More thought than we can handle

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Dec 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Teranar	06 Dec 2002
Someone today gave me a theory on why people don't use more than 10% of their brain. She said that she thought that if a person used too much of their brain then they begin to sense and see too much becuase their senses are heightened. Then they lose sight of god, and become more powerful then they can handle. Essentially what she said was that when we use more of our brain than we use now we simply can't handle it. I've felt that using magic and/or strengthening your spirit, and divining are using parts of your mind that remain otherwise untapped. Could divining too deep, or delving into your spirit and mind too far be harmful or fatal to oneself, or make them go insane? What are your thoughts on this?

JC	07 Dec 2002
That's not quite how I understand the nuerological aspect of how the brain works. I think you use all of your brain, but never more than ten percent at once. Different areas of your brain control different body functions, so that you'd be using one ten percent while sitting in a concert hall listening to a symphony and a different ten percent while playing two-on-two basketball. Secondly, remember that nerve cells use electrochemical signals. If you ever used more than fourteen percent of your brain at one time, you would generate enough electricity to electrocute yourself! Therefore, we have a built in mechanism to keep us from using so much of our brain. Using eleven percent would give us severe migraines, and we'd pass out before we could use twelve percent, thus returning us to a state of using only ten percent or less.

allibee	07 Dec 2002
Regarding using a part of your brain for intuitive/spiritual matters, look up info on the net regarding the Pineal gland. It's a bit of an eye opener, literally. allibee

lunalafey	07 Dec 2002
I know nothing about percentages and to me it really does not matter. What we DO with our brain is what is the issue. I have heard simular things to what you are saying. My thoughts are not to consistant on the subject. I think there are some people that could not handle 'it' yet I'd say that they are not ready...then again, these 'powers' do not come until one is ready, then there are those that are given a jump start so to speak by some tragic or unusual experience. The subconscience has a way of hiding things, thing we know, it is in us, so....it's a mystery until that door is opened.

Macavity	07 Dec 2002
I think it unfortunate that *some* people advocate "dumbing-down" to achieve more faith? ;) Perhaps (hopefully) faith and intelligence are not incompatible? I DO believe that some people are inately more prone to belief than others - and possibly as a consequence of brain structure/chemistry. I don't suggest this is either good or bad. I recall a TV program devoted to finding whether the brain had a "god center". It found e.g. that certain head-trauma patients had experienced regular and intense "religious" experiences. When interviewed one such patient was both lucid and very positive about his new-found capabilities :) Perhaps an indicator for all of us? Are these (however induced) experiences positive or negative - Not only for ourselves but for OTHERS around us! Mac

RedWood	07 Dec 2002
I think a person can go insane delving to deep..If they do not have the proper training and do it to much...I think you just need to balance everything out..you dont want to get lost in the spiritual and not deal with reality and vice versa...balance is the key..i am hope i am not off topic..

faunabay	08 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Macavity I think it unfortunate that *some* people advocate "dumbing-down" to achieve more faith? ;) Perhaps (hopefully) faith and intelligence are not incompatible? My thoughts exactly!!!!

Sea Sprite	10 Dec 2002
I have to echo what Redwood said. Balance is the key! :D

Laurel	10 Dec 2002
I believe and attempt to practice the two "Truths of Delphi" Know Thyself Nothing To Excess Insanity is a frequent danger when in aquisition of the former we lose sight of the latter. The inner Abyss is a dark place and it does look back into us when we gaze within. Its best to do it in a tempered, and consistent but moderate manner. Laurel

isthmus nekoi	10 Dec 2002
I may be wrong, but I believe the whole 10% theory comes from Dr. Timothy Leary who taught in an American university and encouraged his students to drop acid :D But I don't think he meant the 10% thing to be taken literally. But he certainly had some interesting things to say, published a number of books regarding consciousness and such like. As far as I know, over activity of the brain in terms of electrical output will result in a seizure (sp?). Seizures are usually triggered by things like strobing lights etc but I suppose it is possible to have a seizure via other triggers. And yes yes yes, you can go insane when you start questioning the nature of reality etc. It's up to everyone to find their own pace b/c everyone will be different. In psychoanalytic terms, this is defined as an ego boundary; you've got to have a strong ego or you cannot undergo psychoanalysis successfully (note that psya is different from psychiatric therapy), those w/weak egos will risk having their ego boundaries severely damaged during the process ie going quite mad. The way I think of it is, always make sure you can get back home. You can go down as deep as you think you can handle, but make damn sure you've got a way back. And no matter how open your gates are, it's always a good idea to have someone or something there to help you keep out the riff raff if need be. My advice is that it's best to find someone you can trust who knows the place well enough to show you around.

Marion	10 Dec 2002
I am not sure where that 10% number came from either. We use all of our brains. Read any article on brain activity and look at the scan images. We use it all.

allibee	10 Dec 2002
Quote: Originally posted by isthmus nekoi keep out the riff raff if need be. hehehehe, riff raff, that's what I call them too ;)

isthmus nekoi	11 Dec 2002
allibee> ;)

HudsonGray	11 Dec 2002
"I think it unfortunate that *some* people advocate "dumbing-down" to achieve more faith?" I fully agree with this too. We've got a brain & we think, philosophise & constantly try to learn more. If we run into something we can't handle, then we back away & consider it for a while or just walk away from it. I really doubt we'd go insane by 'seeing' something too spiritual! Give the brain some credit. The world would be a lot safer & better to live in if people DID think more. Dumbing down only helps those who are much slower followers by allowing them to feel ok about being too slow. It severely handicaps the ones who have the ability to race ahead & accomplish something with their own abilities. Religion should NEVER be something you're afraid of. Neither should spirituality (if a person makes any distinction between the two).

isthmus nekoi	11 Dec 2002
oh! *giggles* I should hope that *everyone* can be spiritual/religious, or question ideologies and such like, or face up to contradictions in their thinking etc w/o going nuts!! But everyone has their limits. Learning and growth comes from a willingness to challenge your limits. Wisdom comes from knowing and accepting what your limits are. Not to sound too Saturnian though! Limits can and will change ^_^

lunalafey	11 Dec 2002
..now if we where sitting in some cafe someplace and we all started chatting away about the things we throw around in here......most onlookers would consider US nuts....... so.... define insanity. My ex's mother was certified, BUT she saw the raydon(sp?) gas coming from the houses in the area. Here odd babble would sometimes give a hint into a upcoming event in the house, but forget having any conversation with her.

The More thought than we can handle thread was originally posted on 06 Dec 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.