Five Angles of the Self

1) Mind

Thought Constellations. Central nervous system activity.

2) Body
Physical sensation. Proprioception. Interoception. (Google for details).
3) Emotion

Emotions arise in response to impersonal universal forces. Result from
activity in the amygdala, basal ganglia, and forebrain centers. Primary emotions:

a) Love (Merging)

Results of merging: joy, ecstasy, captivity, co-dependency. Operationalized by our mirror neurons.

b) Fear. Operationalized by the amygdala and basal ganglia. Controlled by forebrain centers.

Results of fear: depression, disillusionment, motivation to action, introspection resulting in creativity and dispelling of sensation of fear.

Turmoil (Conflict). Operationalized in basal ganglia. Modulated by forebrain centers.

Result of turmoil: purging, cleansing, stress, balance, learning.

4) Will
The pressure to move forward, which we feel when healthy. Depression is characterized by paucity of this drive. This drive may arise in brainstem centers, particularly the reticular activating system.

5) Spirit
The gestalt feeling of being alive….all parts summed together into the whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Operationalized in the right and left insulas.

© 2009