our heart-felt emotions, and a place of awareness that everyone can access and utilize without the need for direct logic. It is the bridge between the conscious and the subconscious, tying together both what we "know" and what we "feel" to be true. As most of us have heard, the truth will set you free, while deception, lies and misconceptions will keep you in chains. We need to faithfully use our intuition in order to seek the truth.
Scientists have repeatedly demonstrated how information can register on the brain without conscious awareness and positively influence decision-making and other behavior. Intuition, when developed, provides an incredible power that helps you boost your potential and achieve your grandest dreams and visions.

By learning to maximize the use of our 3 brains and our 6 senses, we will be better aware when we sense that something doesn't quite "smell" right; when something just "feels" wrong; when something seems sour in our "gut"; or when we just "know" that things are not right. When we get "chills" up our spine, it is our amazing senses telling us to pay attention. We must not depend solely on our logical, and often dominating left brain. If we can truly say we are using all our senses and capacities in identifying the best paths forward, instead of merely choosing the most "logical" paths, then we can truly claim we are being both sensitive and "sensible".

"Come from the heart, the true heart, not the head. When in doubt, choose the heart. This does not mean to deny your own experiences and that which you have empirically learned through the years. It means to trust your self to integrate intuition and experience.
There is a balance, a harmony to be nurtured, between the head and the heart. When the intuition rings clear and true, loving impulses are favored." - Brian L. Weiss

Learing to use this power will quickly help you understand and control your emotions better; reduce inner anger, hatred, resentment and non-forgiveness problems; and reduce superiority complexes and other cognitive biases that may plague you. Often we don't even realize we are suffering from these issues. This will increase your mental well-being and happiness, your relationships with nearly everyone you interact with, and likely improve your economic prosperity and physical, emotional and spiritual health.

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

1.1c) Imagination is nearly synonymous with Intuition. Whereas logic can only take us so far in advancing our evolution as human beings, imagination, creativity and intuition provide the directions and inspirations that give our "servant" rational mind something to work on. Maybe it is time for all three of our brains to finally come together in order to rapidly amplify our intuition. With proper training and awareness, we can better utilize our three genius brains; the vast neural network we have within us. Combining this with an improved understanding of the functions of our left (logical) and right (creative) hemispheres in our head-brain; our intuitive (nonlocal) heart-brain; and our mood-altering gut-brain (which seems to provide many needed chemicals for our happiness), we have the opportunity to advance our consciousness as a species.

1.2) Types of Intuition

A primary definition of intuition is the ability to understand or know something without conscious reasoning.

There are at least three types of intuition:
1) Implicit Knowledge.
2) Energetic Sensitivity.
3) Nonlocal Intuition.

1) Implicit Knowledge uses both the left and right hemisphere of your head-brain and also any memories stored in your heart-brain and gut-brain. It uses more stored memory, facts and experiences than the other two types of intuition in analyzing and reaching conclusions.

2) Energetic Sensitivity is when you "tune in" to your surroundings using all your senses and brain centers. It probably relies more on the heart-brain and gut-brain over the head-brain for its inputs. It may be more of a "feeling", a "sensing" as opposed to the "knowing" of Nonlocal Intuition.

3) Nonlocal Intuition appears to rely predominantly on the heart-brain. It seems to be a "knowing" that comes out of thin air. It may be the closest to the primary definition of intuition - the ability to understand or know something without conscious reasoning.

By learning to develop and utilize all three types of intuition (there are probably more types we haven't recognized yet), we can accelerate our intuitive powers much faster. Merely by recognizing that we have 3 types improves our odds that we don't neglect any of them. It should also help us choose the appropriate training practices in order to focus on the type of intuition we want to take advantage of first in to order to quickly improve our daily lives and to resolve challenges we may be facing.

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1.5) HeartMath:

"As more of humanity practices heart-based living, it will qualify the 'rite' of passage into the next level of consciousness. Using our heart's intuitive guidance will become common sense - practical intelligence."
Doc Childre, HeartMath founder

We often hear ourselves or others say, "My mind thinks one thing, but my heart feels another." Through many generations, we have heard and been told to listen to our heart when discerning the things that matter. As parents, many of us have advised our children to listen to or follow their heart when life's meaningful decisions pop up. So, a lot of people feel the heart is a far more effective source of guidance than what our minds alone can offer us. HeartMath calls this the intuitive heart.

More and more people sense the heart is connected to a higher-capacity guidance system for creativity, clearer decisions and choices and especially for deeper, more caring relationships with others. Evidence for this is the many thousands of people in a variety of cultures who are benefiting from this deeper heart connection.

While science can help show us the way, science does not make the ultimate decisions on how we live our lives. We make those from within our intuitive hearts. Below, we share some of the science in research HeartMath Institute (HMI) has conducted to help explain the heart-intuition relationship and how this can benefit us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

A primary definition of intuition is the ability to understand or know something without conscious reasoning. Of the three types of intuition: Implicit knowledge, Energetic sensitivity and Nonlocal intuition - HeartMath researchers decided to study nonlocal intuition.
Nonlocal intuition cannot be explained by past or forgotten knowledge/implicit processes; or by sensing environmental signals/energetic sensitivity.
The physical heart appears to be connected to a field of information not bound by the classical limits of time and space. Ancient mystics, philosophers and great thinkers had it right: The heart's wisdom can help us discern our issues, communications and decisions more than we know. Becoming heart-coherent and practicing simple techniques can change everything by helping us access much more of our intuitive intelligence.
We have been seeking this intelligence through the centuries.
Is it a portal to our higher capacities?

Heart intelligence is the flow of awareness, understanding and intuition we experience when the mind and emotions are brought into coherent alignment with the heart. It can be activated through self-initiated practice, and the more we pay attention when we sense the heart is speaking to us or guiding us, the greater our ability to access this intelligence and guidance more frequently. Heart intelligence underlies cellular organization and guides and evolves organisms toward increased order, awareness and coherence of their bodies' systems.

Throughout much of recorded history, human beings have understood that intelligence, the ability to learn, understand, reason and apply knowledge to shape their environment, was a function of the brain in the head.

There also is ample evidence in the writings and oral traditions societies passed down through the generations that they strongly believed in an intelligent heart.

Research into the idea of heart intelligence began accelerating in the second half of the 20th century. During the 1960s and '70s pioneer physiologists John and Beatrice Lacey conducted research that showed the heart actually communicates with the brain in ways that greatly affect how we perceive and react to the world around us. In 1991, the year the HeartMath Institute was established, pioneer neurocardiologist Dr. J. Andrew Armour introduced the term "heart brain." He said the heart possessed a complex and intrinsic nervous system that is a brain.

Today, more than a half century after the Laceys began their research, we know a great deal more about the heart:

The heart sends us emotional and intuitive signals to help govern our lives.
The heart directs and aligns many systems in the body so that they can function in harmony with one another.
The heart is in constant communication with the brain. The heart's intrinsic brain and nervous system relay information back to the brain in the cranium, creating a two-way communication system between heart and brain.
The heart makes many of its own decisions.
The heart starts beating in the unborn fetus before the brain has been formed, a process scientists call autorhythmic.
Humans form an emotional brain long before a rational one, and a beating heart before either.
The heart has its own independent complex nervous system known as "the brain in the heart."

Although scientists say it is clear there is still much to learn, future generations may well look back and cite another important discovery as one of the most pivotal of the 20th century. The HeartMath Solution, the book that details the program used by hundreds of thousands of people to access and utilize heart intelligence to improve their lives, discusses this discovery.

"Researchers began showing in the 1980s and '90s that success in life depended more on an individual's ability to effectively manage emotions than on the intellectual ability of the brain in the head," says The HeartMath Solution, by HeartMath founder Doc Childre and his associate and longtime HeartMath spokesman Howard Martin.
This discovery naturally resulted in people wanting to know how to infuse emotions with intelligence.

Scientists at the nonprofit HeartMath Institute, which had been conducting research into heart intelligence and emotions posed the theory that "heart intelligence actually transfers intelligence to the emotions and instills the power of emotional management," the book explains. "In other words, heart intelligence is really the source of emotional intelligence."

"From our research at the HeartMath Institute, we've concluded that intelligence and intuition are heightened when we learn to listen more deeply to our own heart. It’s through learning how to decipher messages we receive from our heart that we gain the keen perception needed to effectively manage our emotions in the midst of life's challenges. The more we learn to listen to and follow our heart intelligence, the more educated, balanced and coherent our emotions become. Without the guiding influence of the heart we easily fall prey to reactive emotions such as insecurity, anger, fear and blame as well as other energy-draining reactions and behaviors."

Early HeartMath research found that negative emotions threw the nervous system out of balance and when that happened heart rhythms became disordered and appeared jagged on a heart monitor. This placed stress on the physical heart and other organs and threatened serious health problems.

"Positive emotions, by contrast, were found to increase order and balance in the nervous system and produce smooth, harmonious heart rhythms," Childre and Martin wrote. "But these harmonious and coherent rhythms did more than reduce stress: They actually enhanced people's ability to clearly perceive the world around them."

- HeartMath Institute

Use your intuitive brains (all 3 of them) and realize that not all of our genius, our wisdom originates between our ears.
The left hemisphere in our head-brain does most of the heavy lifting, the rote logical mathematics and deductions, but the right hemisphere of the brain does most of the creative, enjoyable, emotional, intuitive processing. The logical left hemisphere also tends to do most of the bossing us around since it is in control of the ego and our logic center, but when we finally realize that the logical hemisphere should be the servant and not the master, our consciousness will evolve. We need our intuition, our soul to take a leadership position in our lives instead of being minimized by our overbearing egoic mind. Logic is a tool to be utilized, not the wise and compassionate leader that should be governing us.

"Genius is 1 Percent Inspiration and 99 Percent Perspiration."
1.6.a) This is a famous quote attributed to Thomas Edison, a famous and prolific American inventor. The idea that hard work is the most important aspect of new inventions existed before Edison made this statement, however.
The idea behind this quote is that it is easy to have a good idea, or a creative insight. However, to follow through with that idea, and turn it into a reality, takes a level of patience and dedication that few people have. In reality, "Intuition and inspiration" must collaborate with "logic and rationality" (the left and the right), (the yin and the yang) on a constant basis in order to achieve maximum results and achieve our visions.

The yin yang symbol shows a balance between opposites with a portion of the opposite element in each section.

The Left-Hemisphere Cerebral brain in your head is the logical, rational "servant" brain.
The Right-Hemisphere Creative brain in your head is the Intuitive, Imaginative brain where many of your great ideas and "Aha" moments come from.
(these two hemispheres coordinate with each other to create knowledge/experience based intuition (one of the three types of intuition).

"You have two brains: a left and a right. Modern brain scientists now know that your left brain is your verbal and rational brain; it thinks serially and reduces its thoughts to numbers, letters and words. Your right brain is your nonverbal and intuitive brain; it thinks in patterns, or pictures, composed of 'whole things,' and does not comprehend reductions, either numbers, letters, or words."
From The Fabric of Mind, by scientist and neurosurgeon, Richard Bergland.

In addition we can learn from the Nobel Prize-winning work of Dr. Roger W. Sperry, (1913-1994), the eminent neuropsychologist and neurobiologist at CalTech in Pasadena. His work focused on the lateralization of verbal, analytic, sequential functions, which, for most individuals, are mainly located in the left hemisphere; and the visual, spatial, perceptual functions, mainly located in most individuals' right hemisphere. In Sperry's words, each hemisphere is:
". . . indeed a conscious system in its own right, perceiving, thinking, remembering, reasoning, willing, and emoting, all at a characteristically human level, and . . . both the left and the right hemisphere may be conscious simultaneously in different, even in mutually conflicting, mental experiences that run along in parallel." - Roger W. Sperry, 1974

The "Triune Brain" is made up of three layers within the left and right hemispheres of the brain in your head.
They are comprised of the reptilian (instinctive, regulatory brain stem), mammalian (emotional, intuitive middle brain), and the outer cerebral cortex (the logical, rational brain).
These three brain sections send and receive signals from the heart brain and the gut brain. If functioning properly, these electrical signals help protect us from harm and help us evolve as human beings.

1.7.a) Detailed analysis of above section:

1. Meditation, Prayer, Yoga, Deep-Relaxation, Alone-Time.

There is a good reason that this is listed first in the 50+ methods to develop and access your intuition.
Try to spend a minimum of 3-10 minutes per day doing one or more of these activities each day, especially meditation and prayer. You will advance your intuition much faster if you can allocate 30 to 60 minutes several days per week, but if that is too much for you at least try to find 5 minutes or so each day to help your soul find peace.

"Meditation brings wisdom.
Lack of meditation leaves ignorance."
- Buddha

Meditation is one of the best ways to put you in the space of receiving intuitive guidance. This is because when your mind is still, you have the ability to filter out unnecessary thoughts in order to access that quiet, still, intuitive mind. Meditation, like drawing and painting, deep relaxation, etc, allows you to turn off the domineering, always chattering left hemisphere of our brain, and get in touch with our other two brains so that intuition can be heard and understood more clearly. Even during meditation, the left hemisphere will try to chime in but over time you can learn to let these interuptions dissolve and not ruin your intuitive sessions and exercises.

What is a Mantra & How to Use it for Intuitive & Creative Power - Motherhoodcommunity.com:

What does it mean to master a mantra?
"When you have repeated it so much, so often, and so well, that you hear it within your being, and it comes handy to you."
- Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini yoga teacher and author

If you've gone to a yoga class that started or ended with a collective Om (Aum) then you've already been exposed to mantra practice. Ancient yogis have used the power of mantra for thousands of years as a form of mental training and spiritual practice in order to access higher states of consciousness and deepen intuition.
High-profile seekers like Apple founder Steve Jobs and artist/singer Tina Turner have also turned to mantra meditation as a way to strengthen inner wisdom and creative power.
What the practice does: "It helps you to feel better. It helps you to think different… I would say it helps you think correctly. That means you can help yourself get the things you want." - Tina Turner on her Buddhist mantra chanting practice.
You can use this tool in your daily life to become more inspired, calm, balanced, insightful, and creative. Here's everything you need to know to get started with your own personal mantra meditation practice.

What is a mantra? The word mantra is comprised of the Sanskrit roots 'man' which means mind and 'tra' which means vehicle or instrument. A mantra, then, is a vehicle through which you can shift your mental and emotional state. It's an ancient tool that helps you dissipate mental noise and negative thoughts so you can hear your inner wisdom more loudly and clearly.

Many ancient mantras have roots in Hindu and Buddhist traditions as well as Jainism. Sanskrit mantras are found in Vedic/Vedanta sacred texts such as the Upanishads and the Rig Veda. According to these texts, mantras are powerful sacred sounds and sound vibrations best recited repeatedly to aid in cultivating presence, focus, understanding, and insight. Seed mantras called 'Bija' mantras ('Bija' is the sanskrit word for seed) are short sounds vibrations that are used as a way to fertilize your consciousness and mind. The most common Bija mantra is Om (Aum).

What is NOT a mantra? While words like "I am safe" or "I am worthy of feeling good" are powerful in their own right and are also useful for effecting mental and emotional shifts, they are not mantras, they are affirmations. They can certainly be used in conjunction with mantras but don't confuse one for the other. Intentions like the ones we set at the beginning of a yoga asana class or a yoga nidra meditation session aren't mantras even though it's easy to confuse the two.

Common mantras are: Om (Aum) - This sound vibration is said to channel the primordial sound of the universe. It's also the base for other common mantras as you'll see below.

Om mani padme hum - The mantra of benevolence and compassion. It means "The jewel is in the lotus."

Om namah shivaya - Means "I bow to Shiva." Shiva is one of the three main Hindu deities. In yoga practice, we use this mantra to help us connect to our true Inner Self. This Self is the part of us that's wise and intuitive.

Om shanti shanti shanti - "Peace, peace, peace." This mantra is an invocation for inner peace - peace of mind, peace in the body, and peaceful speech.

How do you use a mantra?
There are several ways to use a mantra. In meditation techniques such as Vedic meditation and Transcendental Meditation (TM) a mantra is repeated silently and internally as a means of overriding thought waves to enter deeper states of consciousness. The practice of repeating a mantra either silently or aloud is called 'Japa' in yoga practice. Ancient yogis believed that repeating a mantra 108 times amplifies its power. For them, it's like a code for awakening and self-realization. Vedic mathematicians considered the number 108 a number representing the wholeness of the universe and spiritual union. You can use mala beads (like prayer beads) to help you stay present and keep track of the 108 cycles, but it's not a necessary part of mantra meditation. And you don't have to repeat a mantra 108 times to reap its benefits and effects.
The main idea is this: Keep your mantra practice as simple as possible. Do whatever works best for you. Do whatever is easiest to help you practice daily. If, for example, repeating a mantra three times works for you, then start there.

A special mantra for increasing intuitive and creative powers: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
The intuitive voice within is real. It's an inherent superpower we've all been gifted with, we've just forgotten how to use it. Intuition is like a muscle, if we work with it and use it regularly it will strengthen over time. By consistently using a powerful mantra known as the Adi Mantra we can work out our intuitive muscle. The sound currents of this mantra have the potential to shift your state of consciousness and help you unlock your inner wisdom, intuitive knowing, and creative inspiration. It's short and simple, which makes it easy to remember: Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo

Adi Mantra Meaning: Ong: Infinite Intelligence + Creative Wisdom (Universal Vital Force Energy).
Namo: to bow or to call upon with an open heart and willing mind.
Guru: wisdom, source of transformative knowledge, teacher.
Gu - ru: broken into two parts: gu = darkness, unconsciousness. ru = light, consciousness.
Guru dev: the Divine teacher within, inner knowing, insight, your higher self.
In Kundalini yoga it's customary to begin every practice by chanting the Adi Mantra at least three times as a way to 'tune in.' The act of intentionally and consciously 'tuning in' to the space in and around you helps to create a demarcation point between what has been (the past), and whatever will be (the future).
Energetically, tuning in with the Adi Mantra functions much like hitting the reset button where you wipe the slate clean and begin anew. Your intuitive voice cannot be heard in the midst of fear and anxiety. Intuitive wisdom can only come through a calm and grounded mind.
By using this mantra you can increase inner calm and inner knowing: Ong Namo: I bow to the Infinite Intelligence and Creative Wisdom. We bow with an open heart and a humble mind. We bow to the infinitely wise and intelligent life force energy that flows through all things. We bow as a symbol of surrender and devotion.
Guru Dev Namo: I bow to the Divine Teacher Within. We bow to the transformative knowledge and insight that is within us. We bow to our higher selves, the embodiment of our fully expressed potential. We surrender to the process unfolding We open our hearts to trust in our ability to access the answers we seek within.

Transformative knowledge is required to guide and support the process of human/social transformation. We need ideas like "new age" to inspire our creativity, "social healing" to validate our new style of activism, and "inner to outer" to explain the dynamics of transformation. Transformative knowledge can assist people to actualize their personal and group potential for achieving shared growth and well-being.

See more at: https://motherhoodcommunity.com/what-is-a-mantra-how-to-use-it-for-intuitive-creative-power

2. Creativity: drawing, writing, painting, music, etc. Creative activities like drawing, painting, writing, doodling or anything that you find creatively stimulating puts you in a state of “flow” where time stands still. You are lost in the activity and feel free of distractions and worries. Notice when you loose track of time, hours seem like minutes and you wonder how time passed so quickly.

When you are in this state of flow, it is similar to the meditative state. Your mind is receptive to ideas, insights, and awareness that you might not experience in the rapid and busy pace of daily life.

A great way to develop your intuition is by learning to draw. Sounds strange but it really works. We highly recommend the fabulous book by Betty Edwards, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain." It may have more importance regarding utilizing the right / intuitive / creative side of the brain than it does about learning to draw, although learning to draw and be creative is a helpful and fun thing to learn also. It turns out that the act of drawing turns off the left logical brain and allows the right intuitive brain to take full control, giving us access to "knowledge" that is normally hidden from us by the usually dominant left brain.

Through art, writing, music, dance, etc, you can gain access to emotions, desires and potential solutions to problems that you may not be consciously aware of.

3. Utilize a Master Journal / Doodle Notebook which includes the following journals:
Morning Pages journal; Dream journal; Intuition / Eureka journal; Daily Diary; "Goals, Visions and Plans / Strategies" journal; To-Do Journal, Fun Stuff / Recreation Journal; Arts & Crafts Journal; Doodle Journal and other Journals you may want to record.

Morning Pages journal ("stream of consciousness" writings).
Dream journal (record and interpret your significant dreams).
Intuition / Eureka journal ("Aha" moments).
Keep a Diary (daily journal of significant events).
Start a "Goals, Visions and Plans / Strategies" journal (what matters most to you and how will you achieve your goals).
Utilize a To-Do Journal - "What do I want to do today" (a collection of your To-Do Lists).

Constructive Journaling, or writing your "Morning Pages" is the process of recording your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. If you struggle with self-esteem, anxiety, stress, or depression, keeping a journal can be very helpful. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.

Journaling helps to identify negative thoughts and behaviors. By clarifying your perceptions, thoughts and feelings, you will get to know and understand yourself better. Journaling allows us to look at our lives from an "outsider" perspective even though we are looking inward. Thus we have the opportunity to "counsel" ourselves without having to share uncomfortable personal issues with a true counselor/mentor. This can give you new perspectives that can help you achieve the goals and dreams you have established, possibly by writing them in your journal also. There may be times when you may need outside guidance or counseling, but having a journal will likely help with being able to better express your concerns and issues with someone qualified to assist you in addressing and resolving those challenges and opportunities.
Many mental health experts recommend journaling because it can improve your mood and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. Studies support this and suggest journaling is good for your mental health. It may also make therapy work better.

Morning Pages also help you keep track of what is going on in your life, both positive and negative. When life seems extra chaotic, Morning Pages can help you sort out things going on in your life so they don't seem so out of control. Just jotting down a few events and situations and writing down some feelings about them can be a type of release to free up your bottled emotions. Then you can move on with your day and hopefully be more at peace.

Morning Pages are not just for the morning hours, although getting your thoughts and feelings released in the morning can be particularly beneficial during the rest of your day. It can be a safe place to record epiphanies, crazy ideas, concerns, sadness, hopes and fears all throughout the day and night. Consider this: We all have three sides to our personality.
1) The side we show the world.
2) The side we only show to close family and trusted friends.
3) The side we only show to ourselves.
By writing down your impulses and self-expressions, and all the other things mentioned here, you are getting to know the side you usually only show to yourself. You have the chance to become a better friend to yourself by sharing your inner secrets and most sincere thoughts with yourself.
Since you spend more time with yourself than any other person in your lifetime, perhaps it is a great idea to develop a true love for that person: Yourself. Journaling can help you get there.

Twelve things Journaling / Morning Pages can be helpful with:

1) Keeping your thoughts, perceptions and feelings organized and making them more accessible in order to work on them. This will help with self-reflection and personal growth.
2) Providing a place to record both successes and failures, thereby allowing you to evaluate what went right and what went wrong.
3) Reducing stress by relieving bottled-in pressure. Instead of yelling, fighting and screaming to release stress, anger and depression, release these feelings onto paper (or your cell phone, computer, iPad, etc.). This will improve your chances of dealing more appropriately with your relationship(s) and the outside world.
4) Providing a place to record ideas, sadness, fears, hopes and dreams.
5) Providing a place to set your goals and the corresponding plans and strategies to achieve those goals. "A goal without a plan is just a wish." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
6) Providing a place for creative writing, drawing and doodling.
7) Providing a place for your "To-Do" list, as well as your "I Accomplished This" list.
8) Improving your writing and self-expression skills.
9) Improving your memory by recording a visual document of your daily / weekly events, plans and appointments. Part of our problems come from forgetting things that could have been remembered if we had simply taken the time to write them down, thus reinforcing them in our memory bank and on paper.
10) Keeping you on track and focused on the things that are most important in your life.
11) Providing a place to record your gratitude journal. Things you are grateful for each day.
12) Providing a place to get to know yourself better and develop a deeper love for yourself.

In a sense, journaling can be a form of meditation, prayer, understanding and planning, thus satisfying your spiritual, emotional and logical sides of your being.
As Dr. Wayne Dyer said, "We are human 'beings', not human doings."

What else might Morning Pages help you with?

- Special thanks to Julia Cameron for her introduction of Morning Pages in her book "The Artist's Way". This concept has been extremely valuable to many people.
"The bedrock tool of a creative recovery is a daily practice called Morning Pages."
"Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages - they are not high art. They are not even 'writing.' They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind, and they are for your eyes only. Morning Pages provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize the day at hand. Do not over-think Morning Pages: just put three pages of anything on the page...and then do three more pages tomorrow."

Three pages may be a bit long for the average person who does not aspire to be an artist, but her concept combined with journaling makes for a wonderful tool, especially for those periods in your life when you need direction, understanding and clarity. Realizing that creativity and intuition are directly interconnected might help you understand why expressing your feelings in your journals is such an important step in developing and utilizing your intuitive powers.

4. Recognize when your intuition speaks

First of all, in order to be able to use your intuition, you must able to recognize it when it speaks to you. Intuition usually isn't loud or demanding - it's subtle and communicates in different ways for different people.
Intuition speaks to you in many different ways: through words, images, dreams, flashes of brilliance, premonitions (a certain knowing of what is ahead), emotions (such as euphoria, joy, love, hate, disgust, distaste, etc), and physical sensations such as goose bumps, blushing, power sensations, moodiness, chills, sweating, nausea, headaches, stress or exhaustion. When certain sensations become obvious to you, pay attention and attempt to record them to your permanent memory in your hippocampus or in your written journal so that you can retrieve and utilize this powerful information.

For example, you may receive visual messages, such as images that appear in quick flashes or visions that unfold slowly, like a movie.

Your intuition might speak to you as a hunch, a thought, in words or phrases. You can also enter into a dialogue with your intuition to get more information and clarity. Merely ask and wait for the answers to arrive. It may take minutes, hours or even days, but as your intuition improves, the answers will come faster and become more astounding.

Alternatively, your intuition may speak to you in physical sensations, such as goose bumps, chills, discomfort in your gut, a feeling of relief, or a sour taste in your mouth.

You may receive intuitive messages through your emotions, such as feelings of uneasiness or confusion when your inner wisdom is steering you away from something - or feelings of euphoria and profound peace when you're being guided down a path that will lead you to greater personal joy and abundance.

Sometimes intuition messages are simply a deep sense of knowing and certainty. If you've ever felt that you knew something to be true in the depths of your heart or soul, chances are it was a message from your intuition.

Have you ever noticed that your mood changes suddenly? Or you walk in a room of people and feel uneasy?

Remind yourself to pay attention to these shifts in mood, and once you are aware of them, ask yourself why you are feeling this way. Close your eyes, and ask yourself, What is this feeling telling me? Then wait for an answer.

It may not arrive right away, but at some point you'll have an insight into your mood change. The key is learning how to use these insights to manage your life in order to minimize negative people or circumstances.

5. Pay attention to your dreams.

Dreams are your subconscious mind's way of processing information and dealing with internal stress, repressed feelings, unacknowledged longings, hopes, fears, desires and more.

DREAMS -- A LINK TO OUR SUBCONSCIOUS:
Dreams are a graphic example of what is going on deep inside our minds. The sleeping brain has no logical language so it shows us "videos" which often mimic events going on in our lives or thoughts. The dreams do not make sense unless broken down into their metaphoric components. For instance, a dream where you can not move or escape might indicate you are feeling helpless in your day to day life. Find a way to gain control. Dreams where you are carrying heavy loads may indicate you are overwhelmed and need help. The key is to view the dream in broad terms and not get stuck on details. Conduct dream interviews with yourself or others and try to remember important feelings, events, settings, phrases, objects, people, colors and ideas. What you remember most can give you clues to resolve problems you may be consciously unaware of. Ask yourself questions about the important items remembered and see if they somehow relate to past, present or future events in your life. It may take hours to days to be "sure" of what insight has just become available to your conscious mind but if you want to improve your intuition and happiness, this is one of the best and easiest ways to do it.

Realize that your dreams are a direct link to your subconscious mind, in a way that is often quite different than utilizing intuition in a wakeful and alert state of mind. Dreams happen in a gamma or delta state of mind while intuition often happens in an alpha or beta state of mind.
Your dreams reach deeper into the mind and are non-linear in dramatic ways. They jump all over the place and seldom make logical sense. That is because the subconscious does not speak in a logic manner. It reveals to us images, feelings, and concepts which when we view them using the logical left brain, they often don't make any sense! But when you take the major details and break them down and interpret them, they will usually tell you everything you need to learn from the experience and break the "dream video" into useful and productive results.
What you really want to do with especially significant dreams is to record them immediately by either listing the key points in order of appearance, or by doing a stream of consciousness writing in your dream journal so that you can analyze and interpret later. The dream won't make any sense when you write them down initially, in fact if they do then you are likely not recording it correctly but rather filling in blanks that help it make sense to you, yet you are messing up the true meaning by trying to make logic sense instead of just recording what what you were actually revealing to your self in the dream.
Remember that the subconscious mind speaks to us in metaphor, symbols and emotions, not logic and reason. Thus our dreams do not speak to us in the same way a chronological movie does. It is by its very nature, disjointed and confusing. Yet after your record it accurately and in as much detail as possible, you can then discover the true meaning of what it was trying to reveal to you. You look for the deeper meaning in the important points. How does it relate to what is going on in your life currently. What does it tell you about significant events from your past. What does it reveal about your hopes, fears or desires of your future? How can you benefit from what it is trying to tell you?! Thus our dreams can be viewed as our soul trying to teach us something we need to know. By ignoring them or brushing them off as weird and quirky, we lose a huge opportunity and advantage to improve our life condition and discover potential eureka events. For instance, the benzene ring was discovered by a scientist who dreamed of a snake chasing it tail. He could have wrote that vision off as a scary dream because of his fear of snakes, or he could have viewed it as insight into the organic structure of something he was struggling to understand with his left brain. Fortunately he understood that his right brain subconscious mind was trying to show him the answer in pictures that he could comprehend using his logical mathematical left brain. Dreams are often symbolic and offer deeper messages than the strange and convoluted nature of a dream reveals on the surface. Read about common dream symbols so you can better understand the meaning of your dreams and what your intuition might be telling you through your dreams.

6. Listen to your body, especially your gut feelings and strong emotions.

Your body is an important messenger of intuitive knowledge. You've heard the expression, "Follow your gut." You often feel things in your gut that let you know loud and clear that you aren't in the right place, with the right person, or making the best decision. Unfortunately our desires, greed and pre-conceived biases often over-rule our gut feelings and we proceed down the wrong path anyway, only to suffer the consequences later.

7. Observe your energy levels. "Tune in" to yourself. Is your energy positive or negative at this moment in time?

By taking the time to pay attention to your own energy levels, it can give you a strong clue as to whether your intuition is speaking to you. Not to be confused with strong emotions running through your mind and body, this energy level has a different signature that feels more like a calm guiding wisdom when positive, or a definitive warning when you need to use caution or retreat from threatening situations. When you doubt yourself, you lose the opportunity to gain valuable insight.

8. Feel the energy of other people and your surroundings. "Tune in" to others and the environment.

Most of us get tired of asking ourselves, why didn't I listen to my inner voice. My gut feelings were telling me that this person was going to cause me problems later on down the road but I didn't listen. Sometimes you will still need to deal with people that you know will likely use you and let you down, but at least you will have the foresight to minimize the damage they can do to you and protect yourself from major harm. You can't avoid all the people you intuitively know are "trouble" but you can reduce the pain by not sticking your head in the sand and hoping they don't disappoint you. Watch out for predators, embezzlers, con-men, grifters and others who will try to take advantage of you. Intuition is critical to protect yourself from people who will cause you pain and suffering. Take time to get to "know" people before your trust them with your soul. On the opposite side, look for people who uplift you and give you hope and inspiration. These are the ones you want to associate with.

8a. Practice sensing into people before you know them.

Learn to "read" people that you will be spending time with, people such as fellow workers, students, neighbors, potential friends or boyfriends/girlfriends, etc.
See what kind of information you can glean from observing people and feeling their energetic signature before you talk to them or learn anything about them from other people. The more you pay attention, the more you'll realize you already know things you couldn't possibly know with the cognitive mind. If you record your intuition about them you can go back and see how accurate you were at a later date and learn from your hunches.

Your initial impressions and gut feelings are important and can tell you quite a bit but you still need to listen to what they say and do for the next few weeks in order to get a better feel for if their words and deeds match up to the initial impression you created about them. Some people are better than others at disguising their inner self in attempting to mislead others about their true nature but over time your intuition can and will help you to know who you can likely trust and who you should keep at arms length.

9. Take a relaxing shower or bath.

The shower is another place for . You may have already discovered that some of your best thinking is done in the shower or bathtub. One of the best ways to connect with intuition, spontaneous insights and visions of the future is to take a hot bath or shower. During this time, just relax and enjoy the warmth and soothing effect of the water. This is an easy way to get into a hypnotic/meditative state where the brain can connect to the subconscious.

The combination of the quiet personal space, the feeling of warm water surrounding you, the pressure of the water, the smell of soaps, shampoo and perfumes, the sound of the water, the small enclosure you are in, and the relaxation all this brings lends itself to tapping into your intuition. The only sense missing is taste, unless you also happen to be eating a snack or drinking your favorite beverage while taking your bath :)

Often, solutions to problems will become amazingly obvious to you during this type of relaxed state. Be prepared to have many "eureka" and "aha" experiences during this state. Remember that meditation is really just unlocking a door that is normally shut to those that don't have the key. Find the key and remember to use it often. This is partly why so many cultures advocate the use of meditation and prayer. It calms the body and the mind so we can get insights that otherwise will elude us. There are many ways to get into this relaxed state, such as using self-hypnosis, meditation, prayer, relaxing on a comfortable couch, chair or bed, laying in the sun or shade, strolling through a garden, etc. Find time, make time to get relaxed and tap into this incredible power that will make your life so much less stressful and confusing. When relaxing, you may want to consider two thought processes: Convergent and Divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is when you have a particular problem you want to find solutions to. Remember that there are often many solutions to a problem. Be prepared to get several solutions and choose the best ones. In divergent thinking, you merely relax and wait for brilliant ideas to pop into your head. Maybe you don't have any apparent problems in mind. You are merely waiting for ideas to come to you. Trust us, they will. Maybe not every time, but you will be amazed at how often you discover solutions to problems your conscious mind didn't even know you had, or how often you will come up with ideas that will improve your health, wealth, family life, love life and personal life. Essentially, intuition is a tool to increase your happiness. Find the key that works for you and use it regularly! Unlock the treasure chest over and over and enjoy the riches within.

10. Listen to relaxing music.

11. Sing, hum and dance.

12. Smile. Enjoy life.

13. Predict outcomes of future events.

14. Reflect on past intuitions, hunches and predictions and learn from both correct and failed assessments.

15. Record sudden feelings, ideas and "aha moments" into your intuition journal or cell phone notepad.

9 thru 60 coming soon.

2.1) The Power of your Subconscious Mind

AI Overview

The subconscious mind is a complex part of the brain that influences our thoughts, emotions, and actions. It's also known as the nonconscious mind.

Here are some things to know about the subconscious mind:

Stores and retrieves data -
The subconscious mind stores and retrieves data to ensure that we respond in a way that's consistent with our self-concept.

Makes decisions -
The subconscious mind makes decisions without us needing to actively think about them. For example, when we learn to play an instrument, we start by thinking about each note, but eventually our subconscious mind takes over. Learning to drive a car is similar in that it takes incredible attention at first but later becomes second nature.

Controls physical movements -
The subconscious mind controls all physical movements, whether voluntary or involuntary.

Monitors information -
The subconscious mind monitors the information around us, deciding what to send to the conscious mind and what to store for later.

Influences our lives -
The subconscious mind influences a lot of what we do each day, but those influences are from past actions and the habits we have created from them.

Some say that understanding and working with the subconscious mind is the basis of all mind power techniques (such as intuition, inspiration, imagination, creativity, comprehension, pre-cognition, self-awareness, self-healing, etc.) and the key to success, happiness and longevity.

How to Harness the Power of Your Subconscious Mind:

Read books about the Subconscious Mind such as -
The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

Learn to send your subconscious mind suggestions, information and problems you want it to work on and and solve for you. The best way to do this is in a relaxed or medatative state and/or right before taking a nap or going to sleep at night.
Sometimes the answers will come to you in dreams, in moments of "aha" and eureka phenomenon, or you will just "know" what the solutions are. They may come to you quickly or it may take days, weeks or months depending on the complexity or importance of the task you are working on.

The other beauty of learning to utilize your subconscious mind is that it will start giving you answers and solutions to things you didn't even consciously tell it to work on. It will suddenly remind and direct you to focus on important daily activities and also higher level projects you need to accomplish. It will suggest that you research and learn new things that will allow your life and relationships to thrive in directions you might not even have imagined were possible. After being amazed at what the subconscious mind is capable of you will wonder how you ever lived without intentionally utilizing it. It will aid you to florish and succeed in ways that are highly unlikely without consciously involving it in your daily life.

3.1) The Triune Brain

We Have Three Brains In One: The Reptilian, Mammalian, and Neo-Cortex
Our Triune Brain: The Reptilian, Mammalian, and Neo-Cortex
soulguru.com/triune-brain

Our triune brain is a masterpiece of evolution. Evolution is the reason that we have three brains in one. Our brain showcases our journey from reptiles to mammals to human form. It has reptilian brain stem, mammalian or limbic system and a state of art neo-cortex.

The Reptilian Brain Stem

The reptilian brain stem is the first brain to develop in the womb. It controls our basic body functions and primitive survival circuits. Heart rate, digestion, breathing, elimination of waste are all regulated by the reptilian brain stem. This part of the brain can remain in action even when the other parts of the brain stop functioning and a person is declared brain dead. It is called reptilian brain because it evolved millions of years ago and is more like the entire brain of present-day reptiles.

It has a predominant survival circuits that control “fight or flight” responses of the autonomic nervous system. Our sympathetic nervous system comes into action whenever we face a sudden or imminent threat. Like when we are walking on the road and a car suddenly comes in front. In such a situation our body gets a surge of adrenaline and other stress hormones. This surge of adrenaline enables us to act swiftly and respond to danger. Once the danger has subsided, the sympathetic nervous system takes a backseat and parasympathetic nervous system gets into action. It helps us to revert to our original state of rest called homeostasis where we regain our calm and balance.

The Limbic System or Mammalian Brain

This mammalian brain or limbic system is the next brain to develop in the womb. The limbic system is responsible for our emotions and bonding. All emotional learning takes place in this part of the brain. Mammals, be it a rat or a cow are known for their bonding with their young ones. Reptiles, on the other hand, do not bond with their progeny. They abandon their young ones after birth to fend for themselves. Some reptilian species even devour their young ones.

The limbic system also greatly expands on the survival circuits of the reptilian brain stem. Amygdala located in limbic system is responsible for the perception of emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness. Amygdala amplifies the danger signals of the reptilian brain by evoking emotions of fear and anger. It stores memories of events and emotions so that an individual may be able to recognize similar events in the future. For example, if someone has been bitten by a dog in childhood, she would be more alert and cautious around dogs in future as well. The bigger size of the amygdala correlates with increased aggression and physical behavior.

The Neo-Cortex: Acme of Human Achievement

The neocortex is the third brain to develop in utero. It represents the acme of evolution. Neocortex controls all that differentiates human beings from the rest of living species. It is involved in higher mental functions such as sensory perception, cognition, memory, generation of motor commands, spatial reasoning, conscious thought, and language.

The most important part of the neocortex is the prefrontal cortex, also referred to as the fourth brain. It controls executive functions, creativity, reason, problem-solving, logic, abstraction, insight, and morality. It helps us to regulate our emotions, to postpone immediate gratification for the sake of the future goal. This part of the brain develops only after birth. The human neocortex constitutes 30% of the brain whereas in cats it is just 3%. Chimpanzees our closest living relatives have 11% of the brain as the neocortex. The neocortex is the ultimate director of all the three brains.

Nurturing Human Brain

The brain is the most sensitive organ of the body and therefore it is encased within a hard skull. The size and quality of an infant's brain depend upon the mother's emotional state. An emotionally secure mother would give birth to a baby with an enlarged neo-cortex and a small reptilian brain. Whereas an expectant mother who is anxious and stressed would give birth to a baby with a relatively larger reptilian brain. The mother's emotional state continues to affect the development of the brain even after birth. The first two years of a child are vital for the brain growth as 90% of the brain growth happens during this time.

Our triune brain is the best example evolution. As Dr. Brant Cortright puts it, "Optimal brain development gives us access to our animal inheritance- the reptilian circuits and mammalian capacity for emotion - together with our reason and intelligence"

AI Overview

The triune brain is a theory that describes the mammalian brain as having three distinct layers that work together to process stress, emotion, and cognition:

Reptilian brain
The deepest layer, which is thought to be responsible for primal instincts like the fight-or-flight response.
Paleomammalian brain
Also known as the limbic system, this layer is thought to be responsible for emotions.
Neocortex
The third layer, which is thought to be responsible for rational or objective thought.

The triune brain theory was introduced by Paul MacLean in the 1960s. It's a useful way to understand how the brain's different layers affect human behavior, especially the relationship between cognition and emotion. However, some modern neuroscience research suggests that the triune brain theory doesn't accurately explain how the brain functions in everyday life. For example, emotion and cognition are interdependent, and the limbic system isn't purely emotional.

Wikipedia

MacLean originally formulated the triune brain hypothesis in the 1960s, drawing on comparative neuroanatomical work done by Ludwig Edinger, Elizabeth C. Crosby and Charles Judson Herrick early in the twentieth century. The 1980s saw a rebirth of interest in comparative neuroanatomy, motivated in part by the availability of a variety of new neuroanatomical techniques for charting the circuitry of animal brains. Subsequent findings according to human brain evolution expert Terrence Deacon, have refined the traditional neuroanatomical ideas upon which MacLean based his hypothesis. Deacon mentioned that "the evolutionary addition of different parts of the brain is simply not realistic. However, all the parts of the brain were already existing, they were just further developed upon as the homosapien species evolved and gained life experiences."

The triune model of the mammalian brain is seen as an oversimplified organizing theme in the field of comparative neuroscience. It continues to hold public interest because of its simplicity. While inaccurate in many respects as an explanation for brain activity, structure and evolution, it remains a commonly used concept as the "neocortex" represents that cluster of brain structures involved in advanced cognition, including planning, modeling and simulation; the "limbic brain" refers to those brain structures, wherever located, associated with social and nurturing behaviors, mutual reciprocity, and other behaviors and affects that arose during the age of the mammals; and the "reptilian brain" refers to those brain structures related to territoriality, ritual behavior and other "reptile" behaviors.

Glynda-Lee Hoffmann, in her book The Secret Dowry of Eve, Women's Role in the Development of Consciousness, references the triune theory explored by MacLean and goes one step further. Her theory about human behavior, and the problems we create with that behavior, distinguishes the prefrontal cortex as uniquely different from the rest of the neocortex. The prefrontal cortex, with its agenda of integration, is the part of the brain that can get the other parts to work together for the good of the individual. Hoffmann claims that in many humans the reptilian cortex (agenda: territory and reproduction; in humans that translates to power and sex) is out of control, and the amygdala stokes the fear that leads to more bad behavior.

The Brain Is Adaptive Not Triune: How the Brain Responds to Threat, Challenge, and Change
Patrick R Steffen, Dawson Hedges, Rebekka Matheson
Front Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 1

Theory impacts how research is conducted. A popular theory used to conceptualize brain functioning is the triune brain theory. The triune brain theory is an evolutionary theory of brain development that emphasizes three key brain regions consisting of the brainstem, the limbic system, and the cortex that function relatively independently in coping with stress via fight or flight, emotion, and cognition, respectively. However, modern neuroscience research demonstrates that the triune brain theory does not accurately explain how the brain functions in everyday life or during the stress response. Specifically, emotion and cognition are interdependent and work together, the limbic system is not a purely emotional center nor are there purely emotional circuits in the brain, and the cortex is not a purely cognitive center nor are there purely cognitive circuits in the brain. We propose a new evolutionarily based model, the adaptive brain, that is founded on adaptive prediction resulting from interdependent brain networks using interoception and exteroception to balance current needs, and the interconnections among homeostasis, allostasis, emotion, cognition, and strong social bonds in accomplishing adaptive goals.

"We do not live to think, but, on the contrary, we think in order that we may succeed in thriving."
Jose Ortega y Gasset

The Triune Brain: an Outdated, Inaccurate Model

Describing the triune-brain theory, MacLean (3) states that:

"The human forebrain evolved to its great size while retaining features of three basic formations that reflect an ancestral relationship to reptiles, early mammals, and recent mammals. The three neural assemblies… are radically different in structure and chemistry, and in an evolutionary sense, countless generations apart. Psychological and behavioral functions depend on the interplay of three quite different mentalities. The three evolutionary formations might be popularly regarded as three interconnected biological computers, each having its own special intelligence, its own subjectivity, its own sense of time and space, and its own memory, motor, and other functions." (p. 264).

From the perspective of the triune-brain theory, these three brain regions evolved separately and function somewhat independently: the basal ganglia and brain stem are involved in movement and basic life functions, the limbic system is involved in emotional responses that are seen more prominently in mammals as compared to reptiles, and the cortex is involved in cognition and executive functions and is most prominent in humans. In this perspective, evolutionary development begins with basic behavioral responses, then adds emotional responses that can alter these basic responses when threat or challenges arise, and then adds on cognition to alter emotional responses using reason, logic, and planning.

There are several key problems, however, with the triune brain theory. First, the brain did not evolve in successive stages as MacLean hypothesized. The idea that vertebrate evolution has consisted of "newer brain structures being superimposed over and on top of 'older' brain structures, tracking development of complex cognition," is not evolutionarily justifiable. Basic neural regions are shared among all vertebrates. Where they differ is in proportion and extent. Just as an elephant's trunk is not a new structure superimposed over a snout but rather is an analogous structure differing in proportion (and consequently, in functional adaptation to the animal's needs), the human brain is not superimposed on a reptile brain but consists mostly of proportionally different analogous structures. Furthermore, the gradation of proportional shifts is not necessarily a linear progression from reptile to human.

Second, brain structures do not function independently of one another. During emotional responses, there is activity in the amygdala and in the limbic system, but there is also activity in cortical areas and in the brainstem. Additionally, emotion and cognition are not independent events; rather, they are interrelated functions working in concert. For example, Bush et al. and Shackman et al. both note that emotional responses and cognitive responses in the cingulate cortex are interconnected and not separate as previously believed. Perhaps more importantly, the limbic system is not a purely emotional center in the brain. LeDoux notes that the hippocampus is considered part of the limbic system but that it is not considered an essentially emotional brain region; instead, it is a key area involved in memory, which is more closely associated with cognition. And, finally, the brain does not act by simply responding to a stimulus. Instead, it predicts internal and external needs and adapts accordingly. Incoming stimuli interact with the current state in which the brain is.

Third, current neuroscience research findings provide further evidence of the inaccuracy of triune brain theory and open new ways of understanding how the brain responds to stress and adapts to changing internal and external environments. Fear research provides an instructive specific example. There is no fear brain circuit that turns on during a fear response but otherwise lies dormant. Brain networks always have some level of activity that affects how they process incoming information. What changes is the relative activity of different brain networks, with networks being differentially activated based upon need. As these findings show, triune-brain theory does not match current research findings and using triune-brain theory as a general theoretical approach can lead to faulty hypothesis creation and poorly developed studies.

A more useful evolutionary theory of how the brain works needs to integrate accurate knowledge of brain structure and function. Adaptation, survival, and reproduction are at the heart of evolutionary theory, and interdependent brain networks have evolved to increase adaptation to be able to survive and reproduce. Further, emerging findings suggest that the brain uses interoceptive and exteroceptive information to predict future conditions and needs to enable optimal adaptation to continuously changing internal and external environments. Based on better understanding of how the brain works, we propose replacing "triune brain" with a term that better captures current understanding of brain function: the adaptive brain. In this conceptualization, the term adaptive brain emphasizes the interdependence and plasticity of brain regions and the brain's ability to predict and adapt to future needs and conditions. Instead of three relatively independent brain regions, or any number of independent brain regions, brain networks work together interdependently; instead of purely "emotional circuits" or "cognitive circuits," the brain uses interconnected networks to optimize maintenance of the body's internal state, emotion, and cognition to adapt to continuously changing needs. The brain's summated approach to these priorities regulates affect, and dysregulation of these interdependent circuits has important implications for psychopathology.

4.1) The Conscious Mind in relation to the Subconscious Mind

AI Overview

The human mind is the complex of mental processes that allow people to think, feel, perceive, remember, and make decisions. It includes both conscious and subconscious processes, and plays a central role in most aspects of human life.

Definition -
The totality of mental phenomena, including conscious and subconscious (unconscious) processes.

Functions -
Thinking, feeling, and wanting.

Influences -
Can be guided by egocentrism or rational capacities.

Related concepts -
Sensations, perceptions, emotions, memory, desires, reasoning, motives, choices, personality traits, and the unconscious.

Different understandings -
Different cultures may have different understandings of mental life, which can affect how people understand themselves, time, history, spirits, rituals, illness, and health.
The exact nature of the human mind is disputed. Some say that the mind is what the brain does, while others say that the mind is the brain itself.

What are the 4 types of human mind?

1. The reptilian mind/brain: the body-mind. The primal mind: Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing, Reproduction. Autopilot. It controls our motives and instinctive behavior (e.g., sex, aggression, power), even in deep sleep (Gilbert, 2009, 2010; MacLean, 1990).

2. The mammalian limbic mind/brain: The emotional mind. Emotions, Memory, Habits, Attachments.

3. The primate neocortex mind/brain: The rational mind. Language, Abstract Thought, Reasoning, Rationalizing, Consciousness, Imagination.

4. The soul-mind.

What is the meaning of soul mind?

Soul, in religion and philosophy, is the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being, that which confers individuality and humanity, often considered to be synonymous with the mind or the self.

In some literature (e.g., Forstmann et al., 2012), researchers equate the mind with the soul, referring to them as a single entity: "mind/soul."

The soul is mainly used as meaning the same as 'self', to refer to the subject of mental states and of spiritual experience.

Some of us need to hear this, some of us need to say it: You are Loved!

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