Research Overview

In a group of studies followed up and validated over 15 years, it was shown that the brain is capable of simultaneously processing two independent streams of information, one above, the other below, consciousness.

Studies have noted that the two disconnected hemispheres, working on the same task, show indications of mutual antagonism. For example, commissurotomy patients at times would even assault with one hand and protect with the other.

It is thought that the mute non-dominant hemisphere expresses itself through our skeletal motor, autonomic, and immune systems. The psychosomatic process involves the same mechanisms as subliminal perception, indicating that influencing the mind can influence feelings, knowledge and even matter.

As individuals pass into delta brainwaves signaling sleep, their brain rhythms change from predominantly beta, to alpha, to low amplitude theta. In the hypnogogic theta state, vivid visual imagery occurs, and people are suggestible, as when hypnotized, because of a decrease in critical screening from the dominant hemisphere.

Ordinarily, individuals pass through the theta brainwave state quickly, but when remaining there, they consolidate in long term storage the material presented at that time. The material stored in this way "shows" itself in attitudinal or behavioral change afterward.

While maintaining a primarily theta state, positive reprogramming via subliminals using short, concrete, easy to understand messages seems to work quite well in changing self-image and depression as well as behavior.

Freud contended that unconscious material in a separate realm inaccessible to conscious recall or verbal expression functioned according to its own rules. It developed and pursued its own goals as ongoing, consciously-directed behavior.

Einstein showed with his equations that there is no such thing as separate space and time; that there is only space-time. Before his discovery of relativity, spatial problems and time problems were dealt with as separate. We now know that the dominant hemisphere deals with time and the right hemisphere deals with space, and that the hemispheres are joined by the corpus callosum. Optimally, this connection allows for collaboration - resulting in genius such as Einstein's.

The harmonious cooperation of the dominant hemisphere's dispassionate reality testing and disciplined decision-making functions and the non-dominant hemisphere's connection with myths, metaphors, dreams, creativity and musical ability is critical to the well-being and perhaps even survival of individuals, cultures, and even civilization itself.

See Bibliography for further study.