This weekend I listened to Dr Chatterjee’s podcast (Feel better, Live more), he was interviewing Dr Tara Swart a neuroscientist and psychologist who was talking about coping with emotions. She mentioned almost in passing that whenever she needs to make a big decision she places her hand on her head to ask her head for a logical response, then on her heart for an emotional response and then on her tummy for a gut instinct response.
I’ve since discovered that scientists now recognise 3 brains (who knew!) – our cephalic brain (head), the cardiac brain (heart), and the enteric brain in our gut. Our head brain has over 100 billion neurons, our gut has a sizeable 100 million neurons and our heart 400,000. Each organ has complex neuro-networks in which to store and process data before sending it to the brain via the Vagus Nerve.
In Zen Pilates we finish each class with a guided relaxation, in this week’s practise we’ll be tuning into the combined inner wisdom of our 3 brains. Visiting each area in our minds eye with nourishing breaths while listening to the head brain for logical input into any problems we may be experiencing, then dropping down to the heart and exploring our emotional response and finally the gut for intuitive guidance.
We so often look for answers on the outside when we have the power of 3 brains on the inside to call upon for guidance! The art is creating the time and space to tune in to them and truly listen.