The Neocortex is a Garden

The neocortex is the highest level of brain function and it is responsible for our conscious experiences and perceptions. It can be thought of as a garden where we cultivate our thoughts and feelings. Consider an orchard of thought trees. The more we water a certain tree, the taller it grows. The tallest trees in our neocortex are the ones that get the most attention. Over time, these tall trees block out sunlight from getting to other shorter trees. This feels like a metaphor but it is also true in some sense. The cortical columns in our neocortices do resemble trees and the activation potentials flowing from neuron to neuron are much like the light shining through the leaves of the trees in the forest.

Nurture your mind just as you would any other garden in your life. Don't let old thought trees prevent new ideas from growing. Pay attention to what thoughts and emotions are planting themselves in your inner landscape. Choose those that will help you grow into the person you want to be. When we pay attention to something, we water it and make it grow. Over time, these thoughts can become so dominating that they block out other thoughts that might be helpful or more accurate.

This card represents the need to tend to this inner landscape. Just as a gardener would care for their plants, you must also take care of your own mental health. When this card appears in your reading it is a sign that you should focus on self-care practices that will help you to grow and thrive. It's not so simple to weed a thought from the garden of our minds if simply paying attention to thoughts can cause them to grow. So the tools we need are those that hone and refine focus and attention. This may include things like journaling, meditation, or spending time in nature. Take care in learning these practices as they will help you grow a lush and vibrant garden of the mind.