I got asked this question today. And aside from the short-answer, “It is the totality of our mental functions,” I felt it an important task to go deeper on this nebulous subject.

As a hypnotherapist and tantric coach, I work intimately with the mind of others on a daily basis. It is easy to “feel” how it works, and how to change it for the benefit of its owner.

But defining it? Now that’s a different matter.

First, let’s take a look at what it is not.

The mind is not the brain. That blob of intelligent matter which serves as the central organ of the nervous system, located within our skull, is what we refer to as our brain.

You can take the brain out of a human, place it on a table, and very clearly observe what it is.

The mind however, is not so clearly defined.

To be fair, without the brain, we wouldn’t have a mind. It gives us the physical materials with which our mind works. But the two, in terms of definition, are easily separated.

The internet, that collective creation of our hive mind consciousness, defines the mind as “the abstract system of cognitive faculties that enables consciousness, perception, thinking, and memory, encompassing both conscious and unconscious processes that shape our experience of the world.”

The mind, and what exactly it is, has been a hot topic of debate ever since the caveman days. Religious and spiritual leaders, scientists, doctors, philosophers, shamans, and any others who care to dare, have waded into the waters of this basic question.

To get to know it better, let’s take a look of some of the characteristics of the mind.

I think the one that stands out the most, staring us in the face everyday, is the idea of consciousness: our ability to be aware of ourselves and observe our own existence.

Layer on top of that the “voice” inside of our head. The one nagging us and beating us up over mistakes, or perhaps urging us on with confident support.

Add in the visual mental pictures that we see like movies running through our head. Good, bad, past, present, pain, joy.

Next, consider our emotional life. The love we feel. The anger that sometimes arises. The painful memories of loss or trauma. The fond recollections of childhood or loved ones.

Mix in our intuition. That “inner knowing” that feels the path, catches a vibe from someone, or sees a trend before anyone else.

And let’s not forget memory. That unpredictable, undependable collection of images, feelings, words, smells, touches, and sounds that remind of real events in our past. And sometimes events completely made up and fabricated.

Finally, let’s dive down deep into the subconscious mind. This is the part of your mind that contains your beliefs, memories, and habitual leanings. It controls all of your bodily functions, keeps you alive while you sleep, drives the car while you daydream, and devises all the parts of you that make up your “personality.”

As a hypnotist, this is the part of the mind I world with most closely. It holds incredible leverage in the outcomes we experience in our lives. Much like turning the rudder of the boat a tiny degree, a slight change in the subconscious can be difference in your crew either landing in Africa or Antarctica!

As you can see, there is a plethora of things to consider when understanding the mind. This is why it has been so hard for the sages of the ages to pin it down and define exactly what it is.

Trying to define the mind reminds me of the old adage for electricity: “We don’t know what it is, but we know how to use it.”

Now, some would argue that the art of using our mind has become a lost one, but that is a discussion for another day.

I wish you and your mind a wonderful adventure today.

Explore and enjoy, aE

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What Is The Mind?

Andy Eversole