The Elder – Recently, modern humanities and social sciences have taken significant steps in the knowledge of human beings’ psychology and how their brains work. The destructive effects of wars and of all the atrocities they entail have led Medicine to study human psychiatric disorders. But it has also created a perverse effect: a healthy well–balanced human being was defined only from was known about the disease effects. Neurosciences and behavioural sciences have helped make great progress in that area during the last thirty years.
Now, Theo, tell me please: What did you learn after reading about it?
Theo. – Studying human beings’ behaviour is fascinating and a lot has yet to be discovered about it. Recent progress concerned the discovery of an emotional intelligence (EI). It has brought a better balance in the cool supremacy of the ruling elites and their high IQs. But above all, researchers are beginning to integrate what Daaji calls a spiritual quotient (SQ).
The Elder – What conclusions have you drawn from your study of the brain?
Theo. – Scientific discoveries reflect spiritual advancement; beautiful progress has been made thanks to Quantum Physics and its applications. But my feeling is that neurosciences are only in their infancy. Researchers began with bringing to light the existence of three brains in man. They are still raving about the cortex and the neo–cortex. They have identified linkages with the limbic system and have become aware that our subconscious self plays an essential part in man. I was quite interested in the fact that psychology uses that very knowledge to foster balance and wellbeing.
The Elder – Could you give me a practical example of it? Tell me about fear, for instance. You know that it is the first impression (samskara) men have born within themselves since they were created. That original fear is what we remove during a person’s first initiation, because otherwise love and consciousness could not develop.
Theo. – I know, fear is a primary emotion linked to surviving. The amygdala is the first to respond instantly in case of biological hazards. Then it short–circuits any decision taken on the cortical level and alarms all parts of the body. A fear signal will trigger hormonal substances, thus allowing the person to either flee or fight. The person’s brain and senses are on maximum alert, the heart is stimulated, and there is a maximum production rate of adrenalin.
The Elder – The problem is that such a stress, which generally relates to surviving, has become a permanent state for most of the people, and their hearts are now beating wildly, instead of increasing their efficiency. That is sub–consciousness at work in human beings. But there is also a supra–consciousness, which can operate in such cases. Please continue the demonstration.
Theo. – In the limbic system, the amygdala and the hippocampus play a very exciting role. They apparently monitor the entire affective and emotional aspects of the individuals. The limbic system function consists in alerting the neuronal process – as mentioned before – but also in storing all memories related to a person or to an event.
The Elder – That’s what the hippocampus does; its role is to precisely record and store memories, including the context and circumstances relating to the event to be memorized. For its part, the amygdala is related to any subjective, affective matter. You can see therefore why our cleaning is for removing impressions, and the Ho’oponopono
process for removing all the wrong memories and data that seal us off from present and reality
Theo. – Usually, we are not in danger of life or death, though our primitive brain often tends to make us believe we are.
The Elder – Moreover, the amygdala short–circuits the neo–cortex, which should be a moderator and make rational decisions. When fear or anger are there, the pre–frontal lobes take twice more time before they start working (two times 12 milliseconds). So, the neo–cortex is often unable to take a decision because we have already responded.
Theo. – What should we do, then?
The Elder – That is the reason why we prone meditating on the heart, our real source for discernment. Like a conductor, the heart attunes our emotions and thoughts. The heart is what links emotions to thoughts. It does not depend on the brain and senses only, and it can access the meta–data of the universal mind.
Theo. – I guess that should require a lot of training.
The Elder – It is an important milestone in a human being’s evolution. We must leave behind our animalism in order to become a real universal human being. The heart is the key to access that universality. Through the heart, a person is constantly in contact with the Self, which is at once in and out of time. We therefore have all the necessary information available. Instead of submitting to life, to our life, we can master it.
Theo. – Are we still evoking emotional intelligence here?
The Elder – Spiritual intelligence will transform our intellectual and emotional intelligence.
Theo. – For instance?
The Elder – Emotions become feelings such as love, compassion. The heart helps develop empathy and be even–tempered. Reason is supported and nourished by our intuition and inspiration. But above all, you have the feeling you are in the right place and it makes your life meaningful.
Theo. – Many people get lost, in life, Often, I have the feeling that they are just resigned to live. Being aware of their hearts would help them avoid many miseries.
Theophile the Elder
An excerpt from Dialogs with Theophile the Elder
Theophile the Younger’s initiation