***What is the "Unconscious" Mind?

There are thousands of theories about what the unconscious mind is what it can and cannot do. Some believe that it is the "soul" of the person, and is unique to we humans. It separates us from the "lower" animals on this planet. Others believe further that it makes us unique in the universe, but in my opinion (IMO), that's just our ego. The plain facts are that we live on a minor mud ball in a minor galaxy out of the center of the Universe as we know it. There are millions of worlds that may have life forms that are similar to ours with more or less brains and abilities to think and create.

The plain and simple truth is that no one knows. And few even suspect the awesome power of the unconscious. We do know that it can "cure" a person, or "kill" that same person in different circumstances. We know that it may be affected by life experiences, hypnosis, and/or subliminal repetition. We also know that traumatic life events can cause future problems, even seemingly unrelated problems, including allergies! Why and how is just a part of what we don't know.

We also know that as the mind thinks, it emits signals generated by different neurons in the brain moving around as we think and act. Different frequencies are involved in certain areas, and most of these are in the audible range. This movement has been called "A Symphony in the Brain" and there's even a book with that title, about this "brain orchestra". We only have a small amount of knowledge about even these brain waves. And, a lot of "wrong" ideas about some of these as well.

The composite of all these constantly changing brain wave "notes" is always present, although this "orchestra" of different notes and waves of notes composes the full spectrum of what we call "audible sound" These notes that make up these waves are so very weak that it takes expensive equipment to amplify such brain waves enough so that we can use them in EEG Biofeedback (AKA Neurofeedback), The raising of the strength of one band of such frequencies (SMR - 12-14 Hz), and the lowering of another (Theta - 4-8 Hz) is used in both Neurofeedback and Neuroliminal Training to solve allergy stress and to increase "attention/concentration" ability. Both systems are equally effective in solving these "brain problems". What do other higher frequencies do? We simply don't know (yet). There are many theories some widely opposite and others differing.

As a sidelight to these brain waves, we also know that they only begin in human babies around the 24th to 26th week of pregnancy. Up to that time, there are no brain waves present. This is one of the general arguments against 3rd trimester abortion. This theory has the soul or the unconscious/subconscious mind entering that infant body making it a "human being" at that point, and up to then, it is simply an animal body, and not a human life. (Different religions have different ideas).

This theory has one fallacy. Animals show brain waves at appropriate times in their gestation, so perhaps, this has nothing to do with the "soul" ,if such even exists.

Scientists have labeled this entity as the "unconscious" or "subconscious", but this part of the mind is neither of these things. We have labeled this part of the mind according to our ego and for our convenience. It would be better named "superconscious", as this part of our mind is the real "control" of what we are; what we do (and not do); how we react to various stimuli of living, etc.

Our ego makes us think our conscious mind is in control of our actions, but that's simply not true. Our conscious mind is constantly controlled by our unconscious.

There are many theories about this "soul" part of the unconscious. The one I like is from Jung. It theorizes a "universal" mind, perhaps the minds of all of earth, or even of earth itself. All these minds are one conglomerated entity in effect, composed of all the (unconscious) minds that exist now or have ever existed. Perhaps this "universal mind" is another name for God, or Nature, or whatever - a force that is mostly unknowable by we humans.

I wonder why this is?

The evidence of supernatural "powers", and "abilities" of some "gifted persons" is simply overwhelming. What is called miracle(s) may be only another different manifestation of this universal mind.

Thomas Sugrue, the author of the well-written biography of Edgar Cayce, named his book, "There is a River". There is no question that Cayce was able to "tap into" this river of unconscious knowledge, even though he didn't understand how he did it, how it worked, and most of the knowledge he received while in "trance".

But, in over 20,000 writings of medical diagnosis, he was never proven wrong. That's impressive.

There have been many prophets over time that accurately foretold the future besides Cayce. Nostradamos and many others, biblical and secular have done what may be called miracles by lesser folk. (Hypnosis was a "miracle" to me). An automobile or airplane or TV would be a miracle to primitive persons.)

A lot of hardheaded scientific folk tend to scoff at all such "anecdotal" evidence, and refuse to even look as anything that they cannot verify by sight, feel, hearing, or by effect on something else. They tend to forget how much our physical senses are actually limited. Most insects are much stronger than us, can jump or fly. Cats can see better than in poor light. We are not "super" beings insofar as our physical senses are concerned, but we have learned to think better than all others.

But, even with the hard heads, evidence is piling up that's hard to ignore. In the fields of EEG Biofeedback Training and subliminal training, we now know that by changing the amplitudes of certain brain waves, large changes in several aspects of some person's lives and personalities are also changed. A huge amount of research over the past 50 years has shown clearly that this simple therapy can solve many of the "brain problems" such as the ADD-Autism continuum, depression in all forms, insomnia, epilepsy, addictions and even schizophrenia.

The Autonomic Nervous System.

If we accept the concept of a "universal mind", then we have to look at two parts of this mind:
A computer part (called the Autonomous Nervous System or ANS). This system controls the "housekeeping" functions automatically. The "universal mind" (soul?) part that is in some type of communication with that universe (whatever or wherever it may be).

(Could Freud have been on the right track? Are there three parts to the mind, with limited or poor communication between them?)

If we look at the computer (ANS) part, we find that the analogy is pretty good. If a computer virus gets in, it can screw up normal programs. If a bad "ideation" gets into the human computer mind part, it can also screw up normal programs. If we get garbage in as data, then we get garbage out as behavior.

Most people think that computers are smart, but the plain fact is that all computers are very dumb. They only do exactly what we tell them to do, and if we program them wrong, we get wrong answers. (We could wish that they would always do what we want instead of what we actually ask, but that would undoubtedly be even more frustrating.)

There has to be a definite separation between the computer (ANS) part of the unconscious mind and the Universal mind. And we have to add to both of these "entities" the factor of INDIVIDUALITY.

This is a concept that many MD's don't fully understand. They are trained to get height and weight, and prescribe according to "volume" of the patient. This "gross" measure, which does not take into account individuality, is often wrong.

Let's consider the programming of the computer (ANS) first. There is a genetic component, which varies the basic program accordingly.

Then, there is a "learned" component, which provides several other variables. All this "data" combined determines your health in dozens of ways. How much of a particular nutrient you, as an individual require, how a deficiency of any kind will affect you as an individual.

What your immune responses will be. How it is, and how it will be, what diseases you are liable to get, etc.

The Orthomolecular Theory of Sickness has 3 conditions necessary for sickness or poor health.

NUTRITIONALLY DEFICIENT OR TOXIC. Our modern diet leaves all of us somewhat nutritionally deficient, and many persons are toxic due to environmental pollution.

STRESS. In our world, who doesn't have stress. The caveman only had a few real emotional stresses. We face saber-toothed tigers every day just driving down a street.

PREDISPOSITION. What is your family history, and what has your unconscious mind (ANS) learned as you've gone thru life?

This theory made sense to me the first time I heard of it. If the body chemistry (nutrition) isn't correct, the immune system can't work right. If there is stress present, then the body needs even more good nutrition to handle it. (A downward spiral in effect - stress causing more deficiency, and more deficiency causing more symptoms/illness causing even more stress.)

The particular illness that may affect you from this stress is determined by the predisposition. One person gets chronic headaches, another gets heart problems, and another gets cancer. Life is a big crap game with loaded dice.
So, to become an orthomolecular clinician, I found that I had to learn about nutrition down to the chemical and biological level. I also had to become an "expert" in allergy, and sensitivity, as this is a huge factor in stress. I found myself in the early 80's reading from 3-6 books a week, with another 3-6 on order from libraries around the country.

There are still few to no schools or universities devoted to this science, and what nutrition is taught is often poor to wrong.
"Nutritionists" and "dieticians" are still being taught that the basic four food groups are "good" nutrition in many schools.

A meal at McDonalds can be "good" by this measure! MD's get at most one hour on nutrition (with very little time on vitamins and minerals and other supplements compared to thousands of hours on pharmacology (drug use).

Few psychologists know (or care) anything about allergy/sensitivity, thus cannot deal effectively with any of the more serious brain problems of ADD/ADHD, Autism, insomnia, epilepsy, depression and schizophrenia.

Both MD's and PhD's are "educationally handicapped". At least half of what they learned in school is at least partially false, but they are "programmed" to follow it because of their education.

Oh well, it was the same in the Middle Ages, and even recently (in history), any doctor who didn't bleed his patients was called a quack. Looking at the history of medicine, you'll find that; virtually all-major advances in medical science were done by a doctor who was called a quack by his contemporaries. I'm proud to have been called a quack. I'm in excellent company!