There has been a lot of research emerging in the past few decades that proves that our intelligence extends beyond the brain in our head. We also have a gut brain and a heart brain, which have the ability to process information, remember and make decisions. So why is it important to know and work with these 3 intelligences? When we are attuned to their wisdom, it supports us with making great choices for ourself and others. It helps us to feel more harmony and alignment with the Divine, and it allows us to freely express from a place of authenticity. Aligning ourself with all 3 intelligences enriches our relationships with self and others.
Here are some basics to know about the 3 intelligence systems.
The Head (Cephalic) Brain
The head or cephalic brain involves many sub areas that are important for running various functions and behaviours. For simplicity, I will share some key areas and functions to be aware of, so that you can recognise when you are operating in survival mode/reactive mode and when you are operating from a place of high level/rational/problem solving/ divine intelligence type of mode.
The cortical brain - also known as the top brain, is where we store memories and perceptions and process and analyse information to make choices and respond to the world. When we are operating from this part of the brain we are great at problem solving, innovation, creativity, prioritising and working through challenges. The limbic brain and brainstem runs many of the body’s functions and contributes to our unconscious and social behaviours.
It is helpful to be aware of the survival brain type functions, which in simple terms mostly involve the amygdala and brainstem. There are some other more recently researched and less talked about areas, that I use in my kinesiology practice that perpetuate survival responses and post traumatic stress feelings and behaviours. Some of the survival brain states involve pain/punishment, pleasure/reward/motivation, freeze/escape/withdrawal, fear/phobias, anger, fight/frustration/anger, anxiety and sadness.
Our cephalic brain’s intelligence can be disrupted when these survival states are prolonged or out of context. Survival emotions and behaviours have a purpose, to keep us safe and to survive when there is a threat. If they continue beyond the period of threat or are over-active they disrupt our ability to connect well with our cortical and rational brain function. Because the lower brain relates to survival functions. The neural pathways of the survival brain are wired more strongly and quickly. Survival takes priority over any other brain function. This is simply the natural design of the brain. A perpetual sense of threat or hypervigilance can occur in response to a physical, mental, or emotional stimulus.
Another type of imbalance in the head brain is the “out of control imagination”. When we continue to imagine the worst, we are not using this creative intelligence in a constructive way. We are using it destructively. Another example of this is creating meanings that are unhelpful. For example if I am making a meaning that my illness is happening because I have done something wrong or eaten the wrong thing etc. then the meaning of it being wrong or bad is receiving the focus, rather than being able to approach it from a more neutral and supportive frame, which may be that my illness is teaching me something or guiding me in some way and what gifts can I focus on in this situation? Other destructive tendencies can involve over-exaggeration, sensationalising, over thinking and over analysing. These can be fruitless activities which involve a huge amount of energy and may not necessarily be focused on the solution or the resolution. There can be a range of self sabotaging patterns that we can get hooked into when the mind is left unchecked.
The head intelligence is associated with stories. At times people can become stuck in their stories and the ego can get quite attached to the drama of these stories, which will channel a lot of emotional energy and focus into perpetuating that unhelpful story. To utilise the story telling ability positively and intelligently, it is important to notice the stories you tell yourself or others and note if they are serving you or not.
The Heart Brain
The heart intelligence is the most potent and powerful intelligence that we can utilise because it holds the truth of the soul’s purpose and has the ability to activate and transform energy in the body. It is a powerhouse of energy and communicates with the brain and all other organs to maintain energetic, psychological and emotional harmony. It enables the integration of the body and the mind and is considered the site of the sixth sense.
Physical functions of the heart brain involve regulating the heart rhythm, blood gas composition, blood flow and respiratory rate. The heart is always monitoring and regulating these functions in response to mental activity, emotions, posture, muscular exertion, body temperature and blood compositions. This is why the actions we take and the way we treat our body can have such big impacts on health and wellbeing. Feeding the body with negative emotions and thoughts, over or under exercising or choosing postures that are not supportive can all have big impacts.
The communication pathways the heart brain utilises are:
Neurological (the nerves)
Biochemical (body chemicals)
Biophysical (pressure and sound waves)
Energetic (electromagnetic fields)
Structural (pericardium - the covering of the heart, and connective tissue of the circulatory system)
In Chinese medicine the heart is associated with the soul’s expression. It allows for restful sleep, good memory, clear senses, tranquil mind, and the ability to spread joy and maintain peace. Disturbances of the heart, such as emotional trauma, shock or overwhelm, may disrupt its ability to maintain this mental and physical harmony. This can cause restlessness, difficulty sleeping, disturbing dreams, forgetfulness, disjointed thinking, and distraction. These particular signs can indicate that the heart brain is needing support and attention.
Heart centred relationships with self and others is a route to harmony and health, particularly for the heart brain. These kinds of relationships are also important buffers to stress. Allowing space and time to process grievances and to ‘re-calibrate’, so to speak, is important for maintaining strong and healthy heart brain function.
The Gut Brain
The intelligence in this part of the body is instinctive. The gut can sense things before they arise, causing us to feel unsettled or activated as if in readiness. We draw on this resource of intelligence to know when it is time to act on something or to take action on an inspiration. The mind/creative brain can come up with a multitude of ideas which would run us into the ground if we acted on them all. The gut intelligence informs us about the ideas which are worth acting upon, and which we have the inner resources for. For example, the sayings ‘didn’t have the guts to do it’, or ‘I can’t stomach it’, is in fact important guidance.
Functionally, the neurology of the gut is not only involved in digestion, it is also responsible for immune function and serotonin production (the calm and wellbeing neurotransmitter). Metaphorically and physically, it is in charge of what we take on board, and what we eliminate. The gut intelligence is connected to sense of smell and taste which helps to inform what is safe and welcome for the body and what is not safe or welcome. If you are someone who has psychic gifts via smell (clairolfaction) or taste (clairgustance), just like the gut brain, these are valuable for informing you about what is friend and foe, ok or not ok.
The gut can sense danger or opportunity before the heart or head. Just like the cortical brain, there can be hypervigilance developed in this part of the neurology due to memories of threat or pain that have not been processed and released. Just as we would over-eat and not be able to digest food so well, it is possible for the gut to have too much information, emotion or mental activity to deal with. The gut brain can then be compromised in being able to reject what does not sit well, or is not aligned with the deep sense of self. It can also be compromised in being able to decipher what is going to be of service and be able to receive that information. This is when we need to use the cortical brain to prioritise what we put our attention on and for example, how long we spend on a device taking in social media etc.
The neurology for the gut is the first network to be developed in utero and can have traumatic imprints from that time. This can affect the healthy function of gut intelligence. The gut brain represents our deep sense of self and can be influenced by our mother’s and father’s experiences and perceptions during gestation. This is commonly why many people find themselves behaving like their parents, despite having the intention to do it differently. Our sense of self always has the potential to evolve, grow and expand when we use tools of awareness and re-patterning. This is the journey of healing, finding our truest and highest sense of self.
Gut intelligence is particularly supportive for rising above our fears and comfort zone and expanding our sense of self, hence the saying ‘got the guts for it’. It is the power behind the heart because it has the ability to spot an imposter, a liar, or any form of deceit, and thus gives the power to say ‘no' when on the surface everything may look ok. Conversely, it gives the power to take a supportive path that on the surface may look insignificant or unfruitful.
My book ‘Melting Moments, the delectable art of nourishing the soul’ gives some more discussion and activities that support connection with the intelligences. Reading this book has supported many people to attune to the incredible intelligence of the body and experience the beauty of the soul. I am also available for online Kinesiology consultations for anyone who needs healing and re-connection with the 3 intelligences. These are some signs that your intelligence systems need support:
Conflicting thoughts, feelings or actions
Self sabotage of dreams, goals or plans
Indecisive, scattered, unmotivated, stuck, unable to move forward
Health issues in the corresponding physical organ
Imbalanced Autonomic Nervous System - Stuck in a highly strung/impulsive (Sympathetic Nervous System) or lethargy/depressed (Parasympathetic Nervous System) state of being
Traumatic memory giving a false reading for guidance
Pain/punishment or blocked pleasure/reward patterns interfering with guidance
Stuck in a past time/memory/experience
Repeating unwanted patterns of behaviour