We've all experienced moments when a specific detail, such as a name or a word, eludes our memory. While we can actively search our minds for this information, there are times when these episodic memories pop into our awareness unexpectedly, as if from nowhere. This phenomenon suggests the presence of a regulatory mechanism that controls the spontaneous recall of information, given that these sudden recollections don't happen every time a potential reminder comes our way. Research has shown that an inability to recall information in such a spontaneous manner is linked to decreased activity in certain brain regions known as the Default Mode Network (DMN). This indicates that a decrease in activity within the DMN can prevent irrelevant memories from surfacing in our consciousness. So, the next time you're struggling to recall where you've placed your keys, it might help to stop actively trying to remember, allowing the DMN to relax, which could unexpectedly bring the memory to the forefront of your mind. 

This fact could explain why deep trance identification helps in learning a new language. As the DMN is self referencing it blocks informations not related to the self. But if we identificate with the language we want to learn blockage will be less.

The Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain functions like a vigilant guardian, subtly tuning into our surroundings while we're lost in thought. It's like having a background app running, always ready to alert us to anything new or out of the ordinary.
The default mode functions may be brought under conscious control and direction, potentially through the interface of mental processes that allow access to otherwise unconscious mentation, such as altered states, meditation, or hypnotic trance states.
Here's how this network helps us navigate life, illustrated with everyday examples:

• As a Sentinel: Imagine you're reading a book in a quiet park. Unfocused on your surroundings, the DMN is still at work, scanning the environment. It's the reason you might look up from your book if a dog barks suddenly or someone calls your name. This vigilance helps you react quickly to changes around you, ensuring your safety.

• Self-Projection: The DMN allows us to mentally transport ourselves to different times and places. For example:

  • Episodic Memory: While looking at an old photo, you're suddenly transported back to your childhood home, recalling a specific birthday party in vivid detail. With hypnosis we can deactivate the DMN and recover memories long forgotten 

  • Navigation: Planning a route in your mind before you start a journey, picturing each turn and landmark along the way. With hypnosis we can "mentally rehearse" a path. In some way we are modifying the DMN

  • Prospection: Daydreaming about your next vacation, imagining the sights, sounds, and experiences awaiting you. With hypnosis we can "Mental Dream"

  • Theory of Mind: Watching a friend's facial expression change and understanding they're upset even before they speak, by putting yourself in their shoes. This prospection is in fact influenced by our past associations. The DMN most of the time represents in reality ourself inside the other person reacting as we react

• Life Simulations: The DMN plays scenarios in your mind, like when you rehearse an upcoming job interview, imagining both the questions you might be asked and your responses. These mental rehearsals help solidify your sense of self and prepare you for future interactions.

• Adaptive Predictions: Consider when you hear a weather forecast predicting rain. The DMN uses your past experiences of rainy days to remind you to carry an umbrella. If it turns out to be sunny instead, your DMN adjusts, using this new information to refine future predictions.

• Social Cognition and Empathy: The DMN enables us to understand others intuitively. If you see someone wince after touching a hot kettle, you might instinctively empathize with their pain, recalling times you've been burnt and reacting with understanding or concern.

Through these examples, it's clear the DMN is crucial for adapting to our environment, planning for the future, and connecting with others on a deep, empathetic level. It's the unsung hero of our mental processes, orchestrating our inner and social lives seamlessly.