What is the Mind?

The mind is not a structure you can see or touch — it’s not the same as the brain. Instead, your mind is the process by which you think, feel, and make choices.

Every moment you are alive, you are using your mind.

When you:

• Reflect on a memory
• Feel joy, fear, or disappointment
• Decide what to say or do next

…you are engaging your mind.

You use your mind when you speak, when you dream, when you worry, when you plan. You even use it while you’re doing nothing — because your thoughts never fully stop.

Here’s what makes it fascinating:

• You are always thinking, and when you think, you’re also feeling
• Together, thinking and feeling lead to choosing

🧠 These three — thinking, feeling, and choosing — are inseparable. They define your inner world, and shape your outer behaviour.

Whether you’re reacting to traffic, having a heartfelt conversation, or preparing for change, your mind is running the show.

And here’s the powerful truth:

You can learn to direct it.

This is the basis of mind management — not trying to control every thought, but learning to understand and influence the way your mind operates.

The Four Parts of the Mind

Understanding the four parts of the mind helps us recognise what’s happening within us — even when we’re not consciously aware of it.

Here’s how they work together:

1. Conscious Mind

“This is your present moment awareness.”

Your conscious mind is what you’re using right now as you read this. It’s the part of your mind that:

• Focuses attention
• Processes what’s happening in the moment
• Makes immediate decisions
• Responds intentionally

You can think of it as the spotlight of your awareness — it sees what you’re focusing on right now, and helps you act accordingly.

🟦 Example: You feel nervous before a meeting, so you breathe deeply and decide to speak with clarity — that’s a conscious choice.

2. Subconscious Mind

“This is the gateway — the bridge — between your conscious and nonconscious.”

The subconscious holds the emotional and physical signals that rise up into your awareness:

• A sense of dread in your stomach
• A wave of warmth when someone smiles at you
• That “gut feeling” when something doesn’t feel right

The subconscious doesn’t use language — it works through sensations, moods, and body signals. It nudges you in certain directions, even before you’re fully aware of why.

🟨 Example: You feel uneasy around someone, even though nothing obvious has happened — that signal likely comes from your subconscious.

3. Nonconscious Mind

“The vast root system of everything you’ve ever experienced.”

The nonconscious is deep and always active. It holds:

• Every experience you’ve ever had
• Emotional, physical, and informational memories
• Your belief systems and personal truths
• The “why” behind many of your behaviours

Even while you sleep, your nonconscious continues processing, sorting, and strengthening neural pathways (your “thought trees”).

🌳 Think of it as the ROOTS of your mind — deep, unseen, but always feeding your responses and shaping your perspective.

🟩 Example: You react strongly to criticism. On reflection, you realise it taps into a long-held belief formed in childhood — stored in your nonconscious.

4. Unconscious Mind

“The automatic systems and survival instincts you rarely think about.”

Often confused with the nonconscious, the unconscious refers more to:

• Reflexes and instinctive behaviours
• Biological drives (e.g. hunger, arousal, sleep)
• Autopilot reactions that have developed over time

It’s essential for your survival, but less central in mind management. Still, it plays a role — especially in patterned, automatic responses.

🟥 Example: You duck instinctively when something flies at your head — no thought required.

Summary Table: The Four Parts of the Mind