World Maps II

These maps or beliefs are the rules of our behaviour.  They are necessary.  Without them, we would spend endless energy gathering and analysing information, never knowing when we had enough information to make an informed decision.  This ability is a large part of what constitutes human intelligence - integrating past experience as a future template for action.  It can also be our downfall, particularly when negative beliefs about ourself and/or the world are formed during a painful and overwhelming experience.  The felt sense of beliefs is one of truth throughout our entire being, leading us to choose our responses and behaviours through these rules.  Research has shown that we reject information that challenges our beliefs, acknowledging only that information which confirms them.  Thus, negative beliefs resulting from painful situations ensure a repeating pattern of unfulfilling experiences:  emotionally, physically, and in relationships.  So, how do we overcome these self-defeating beliefs?  The common advice of  "pulling  ourselves up by the bootstraps and getting on with it" leaves us feeling worse as, no matter how often we try, we find ourselves failing again and again. Using positive statements to replace negative thoughts alone helps for awhile but requires continuous monitoring - and exhausting exercise at best.  It is only when we engage the body-mind connection that we can begin to create and integrate new and life affirming maps of our world.

Life Maps

The beliefs we hold are the maps we use to navigate through the variable choices we are presented with each and every day. These maps allow us to make decisions efficiently, and mostly, effectively.  We compare the current situation to a previous, simular one and make a decision based on that.  It is not different than the process we go through when we are planning to travel a familiar route.  We do not check a map.  Most often we do not bother to consciously think about the route we need to take.  This happens automatically. However, sometimes our life maps or beliefs work against us, leading us to limit or sabatage ourselves.  There are many quick fix remedies in the popular literature today that leave one feeling like a failure; the promise of these remedies are not realized.  You can't just change them by covering them up with positive affirmations.  Our subconscious must first believe an affirmation before it will replace an old defeating belief.  And no amount of repetition will convince our subconscious otherwise.  This does not mean being condemned to a life of self-defeating beliefs.  More on this tomorrow.

New Possibilities

Give your body a message of love and value.
We have many, many parts to ourselves that are
present, but not manifest...
present, but unknown to us...
present, but covered up.

So our journey onward,
regardless of where we are,
can always be
a delicious surprise.
Sometimes with pain
Sometimes with excitement,
But always with new possibilities
for ourselves.  Virginia Satir

Freedom

Freedom is a positive force...flowing up from a spring of boundless depth.  Freedom is the power to create out of nothing, the power of the spirit create of itself.  Nikolai Berdyayev
Do you ever feel you are not living your full potential.  Discover the ways to overcome barriers that interfere with unleashing the boundless depths of your creativity.  EMDR and OEI are two effective therapies that open us up to becoming the best of who we are.