Moving Through Reptilian Brain and Transforming Depleting Emotional Landscapes… Also Known as Activating the Power of our Warm Heart
I appreciate hearing about what is going on and knowing what people are doing that is harmful at varying degrees to our safety, survival, and comfort. It is important that this knowledge is shared so that we can ensure these common needs. I am grateful to be able to learn about what is happening and have this inform my actions. However, often this information leaves me, as an adult, feeling fearful or powerless and angry. If I do not first check-in with myself and second transform this negative, depleting inner emotional landscape, I have a tendency to stay stuck in reaction mode in my thoughts and actions. Stuck in reaction mode does not seem to be a very creative way to respond to events in the world because aren’t there infinite feedback loops, meaning looping of action-reaction experiences that could be had for all of eternity? Thus, it is imperative for me to do two things: 1. to move through my reptilian brain and into my uniquely human brain to insert another link into the action-reaction chain and 2. to transform my inner emotional landscape from fear and anger into confidence and grace in order to color my perception in a powerful way. In other words, it is imperative for me to access and activate the power of my warm, smart heart.
I appreciate hearing about what is going on and knowing what people are doing that is harmful at varying degrees to our safety, survival, and comfort. It is important that this knowledge is shared so that we can ensure these common needs. I am grateful to be able to learn about what is happening and have this inform my actions. However, often this information leaves me, as an adult, feeling fearful or powerless and angry. If I do not first check-in with myself and second transform this negative, depleting inner emotional landscape, I have a tendency to stay stuck in reaction mode in my thoughts and actions. Stuck in reaction mode does not seem to be a very creative way to respond to events in the world because aren’t there infinite feedback loops, meaning looping of action-reaction experiences that could be had for all of eternity? Thus, it is imperative for me to do two things: 1. to move through my reptilian brain and into my uniquely human brain to insert another link into the action-reaction chain and 2. to transform my inner emotional landscape from fear and anger into confidence and grace in order to color my perception in a powerful way. In other words, it is imperative for me to access and activate the power of my warm, smart heart.
Moving through reptilian brain
I read that currently many scientists talk about three levels to the human brain. Here is a short explanation of the first and the third levels, that is the reptilian and the uniquely human levels of the brain, which is excerpted from a high school curriculum from the Institute of Heart Math. “The 1st brain level controls instincts, reflexes, and basic body functions, such as hunger, thirst, need to sleep, avoiding danger, breathing, heart rate, temperature control. Amphibians such as frogs and salamanders, reptiles such as alligators, lizards, and snakes, along with fish, and birds have this brain level only. The 3rd level of the brain, also called the cortex, is involved in conscious thinking, goal-setting, and planning. This part of the brain provides us with abstract reasoning skills and enables us to understand math, read, learn a language, to interpret information and solve problems. The 3rd brain allows us to have foresight, the ability to look ahead and consider the consequences of choices or decisions before acting on them. Luckily, this brain can help us consider the consequences before we make a quick decision.” Clearly, there are times throughout our days where the reptilian brain is highly useful. We all have ongoing sleep, hunger, and thirst needs. I prefer to avoid danger and appreciate the use of the fight or flight reflex. However, is there danger in the world that can be addressed step by step using the creative unfolding of the third brain? Using foresight helps to see potential reality. Foresight gives a sense of what is possible. Being able to plan ahead and rationally consider alternative routes and possible outcomes helps to inform appropriate action. However, if our foresight is rooted in an emotional reality of depleting emotions, such as worry, anxiousness, nervousness, or fear, how does that color our perception of future potential/possibilities? Towards the negative? That said, isn’t it imperative to both not be in denial of our emotional landscape and to transform negative emotional states so that we do not fool ourselves into thinking we are taking appropriate action, when, in reality we are acting from emotional states such as arrogance, hostility, and denial, which may appear to lead to what we want? Isn’t right action an action that is from a state of rejuvenating emotions, such as care or love, and for the greater good?
I read that currently many scientists talk about three levels to the human brain. Here is a short explanation of the first and the third levels, that is the reptilian and the uniquely human levels of the brain, which is excerpted from a high school curriculum from the Institute of Heart Math. “The 1st brain level controls instincts, reflexes, and basic body functions, such as hunger, thirst, need to sleep, avoiding danger, breathing, heart rate, temperature control. Amphibians such as frogs and salamanders, reptiles such as alligators, lizards, and snakes, along with fish, and birds have this brain level only. The 3rd level of the brain, also called the cortex, is involved in conscious thinking, goal-setting, and planning. This part of the brain provides us with abstract reasoning skills and enables us to understand math, read, learn a language, to interpret information and solve problems. The 3rd brain allows us to have foresight, the ability to look ahead and consider the consequences of choices or decisions before acting on them. Luckily, this brain can help us consider the consequences before we make a quick decision.” Clearly, there are times throughout our days where the reptilian brain is highly useful. We all have ongoing sleep, hunger, and thirst needs. I prefer to avoid danger and appreciate the use of the fight or flight reflex. However, is there danger in the world that can be addressed step by step using the creative unfolding of the third brain? Using foresight helps to see potential reality. Foresight gives a sense of what is possible. Being able to plan ahead and rationally consider alternative routes and possible outcomes helps to inform appropriate action. However, if our foresight is rooted in an emotional reality of depleting emotions, such as worry, anxiousness, nervousness, or fear, how does that color our perception of future potential/possibilities? Towards the negative? That said, isn’t it imperative to both not be in denial of our emotional landscape and to transform negative emotional states so that we do not fool ourselves into thinking we are taking appropriate action, when, in reality we are acting from emotional states such as arrogance, hostility, and denial, which may appear to lead to what we want? Isn’t right action an action that is from a state of rejuvenating emotions, such as care or love, and for the greater good?
Transforming the inner emotional landscape
Certainly, we can plan ahead and problem solve options that we may think are in the greater good, but are instead motivated by chronic negative, depleting emotional experiences, such as of greed, arrogance, hostility, and denial. It is imperative to check in with the second level of the human brain to ensure the emotional landscape has been transformed from depleting negative states to rejuvenating positive ones. Here is a brief description of the second level of the human brain, per the Institute of Heart Math: “the 2nd brain processes our feelings and emotions. The 2nd brain allows us to experience uncomfortable emotions like embarrassment, anger, and fear or positive emotions like happiness, joy and excitement. Most animals, such as dogs and cats, also have the 1st and 2nd brain levels. This part of the brain also gives us empathy, the ability to understand and feel another person’s feelings. Another major function of the 2nd brain level is memory and hindsight. Hindsight is the ability to remember the past and draw conclusions based on those memories.” Human wisdom throughout the ages talks about the power of the heart. Indeed, research in neurocardiology and other fields has now demonstrated the reality of the power of the heart, from the heart having its own intrinsic brain to being the largest rhythmic generator in the human being. The heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. The heart sets the tone for our body and mind. It affects how we perceive incoming information through our senses and how we think, act, and feel. There are two distinct categories of rhythms that the heart generates. One rhythm produces an incoherent connection between the heart and the brain and generates many depleting actions in the body. The other rhythm produces a coherent connection between the heart and the brain and generates many rejuvenating actions in the body. There is much stress in the world. When we experience stressful feelings, we generate adrenaline, which releases DHEA and cortisol hormones if the stressful feelings are short-term. If the stressful feelings are long-term or become our normative states, research suggests DHEA levels decrease and cortisol levels are increased. Increased cortisol hormone levels deplete the body, whereas DHEA is a hormone that has a revitalizing effect. When we transform stressful feelings, we increase the DHEA hormone levels; which has a rejuvenating effect on ourselves.
Certainly, we can plan ahead and problem solve options that we may think are in the greater good, but are instead motivated by chronic negative, depleting emotional experiences, such as of greed, arrogance, hostility, and denial. It is imperative to check in with the second level of the human brain to ensure the emotional landscape has been transformed from depleting negative states to rejuvenating positive ones. Here is a brief description of the second level of the human brain, per the Institute of Heart Math: “the 2nd brain processes our feelings and emotions. The 2nd brain allows us to experience uncomfortable emotions like embarrassment, anger, and fear or positive emotions like happiness, joy and excitement. Most animals, such as dogs and cats, also have the 1st and 2nd brain levels. This part of the brain also gives us empathy, the ability to understand and feel another person’s feelings. Another major function of the 2nd brain level is memory and hindsight. Hindsight is the ability to remember the past and draw conclusions based on those memories.” Human wisdom throughout the ages talks about the power of the heart. Indeed, research in neurocardiology and other fields has now demonstrated the reality of the power of the heart, from the heart having its own intrinsic brain to being the largest rhythmic generator in the human being. The heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. The heart sets the tone for our body and mind. It affects how we perceive incoming information through our senses and how we think, act, and feel. There are two distinct categories of rhythms that the heart generates. One rhythm produces an incoherent connection between the heart and the brain and generates many depleting actions in the body. The other rhythm produces a coherent connection between the heart and the brain and generates many rejuvenating actions in the body. There is much stress in the world. When we experience stressful feelings, we generate adrenaline, which releases DHEA and cortisol hormones if the stressful feelings are short-term. If the stressful feelings are long-term or become our normative states, research suggests DHEA levels decrease and cortisol levels are increased. Increased cortisol hormone levels deplete the body, whereas DHEA is a hormone that has a revitalizing effect. When we transform stressful feelings, we increase the DHEA hormone levels; which has a rejuvenating effect on ourselves.
Positive emotions provide internal power to access appropriately my uniquely human brain in informing me how to not just take action, but to take the right action, the action that can hopefully lead to the best possible outcomes. If I am thinking and acting from a place of positive emotions, like love and care for all, then I am hopefully contributing to the greater good. If I am acting out of my goodness, then I trust I am contributing to the greater goodness. There are many ways available to us to transform inner emotional experiences. I want to draw attention to the need to 1. move through the reptilian brain into the uniquely human brain to address danger whenever possible and 2. transform the emotional landscape and referencing of the second brain to ensure I am acting from my goodness for the greater goodness.
Finally, some people believe that destiny is written in the stars. I don’t know enough to know how true this is. But, what is the starlight that we see in the sky? Isn’t it light that was sent by the star some 500,000 years ago? Hence, isn’t starlight from the past, not the present (or the future)? Is starlight perhaps a beautiful reminder of what was but not of what is or will be? At the least, isn’t there the possibility that the star has shifted from its position that we are seeing it was in a long time ago when we see its light presently? As Dr. Milton Erickson said, the future is unwritten. I do not want to participate in plans created by foresight that was motivated by chronic negative, depleting emotions such as fear or arrogance. Don’t we have so much power in the here and now, in the actual reality? If we frequently transform our emotional landscape so that we are motivated by rejuvenating emotions, then can’t we think clearly to determine our right actions? And doesn’t this help to co-create the best possible outcomes of what is and will be?
Certainly, I want those who are perpetrating atrocities to be held accountable appropriately and to stop, however if punishing actions are taken from a place of fear or anger, then won’t those atrocities only continue to be perpetuated by different actors in different ways at different times? The law of nature continues to apply to us all. Before we harm others, we harm ourselves first by generating negative emotions like arrogance, hostility, denial. Sustained negative emotional states wreak havoc on ourselves, “depleting us at the physiological, social, behavioral, and cogntive level.” Hence we “roll in our misery.” Seems like an impoverished existence, no? It does not matter whether or not we believe in it for the law to take effect since we are all manifestations of nature, of the realm of mind and matter.
Thank you for your consideration.
Thank you for your consideration.
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