The brain, often nicknamed our body's command centre, is far more than a mere organ. It is the seat of our consciousness, our thoughts and our emotions, and it plays a leading role in every aspect of our existence. But how does it compare with today's most advanced technology? And what is the relationship between the conscious brain and that mysterious subconscious mind?
The Incomparable Power of the Brain
When you compare the brain with the most sophisticated device ever created, the computer, fascinating differences emerge. For the sake of comparison, an average computer can store around 250,000 images, 20,000 songs and hundreds of hours of video recordings on a device the size of a finger.
The Brain's Phenomenal Capabilities
Yet set that computer alongside your brain and an astonishing perspective opens up. Your brain can carry out roughly ten quadrillion operations per second, and it often does so without your knowing it!
The Mystery Behind Autonomous Functions
Have you ever wondered what regulates the flow of blood through your veins? Or what dictates the perfect rhythm of your heart? No, it is not a conscious command that determines your heartbeat at this very moment. And what about your body temperature, always held at the ideal level to keep you alive? Or the perfect synchronisation that allows your sixty trillion cells to perform six trillion simultaneous actions every second?
The Subconscious Mind: The Hidden Engine
This mysterious conductor has a name: the subconscious mind. Distinct from the Freudian subconscious, it is the power plant of your being. Even your cat and your puppy have one. This subconscious mind performs incredible feats. Among all the extraordinary things it can accomplish, however, there is one it cannot manage. An action that, depending on which way it is pointed, can either improve your life or ruin it. So what is this capacity the subconscious mind does not possess?
The Brain and the Singularity of the Subconscious
Distinction and Perception in the Brain
The subconscious mind does not tell a real event apart from a simple thought. That may sound absurd, doesn't it? Take an example. When you have a nightmare, you often wake up with your heart pounding, sweating, overwhelmed by anxiety. Although the nightmare takes place solely in your mind and you are in no real danger, your mind perceives things differently. You react physiologically as if the nightmare were your reality.
How the Brain Passes Thought On to the Body
There are studies on this, including one in particular that connected an elite athlete, a professional skier, to a device measuring his muscle fibres. The researchers asked the skier simply to imagine that he was skiing, without moving. Astonishingly, the thought alone activated the same muscle fibres as if he had really been skiing.
The Brain, the Placebo Effect and the Power of Belief
This impact of the mind on the body, orchestrated by the brain, also shows up through the placebo effect. For instance, when an approved medicine is prescribed to one group of patients and a sugar pill is given to another group, the brains of participants in both groups can interpret the intervention positively, leading to signs of healing. A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine sheds light on this phenomenon: two groups suffering from the same knee disorder were examined. While one received real surgery, the other underwent placebo surgery. Astonishingly, thanks to the power of the brain and of perception, both groups reported positive results.
The Placebo Effect Versus the Nocebo Effect
Beyond the placebo effect lies the nocebo effect, where negative belief can bring on symptoms or illnesses. This is the phenomenon that some hypochondriacs may experience. For example, being convinced that you are developing an illness can lead a person genuinely to feel its symptoms.
Hypnosis and Perceived Reality
The power of suggestion is also visible in hypnosis. If a hypnotist suggests a reality to a person, they can live that reality. Whether it is seeing an imaginary spider on their arm or feeling a burn from a simple touch, perceived reality can be powerful.
The Subconscious: The Autopilot of Our Decisions
Ultimately, if you had to quantify the number of times you consciously make a decision, it would amount to only 2 to 4% of your time. In other words, your subconscious directs 96 to 98% of your decisions. This can be illustrated by simple cravings, such as our taste for ice cream or our pleasure in watching a sport. These desires stem from thoughts deeply anchored in our subconscious mind. These dominant thoughts steer the course of our lives, pushing us towards whatever satisfies them.
What Sculpts Our Subconscious
If what resides in your subconscious shapes your reality, what influences your subconscious mind? Almost everything around us. Everything we see, hear, smell, taste and feel has an impact on our subconscious mind.
| Benchmark | Figure (source: article) |
|---|---|
| Operations carried out by the brain | around ten quadrillion per second |
| Cells mobilised simultaneously | sixty trillion |
| Cellular actions performed every second | six trillion |
| Decisions made consciously | 2 to 4% of the time |
| Decisions driven by the subconscious | 96 to 98% of the time |
Ultimately, the brain, with its vast and often misunderstood capacities, remains one of nature's most astonishing marvels. Its intimate relationship with the subconscious mind shapes our reality, influences our actions and defines who we are. As science continues to unravel its many secrets, one thing is clear: our brain is far more powerful than we ever imagined. Every day offers us a fresh opportunity to learn more about it and to use this incredible organ to enrich our lives.
