In parts one and two of "The Case of the Elusive Heart," we explored aspects of the heart's physiology. Today, we will focus on philosophy regarding matters of the heart.

All the science, research, and conjecture can define the heart's literal meaning, but what about understanding the heart from what I call a subjective perspective--that irreducible truth of lived experience, the knowledge that comes from being in a situation, not observing it from the outside.

A new story, the Cartographer of Feeling, will introduce you to two sides of the science/philosophy conversation.

During the final part of the episode, I will speak openly about my own heart and the philosophies I live by, and invite you to reflect on your own.

A commenter said, "The final portion of this podcast made me sit down and truly listen to Ellen's words, spoken gently with transparency. I urge you to listen to her words, over and over if necessary." JC

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.

When our heart breaks, is it physiologically breaking? Does our sixth sense have a role in the language of this action? The answers are yes.

In this episode, I will briefly cover the science of the heart and offer a glimpse into a topic that current scientific frameworks can't explain but that profoundly affects both heart and brain physiology.

The million-dollar question: What comes first? The heart or the brain?

Rigorous science gives way to profound mystery. The 'knowings', the inexplicable moments that millions of people experience. These are not dismissible. They're too consistent, too widespread, too deeply woven into human experiences across all cultures and time.

Part two of our story will find Dr. George Harris and Dr. Regina Abbott moving forward with the release of their data.

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.

The heart beats over 100,000 times a day, pumping blood through roughly 60,000 miles of vessels. When we fall in love, feel grief, or experience joy, we don't say, "My brain aches" or "My amygdala swells", we say my heart breaks, soars, fills, or shatters.

How is it that these three-pound mechanical muscles control our emotional language?

Join me for a little science and a little fiction in this three-part series--The Matters of the Heart.

Were the ancient physicians and philosophers ahead of their time, sensing something that research is now confirming: the heart thinks, feels, and remembers. It's not just a metaphor; it's biology becoming poetry.

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.

Counterfactual logic and reasoning. What exactly is this? Simply put, it is the brain's way of sorting out what-if scenarios.

Understanding how our brain works might not provide the answers we seek. Sure, the scans, research, and solid scientific data support the brain's physiology, guiding us in specific directions. Does our brain truly work that fast, or is it something else entirely?

Perhaps it's more about that uncanny gut feeling that seems to be there, the one that feels right despite our actions to do otherwise?

Listen to the science, then the tale.

You be the judge.

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.

Have you ever had that uncanny sensation of having experienced a current situation before, even though you know rationally that you haven't?

Deja vu, French for 'already seen', is an ongoing debate between science and science fiction. Because of its brief and elusive occurrence, Deja vu still baffles the medical community to this day.

Once considered 'spooky science' by Albert Einstein, the reality of this phenomenon persists despite the inability to 'diagnose it' or research it. Earlier medicine claimed that Deja vu typically preceded epileptic seizures, but there are many people who experience this and are not epileptic, which is not to say the research is wrong; it's just narrow in its breadth.

Most electrical impulses that pass through the various brain compartments are responsible for several physiological reactions to outside stimuli. Deja vu presents a different type of stimulus, one that lasts only seconds, but gives pause for thought, perhaps making us feel that the experience is beyond the threshold of what science can prove.

Let's face it, we don't use a majority of our brain--perhaps there are regions yet to be discovered. If you've ever listened to the podcast Hidden Brain, hosted by Shankar Vedantam, you will find compelling data that delves into this very subject.

Our next episode (#5) will continue the thread of 'coincidence'. The fictional story uses quantum mechanical concepts as a springboard for exploring how we find meaning in coincidence.

Is it truly fate?

Or coincidence?

This subject will segue into the following podcast (#6), which will take a deeper dive into Counterfactual Logic and Reason.

Stay tuned!

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Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding us to your playlists and downloads. You can find out more about Ellen Bennett https://www.thegatewaystoryteller.com

Remember: The gateway is always open. You just have to walk through.

Have you ever walked into a room and felt an overwhelming urge to leave immediately? The science behind this phenomenon reveals that our brain acts as a self-protection system, specifically designed to detect potential physical safety threats in our immediate environment. This isn't just a modern psychological theory--it's a well-documented reality! When your brain detects a potential threat, it triggers a series of neurophysiological responses that reorganize resources and focus your attention, helping to keep you safe. Consider the survival strategies of our ancient ancestors. Eat or be eaten!

Today, we sense this urge as gut feelings, which refer to the intuitive act of making quick decisions based on limited sensory input. The question of whether we act on them or not becomes a matter of hindsight.

The gateway is open, let's walk through together.

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.

What happens when we think we are being watched? The spine-tingling, hair-raising knowledge that no one is in sight, but we know something is there.

Studies indicate that when we feel we're being watched, our brains don't just notice — they switch into full security mode. There is a widespread neural network dedicated solely to the process of gaze.

The fine line between what our brain does scientifically and what happens when the sixth sense kicks in isn't very different — one is happening in real time, while the other exists in a suspended world where the brain continues to interpret what the eyes perceive, and vice versa.

Join me today at the gateway, where fiction touches on science, and the extraordinary lies just beneath the surface of the everyday.

Have you ever had the feeling that something is 'off' or 'wrong' the moment you walk into a building? If so, you're not alone, and you're certainly not 'odd' or quirky. Your nervous system is working as it should; it could be a warning about structural issues with the building, or something else entirely. But it's real.

Let's face it, we are sentient beings--there is no escaping that!

In the Gateway Storyteller podcasts, you'll find fiction touching on science. Each episode will open the gateway to experiences that we've all felt at one point in time or another. What matters is how you approach it: with curiosity rather than fear, with thoroughness rather than assumptions, and with openness rather than rigid conclusions.

The gateway is open.

Let's walk through together.

Your host--

Ellen Bennett

The Gateway Storyteller

Support the show

Thank you for enjoying The Gateway Storyteller. Consider adding me to your playlists and downloads. To hear all the episodes, find me at https://thegatewaystoryteller.buzzsprout.com

Like what you hear? Your financial consideration is greatly appreciated, and it helps to keep the research and recording moving forward.

Remember: The gateway is always open. Let's walk through...together.