The Meissner's plexus is an interlacing collection of nerves that connects the outlying smooth muscles to the innermost mucous membranes that line the stomach and intestines. In the western world, an anxious feeling is often referred to as having "butterflies in the stomach" and inexplicable premonitions as "gut feelings". Traditionally, eastern cultures have held this digestive organ in very high esteem. In ancient Japan, the stomach was considered to be the center of one's being and, instead of wishing from the heart, one wished from the stomach. In Hinduism, the stomach is ranked before the heart and symbolizes the third chakra or focal point of personal energy, which is comprised of the ego.