The unconscious is not a specific area of the brain, it is a device of the mind. We only know a small part of the whole and that is what we call "our personal reality".
From self-exploration we find the wisdom to choose and manage to see all current circumstances as unlimited opportunities for personal growth, from this, we chart our own destiny.
Self-knowledge opens up the possibilities for us to envision and choose "the path", and to be able to help those around us to achieve a happier, healthier and more abundant existence.
When Buddha said, "I am awake," he meant that he realized that he was no longer participating in the illusion, but that he was the one creating the illusion.