What is the mind? This many seem like an easy question, but, in fact, you may be at a loss for words when asked to define what the mind actually is. But this shouldn’t worry you too much-some of the greatest thinkers in history-from Plato to Kant to Sartre- have struggled to determine the workings of the human mind.
So is the mind your brain? Your feelings? Your ability to act as an agent in the world? Depending on culture, religion, or philosophical mode of thinking, the mind can be understood as all, none or some of these things. In psychology, however, the mind is generally agreed to be a set of certain cognitive faculties, originating in the brain, which work in tandem to allow humans (as well as animals) to think, judge, remember, perceive and above all live in a state of (sub)consciousness.
In psychoanalysis, beginning with Freud and Jung, the mind is usually divided into both the conscious and the subconscious:
• Conscious mind: All of the thoughts, actions, feelings, perceptions and beliefs that we are aware of.
• Subconscious mind: All of the thoughts, actions, feelings, perceptions and beliefs that are lodged in our memories or that exist in our minds without us being aware of them. Very often, the content of the subconscious mind appears during dreaming.
Psychoanalysis generally maintains that human beings are very often shaped and controlled by the content of their subconscious-rather than conscious-minds. Psychoanalytic therapy practices, such as hypnotherapy, very often target the subconscious mind in an effort to reveal its content to a patient so that he or she can resolve the conflicts lodged there (false beliefs, negative attitudes, destructive habits) in order to obtain a more psychologically integrated, healthy life.
Despite massive amounts of research, there is still so little we know about the mind and its power; indeed, as the old medical adage goes: human beings only use 10% of their brains. In this series of articles, then, we are going to take a closer look at the mind with respect to its potential vis-à-vis two important psychoanalytic practices: hypnotherapy and NLP. So if you are interested in learning more about your mind’s potential for healing and growth, stay tuned.
The human mind is a mysterious and powerful thing-but once you learn how to use it, you can bring health and healing to your life on so many levels. To learn more about how, visit trimslimhypnosis.com or get involved in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7850668