Which part of your brain function is controlling you most of the time? Although our brain is interconnected as a whole but divided into three parts. They are the “Reptilian, Limbic and Neocortex”. The reptilian complex is the base level which governs the core regulatory functions. It is associated with instinctual behaviors, survival of the fittest mentality, aggression due to protection of territory, dominance, ritualistic behavior due to fear of the unknown and combativeness. The reptilian complex is the oldest in the development of brain function of human anatomy. It is the most ancient and primitive out of the three regions of the brain. This part of the brain is greatly affecting the “Citta” which in Sanskrit means consciousness which is the nature that is aware of its object. The Citta is said to go off with a will of its own if not properly controlled. Attaining a purified chitta corresponds to the attaining of liberating insight. A powerful way to stop your Reptilian brain from acting on its own will, will be to “ask it a question”. Since this part of the brain is acting on instinctual response, it cannot process logic and do reasonable answering of questions. Asking yourself questions about what is happening or trying to apply reasoning enables your brain to kick out of this automated instinctual non-reasoning part of the brain.

The second region is the Limbic system. It is the mammalian aspect which is later than the Reptilian but earlier than the Neocortex development of the brain. This part is associated with emotions where it receives either positive or negative stimuli and then sends the signals to the core regulatory functions according to whatever stimuli it receives. This area develops based on instinct and past experiences. It stores emotional memories that will generate automatic emotional responses of either fear, anger, grief etc. Or it can also generate peace, joy and love etc. It can go either way according to what type of stimuli it receives. 

The highest and top level region of the brain function is the Neocortex region. This portion of the brain function is the intellectual and executive control system of the brain. It is the most recent and newly evolved part of the brain development of humans. It is this part that we are using when involved in deep thinking, contemplations, analytical rational reasoning, logic application, memory assessment, sensory mental processes etc. According to what we think, it will send signals to the Limbic system for further processing. All of the higher level of thinking is happening here. It is the cognitive function where one applies to the mental processing of information by thoughts. It is a conscious effort done by the enabling of the willpower to think. Neocortex is the most sophisticated of the three because this is the only section of the brain that has the ability to overwrite the automated instinctual responses of the other two lower levels of the brain function. This is the part where we can have a balanced cognitive function where it positions us in a higher level of consciousness since we are perceiving reality beyond the barriers of conformity. To further reiterate how they work, the example will be, if you read about someone who wrote a blog on food. When you read the recipe in terms of words. You might “think” it looks or sounds delicious in your thoughts (Neocortex). And then, it triggered an “emotion” (Limbic) in you, feeling happy and excited to want to taste the food. The next thing that happens may be it triggers saliva to build up in your mouth (Reptilian) as you start to feel hungry with stomach churning. 

Another example will be, if you “see or smell” any food (Limbic), it will straightaway trigger an emotional response instead of going through the Neocortex for mental processing as the brain did not go through any thinking but responded by just the emotional stimuli of seeing or smelling the food. Another instance will be, when you go to the dentist for a dental appointment, the minute you step into the clinic, you will start to feel fearful since fear automatically kicks in without any mental processing. To further explain it better, when you are busy with work and forget to eat your meal, the body will trigger a response where you will feel physically hungry (Reptilian). It is an automated response which doesn’t go through any rational logical thinking or emotional stimuli. It is just a direct base level triggered response from the reptilian brain function.  

Have you ever wondered why is it so hard to read and complete a book or even an article where there are many words to read when compared to watching a video clip with the same subject? It is because watching any program on screen is using the Limbic system whereas reading is typically using our Neocortex function where there must be a conscious effort in utilizing this part of the brain. 

In as much as if the Reptilian and Limbic system is repeatedly automated without interference from the Neocortex, we will continue to behave and act according to survival, allowing karmic energy to be formed and played out. It is vitally important to train our brain to put to use the Neocortex functioning by conscious thought processing in order to “question” our primitive automated action so that we can intent a solution out of the karmic pattern we are unconsciously playing out! Start using our Neocortex to question things and use our rational reasoning mind to break beyond the layer of veil we are blind to. Whenever we make an effort in doing the mental processing, we are reinforcing the neuron pathway of a new positive behavior instead of a negative loop. The use of Neocortex functioning will bring us closer to discovery of the intellectual mind of the Divine. Wisdom awaits those who are discerning and truly questioning the truth of reality.