The Foundations of Conditioning

Human Adaptability and Culture

Human beings are the most remarkably adaptable species on Earth. We are blessed with the ability to adapt to any environment, location, and situation. A baby growing up in Spain will adapt to her culture and learn Spanish. A baby growing up in the Arctic will learn to icefish and speak Inuit.

This adaptability gives us the variety of rich cultures and ways of life for our species. Whatever situation we are born into, that will be what is normal to us. As young developing children, we adopt our society’s customs.

Genetic Memory and Survival Instincts

Similarly, we are animals with genetic memory. We are conditioned to find food and survive. Our genetic memory will protect us from bears and heights, and our survival instincts will be honed for the rest of our lives. But along with this ability to learn, remember and evolve, we also have the ability to unlearn and decondition ourselves when threats are no longer present.

Unlearning Childhood Defense Mechanisms

The Impact of Early Environments

Sometimes, we are taught things that turn out to be untrue. Some people are brought up in unstable households. For a lot of people, school was not a safe place, and children should always feel safe. There are fights, bullies, and now cyberbullies. It’s all too much for a developing psyche to process.

Transitioning from Child Survival to Adult Autonomy

As we grow up and begin to have more autonomy over our lives, it becomes essential that we explore and undo some of the defense mechanisms that are no longer serving us, such as always being on high alert, and the chronic stress that comes with it.

When we were helpless children, everything felt like life or death: our reputation, our popularity, our grades, our looks, everything. But as adults, we can handle anything. It just takes a little bit of conscious awareness to change the way our subconscious mind sees the world.

Observing and Deconditioning Automatic Reactions

Exploring Subconscious Triggers

If your body and mind react automatically to certain triggers, if it senses danger despite there being none, this is an area that deserves some exploration. Like an astronomer observing the stars, we need to observe our psyche in order to understand it.

If you find yourself reacting unconsciously, either internally (tensing up) or externally (screaming or addiction), turn inward and stay with that emotion. Really explore it until holding onto that senseless reaction seems ridiculous to you.

Dissolving Conditioning Through Consciousness

By making self-awareness a habit, unconscious reactions dissolve under the light of consciousness. To remain aware is to remain present, free from the conditioning of the past. If you find yourself asking why do I feel disconnected from everything, returning to presence is the first step back to wholeness. The wisdom in our DNA will still be there to serve us, but it will no longer control us.