The Conscious vs. the Subconscious Mind

 To unleash our full creativity, we must make sure we understand how our subconscious mind interacts in the creative process. (The relationship between the conscious and subconscious mind is summarized in a table at the bottom of this page).

 We do our thinking with the conscious mind. For many of us, that's the only brain-activity we do. But, every once in a while, nature throws us a curve, and we mysteriously get a far better solution than we could ever consciously create. The subconscious has just stepped on the scene.

 "Wow!" we exclaim. "I'd like to think like that more often!" That's what this lesson is about.

Squelching the Subconscious Mind

 The subconscious mind is easily dominated and quieted. Your conscious mind can work all day on a problem your subconscious mind has already solved. If you don't give your subconscious mind a chance to speak up, you will continue working much longer than you need to.

 So, how do you get the subconscious mind to speak up? Take the conscious mind out of the driver's seat by going out to play, sleeping or exercising.

Unlocking Memory

 It has been said that everything you have ever sensed is stored in the incredible storehouse of your brain. Unfortunately, between your conscious brain (the "master") and the storehouse lies a rather undisciplined keeper of the records, your subconscious.

To illustrate this relationship between Master and Undisciplined Keeper, suppose you meet an old friend, but you've forgotten his first name. Your conscious mind orders the keeper of the records to find that name. But, nothing happens, as far as you can tell. Through the rest of your day, no name comes to mind. You go to sleep. Unbeknownst to you, the keeper of the records has been wandering through the vast storehouse trying to find that name. The keeper's random access to your memory is more random than accessing, but finally, at 3 a.m. in the morning, the name is found! You are jolted awake, the name is thrown at you, and all record of the search is destroyed! If you wait until morning, without writing the name down, you probably will have forgotten the name and have to request the search all over.

So, one of the functions of the subconscious is to find things.

Serious Play

 Another function of the human subconscious is to tinker or play. Your conscious mind can work on a problem for hours without finding a solution. Frustrated, or out of time, your conscious mind gives up, allowing you to go to sleep, have some recreation, or participate in some activity unrelated to this problem solving. The room in your mind where the conscious mind worked on the pieces of the puzzle appears empty. Then, the door creaks open, and in walks this sloppily dressed, casual, tinkering subconscious mind. Where your conscious mind worked earnestly your tinkerer plays, combining the pieces of the puzzle, sometimes haphazardly, sometimes with curious intent. He might even gather more data from the storehouse your conscious mind never thought to ask for.

Logic Isn't Everything

 "A rose by any other name is still a rose." In reality, though, a name often does make a difference. To many men, "logic" means truth, justice and freedom, but all else is… not worth talking about. However, the sequential, verifiable process of thinking ("logic") is not the only way of discovery. The subconcious mind operates in a nonlogical way, and we can use that to our advantage.

 Whereas the subconscious mind is the keeper of memories, the conscious mind is the keeper of realities. The subconscious mind lives in a central room with no windows out into the world. Therefore, whatever the conscious feeds it, the subconscious accepts as reality.

 "You're stupid!" "You're not creative!" "You'll never accomplish anything!" If that's all the subconscious ever hears, that's reality! Putting down the subconscious is a terrible thing to do. Why not rather lift it to higher goals?

 This world has yet to see the full power and capability that God has packed into the human brain. I say the following not to brag, but to make a point. I am constantly amazed that my subconscious can create valuable ideas when I read material in which I have no expertice. When my conscious mind starts evaluating these ideas, some are garbage, but some are real gems. These gems give me the courage to creatively venture into other fields for which I have no training or experience. Don't limit yourself to just the areas for which you are "qualified."

Summary

Conscious Subconscious
Generally in control Takes over when the conscious steps aside
Goes to sleep Never sleeps
Gives orders to the subconscious Undependable servant
Logical Nonlogical

    Believes everything it is told

    Obeys illogical orders
Does not directly control memory Storehouse of all you have ever sensed

    -- Records important and unimportant

    -- Like a computer, it only retrieves or manipulates what is given to it (can't read Russian unless it is taught)
Conscious mental activity shuts down the subconscious Insight received during rest, relaxation, recreation or upon awakening

 

Driver's Seat: That is, dismiss the conscious mind from the task of solving that problem.

Storehouse: Dr. Addy, of the UCLA Brain Research Lab, stated, "For all intents and purposes, the capacity of the human system to store information is infinite. The brain has 10-20 billion neuron cells, each with 1-2 billion bits of information." That's approximately equivalent to a 5 trillion megabyte hard disk! Now, at 10 cents/megabyte, that's worth $500 million!

Tinker or Play: Jung said that dreaming is the play of the subconscious mind. Most of us dismiss the play of the subconscious once the sun comes up. What a terrible loss!

Recreation: Note that the root word is "creation."