Do we really have free will … or are we controlled to a far greater extent than we realise by the oldest part of our brain?

Both questions are likely to be asked and then answered by our April speaker Terence Watts who makes a welcome return to the James Braid Society after a gap of several years.

His talk – entitled "The Lizard Brain – Belief and Expectation" – will be presented online via Zoom on Thursday the 15th April. The Zoom link to enable attendance at the talk will be emailed to JBS members and will also be available on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1740483139603723/?ref=ts&fref=ts

During his presentation Terence will explain how the Lizard Brain is the oldest part of the mammalian brain and has existed since long before the imposed limits of intellect and scientific thinking.

He says: "We need science to enhance our modern lives, of course, but this ancient part of the brain contains ancient neural pathways that are involved in far more of our lives than you might realise."

He will go on to address: 

• The Lizard brain, belief and expectation

• Trauma and PTSD

• Manifestation – what it really is and how to make it really work

• Ancestral influence – the effects of epigenetic transmission

• Psychic ability and spirituality   

His conclusions are, to a large extent, based on extensive work with clients plus the thousands of teaching hours provided to his students over some four decades.

In his talk he will explain also how the Lizard Braid comes from a very basic survival mechanism designed to work very rapidly. Obviously this section of mammalian brains has steadily evolved over many millions of years and might be described as "the ultimate survival kit." 

For though the reptilian brain cannot perceive complex messages it can be regarded as "the first responder" and quite possibly even be considered as the subconscious.

The extent to which our lizard brain influences our thoughts and actions is enormous, even with some people influencing their spirituality.

The extent of that influence can also raise a question as to whether, because of the speed of response, we truly have free will at all in the way we normal think about it.