MacLean called the neocortex "the mother of invention and father of abstract thought”: the higher, more superior cognitive functions that sets us apart from animals and make us humans are in the neocortex. The cortex is divided into left hemisphere, which controls the right side of the body and the right hemisphere, that controls the left side of the body. The right brain is more spatial, abstract, musical and artistic, while the left brain more linear, rational, and verbal. This brain is “responsible” for complex human thoughts, cognition, memory, and complex human emotions, self reflection and self realization.
The neocortex “thinks, therefore it exists”. This is the superior, rational, logical, altruistic, scientific, spiritual, philosophical, and loving brain. Linking to think of ourselves as Homo Sapiens (Thinking Men), intelligent, rational, created to God's image, or at least, being on top of the evolutional chain, we would like to think, that our Thinking Brain is in control of the Rat and the Lizzard brains at all times.
Unfortunately, it is not so. Although nothing goes unnoticed by the Superior Brain, it is also the one last developed, an infant compared to the reptilian and mammalian brains, both of which, as we discussed earlier, are very reluctant to change, and resist being controlled. In fact, whatever we do, feel, or think, it is always a combination of the three brains working together, although not in perfect harmony: one of the brains, based on the situation is always dominant over the others. In fact, it is not far from the truth, that we, men and women alike, "have enough blood to operate only one of our brains at the time".
There are times, and situations when it is a fairly good idea to act first, and think later. Imagine, an object hurling through the air straight toward your face. In terms of physical survival, it would be potentially fatal to stop and analyze the situation: if we did not move out of the way quickly and instinctively, we would be hit right between the eyes, before we could think “WTF!” (What are The Facts?) In order to preserve an intact skull, and the possibility of further scientific or spiritual analysis, we need to let the Bodyguard handle the situation.
Pure logic and rational thinking is not necessary and sometimes even counterproductive to human development, and evolution: sometimes, we DO have to override logic, and just DO what feels right, what we know in our guts to be true. Some of our most human, most highly cherished human behaviors. Love as a feeling, and action, and our ability to have faith, or perceive God for example often, if not always, have nothing to do with logic, and everything to do with “feeling” and the emotional brain.
When a space shift, aircraft, or nuclear plant is in danger of destruction, all systems that are not necessary for immediate survival are shut down, in order to preserve energy and resources to be able to handle the situation most effectively. In times of real or perceived danger to our survival, our body acts much the same way: the first brain to "shut down" is the thinking brain, and if the trauma is severe, then the emotional brain follows.
When the body goes into an "all systems halt", and only the very basic functions that are necessary for physical survival remain. This is why people who experienced extreme physical or emotional trauma, go into "shock": they are unable to problem solve, rationalize, make sense of the situation, and emotionally, they feel listless, or "numb". Similarly, when a person is in a rage or terrified, they phisically and literally stop "thinking", and they are unable to effectively problem solve or communicate.
Our behaviors, actions, instincts, feelings, emotions, and complex cognitive functions are all highly interdependent and interrelated. The human mind, the sum of all of our hopes, fears, desires, thinking, memories, experiences and the sense we make out all of this, is both the creator and the product of itself.
Our reality creates our mind, and in turn, our mind creates our own, highly personal reality.
Science is catching up what our body, and instinctively, human’s have known all along: our mind expands beyond the boundaries of our physical body, and is part of a larger, in fact infinite intelligence that “has a mind” on its own, and, if it did not create it, definitely keeps the Universe with all of its innate and animate objects “alive”.
Individually and collectively, by learning to use our brain, our body, our mind, our environment, our reality, and in fact, the entire Universe with its unlimited and infinite power, intelligence, and resources, we can evolve to an entirely new "species" and create an entirely new reality. By becoming masters of our individual mind, rather than being mastered by it, we can create an individual and collective, universal experience of harmony, balance, peace and love.
