One of the many things I find supremely interesting is the duality of the body and the mind. More specifically, I’m thinking about the separation that one is able to attain between the brain and the mind.
You see, the brain itself is a collection of neurons and synapses. It is part of the body. Our mind, however, is much more abstract. Consciousness is indeed an amazing thing, but I digress.
At first glance, you will note that one is able to think by cause of the brain, much as we are able to see by cause of our eyes, hear by cause of our ears, and so on. Ultimately, the brain is responsible for governing all of these functions.
However, with that same “brain” we are able to correct the brain’s very own thinking. For instance, we can challenge negative thoughts or cognitive distortions. These distortions often come automatic, especially when coming from an ‘overactive’ amygdala. But fortunately for us, with much practice comes the ability to manipulate our own thinking! It’s like a thought battle in your head!
How crazy is that? Not only do we have the physical brain at the first layer, our cognition on the second layer, but on the third level – assuming one wants and practices to be there – we are able to actually shift how we perceive the second!
So with that, feel free to share an experience in which you were able to quell your own “endangering” thoughts.
