7 amazing secrets that your subconscious is hiding from you!

Soul Compass
11 min readNov 25, 2023

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Today, we’re unlocking the vault to the most mysterious territory within you: your Subconscious Mind. Hold on tight, because what you’ll learn might just transform the way you see yourself. Let’s dive right in.

1. The Enigma of Storage Capacity.

What if I told you that 95% of your brain’s activity operates under the radar, in the shadowy realm of the subconscious? Imagine having a library as extensive as the Internet, and only visiting the first page.

Have you ever wondered why you can remember the lyrics of a song from 10 years ago but easily forget where you placed your keys just an hour ago? What if I told you that your brain has the storage capacity of almost 1,000 terabytes — that’s about 100 times the size of the U.S. Library of Congress! Even with such immense capacity, why do we forget?

Here’s the spooky part: around 95% of your brain’s activities are not in your immediate conscious awareness; they are controlled by your subconscious. Imagine a vault of thoughts, memories, and skills that you don’t regularly access but are integral to your existence — stored safely, but mysteriously in the realm of your subconscious mind.

This mind-boggling storage ability has both scientific and mysterious elements. Scientifically, your brain is structured to hold an astonishing amount of data, thanks to its approximately 100 billion neurons, each making around 10,000 synapses. These connections serve as the foundation for your mind’s colossal storage capability.

However, the mysterious aspect of this lies in how our subconscious mind selectively filters which information to surface to our conscious mind and when. It’s almost as if your subconscious mind has its own agenda, revealing or concealing information as it deems fit. Ever experienced déjà vu? Or a sudden flashback to a seemingly random moment in your past? That’s your subconscious mind at work.

So the next time you forget where you put your keys, don’t blame it solely on your forgetfulness. Perhaps, your subconscious mind is just too busy handling more ‘important’ data. And remember, the power of your subconscious mind is an enigma, a riddle that even modern neuroscience is still striving to fully understand.

2. Stranger Than Fiction.

Ever had a random thought or image flash through your mind? It might be more significant than you think. Neuroscientists call these “intrusive thoughts,” and they might just be messages from the deeper recesses of your psyche.

You might have heard of something called “confirmation bias.” This is a psychological phenomenon where you’re more likely to believe information that confirms your existing beliefs. Sounds straightforward, right? But what if I told you that your subconscious mind not only influences what information you accept but also what information you even encounter?

That’s right — your subconscious mind is continually working in the background, shaping your interests, hobbies, and even the type of people you meet. While this may seem purely scientific, it veers into the realm of the uncanny when you consider phenomena like synchronicity. Ever thought of someone you haven’t spoken to in years, only to receive a call from them moments later? What may appear to be coincidence could be your subconscious mind pulling the strings in the background, affecting not just how you perceive the world, but also how the world comes to you.

Let’s add a layer of complexity with cognitive dissonance. This is the mental discomfort you experience when holding two conflicting beliefs or values. While you may consciously want to change a bad habit, it’s your subconscious mind that keeps you rooted in the old ways. It’s almost as if there’s a science fiction-like internal struggle between two versions of yourself.

Then, there’s the topic of dreams — perhaps one of the most mysterious functions of the subconscious mind. While you sleep, your subconscious takes over, generating worlds, stories, and scenarios that can be bizarre, terrifying, or downright inexplicable. Is it merely random neuron firing, as some scientists claim, or could it be your subconscious mind trying to communicate something crucial to you, in a language only it understands?

To sum up, your subconscious mind is an intricate, enigmatic force that shapes your reality in ways that are sometimes logical, often unpredictable, and always stranger than fiction. Understanding it may require a blend of science and an open mind for the inexplicable. Who knows? The next inexplicable ‘coincidence’ you experience could be a message from the depths of your subconscious.

3. The Silent Body Language.

Imagine walking into a room and instantly feeling that something is ‘off’ — you can’t put your finger on it, but you know it’s there. You’re picking up on the silent body language, the symphony of non-verbal cues that your subconscious mind decodes within seconds. While you’re consciously busy evaluating what people are saying, your subconscious mind is reading their posture, facial expressions, and gestures to give you a deeper, and often more accurate, understanding of their true feelings or thoughts.

Let’s get a little more mysterious. Have you ever felt a sudden ache or pain and couldn’t figure out its cause? Some researchers and doctors propose that these unexplained physical symptoms might be your subconscious mind trying to alert you to unresolved emotional or psychological issues. While science doesn’t fully understand this phenomenon, there’s evidence to suggest that our mental state can indeed influence our physical well-being.

Now, think about intuition, often referred to as a “gut feeling.” It’s that inexplicable sense that something is right or wrong, without a rational explanation. This too is a form of silent body language; your subconscious mind has pieced together various subtle cues and sent you a visceral bodily response as a form of communication. It bypasses rational thought and speaks directly through feelings — a nudge, a discomfort, a tension.

But it gets even stranger. Have you ever considered that you are also constantly broadcasting your own silent body language? Even when you think you’re masking your true feelings perfectly, small involuntary movements, known as ‘micro-expressions,’ can give you away. These are often so quick and subtle that people don’t consciously notice them, but their subconscious will pick up the cues.

In conclusion, the silent body language orchestrated by your subconscious mind is a complex, almost mystical, form of communication that operates below the threshold of your conscious awareness. This enigmatic code holds the power to unlock deeper layers of human interaction, emotion, and even hidden desires or fears. So, the next time you get that ‘gut feeling,’ pay attention — it might be your subconscious mind trying to tell you something profoundly important.

4. Blurring Reality and Imagination.

Your subconscious doesn’t distinguish well between reality and imagination. To demonstrate this, researchers found that simply imagining playing the piano activated the same brain regions as actually playing it! Think about that the next time you find yourself lost in a daydream.

Picture this: You’re engrossed in a movie, and you find yourself gasping, crying, or even screaming at the events unfolding on the screen. Though your conscious mind knows it’s all make-believe, your subconscious reacts as if it were real. Your heart rate speeds up; you might even perspire. It’s almost as if your subconscious mind can’t differentiate between cinematic storytelling and real-life events. But why does this happen?

Here comes the scientific mystery. Neuroimaging studies have suggested that when you visualize doing something and when you actually do it, similar areas of the brain are activated. This discovery blurs the boundaries between the imagined and the real in a way that’s both exciting and a bit disconcerting. Could it be that our subconscious mind resides in a perpetual ‘present,’ unable to differentiate between imagination and reality?

Let’s add another layer of intrigue: Dreams. When you dream, your subconscious mind takes over, constructing realities that can feel as vivid as waking life. You might even find solutions to real-world problems within these dreams, as if your subconscious mind has been mulling over them while you were consciously unaware. Some mystics and shamans even propose that dreams could be alternative realities that our spirit visits. While that’s more speculative, it highlights just how little we understand about the interplay between reality and the imagined worlds our minds can create.

And then, there are fears and phobias. Your subconscious might trigger a severe reaction to something that symbolizes a past traumatic experience, even if you’re perfectly safe in the present moment. Your conscious mind knows you’re not in danger, but try telling that to your racing heart and sweaty palms.

So, where does this leave us? In a domain where the lines between reality and imagination are not just blurred but continually shifting. Our subconscious minds operate under different rules, often defying logic and reason. And while this can be disorienting, it’s also what makes the human psyche so endlessly fascinating. Your subconscious mind may not always distinguish between the real and the imagined, but it’s in that blurry, overlapping space that some of the most profound insights into our fears, desires, and hidden depths can be found.

5. The Midnight Workshop.

While you’re sleeping, your subconscious mind is hard at work, processing the day’s experiences and storing memories. Ever woken up with a sudden realization or solution to a problem? That’s your subconscious doing overtime while you’re in dreamland.

Firstly, let’s deal with the scientific basis for this. Neuroscientists have discovered that when you sleep, particularly during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) phase, your brain is almost as active as it is when you are awake. Why is that? What could possibly demand such computational firepower when you’re not even conscious? The answer is a tapestry of maintenance activities, problem-solving, and perhaps even a bit of creativity.

Your subconscious takes this “midnight shift” to organize the day’s experiences, filter out the unnecessary information, and integrate what’s important into long-term memory. If your day involved learning a new skill, this is when that information gets solidified. Imagine your subconscious as an archivist working diligently through the night, sorting, cataloguing, and even decoding complex emotional or intellectual problems you’ve been wrestling with.

But there’s a more mystical layer to this. Some would say that your subconscious mind — in this midnight workshop — is also where you connect with something deeper, something more universal. Whether you call it the collective unconscious, a spiritual realm, or even an alternate reality, there’s a sense that your individual mind taps into a greater reservoir of knowledge, wisdom, or understanding. Have you ever woken up with a sudden solution to a problem you’ve been grappling with for days? Or perhaps a dream that was so vivid, so filled with symbolic or actual answers, that you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d been given secret knowledge?

The enigmatic blend of science and mysticism in understanding the subconscious mind’s activities during sleep serves as a reminder that we are far from having all the answers. Whether it’s synaptic pruning, emotional regulation, or some form of existential exploration, “The Midnight Workshop” of your subconscious remains an engrossing enigma that challenges the boundaries of what we know and understand. It also leaves us pondering what incredible insights or creations we might awaken to find after a night in this mysterious workshop.

6. Present Moment Illusion.

Your subconscious mind lives only in the present moment. That instant urge to eat that piece of chocolate, or take a risky decision? That’s your subconscious talking, ignoring the consequences that your conscious mind worries about.

Ah, the “Present Moment Illusion” — a captivating notion that dances at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and perhaps a touch of existential philosophy. We often hear phrases like “live in the moment” or “be present,” but have you ever considered that your subconscious mind operates almost exclusively in the present moment?

Scientifically speaking, our brains are wired to continuously evaluate a flood of sensory inputs and internal signals. We’re bombarded with millions of bits of data every second. While the conscious mind sifts through memories and plans for the future, the subconscious mind is busy reacting to immediate stimuli. It doesn’t worry about tomorrow’s meeting or the past conversation you wish you’d handled differently; it’s more concerned with your current heartbeat, the feel of the air against your skin, or an abrupt sound in your environment. Its calculations are meant for right here, right now.

But what makes this a tantalizing illusion? The subconscious mind’s focus on the present can sometimes trick the conscious mind into giving more weight to immediate concerns, leading to impulsive actions or emotional reactions. Ever had the urge to eat something you know you shouldn’t, but it feels as if your hand has a mind of its own? That’s your subconscious pulling the strings, guided by millennia of evolutionary programming to seize the immediate reward.

Furthermore, there is a philosophical aspect to consider. Eastern philosophies like Buddhism emphasize the importance of being ‘mindful’ or existing fully in the ‘now.’ But what if your subconscious is naturally attuned to the ‘now,’ constantly reacting and adapting, and it’s actually your conscious mind that has to be trained to stay in the present?

The “Present Moment Illusion” also extends to how we interpret and interact with the world. Our brain’s sensory apparatus, including visual and auditory processing, actually has a tiny lag — what you’re consciously experiencing as “now” has already occurred milliseconds ago. Your subconscious mind patches these milliseconds together and creates the illusion of a continuous, seamless present moment.

So, the next time you’re urged to “live in the moment,” consider this complex tapestry of neurology and psychology that weaves together your experience of ‘now.’ It’s a fascinating realm where science and perhaps even spirituality interlace, leaving us to ponder what it really means to exist in the present.

7. The Unspoken Language.

The subconscious communicates not through words, but through feelings and images. This is why some of your dreams may feel emotionally intense, even if they don’t make logical sense.

“The Unspoken Language” delves into the rich tapestry of nonverbal communication that is orchestrated largely by our subconscious minds. This is a realm where words are silent, but intentions are loud; where the flicker of an eye, the tilt of a head, or the stance of a body can speak volumes. It’s a language so deeply embedded in our evolutionary past that sometimes we’re not even consciously aware we’re using it or reacting to it.

In scientific terms, your brain is constantly interpreting a staggering array of nonverbal cues. These cues inform you about other people’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions before your conscious mind has even formulated a thought about them. Studies in psychology and neuroscience suggest that a significant portion of human communication is nonverbal. Some estimates claim as much as 70% to 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues. This subconscious ‘lexicon’ includes everything from facial expressions and body posture to tone of voice and eye contact.

However, there’s a compelling mystery here: How do we ‘know’ what these nonverbal cues mean? Why does a clenched fist universally signal anger or preparedness for combat? Why does a genuine smile generate an almost immediate sense of warmth and openness? This instinctual understanding harks back to ancient survival mechanisms. Being able to swiftly interpret these cues would have been invaluable for our ancestors, from identifying threats to fostering social bonds.

What’s even more fascinating is that this unspoken language is not solely a human phenomenon. Many other species in the animal kingdom communicate using intricate nonverbal signals, implying that this method of communication is even more fundamental to life than we might realize. The universality of certain facial expressions and gestures across different cultures further adds to the enigma.

The subconscious mind also uses this unspoken language to send you signals. Ever had a “gut feeling” about someone or something? That’s your subconscious mind picking up on inconsistencies between verbal and nonverbal communication, or perhaps recognizing patterns that you’ve encountered before but haven’t consciously processed.

So, the next time you walk into a room, consider this: conversations have already begun before anyone has spoken a word. In that fleeting moment, judgments are made, alliances are formed, and statuses are established — all in the intricate, unspoken dialect that both reveals and conceals what we truly feel and think.

As science continues to unravel the complexities of the brain and human behavior, who knows what new layers of this silent discourse we’ll uncover. Perhaps one day we’ll even find ways to become fluent speakers of this unspoken language, enhancing our connections and enriching our understanding of one another.

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