An emotional pattern is a fear-based survival response. The purpose of the ego is to protect us from harm. The ego is like a big computer; it collects all the data from our life experiences, takes everything that is said literally, and stores it. The ego’s protective responses are based on past experiences, so future responses will be the same unless the program is changed. As we mature and grow we need to update the ego’s program to experience our full potential.
For example, as children, we make survival decisions based on our abilities. If you grew up with parents that would punish you every time you said something they didn’t like, you would quickly learn to keep your parents happy by not expressing your feelings to not upset them. This would initiate a survival pattern of not speaking your truth when the people around you could disapprove.
To be safe you had to control your emotions. Since it wasn’t safe to spontaneously express your feelings, you had to suppress and internalize them or find another outlet. As children, we have limited resources, especially when our role models have poor ways of handling their negative emotions.
- The emotional energy that gets generated during the trauma enters the body and if it is not released, gets stored in an organ or gland with the same vibrational energy. For example, anger is stored in the liver.
- The memory of the trauma gets stored in the limbic system of the brain, which is the seat of emotions.
- Our minds create a belief and attach it to the emotional memory stored in the limbic system of the brain.
- The emotional response to the trauma gets stored in the cellular memory throughout the body and becomes automatic.
The easiest way to identify emotional patterns is through your feelings.
Many physical problems have an emotional component, especially when they are chronic.
The body is a wonderful indicator of what is going on in a person’s life. It reflects physically what is occurring emotionally, in spite of what the mind does to rationalize or ignore reality.
One of the most common defenses is to ignore, repress or stuff our negative emotions. What happens when we stuff negative emotions? They are held in the body and eventually produce physical or emotional pain. But the truth is that there are no “bad” emotions. It is only our judgment about them.
For example, Anger. Healthy anger is a healthy boundary emotion.
