The brain is not static; it can be shaped, moulded, and altered throughout life. This capability is known as Neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to grow and evolve by creating new neural connections and reorganising existing ones. The brain adapts based on learning and environmental influences and even adjusts our thinking patterns. The conscious mind focuses on intention, desire, and decision-making, while the subconscious shapes our beliefs, behaviours, and instinctively predicts danger.

The subconscious mind...

• Forms most of our core beliefs between the ages of 2 and 7, when learning occurs subconsciously. These inputs, whether cultural, familial, or experiential create the foundation of our character and beliefs.

• Is responsible for 95% of our behaviour and decisions and is capable of scanning information at lightning speed.

• Does not differentiate between real and imagined experiences. Research shows that our brains respond in the same way whether you physically practice a skill or simply imagine doing it.

• Operates in the present moment, and it does not distinguish between past, present, or future events.

• Does not concern itself with logic or rationality. It functions on a different wavelength, responding to emotions, beliefs, and imagery. When we set intentions or desires, the subconscious focuses on creating what we truly want. So, even if it seems illogical, trust that your subconscious is working behind the scenes to align your reality with your desires.

• Contains "your version of the truth" which includes limitations and beliefs that are not necessarily true. The subconscious remains vigilant, absorbing everything without forming its own judgments; it believes what we choose to feed it.

• Can be programmed through repetition. By consistently reinforcing positive thoughts, beliefs, and intentions, we can gradually reshape our inner landscape.

Amygdala - The emotional centre that coordinates emotional responses:

• The amygdala plays a crucial role in processing emotions and emotional reactions. It acts as the brain’s alarm system, constantly evaluating potential threats and guiding our behaviour in response. When it detects danger, it triggers the fight-or-flight response, which influences how we react to potentially hazardous situations.

• One of the amygdala's functions is to organise patterns that become “familiar” to the brain. If heart rhythm patterns are incoherent during early life, the amygdala learns to expect this disharmony as the baseline. Paradoxically, we may feel “at home” with this internal incoherence, even though it leads to discomfort. Based on what is familiar to the amygdala, the frontal cortex makes decisions about appropriate behaviour in various situations. Therefore, subconscious emotional memories and their associated physiological patterns significantly shape our perceptions, emotional reactions, thought processes, and behaviours.

Hippocampus - The memory centre that associates emotions to memories:

• The hippocampus plays a pivotal role in memory formation and consolidation. It coordinates the encoding of new experiences, linking episodic memories to emotions and storing them effectively in long-term memory.

Cerebral Cortex - Crucial for thinking about emotions:

• The cerebral cortex, commonly referred to as grey matter, plays a crucial role in our emotional processes because when we feel an emotion, we also think about that emotion. Its key functions encompass interpreting emotions, expressing how you feel by coordinating facial expressions, gestures, vocal tones, and fostering empathy. This outer layer of neural tissue contributes to our consciousness, memory, reasoning, language, and higher-level cognitive processes.

• The human brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons, each connected to thousands of others, forming a vast neural network. This complexity enables us to think, feel, and experience the world.

• Synapses are the connections between neurons. An average adult brain has trillions of synapses, which allow for rapid communication and information processing.

• Although the brain represents only about 2% of an adult’s body weight, it consumes around 20% of the body’s energy.

• While we sleep, our brain remain active. Dreams occur during the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep and serve various purposes, including memory consolidation and emotional processing.

• Mirror neurons activate when we perform an action and when we observe someone else doing the same action. They play a role in empathy and understanding others’ intentions.

• The brain can rewire itself in response to learning, experiences, and even injury, this is called Neuroplasticity.

• The brain and heart engage in a dynamic conversation through the vagus nerve, which carries signals bidirectionally.