What is happening to humanity? Gregg Braden talks about a change that hasn't happened in 5,000 years
You wake up tired, you're irritated by nothing, you feel a restlessness that you can't explain, and you have the impression that the world around you has gone crazy. If you find yourself in this description, you are not alone. And, according to Gregg Braden, the explanation is not just about fatigue, overwork or the fast pace in which we live.
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In a recent video posted on his official YouTube channel, he claims that more and more people are experiencing these conditions due to a rare overlap of natural cycles.
It's climate change, variations in the Earth's magnetic fields, and what he calls a cycle of human conflict—three processes that, Braden says, are now aligning in a way not seen in the past 5,000 years.
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“We are living through a rare and precious moment in the history of our planet, in the history of our civilization, in the history of your nation, in the history of my nation. We are living in a convergence of natural cycles that overlap in the same time frame in a way that you and I have never seen before, because it has not happened before in 5,000 years of recorded human history.” says Gregg Braden, an American author who researches the connection between modern science and spirituality.
Of these cycles, some are already familiar and hotly debated, such as climate change. Others, however, remain outside the public conversation. An example is what Gregg Braden calls “the cycle of human conflict”, a model that he says he presented including to the United Nations.
According to him, this cycle is correlated with the variations of the magnetic fields of the Earth and the Sun – invisible factors, but with a direct impact on human behavior. “When the magnetic fields are weak, we see an increased tendency towards conflict – people become less willing to cooperate. Conversely, when these fields are stronger or stabilize, there is a greater openness to collaboration and joint solutions”he explains.
In his view, it's not just external events, but a broader energetic context that subtly influences how we think, feel and interact.
In his view, any one of these cycles would be enough in itself to change the way we live, as all three are now converging at the same time.
What happens in your body
He refers to a discovery in the 1990s: the existence of about 40,000 nerve cells in the heart, known as sensory neurites.
According to his statements, these cells are not just “supportive”but forms a small nervous system of the heart's own, capable of processing information and sending signals to the brain.
“It's not a metaphor,” he says. “These cells function similarly to neurons in the brain, but they are located in the heart and directly influence how we react to the experiences around us.”
In this logic, the heart is not just a pump, but an active processing center involved in how we sense and interpret reality.
Braden insists it's not about thinking “new age”but of concrete science. “It's solid science, but it hasn't yet been integrated into mainstream discourse. You won't see it in ordinary classrooms, in ordinary textbooks, in ordinary documentaries, because it takes time for discoveries to reach the mainstream. However, we can use these discoveries right now in our lives“, he explained.
In his opinion, even if this information is not yet widespread, it can already be applied in everyday life, especially in the way we understand our reactions and manage emotions.
Gregg Braden adds that these cells in the heart play a direct role in how the body reacts to intense emotions. He explains that in moments of shock or severe stress, the body can temporarily alter blood flow to the brain – leading to familiar sensations such as lightheadedness or momentary confusion.
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“When we receive shocking news, the body reacts instantly. The blood flow changes, and that translates into that feeling of imbalance we feel,” says this one.
In this logic, our reactions are not only mental, but also physiological—and the good news, Braden adds, is that we can learn to regulate them once we understand the mechanism behind them.
What blocks emotional recovery
Another mechanism that Gregg Braden insists on is the connection between unprocessed emotions and their direct effects on the body.
Drawing inspiration from the research of Candace Pert, the author of the book “Molecules of Emotion”he claims that every emotion triggers a chemical reaction in the body.
The problem occurs when that emotion is not processed. “When we have an emotional experience that we cannot integrate, we tend to repress it. And at that point, the associated chemical reaction is no longer released naturally“, he explains.
Instead of disappearing, this “chemical fingerprint” remains in the body. “We're very good at doing that – we store that energy in organs, in tissues or in certain body systems, usually where we associate that experience”adds Braden.
Gregg Braden also provides concrete examples to illustrate this mechanism. Specifically, it talks about people who associate deep emotions, such as loss, with the area of the heart or lungs, but also about couples who are experiencing difficulties conceiving and who might “stock” feelings of inadequacy in areas associated with this process. “It's like the body is saying: I'm going to keep this experience for you until you're ready to process it”he explains.
In this view, the body does not block emotions by chance, but them “preserve” temporarily, as a protection mechanism, not as a defect.
How to get out of a jam
Gregg Braden's solution starts from the idea of heart-brain coherence – a state in which the body and mind work at the same pace without internal tension.
In this state, he says, it becomes easier to access deeper levels of the mind and change the way you react to what you experience. An important role is played by what Braden calls “wisdom codes” – simple formulas, inspired by ancient spiritual traditions, that help you process difficult emotions.
An example comes from the Buddhist nun Rengetsu and talks about the experience of loss:
“Everything is fleeting in this world. And the hardest part is being the one left behind.”
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According to Gregg Braden, simply acknowledging this truth has a real effect on the body.
“Acknowledging the loss is the first step that allows the body to release what has been stuck and move on”he explains.
Another example comes from the Vedic texts, specifically the Katha Upanishad, and touches on one of the deepest human fears – the fear of extinction:
“The soul is neither born nor dies. It is eternal, without beginning and without end. It is not destroyed when the body disappears.”
In Braden's view, such ideas are not just philosophical concepts, but tools that can directly influence how the body handles stress and emotions.
What exactly does he propose?
Beyond “wisdom codes”Gregg Braden emphasizes one essential thing: your relationship with yourself.
The better you understand yourself, he says, the less dependent you become on what happens outside to maintain your balance.
“The better you know yourself, the less you need the world around you to define your well-being. And this is directly reflected in your health, the way you live and the way you support those around you”he explains.
Braden also emphasizes another important aspect: the ability to consciously choose how you respond to difficult experiences.
“We are the only life form that can choose to respond in a healthy way to what hurts it. And when we do that, the body literally begins to release what has been stuck.”he says.
At its heart, the idea is simple: you can't control everything that happens outside, but you can learn to control your response.
