Do we have free will

Do we have free will?

"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."

- Carl Gustave Jung - Psychiatrist/Psychoanalyst

 

What we think we know

We all know that our brain activities have 2 parts: the subconscious and the conscious.

Last year, BBC REEL ran a series of videos (sample link at the bottom of this article) on the neuroscience behind what we call free will.

Definition of Free will (according to the series): the mind/conscious controls the body.

In other words, we think that the conscious makes the decision & sends the command, and the body executes the action.

However, neuroimaging measurements (from MRI scanners) of brain activities show that scientists can predict what the participants will do up to 7 seconds before the participants consciously make the decisions.

This begs the question: how can we have free will if the unconscious brain makes the decision and all the conscious does is following that decision?

 

What new research tells us

As it turns out, there are 2 levels of decisions: picking and choosing.

Small decisions, i.e., deciding what to order from a restaurant’s menu, involves picking.

Big decisions, i.e., where to buy a house, involve choosing.

The series show there are constraints when we choose.

So, does it mean we don’t always have free will? Yes and no.

As it turns out, within the constraints, we do have some freedom.

This freedom is found within the parameters laid out by nature, society and our self-set boundaries.

There is a catch: this freedom is found with mindful thoughts.

 

Mindfulness...

So, how do we go about becoming mindful?

Well, EFT and meditation happen to be great tools to train ourselves to be mindful so we can execute our free will.

How? In addition to the numerous benefits mentioned in previous posts, research shows that EFT and meditation are effective at helping us at:

• Becoming relaxed and calm

• Desensitizing and minimizing toxic emotions

• Releasing ‘stuck’ emotions

• Weakening the associated negative beliefs underlying whatever problems we have

• Generalizing positive effect that occurs after several weeks of practice.

 

Are you ready to be mindful so you can execute your free will?

If you want to work with me to address any of the negative emotions (grief, shame, anxiety, stress, trauma, anger, PTSD, betrayal, despair, hopelessness, emotional eating, food cravings, fears, worries, etc.) click on the highlighted text, and book a free no obligation complimentary consulting session now.

 

Here's the link to an excerpt of the documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llM1ZR1htp8

 

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