In 1991 Dr. Andrew Armor discovered that the heart also has its intrinsic cardiac nervous system. This so-called heart brain has an intricate network of more than 40,000 different neurons and neurotransmitters that enable it to act, learn, remember, and feel independently.
The presence of neural connections is a scientific indicator of the presence of a brain and with the help of today’s advanced technology we can monitor the neural activity in the various parts of our body. From this we can deduce that humans have three brains:
• The head brain, also called the encephalic brain, is responsible for analysing, interpreting, and processing information. It serves as the seat of our imagination, perception, and cognitive faculties.
• The heart brain, or cardiac nervous system, plays a crucial role in emotional processing. This is where our feelings and values find shelter.
• The abdominal brain, or enteric nervous system, is at the helm of our actions. This is where our identity and deepest intuition meet.
The existence and importance of these three brains has been known for centuries in Taoism and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In Western society however, this realization only came quite recently, and there is a growing awareness of the importance of a proper balance and harmonious cooperation between these brains, not only for the sake of our health, but also for the full use and development of our human intelligence.
In our upcoming lunch, Christoffel Sneijders will tell us more about this, and he will explain how we can optimize the cooperation between our brains, improving our management and leadership skills.
Christoffel holds a Master in Certified Coaching and is Supervisor of the International Coaching Federation. Acclaimed 3 Brains Coach, International Speaker, and author of the book “Relationships? Which brain is Talking?”
He is also a highly valued member of our Dutch Business Club in Madrid.
I look forward to meeting you again at the Haciendas Warehouse on September the 12th, for our monthly drink, lunch, and inspiring discussion.
