Mobius Monday Minute – May 30 , 2011
As you may know I’m very into examining the mechanisms behind our self-belief (or lack thereof). In my work I often find corresponding mirror-like operators in each of the two natures we humans have – the physical and the ethereal.
This duality thing is quite fascinating because it informs us of so many unique qualities that underscore the miracle of what it means to be human.
Case in point is the importance of the strength of our individual self-belief (ethereal body) and the level of glucose in our blood (physical body). Both seem to be indicators of the wellness of the systems that they are such a vital part of.
You probably know already that tests for blood glucose levels can be done by yourself at home using a glucose meter but what about a test for our own strength of self-belief?
I suppose a meter would be a cool thing to have for this too but that might be a bit of a tough thing to come up with since self-belief exists only in the domain of the ethereal.
Fortunately there is a reliable less outwardly mechanical way that helps give us an indication of the level of our deep self-belief and each of us already have it in our possession.
It’s the little known brain in the gut called the ‘enteric nervous system’.
Now, not everyone has heard that humans have another brain in their body besides the one in the head. Can’t say I’m surprised at that. I didn’t learn of it myself until 1996 and that was just by chance. A friend of mine had told me that there was an article on it in the New York Times science section.
It blew me away when I read it.
I had for years been trying to tell people that I thought there existed something like a base of operations for a motivational source that seemed to emanate from the gut area of the body. At the time there was a label in wide use back then calling this area the “solar plexus”. This seemed a descriptive term for it because it was recognized that there were a large mass of nerve fibers in this area that seemed to radiate out from a central area like the sun’s rays.
This description, although fancifully romantic, wasn’t very accurate medically. It was really just a boxing term for all the nerves identified in that area. It was Dr. Michael Gershon, it’s modern-day discoverer, who actually coined the more scientific term “enteric nervous system” for this unusual brain. ( In his book Gershon admits that he wasn’t the first one to actually discover this extra brain. He explains that the initial discovery was made 100 years earlier by two young British physiologists at London University – William Bayliss and Ernest Starling.)
So what’s the one thing that distinguishes this brain from the one in the head? Well, besides the obvious location differences it has one overriding feature: it’s a feeling brain not a thinking brain. It’s so good at feeling it can even sense things that would defy any scientific inquiry. It apparently can feel the presence of something in the ethereal (non-physical) plane.
Just to take the edge off that let’s just use the common vernacular and call it a “hunch”.
So, to test your personal self-belief all you need to do is tune in to and ‘see’ what your gut feels about your next big decision. Then, if you feel you can trust the direction it’s pointing you in (is it good or bad?) you should at least have some idea of which way to go.
Be warned though. Where it takes you to may not at first seem like a good thing. But remember, successful conclusions often come with long timelines. Of course, that’s why you need a sense of deep self-belief in the first place.
More power to you my friends.
PS: How would you like to develop a deep belief in yourself in 24 hours or less? Check this out
In the fifth grade, I had a terrific history teacher. Her name was Mrs. Smith.