Three Brains - Thinking to Doing to Being (Joe Dispenza)

Summary

The script delves into the human brain's three functional regions: the neocortex, the limbic system, and the cerebellum. It explains how these regions interact, with the neocortex being the center of conscious thought, the limbic system governing emotions, and the cerebellum housing the subconscious mind. The narrative emphasizes the brain's ability to change through learning and experiences, highlighting the concept of 'neurons that fire together, wire together.' It illustrates how memories are formed, emotions are linked to experiences, and how metacognition allows us to modify our behavior. The script concludes with the transformative power of embodying knowledge through repeated experiences, leading to a state of being where compassion and other virtues become ingrained habits.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The human brain is composed of three distinct 'brains' with different functions: the neocortex (thinking), the limbic system (emotions), and the cerebellum (subconscious).
• 🌟 The neocortex is the most evolved part of the brain, responsible for conscious awareness and learning through new synaptic connections.
• 🔄 Learning and memory are linked to the formation and maintenance of these synaptic connections, with the principle 'neurons that fire together, wire together'.
• 💡 Neuron networks are groups of interconnected neurons that form around ideas, memories, experiences, and behaviors, which can be observed as electrical impulses in the brain.
• 💭 The mind is defined as the brain in action, with our thoughts and actions capable of changing the brain's structure and function.
• 🌱 Experiences shape the brain's circuitry and can trigger the release of chemicals associated with emotions, such as the feeling of love or stress.
• 🔑 Metacognition is the ability to observe and modify one's own behaviors and thoughts, allowing for self-improvement and adaptation.
• 🔄 Stress can be triggered by both real and imagined threats, activating the body's fight-or-flight response, which can be harmful if not managed properly.
• 📚 Applying knowledge from experiences, like reading a book, can lead to the formation of new neural networks and the development of new behaviors.
• 🧐 The frontal lobe plays a crucial role in self-awareness and can help to silence old thought patterns while promoting new, healthier behaviors.
• 🌈 Practicing new behaviors repeatedly can lead to long-term changes in the brain, embodying knowledge and creating new habits that become part of one's identity.

Q & A

What are the three brains mentioned in the script, and what are their primary functions?

The three brains mentioned are the neocortex (the thinking brain), the limbic brain (the emotional brain), and the cerebellum (the reptilian brain). The neocortex is responsible for conscious awareness and learning, the limbic brain regulates internal chemical order and emotions, and the cerebellum is the oldest part, associated with the subconscious mind.

How many neurons are estimated to be in the human brain, and what is a comparison to illustrate this number?

The human brain is estimated to have about 100 billion neurons. To illustrate this number, if you stacked 100 billion sheets of paper, the stack would be 5,000 miles high, which is the approximate distance from Los Angeles to London.

What is the process of learning according to the script, and how does it affect the brain physically?

Learning is described as forging new synaptic connections in the neocortex. Each time new information is learned, the brain physically changes by creating new connections, which is how the brain upscales its hardware to reflect a new level of mind.

What is the neuroscientific definition of 'mind' as presented in the script?

The neuroscientific definition of 'mind' is the brain in action, the brain at work, or what the brain does. It is the result of the seamless coordination of 100 billion neurons firing in different sequences, patterns, and combinations.

How does the script explain the formation of memories in relation to experiences?

Memories are formed when the brain processes information from an experience that alters the internal chemical state. This change prompts the brain to pay attention and store the event as a memory, especially if it is significant or causes a strong emotional response.

What is the role of the limbic brain in the process of remembering and forgetting?

The limbic brain, or the emotional brain, is responsible for regulating emotions and internal chemical order. It plays a role in remembering by producing chemicals that help encode experiences as memories. Forgetting can occur when new neural pathways are formed that overwrite or diminish the old ones, leading to the loss of certain memories.

How does the script describe the process of changing one's mind or behavior through learning and application of knowledge?

The script describes this process as taking intellectual or philosophical understanding and applying it through actions, which may require modifying behavior. This application leads to the formation of new neural networks and the breakdown of old ones, effectively changing the mind and behavior.

What is the concept of 'metacognition' as mentioned in the script?

Metacognition is the ability to observe and be aware of one's own cognitive processes. It involves paying attention to how one is reacting and feeling, which allows for the modification of behaviors to improve one's life.

How does the script explain the physiological response to stress and its potential impact on health?

The script explains that stress occurs when the body is knocked out of homeostasis or balance. The stress response prepares the body for fight or flight, but if this response is continuously activated and not turned off, it can lead to disease.

What is the significance of the frontal lobe in the process of changing one's self and behavior?

The frontal lobe is the seat of awareness and the 'home' of the self. It acts like a volume control, lowering the volume of old neural circuits connected to the past self and facilitating the creation of new circuits that align with the desired self, thus helping to change one's behavior and identity.

How does the script relate the process of embodying knowledge through compassion to changes in genetic expression?

The script suggests that when one experiences compassion, the body chemically understands what the mind intellectually comprehends. This emotional experience can lead to changes in genetic expression through the signaling of neuropeptides, effectively altering the individual's biological makeup.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Human Brain's Three Functional Layers

This paragraph introduces the concept of the human brain as a complex system with three distinct yet interconnected parts, each serving a unique function. The neocortex, described as the outermost layer, is the most recently evolved and is responsible for conscious thought and learning. The limbic system, or the 'chemical brain,' governs emotions and internal chemical balance. The cerebellum, the oldest part, is associated with subconscious processes. The script also highlights the brain's capacity for neuroplasticity, emphasizing that learning and memory formation involve the creation and maintenance of synaptic connections, leading to physical changes in the brain.

05:02

🌱 The Impact of Experiences on Memory and Emotion

The second paragraph delves into how experiences, particularly those that are emotionally charged, can have a profound impact on memory formation. It explains that the limbic system is responsible for translating experiences into emotions, which can be remembered vividly. The script contrasts memorable events with routine activities that do not stimulate the brain as much. It also touches on the concept of stress and how it can be triggered by thoughts alone, affecting the body's physiological response.

10:04

🔄 Metacognition and the Power of Intention

This paragraph discusses the process of metacognition, which is the ability to observe and reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings. It describes how the frontal lobe can act as a control mechanism to modulate behaviors associated with the old self. The script introduces the idea of using knowledge from reading to influence one's actions and emotions, leading to the creation of new neural pathways that support a desired state of mind, such as compassion. It also explains how persistence in focusing on a new thought can strengthen its neural circuitry, eventually leading to a change in behavior and mindset.

15:05

🌟 Embodiment of Knowledge and Habit Formation

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of embodying knowledge through repeated experiences that lead to the formation of habits. It explains that by practicing compassion and other positive behaviors, one can change their genetic expression and create a new identity. The script highlights the role of the cerebellum in making behaviors automatic and ingrained, leading to a state of being that is resilient to external influences. It concludes by suggesting that personal transformation can inspire others to do the same, thus contributing to a broader societal change.

Keywords

💡Neocortex

The neocortex is the newest part of the human brain, often described as walnut-shaped and located on the outer surface of the brain. It is highly evolved and specialized, playing a crucial role in conscious awareness and the gathering of information. In the video, the neocortex is emphasized as the 'thinking brain,' where new synaptic connections are made during the learning process, thus physically changing the brain.

💡Limbic System

The limbic system, also referred to as the 'chemical brain' or 'emotional brain,' is located beneath the neocortex and is about the size of a lemon. It is responsible for regulating internal chemical order and is central to emotional responses. The script explains that experiences and emotions are processed through this system, which can trigger memory formation, such as remembering significant life events.

💡Cerebellum

The cerebellum, known as the 'Reptilian Brain,' is the oldest part of the brain in evolutionary terms. It is situated at the back of the brain stem and is associated with the subconscious mind. The video describes the cerebellum as the part of the brain that, when activated through repeated experiences, can turn conscious knowledge into subconscious habits or skills.

💡Neurons

Neurons are the nerve cells that make up the brain, with approximately 100 billion in the human brain. They possess the unique ability to store and communicate information. The script uses the analogy of stacking sheets of paper to illustrate the vast number of neurons and explains that learning involves creating new synaptic connections between these neurons.

💡Synaptic Connections

Synaptic connections refer to the points where neurons communicate with each other. The video describes learning as the process of forging new synaptic connections in the neocortex. These connections are essential for the brain's plasticity, allowing it to adapt and change in response to new information and experiences.

💡Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is the ability of the brain to change its structure and function in response to experiences. The script emphasizes that learning and remembering involve the creation and maintenance of synaptic connections, respectively, which are manifestations of neuroplasticity.

💡Metacognition

Metacognition is the act of thinking about and observing one's own cognitive processes. In the context of the video, metacognition is the ability to notice and reflect on one's own thoughts and feelings, which is crucial for modifying behavior and changing the mind.

💡Stress Response

The stress response, as described in the script, is the body's reaction to a perceived threat, which can be triggered by both real and imagined events. It involves physiological changes such as increased heart rate and the release of stress hormones, preparing the body for 'fight or flight.' The video explains how chronic activation of this response can lead to disease.

💡Compassion

Compassion is a feeling of empathy and concern for others, which the video discusses as a learned behavior that can be internalized through repeated practice. It is used as an example of how intellectual understanding can be embodied through experience, leading to a change in one's emotional and physiological responses.

💡Epigenetics

Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. The script mentions epigenetics in the context of how experiences, such as practicing compassion, can signal genes from the environment and lead to changes in an individual's genetic expression.

💡State of Being

A 'state of being' in the video refers to a stable and enduring condition or mindset that one embodies. It is the culmination of repeated experiences and practices that become ingrained in the subconscious mind, leading to a consistent way of interacting with the world. The video suggests that reaching this state allows individuals to transform themselves and, in turn, influence others.

Highlights

The human brain is composed of three distinct 'brains' with unique functions: the neocortex, the limbic system, and the cerebellum.

The neocortex, or 'thinking brain,' is highly evolved and specialized in humans, responsible for conscious awareness and learning.

The limbic system, or 'emotional brain,' regulates internal chemical order and is linked to emotions and memory.

The cerebellum, the 'reptilian brain,' is the oldest part, associated with subconscious mind functions.

The brain is made up of approximately 100 billion neurons capable of storing and communicating information.

Learning involves creating new synaptic connections in the neocortex, which physically changes the brain.

Neurological principle: 'Nerve cells that fire together wire together,' shaping our cerebral architecture.

Memories are maintained and sustained synaptic connections, strengthened through repetition.

Neuron networks form as groups of neurons that fire and wire together, representing ideas, memories, or behaviors.

The mind is defined as the brain in action, reflecting what the brain does and how it works.

Experiences enrich the brain's circuitry and produce emotions, creating long-lasting memories.

Stress can activate the body's fight-or-flight response, even through thoughts alone, affecting health.

Metacognition allows us to observe and modify our behaviors based on self-awareness.

The frontal lobe acts as a control for our awareness, helping to silence old thought patterns and promote new ones.

Neuroplasticity allows us to change our mind by rewiring our brain through new experiences and thoughts.

Compassion can be learned and embodied through repeated practice, changing our genetic expression.

The cerebellum plays a role in automatic behaviors and skills, becoming second nature through repetition.

Sustaining a state of being, such as compassion, can transform our lives and potentially the world.

Transcripts

[Music]

good

afternoon now we have three brains that

allow us to go from thinking to doing to

being each brain is its own individual

bioom computer with its own anatomy and

own circuitry its own physiology and

chemistry they even have their own

history as well as their own sense of

time and space now the first brain the

neocortex it's the newest brain in

evolution it's that walnut-shaped

structure that sits on the outside with

all of its folds and valleys in yellow

there it's the newest the most evolved

and highly specialized in human beings

right under the neocortex is called the

limic brain the chemical brain the

emotional brain or the mamelon brain

it's about the size of a lemon and it's

responsible for regulating internal

chemical order right in the back of the

brain stem there in in red is called the

cerebellum The Reptilian Brain it's the

oldest brain in evolution it's the seat

of the subconscious mind now your brain

is made up of about a 100 billion

neurons if you took a 100 billion sheets

of paper and stacked them on top of each

other it would be 5,000 mil High that's

the distance from Los Angeles to London

now nerve cell possess the unique

ability to store and communicate

information between each other so your

neocortex your thinking brain is the

seat of your conscious awareness you're

listening to me right now with your

neocortex and what the neocortex loves

to do is to gather information and every

time you learn something new you make a

new synaptic Connection in your thinking

brain that's what learning is learning

is forging new connections and every

time you learn something new your brain

physically

changes so you read a book on how to

ride a bicycle you read a book on how to

build a dog housee you read a book on

how to dance the salsa how to cook

French cuisine how to become successful

how to be a better parent and your brain

literally upscales it upscales its

Hardware to reflect a new level of mind

the principle in Neuroscience says this

nerve cells that fire together wire

together and as you begin to learn new

information you biologically wire that

information into your cerebral

architecture so if learning is making

new synaptic connections then

remembering is maintaining and

sustaining those connections and just

like any relationship the more you

communicate the more bonded you become

and neurons are exactly the same way now

once these neurons begin to Fire and

wire together

they actually form networks what

neuroscientists called neuron networks

now neuron networks are just gangs of

neurons that have fired and wired

together to form a community of neuros

synaptic connections it could be related

to an idea a concept A Memory experience

a skill or behavior and

action but these networks actually have

an electrochemical component and if you

want to see mind in action watch this

that's a thought right there again so

you generate more electrical impulses in

your brain in one day than all the cell

phones on the planet put together now

the neuroscientific definition of mind

is mind is the brain in action mind is

the brain at work mind is what the brain

does and because we have a 100 billion

neurons seamlessly piece together we can

make the brain fire in different

sequences different patterns and

different combinations and whenever we

make the brain work differently we're

changing our mind so once you've

understood something intellectually

theoretically once you've understood

something philosophically if you take

what you intellectually learned in your

thinking brain and you apply it you

personalize it you demonstrate it it

means you're going to have to modify

your behavior in some way and if you

change your actions and you do something

differently you're going to have a new

experience now when you're in the midst

of an experience everything you're

seeing and smelling and tasting and

feeling and hearing all of your five

senses are gathering this Vital

Information from the environment and as

you begin to process all this

information and it's rushing back to

your brain jungles of neurons begin to

organize themselves into pattern the

moment those neurons string into place

the brain releases a chemical and and

that chemical is called a feeling or an

emotion so experience then enriches the

circuitry in your brain neurologically

but then it produces a chemical that's

released in the second brain called the

limic brain or the emotional brain so

you can remember your first kiss you

could remember graduating from college

you can remember the birth of your first

child you could remember finishing a

marathon you can remember catching a

fish off the coast of Mexico and then

taking it home and cooking it and

drinking some really good wine that

tastes good and feeling the ocean breeze

on your face and seeing the sunset and

we could say that you were altered from

that

experience the problem is you can't

remember what you had for dinner the

night before that's because routine

lulls the brain to

sleep so a great example of this then is

most Americans can remember exactly

where they were at 9/11 you can tell me

who you were with what time of day it

was and what you were doing we could say

then when you were in the midst of that

moment or that experience everything you

were seeing and hearing changed your

internal chemical State and the moment

you felt altered in some way internally

your brain perked up and you paid

attention to whoever or whatever caused

it and that event in and of itself is

called a

memory now let's say you read the book

called from forgiveness to compassion to

unconditional love and this book had

inspired you so much so that you decided

to read it

twice and as you began to review this

information in your mind and contemplate

on it and

self-reflect you begin to cause those

neurons to form into networks to reflect

a new level of mind you find yourself in

the shower thinking about it you're

driving to work and you're contemplating

these

Concepts you begin to talk to your

friends about what you learn and you're

beginning to develop long-term

relationships in those

neurons and all of a sudden you're

moving around your office and you're

saying you know you need to be more

compassionate you know wow and someone

else you say you need to

forgive everybody is impressed with your

knowledge they're knocking on your

office door and they're asking you to

administer to them and you're resolving

everybody's problems things are going

really

well and all of a sudden you're driving

home from work and you get a call on

your cell phone and it's your

spouse and your spouse tells you that

they forgot to mention in the morning

that it's your mother-in-law's birthday

and you pull over on the side of the

road and you think I hate my mother and

law she hurt my feelings 10 years ago

she tells the same stories over and over

again and you begin to remember that you

had some pretty stressful moments that

branded you emotionally from your past

with your

mother-in-law now stress is when your

body is knocked out of

homeostasis stress is when your body is

knocked out of balance now when you see

a lion you begin to turn on A Primitive

nervous system but it doesn't even have

to be a lion a lion you could see your

mother-in-law and it produces the same

exact effect now let's go one step

further it doesn't even have to be the

physical appearance of your

mother-in-law you can begin to think

about certain things and auto suggest

and you can turn on the stress response

just by thought

alone now your body is your unconscious

mind it does not know the difference

between the actual experience in reality

that produces the emotion and the

emotion that you fabricate by thought

alone to the body it believes it's in

that experience so the moment the lyic

brain begins to make blend of

neuropeptides it begins to Signal the

hormonal centers and you get a rush of

energy to prepare you for this event

real or imagined now moment that happens

you become altered in some way fight ORF

flight nervous system causes your P

pupils to dilate your mouth gets a

little dry all of a sudden your heart

rate begins to change your respiratory

rate changes and blood is being sent to

your extremities and now you're prepared

to either do battle with your

mother-in-law or never go to the dinner

to stay and run stay and fight or to run

now what was once highly adaptive all of

a sudden is now

maladaptive because when we turn on the

stress response and we can't turn it off

now we're headed for

disease so then you're sitting on the

side of the road and then you

think I read the book on

compassion damn the moment you begin to

think

about what you have to do something very

natural happens you begin to think about

what you were thinking about you begin

to pay attention to how you're reacting

you begin to notice is how you're

feeling and that Concept in Neuroscience

is called metacognition we can observe

who we're being and because we can

observe who we're being it means we

could modify our behaviors to do a

better job in life so now the frontal

lobe is the seat of your awareness it's

the home of the you and the me and as

you begin to think about who you no

longer want to be the frontal lobe acts

like a volume control and it begins to

lower the volume in the circuits in your

brain that are connected to the old self

and as it begins to silence those

circuits that are connected to the old

level of mind that level of mind no

longer fires and you're observing it

instead of participating in it and as

you begin to silence those circuits

nerve cells that no longer fire together

no longer wire together and you begin to

biologically break down the circuits in

your brain that are connected to the old

self and to the old mind now as you're

sitting on the side of the road you

think what piece of knowledge could I

apply in this situation from what I

learned in the book and as you begin to

plan your actions and you begin to think

about a new way of being and you begin

to put yourself into the equation your

brain naturally begins to fire in new

sequences and new patterns and new

combinations and whenever you make your

brain work differently you're changing

your mind because mind is the brain in

action and as the brain begins to fire

in new ways and you produce a new level

of Mind nerve cells that fire together

wire together and you begin to install

the neurological Hardware ahead of the

actual experience and now you have

circuits in place to use when you get

into that

dinner so now as you ask yourself what

is compassion and you begin to remember

all these different things that you

learned in the book The frontal lobe

like a great Symphony leader begins to

synchronize these circuits and when it

begins to produce a certain level of

coherence a certain level of mind your

brain naturally creates a hologram or an

image and that image then becomes the

internal representation of what you are

going to use when you walk in to that

dinner we would call that intention now

there's a very very unique Shuffle that

kind of goes on microscopically between

uh different circuits in your brain

you're trying to fire this new thought

called compassion but remember you fired

and wired all these other circuits based

on the last 10 years so as you're

beginning to fire this new thought all

these other thoughts are saying you hate

your mother-in-law you don't want to go

to that dinner why don't you start

tomorrow this isn't a good time to do

this

but if you persist with a certain amount

of amplitude and you put your attention

behind that thought sooner or later that

thought will be the strongest and

loudest voice in your head now the

moment that becomes the loudest voice in

your head the brain has to seal that

circuit more

permanently so when the action potential

is firing down the neuron from the pr

synaptic cleft to the post synaptic

cleft there's a glue that seals the

circuit called neurog growth factor and

it travels in the opposite direction but

there's only a certain amount of that

neural growth factor to go around so it

starts to steal the glue from the

neighboring circuits and when that

happens there goes your memory of your

mother-in-law hurting your feelings 10

years ago there goes the thought that

you hate her there goes the impatience

there goes the intolerance and the only

signal now traveling to that neuron is

called

compassion now every place where one

neuron connects with another neuron is a

memory when this happens you begin to

biologically and neurologically prune

away the old memory of the old self and

this is the science of changing your

mind if you want to see what it looks

like in real time let's try that again

you want to see what it looks like in

real time unhooking from the old self

reconnecting to the new self this can

happen in

moments now you get back on the road you

make your U-turn you're heading to the

dinner you're reminding yourself who you

no longer want to be silencing those

circuits in the brain you begin to think

about who you do want to be based on the

knowledge you've learned and you're

priming your brain ahead of the actual

experience you walk into the dinner and

you get your behaviors to match your

intentions you get your actions equal to

your thoughts you get your mind and body

working together and you do exactly what

the book says the moment that happens

all of a sudden you feel compassion now

the moment your heart begins to open and

you feel compassion you are teaching

your body emotionally to understand what

your mind intellectually understood you

see knowledge is for the mind but

experiences for the body and when we

begin to experience compassion now we

are embodying knowledge the word is

becoming flesh and the lyic Brain makes

a new batch of peptides that signals the

body and you begin to literally change

your genetic expression because there's

new information coming to the Gene and

epigenetically we signal genes from the

environment and you're changing the

fabric of you because you're instructing

your body chemically to understand what

your mind is intellectually and

philosophically understood but it's not

enough to do it once you can't forgive

your mother-in-law one time and expect

to be on the stained glass windows in

church you got to be able to repeat the

EXP experience you got to be able to do

it over and over again you have to do it

so many times that you no longer have to

think about it and when you do it over

and over again you

neurochemically condition the body to

memorize compassion as well as the

conscious mind and when that happens

when the mind and body are working

together or the body knows as well as

the mind you activate that third brain

called the cerebellum the seed of your

subconscious mind you've practiced it so

many times that you know how but you

don't know how you know how it's

automatic it's second nature it's easy

it's a habit it's a skill it's an

automatic behavior and when you get to

this level of memorizing an internal

chemical order a level of innate now

it's so innate in you that it's who you

are when you get to that point where no

person no thing no experience can remove

you from it because you have sustained

this level of coherence now you're in a

state of

being and so the way we transform the

world is we transform ourselves and when

we're in that state of being we give

people permission to do the same thanks

for

[Applause]

[Music]

listening