As said in yesterdays post, sometimes events, words or phrases can trigger unconscious patterns which were laid down in childhood. Thus we react to the current event with the fear that was associated with the situation from our past. Our brains, as has been said, are like velcro for negative experiences – they stick and are stored for quick recognition – but are teflon for positive experiences. Thus we have to work to counteract these strong patterns by firstly noticing them. One way is by encouraging positive experiences in order to balance the unconscious instinctive reactions which are stored deep in the cells of our brains.

Early fear was felt cellularly and was indeed real. Defensive postures were necessary, but defenses generalize cellularly in adulthood and do not expire. It takes conscious work to undo them. Ironically, as long as we keep using defenses, we actually maintain the original force of the fear.

David Richo