
PART 2 ARTICLE 2 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫
We often hear that humans use only a small portion of their brains. Modern imaging techniques like fMRIs and PET scans show the entire brain is active, even during sleep. However, these scans only reveal the physical brain, the tangible mass of cells. They overlook the subconscious mind, the non-physical brain that profoundly impacts our lives in unseen ways.
Traditional Western medicine focuses almost entirely on the measurable, physical body, just the “tip of the iceberg.” Yet, much of human suffering originates below the surface, where symptoms, though real, lack clear physical causes.

For patients, the inability to find a diagnosis can lead to frustration, mistrust in medicine, and feelings of dismissal, as doctors may imply symptoms are “all in your head” or exaggerated to gain attention, drugs, or some other undefined, nefarious goal. This neglect of the non-physical self reflects a critical limitation of modern healthcare.
The Iceberg Metaphor: Physical and Non-Physical
The tip of the iceberg represents our physical existence, our bodies, conscious thoughts, and our everyday lives. This is the only part understood by traditional medicine which treats only tangible, measurable conditions. For the most part, this is also the only part that we, ourselves, understand.

Here, the ego dominates serving important functions like decision-making and maintaining personal identity. However, when unchecked, it can foster arrogance, judgment, aggression and a need to dominate making relationships challenging.
Our superficial lives are chaotic and shaped by external circumstances just as the tip of the iceberg is battered by storms. In contrast, the submerged part holds profound stillness.
If you have ever allowed yourself to sink below a wild surf, you would have noticed a deep sense of quietude just below the surface.

The same is true when you delve into your deeper self. Unable to “swim” here, the ego quiets, allowing us to experience a deeply felt peace. This inner self encompasses all our experiences, traumas, emotions, and inherited tendencies, often the sources of our pain and suffering. However, it is also the source of imagination, intuition, and inner wisdom.
Accessing this part of ourselves is essential for emotional and physical healing beyond the scope of traditional medical practice. More than that, it offers a deeper understanding of life’s meaning and direction.

Exploring this inner world doesn’t mean reliving trauma; rather, it involves engaging the whole brain to uncover insights and paths to healing. Practices that access this level induce instant neurophysiological changes, fostering relaxation, resilience, and yes often the disappearance of physical symptoms.
While not a guaranteed cure, such exploration helps us make peace with and accept unchangeable aspects of life, reducing suffering and deepening our understanding of existence itself. Peaceful acceptance diminishes suffering…always.
The “Cosmic Soup” and Collective Unconscious
Bodysurfing beyond the iceberg reveals an even more profound realm, the water connecting all icebergs. Carl Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious aligns with spiritual beliefs that the non-physical essence of every being, past, present and future, surrounds and connects us. This “cosmic soup” underpins the idea that we are all one, emphasizing the Buddhist values of love, kindness, and service for every sentient being.

Here, the ego cannot exist. Imagine a space of egoless souls, motivated by empathy and wisdom, free from judgment or material attachment. Without the ego’s competitive drive, unconditional love becomes the norm, creating a sense of “heaven on earth.”
Could this reflect Dorothy’s discovery in The Wizard of Oz — that everything she needed was within her all along?
Bridging the “Woo-Woo” with science

I will now rocket back up to the surface, plunk myself firmly in the middle of the tip and delve into the scientific basis for these ideas. Concrete neurophysiological evidence explains the state of inner wisdom and the techniques that make it accessible.
For those seeking a “de-wooed” perspective, the upcoming chapter will ground these concepts in medical science. I suspect many of you will be relieved as scientific proof is often required for belief. Now concrete, this whole concept will be a horse of an entirely different color!!
But when all is said and done, they neigh the same.