The Gut Brain

Sep 12, 2008, The Fire is at the Core

I have been teaching a lot about the core lately. When I say the core, I do mean the anatomical core - the inner and outer musculature of the torso region. I also mean a place within you, both physical and metaphysical, that is a place of entry to a vaster, truer knowledge of the self.

You have probably heard of the enteric nervous system, or "Gut Brain." It is sometimes called the Second Brain, although I have read that it goes back further in time than the brains in our heads. That feels right to me, as the gut is where we find a depth of knowing that goes beyond our capacity to reason, or to analyze. Science has discovered that the enteric nervous system is responsible for all the workings of digestion, and also that is is related to feelings of stress, and depression, and the fight or flight response. Human experience, and the tradition of yoga, tell us that in our gut is where we connect to our truth, to our intuition, and to our instinct. It is here where we are guided to our right path by an intrinsic longing to be at once connected, and free.

Sometimes this place is referred to as the center, and people who are in touch with this deep intelligence are said to be "centered." They remember who they are even when life's circumstances have them twisting in a hundred directions at once. They remember who they are at the core.

I'm not sure how it fits into tapas, but the yoga tradition tells us that the "pot" (kumbaka) of the core is where we find the belly fire. Also called agni (agni also just means fire), this is the fire that fuels our appetites - for food, for experience, for fulfillment. It can also burn us up, as when our emotions get our stomachs tied into knots. Left unchecked this fire can be quite destructive. What comes to my mind today are the tragic events of September 11th.

As for the gut brain connection, fire also sheds light, and understanding our desires can bring clarity to the motivations and agendas of the enteric brain. I remember Desiree Rumbaugh giving advice to a mutual friend who was anxious about a conflict in her life. She looked at our friend and said - "Pull into your gut. What does your gut say?" I learned from Desiree that balancing strength and softness in the core body helps to bring awareness there, so we can receive the signals of this deep intelligence before the fire gets out of hand.

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