Can You Hear Me Now?

From the Idiosyncradeck Tarot, the Knight of Swords; from the Mixed Emotions deck, 'Afraid:'

          This Knight is honest to the point of bluntness, using logic that can make him seem unfeeling. But sometimes it takes the cold, hard facts to cut through those cozy cocoons we hide in. On the plus side, this Knight's sword is grounded, suggesting he's got evidence to back up his ideas. He wants to get to the root of the problem, not just debate the issue. The Afraid card reminds me of something I recently heard psychologist Nicole Currivan speak about. The prefrontal cortex is the part of our brain used for reasoning, planning and processing new information. Our limbic system is responsible for emotions and formation of memory; part of this system is the amygdala, responsible for our 'fight or flight' response. Perceived threats or a high level of stress lights up the amygdala, and it can shut down the prefrontal cortex completely. Basically, people having an emotional surge are unable to think straight. They become incapable of listening to and understanding reason because the prefrontal cortex has been blocked. Knowing our personal triggers and mindfully working with them can be helpful. In speaking with others, calm, respectful conversations will likely have more of an impact.