Analyzing Amygdala

On the basis of your experiences, the amygdala creates emotional memories without necessarily your awareness. 

The happiness and unhappiness of the rational, social animal depends not on what he feels but on what he does; just as his virtue and vice consist not in feeling but in doing. – Marcus Aurelius

Amygdala:

1. Extremely ancient structure 
   1. Rely on preprogrammed responses
   2. Preprogrammed evolutionary 
      1. Prone to interpret situations as dangerous such as the risk of rejection by a group of observers comes from the ancient fear of being rejected by one’s clan
2. Crucial to understand the protector-central goal
3. Essential to be aware of the ability to take charge 
4. Conductor of an orchestra, controlling many different reactions in the brain and body
5. Exquisitely sensitive to what happens and responds to specific experiences 
6. Capable of reacting on the basis of its own emotional memories 
7. Does not need cortex-based memories
8. Constantly learning and changing on day-to-day experiences 

Important to recognize that using your cortex to convince yourself that the situation isn’t dangerous is not effective or work

If all emotions are common coin, then what is unique to the good man? To welcome with affection what is sent by fate. Not to stain or disturb the spirit within him with a mess of false beliefs. – Marcus Aurelius

Emotional Memories:

1. Different Memory Systems
2. Made by the Lateral Nucleus in the Amygdala through the association process 
   1. Creates emotional memories based on your experiences 
   2. Store emotional memories – Cortex has no knowledge of its origin
3. May or may not remember because the memory system in the cortex is completely separate 
4. It makes you conscious of discomfort, fear or dread 
5. Lead you to respond to certain objects or situations as if they are dangerous 
6. Isn’t stored as an image or verbal information – hard to recognize 

Associate with those who will make a better person of you. Seneca 

The language of the Amygdala is emotions – Anxiety, Danger and safety – which is based on experience, an associations-based method of communication between the amygdala and the outside world. The language is based on creating connections between neurons, quick action and response – You experience amygdala-based memory directly as an emotional state- The activation causes the heart rate to increase, pupils to dilate, muscles to tense, energized body to be ready for action.

to investigate and analyze, with understanding and logic, the principles we ought to live by. Not to display anger or other emotions. To be free of passion and yet full of love – Marcus Aurelius