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Mind the gap

by Michelle Gabbe

The average person uses less than 10 per cent of their brain. We’ve all heard such claims, but what do they mean? Typically, they refer to the relative contribution of cognitive, conscious thought to our total brain activity. Although academics haven’t agreed on whether consciousness even exists, most of us equate the term with a certain level of awareness. The conscious mind looks after sensory perceptions, can recall experiences and categorical knowledge, and allows for creativity and future planning. But what is the subconscious mind, and why does it take almost all of our brainpower?

One pioneer in the integrative medicine movement, psychopharmacologist Candace Pert, has concluded that not only is there a mind-body connection, the mind and body are one and the same. Her research in the 1970s led to the discovery of endorphins and caused a revolution in the creation of disease-specific drugs. She and other researchers have found a communication network of socalled molecules of emotion that connect every biological system in the body. In plain English, the brain isn’t the seat of emotions, nor of memory. And although our genetic heritage has hard-wired us to stay safe and operational (what we think of as our instincts), in every new moment the thoughts we choose to think, the experiences we attract, and the emotions that follow direct the formation of new brain matter. Just by living, you are, in a sense, revising and updating your brain every day. And your emotional state effects your ability to learn new information and access memories. It is well-documented that people don’t learn in an atmosphere of fear and it follows that other states of emotional stress can inhibit us from creating more of what we want.

How can you begin to connect with your hidden mind-body powerhouse? Just relax.

Life coach Cheryl Richardson says she tapped into her subconscious mind while writing one of her books. Like most of us tackling an overwhelming project, she found it difficult to get started on each new chapter. Rather than struggling through it with willpower, she asked her brain to have a new chapter outline ready by 3pm, and then headed to the beach for some relaxed reading. Every time a thought popped up and distracted her conscious reading with the subconscious task at hand, she would tell herself that “it’s being handled” and go back to relaxation mode.

The creative flow might be slow at first, but, as with most new habits, it gets easier with practice. And if it sounds as if I’m advising you to start talking to yourself, you’re right: the more intentional your conscious thoughts, the better.

Dreams aren’t just a mysterious, movie-like domain outside of our control but a trustworthy information source that can give guidance on life issues and difficult situations and unlock your creativity. So take advantage of the close virtual proximity of the conscious and subconscious minds during that floaty period before you drift off to sleep:

• Keep a journal by your bedside. Compose a friendly dialogue between you and the problem, including as much detail and mustering as much feel-good emotion as you can.
• Narrow your problem to one question and write it down.
• In the morning, record as much of your dreams as you can recall, ideally before your feet hit the ground. If a dream seems nonsensical, focus on the emotions, symbolic elements or overall theme. Although much about the common language of dreaming has been written in the form of dream decoders, dream coaches say you’re the best interpreter of your own nighttime wanderings.

If you never remember dreams, make a decision to start remembering them. State out loud: “Tomorrow morning, on waking, I choose to effortlessly recall all my dreams in vivid detail.” Enhance your results by getting at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep and, if you can, eliminate the jarring effect of waking to an alarm.

Michelle Gabbe is a member of the Hong Kong International Coaching Community (info@coachinghk.org)