Triune model of brain & Sadhana

[Guest guest]

The human brain is undoubtedly one of the most amazing, incredible

and wondrous of Nature's creation. It contains twelve thousand

million cells and each of these cells has an estimated five hundred

thousand possible interconnections that we know of. When the

mathematics is computed there are more possible interconnections in

the brain than there are atoms in the universe.

 

TRIUNE MODEL

 

Nature never destroys any of its creations fully. The earlier one's

are preserved in a new form in the latter products of nature. As

more complex life forms evolve, after each evolutionary step, the

older portion of the brain still exists and must still be

accommodated. But a new layer with new functions is also added to

the older one.

 

Paul Maclean, one of the main exponents of this view, has developed a

captivating model of the brain structure and evolution, which he

calls the `triune brain'. He calls the combination of spinal cord,

hindbrain and midbrain, the "neural chassis". He has distinguished

three sorts of drivers of the neural chassis.

 

 

1. The most ancient of them is the R-complex (R-reptilian) which

we share with other mammals and reptiles.

 

2. Surrounding the R-complex is the limbic system, which we

share with the other mammals. In reptiles it is not found in its

full elaboration.

 

3. Finally surmounting the rest of the brain, obviously the most

recent evolutionary accretion is the Neocortex. Higher mammals like

primates especially humans have a relatively massive neocortex.

 

The most elaborately developed neocortex is that of the human beings

followed by the Dolphins and Whales. Evolution and functional

preservation of the preexistent structure occurs either because the

old function is also required or probably because there is no way of

bypassing the old system that is consistent with survival.

 

THE REPTILIAN COMPLEX

 

It includes the very topmost part of spinal cord and lower areas of

brain including the medulla oblongata and part of the Reticular

Activating System (RAS), that is partly responsible for our waking

conscious state. Self-preservation and reproduction are the main

concerns of the R complex. It controls mating, insistence on routine,

obedience to ritual and tradition, social hierarchies, and slavish

ritual and imitations of fads and fashions. Hence it also plays an

important role in aggressive behaviour, territoriality, ritual and

establishment of social hierarchies.

 

Research has shown that this area dominates the life of most people.

This corresponds to the 1st and 2nd chakras, which are related to our

deepest unconscious and subconscious mind. These chakras maintain

our most basic and primitive animalistic drives and instincts like

eating, sleeping and procreating within a dark and primitive

monotonous existence. Psychology tells us that there lurks a

primitive creature instinctive and irrational and animalistic within

every human being. Sigmund Freud called this the Id, an unconscious

area from which arise our desires, passions and the energy underlying

our emotions and the sense of who we are.

 

THE LIMBIC SYSTEM

 

It controls emotion, memory, playful behaviour, awe and wonder,

exhilaration and the subtler emotions such as love. In other words

behaviour that is less ritualistic and more spontaneous is under its

control. The behavioral centers for fright, fear, anxiety, hunger,

pleasure, pain, joy, love, moral urges are within the limbic system.

Mac Lean has found that damage to areas of this part results in

deficits in maternal behaviour and absence of pain. This corresponds

to Manipura and Anahata (3rd and 4th) Chakras.

 

THE CEREBRAL CORTEX OR THE NEO CORTEX:

 

It consists of four major regions namely frontal, parietal, occipital

and temporal. This is the seat of intelligence and many of the

characteristic human cognitive functions.

 

The frontal lobe: seems to be connected with the deliberation and the

regulation of action.

 

The Temporal lobe: connected with a variety of complex perceptual

tasks.

 

The occipital lobes: connected with vision, the dominant sense in

humans and other primates. With amazing speeds and precision, here,

the various faculties are integrated and synchronized. A whole range

of functions like thinking, calculation, analysis, discrimination,

creativity, use of symbols, anticipation of the future, intuition,

artistic and scientific expression and myriad other highly evolved

and purely human faculties. Probably, it is this part of the brain,

which is largely responsible for the exclusively human capacity of

self-awareness and knowledge of this self-awareness. Corresponding to

this area are the Ajna and Vishuddhi (6th and 5th ) Chakras.

 

The Triune-brain model is an over-simplification and in reality,

every function is partly influenced by the other two parts of the

brain which do not control it. For instance ritual and tradition

which is controlled by R-complex and emotional behaviour which is

controlled by the limbic system are certainly influenced strongly by

abstract reasoning which is a function of neocortex. Thus one

influences the other.

 

 

==========

 

As I said, the rituals and traditions are part of the R-complex at

work. Bhakti is a sublimation of the needs of the limbic system.

Gnana, Self-Inquiry, Discrimination work through the Neocortex.

 

I originally planned to write a full fledge article connecting

sadhana, yoga, kundalini and chakras, etc to this topic. But I am

running out of time. Later I will post a full fledged article on the

same at cosmicroots group. But as of now I guess the readers are

intelligent enough to see the links.

 

Note to Kalluri: This and my previous long post to Narasimha contain

the answers to a question that you asked on the cosmicroots group.

But anyway I will try to address your question within 2-3 days there.

In the meantime can you write an answer to your own question based on

the hints and links from these two posts and post it to cosmicroots?

Let us see if you will find an answer now to your own question (and I

expect you to, since my method is to make you self-sufficient using

your own mind, not be dependant on others for answers. Of course you

will recieve inspiration and the links from me)

 

Satya

[Guest guest]

|| Om Gurave Namah :: Om Namo Naaraayanaaya ||

Namaste,

This article brought the concept of 'Tripod of Life" to my mind.

Shailesh

-

">Dr Satya Prakash Choudhary <satyaprakasika (AT) (DOT) co.uk>

vedic astrology

Friday, January 10, 2003 3:59 PM

[vedic astrology] Triune model of brain & Sadhana

The human brain is undoubtedly one of the most amazing, incredible and wondrous

of Nature's creation. It contains twelve thousand million cells and each of

these cells has an estimated five hundred thousand possible interconnections

that we know of. When the mathematics is computed there are more possible

interconnections in the brain than there are atoms in the universe.TRIUNE

MODELNature never destroys any of its creations fully. The earlier one's are

preserved in a new form in the latter products of nature. As more complex life

forms evolve, after each evolutionary step, the older portion of the brain still

exists and must still be accommodated. But a new layer with new functions is

also added to the older one.Paul Maclean, one of the main exponents of this

view, has developed a captivating model of the brain structure and evolution,

which he calls the `triune brain'. He calls the combination of spinal cord,

hindbrain and midbrain, the "neural chassis". He has distinguished three sorts

of drivers of the neural chassis. 1. The most ancient of them is the R-complex

(R-reptilian) which we share with other mammals and reptiles.2. Surrounding the

R-complex is the limbic system, which we share with the other mammals. In

reptiles it is not found in its full elaboration.3. Finally surmounting the

rest of the brain, obviously the most recent evolutionary accretion is the

Neocortex. Higher mammals like primates especially humans have a relatively

massive neocortex. The most elaborately developed neocortex is that of the

human beings followed by the Dolphins and Whales. Evolution and functional

preservation of the preexistent structure occurs either because the old

function is also required or probably because there is no way of bypassing the

old system that is consistent with survival.THE REPTILIAN COMPLEXIt includes

the very topmost part of spinal cord and lower areas of brain including the

medulla oblongata and part of the Reticular Activating System (RAS), that is

partly responsible for our waking conscious state. Self-preservation and

reproduction are the main concerns of the R complex. It controls mating,

insistence on routine, obedience to ritual and tradition, social hierarchies,

and slavish ritual and imitations of fads and fashions. Hence it also plays an

important role in aggressive behaviour, territoriality, ritual and establishment

of social hierarchies.Research has shown that this area dominates the life of

most people. This corresponds to the 1st and 2nd chakras, which are related to

our deepest unconscious and subconscious mind. These chakras maintain our most

basic and primitive animalistic drives and instincts like eating, sleeping and

procreating within a dark and primitive monotonous existence. Psychology tells

us that there lurks a primitive creature instinctive and irrational and

animalistic within every human being. Sigmund Freud called this the Id, an

unconscious area from which arise our desires, passions and the energy

underlying our emotions and the sense of who we are.THE LIMBIC SYSTEMIt

controls emotion, memory, playful behaviour, awe and wonder, exhilaration and

the subtler emotions such as love. In other words behaviour that is less

ritualistic and more spontaneous is under its control. The behavioral centers

for fright, fear, anxiety, hunger, pleasure, pain, joy, love, moral urges are

within the limbic system. Mac Lean has found that damage to areas of this part

results in deficits in maternal behaviour and absence of pain. This corresponds

to Manipura and Anahata (3rd and 4th) Chakras.THE CEREBRAL CORTEX OR THE NEO

CORTEX:It consists of four major regions namely frontal, parietal, occipital

and temporal. This is the seat of intelligence and many of the characteristic

human cognitive functions.The frontal lobe: seems to be connected with the

deliberation and the regulation of action.The Temporal lobe: connected with a

variety of complex perceptual tasks.The occipital lobes: connected with vision,

the dominant sense in humans and other primates. With amazing speeds and

precision, here, the various faculties are integrated and synchronized. A whole

range of functions like thinking, calculation, analysis, discrimination,

creativity, use of symbols, anticipation of the future, intuition, artistic and

scientific expression and myriad other highly evolved and purely human

faculties. Probably, it is this part of the brain, which is largely

responsible for the exclusively human capacity of self-awareness and knowledge

of this self-awareness. Corresponding to this area are the Ajna and Vishuddhi

(6th and 5th ) Chakras. The Triune-brain model is an over-simplification and in

reality, every function is partly influenced by the other two parts of the brain

which do not control it. For instance ritual and tradition which is controlled

by R-complex and emotional behaviour which is controlled by the limbic system

are certainly influenced strongly by abstract reasoning which is a function of

neocortex. Thus one influences the other.==========As I said, the rituals and

traditions are part of the R-complex at work. Bhakti is a sublimation of the

needs of the limbic system. Gnana, Self-Inquiry, Discrimination work through

the Neocortex.I originally planned to write a full fledge article connecting

sadhana, yoga, kundalini and chakras, etc to this topic. But I am running out

of time. Later I will post a full fledged article on the same at cosmicroots

group. But as of now I guess the readers are intelligent enough to see the

links. Note to Kalluri: This and my previous long post to Narasimha contain the

answers to a question that you asked on the cosmicroots group. But anyway I will

try to address your question within 2-3 days there. In the meantime can you

write an answer to your own question based on the hints and links from these

two posts and post it to cosmicroots? Let us see if you will find an answer now

to your own question (and I expect you to, since my method is to make you

self-sufficient using your own mind, not be dependant on others for answers. Of

course you will recieve inspiration and the links from me)Satya Archives:

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