This is a question that a lot of people find themselves asking quite often. Sometimes we find ourselves in repetitive patterns that despite how much work we think we have done ourselves we find ourselves in that similar scenario and reaction that we did not want to do or be.
In the Path through the Jungle Steve Peters outlines for us a format of how to begin to address these patterns and become aware and implement a plan of action. He begins with identifying three major components of how the mind process an external stimulus . They are :
The Chimp System
The Chimp is a primitive system in the brain which you do not control. The Chimp can think for itself and works with drives and instincts for surviving in the jungle. The Chimp’s basis for thinking is its feelings and impressions of the world; it is emotionally driven, impulsive, and quick to react.
The Computer System
The Computer is a reference source for both the Human and Chimp. It stores their beliefs about what is right and important in the world. The Computer also stores memories, providing advice from past experience. Whilst it does not think for itself, the Computer can be programmed to take action in certain circumstances, making it the fastest system in the brain
The Human System
The Human is the conscious thinking system in the brain – it is you. Only you can decide how you would like to be in life and how you would like to live your life. The human’s basis for thinking therefore is facts and logic, which can take time to piece together.
If you look at each of these components we can see that the chimp is the reactionary mind in action while the human deals with the facts and the computer is just that a machine that has been programmed with certain thoughts that have led to certain behaviors in the past and therefore relays the information back and thus we have a response. So what we see here is the importance of what is in the computer and the need to reprogram it so that we are responding from the accurate place we want to respond. I feel this metaphorical description of the mind is helpful because i was able to see how it worked in my own life as i began to read this book. I had an emotional reaction and immediately what came up for me was the question am I in chimp mode or human mode and I found it extremely helpful in shifting my decision on how to react to a particular situation.
The first thing to do is identify who is that person you want to be . Take time to sit down and write that ideal version of yourself that you have been striving for for quite some time. Then have that description somewhere where you can read on a daily basis and better yet several times throughout your day. This is how you begin to reprogram your computer. Once you have been able to do this you will be able to identify when the chimp is in action. Then you can ask yourself questions like ” Do I want to feel like this/”or “do I want to behave in such a manner?” Helpful questions to ask are ” what is the plan? ” notice how asking yourself those questions right now makes you feel ? There is a sense of choice and alternative options when you engage i this kind of questioning and when you do that opens the door to so any other possibilities.
Professor Steve Peters embarks us on an exiting journey through A Path through the Jungle through examples and very concrete exercises to help us manage our chimps and reprogram the commuter so we can respond from our human perspective
Maria Jacques.