 |
THE
KEY PRINCIPLES |
The
Subtlest Part of your Mind
Speaks
in the Softest Voice
And the grossest part of your mind
speaks in the loudest voice.
These
layers of voices are always going on in your mind.
You
in the moment who are in control of all this
Have the choice
As to which stream to switch to
In terms of your attention.
You
can switch into a subtle channel or into a gross channel.
One
factor which makes it more likely that you will switch into
a gross channel
Is that the gross channels are veritably screaming at you
And typically contain a much higher emotional content
While the subtle ones are whispering under that din.
Not
all of the voices in your head are equally smart.
When you take action based on a screaming voice
You are less likely to take effective action Than when you
take action
Based on a whispering source.
Why
is this so, if it is?
Here
is where we get into the realm of guesswork
Although "deductive hypothesis"
Is a much kinder term
For the same thing.
By
the nature of the content we find in the small voices
We would classify them as "ethical"
"fine judgment oriented"
"disciplined"
"courageous" and therefore
"somewhat detached" and
"honest".
By
the lack of a powerful emotive component
We would hypothesize
Or "guess"
That the brain's limbic system is not particularly involved
Since that is the seat of emotions.
By
the other attributes we would hypothesize that the frontal
lobes are centrally involved. The prefrontal cortex is where
we are told that fine judgments and ethics are primarily
mediated. The research comes from cases where parts of brains
have been removed surgically or by violence. What then does
not work is what gives the clues as to what structures mediate
which functions.
Now
let us speak of the loudest voices.
By their strong emotive content we would assume that the
limbic system is centrally involved. Since words are heard
this would also seem to implicate the left temporal cortex
especially Wiernicke's Area and Broca's Area. Which is not
to imply that all of the other parts of the brain chorus
might not also be singing in, filling in the chords below
the melody perhaps.
The
accumulated knowledge about brain function related to structure
gives at least some reason for expecting that the soft and
loud voices are playing upon different parts of the brain
differently.
Why
would the loud voices be loud and the soft ones be soft?
The
limbic system has been around for millions of years longer
than the prefrontal cortex, which is the youngest part.
Cavemen shared the limbic system with us. Its involvement
in an activity is perfectly consonant with gross, loud,
gruff, tough talk.
While
the newest front end to the brain is more violin-esque
And precision-oriented
And therefore subtle whispers
Sound like more of its kind of thing.
Here
we have sunk into the oblivion of subscience
From which rich loam
One would hope that science sometimes springs.
Whether
these musings as to which parts of the physical brain are
implicated, it remains clear to common experience that there
are these layers of louder and softer voices in the mind.
An experience we all share is quieting down for a moment
and suddenly making out a deep internal realization that
has been trying to make itself heard in us for ages. This
is called "meditation" in the East and has been made a regular
practice by many in both hemispheres for some time now.
The reason it is done is for the benefits. In a sense, the
benefits all stem from getting in touch with the wisest
part of one's self. This requires a quieting down of the
screaming voices so that the softer ones may be heard.
With
advanced practice, this "meditative process" of hearing
the subtler voices can be achieved during the hubbub of
life experience and not just in get-away moments. The benefit
to the human race would be enormous if everyone on the planet
could stay in the "meditative process" at every moment 24
hours a day.
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