Neuroscientists have finally done it! They have demonstrated that we have a brain in our heart and another in our intestines. What we have in each of these, in actual fact, is an extensive mass of neurons that behave in a fashion similar to the neurons contained in the brain, and that appear to function at mega-speeds, often much greater than those of our cerebral neurons.

Our Second Brain

The second brain consists of about 100 billion nerve cells in the  digestive tract --a greater number than in the spinal cord.  Professor W. Prinz of the Max Planck Institute for Psychological Research in Munich indicated to Geo Magazine that it is possible that unconscious decisions are made by the stomach network, and are later claimed by the main brain as conscious decisions of its own.

This second brain was brought to light by neuro-biologist Michael  Gershon of New York's Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, author of The Second Brain. When asked if the brain in our heads  influences our second brain, he replied that it does, and that we get butterflies in the stomach when the brain sends a message of anxiety to the gut. This, in turn, sends messages back to the brain that it is not happy. However--and this is perhaps the most  riveting part--the brain in the gut can also work in isolation.

The Third Brain

With his revolutionary research the University of Montreal's pioneer neurocardiologist J. Andrew Armour first introduced the concept of a functional heart brain in the 1990s. This brain in the heart-like the brain in the digestive tract--may also act independently of the brain in the head. The size of this brain, according to California's Institute of HeartMath is as great as a number of the principle areas of the brain in the head. Studies discussed in Brain and Values have shown that the consistency of the rhythm found in the heart brain is capable of changing--

sometimes in spectacular fashion--how effectively the thinking  brain functions. In theory, this means that what occurs on a feeling level has the capacity to deeply influence what occurs on a thinking level.

In The HeartMath Solution, co-authored by Doc Childre and H.  Martin, an in-depth look is taken at the heart and its association with the mind and body. This contributes to the newly emerging view of the heart as a complex, self-organized system that maintains a continuous two-way dialogue with the brain and the rest of the body. Research available at the HeartMath website and published in major medical journals demonstrates that the heart has a  significant influence on the function of our brains and all our bodily systems.

Imagine the implications! Those who live by "instinct," who "listen" to their gut, who make decisions based on what their heart tells them rather than their logical brain, now know that although that may not necessarily always be the right way to go, the  evidence clearly shows that in order to make decisions based on all of their knowledge, they should apply not only that which their 

logical brain tells them, but also what their feeling brain (heart)  and instinctive brain (gut) have given them to understand.

Cutting-edge Research

Keeping up with cutting-edge research is fascinating because you are able to discover what is happening in the intriguing world of avant-garde thought and progress long before any of it hits the mainstream. Thus you can begin to apply new information long before everyone else is talking about it. The only reason that is  important is because being at the forefront can make an enormous difference in the quality of your life--sometimes just because it changes the way you think about things.

As an example, a relatively recent (2006) article by Alex Celma in  the weekend supplement of the Spanish daily El Pais referred to the value of tenderness, not just in the sense of tenderness in  relationships, but how tenderness can be implicit in thinking actions and make a difference in decisions. A few weeks later, an article in the German weekly Der Spiegel referred to the fact that more and more researchers, psychologists, neuroscientists and even 

philosophers are paying record amounts of attention to the study of  intuition, some of whom have gone so far as to state that human  intuition is much sharper and stronger than reason.

Albert Einstein stated that "the intuitive mind is a sacred gift  and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."  Clearly, he recognized the priceless value of intuition over reason, while simultaneously expressing that reason evidently plays an important role. Concurring with Aristotle who said that "intuition is the source of scientific knowledge," Einstein also stated, "I believe in intuition and inspiration; at times I feel certain I am right while not knowing the reason."

Antonio Damasio, the Iowa University-based neuroscientist and  author of the highly acclaimed Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain, has demonstrated, based on extensive experience and studies with neurological patients, that every decision an individual makes needs an emotional impulse, because human beings cannot act based purely on reason. In his earlier book Descartes's Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain, Damasio 

insisted that the renowned philosopher¹s axiom "I think, therefore  I am" is a mistake, and that it should read: I feel, therefore I am--which became the motivational slogan of Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence.

Paying Attention to All Our Brains

Robert K. Cooper, author of The Other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast  Untapped Potential for Leadership and Life, writes that many people have learned not to pay attention to the butterflies in the stomach (gut) and what the heart is feeling because it is so much easier to let the head lead the way, thus trampling over possibly better 

choices that might put all of the different sources of intelligence  to use.

As a society we have very much undermined and sabotaged the knowing we receive from our feelings and intuition. Even when we are wont to give such knowing value, due to consistent and damaging connotations connected to feelings and intuition, we often hesitate to give them any consideration when they arise in us. Research such 

as that described in this article is very encouraging, because it  may persuade many who might not otherwise do so to pay greater attention to such knowing, and to begin to use it in their daily lives.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Gabriella Kortsch. All Rights Reserved.

[Gabriella Kortsch, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, clinical 

hypnotherapist, relationship coach, author, professional speaker  and radio show host who has appeared in numerous television programs. She can help you move towards greater personal and relationship success with her integral approach to life and offers workshops in the field of self-development and choosing  responsibility for the self. Visit http:// www.advancedpersonaltherapy.com for more information, to listen to her weekly radio show in English, and to sign up for her newsletter in English or Spanish.]