If someone was to take a step back and to reflect on how they usually feel, what might become clear is that they often feel low and even depressed. This could be how they have felt for as long as they can remember.
There could also be moments when they don’t feel anything, which will give them a break from how they feel. Now, although this will be a time when they are emotionally shut down and are out of touch with the guidance that their emotional self would provide, it could be seen as the only alternative. A Closer Look If they were to able to sit with how they feel and to go deeper, what they may find is that there is a deep sadness inside them. It could feel as though they have lost someone. What could be confusing about this is that they might not have experienced any major losses in their life. Or, if they have, the pain that they feel could be way out of proportion to what they have been through, and this pain could have been there before this took place. A Time of Confusion If they have had one big loss, for instance, they may have been spent a lot of time grieving this loss. But, while this will be the case, it won’t have had much of an effect on how they feel. So, irrespective of whether one has experienced a major loss in their adult life, they could believe that how they feel is irrational. Therefore, just as there are said to be “irrational” phobias and fears, one will have “irrational” feelings. A Heavy Weight Naturally, through experiencing life in this way, it is going to be a challenge for them to be happy and to experience joy. If they do feel good, it could be because they have consumed something. Through external means, they will have been able to change their inner state - albeit temporarily. It might seem as if a big part of them has given up on life and no longer wants to be here. Reaching Out Due to the effect that this is having on their life, it will be a good idea for them to reach out for support. If they don’t do this, their life is unlikely to get any better; in fact, it will probably get a lot worse. It will be important for them to keep in mind that they are valuable and that they are not on this earth just to make up the numbers. If they do reach out, they could end up being told that they need to change their thoughts. Top Down What could be emphasised is that their thoughts create their feelings, so the way for them to feel better will be to have different thoughts. This could show that they are being assisted by a cognitive behavioural therapist or a counsellor. By being mindful of what is taking place in their mind and replacing their ‘negative’ thoughts with ‘positive’ thoughts, they may find that their life starts to change. After they have been doing this for a few months, they could be a different person. Another Outcome Alternatively, this approach might not work and, even if it does, it might stop working before long. At this point, it could be said that one simply needs to keep going and all their effort will gradually pay off. However, what this can show is that they need to try something else entirely or it won’t be possible for them to truly move forward. The reason that this approach might not work is that their thoughts might not be creating their feelings. A Half-Truth Instead, their thoughts could merely be triggering feelings that are already inside them. The view, then, that one’s thoughts create how they feel is not the complete truth and, most likely, it is a view that has sent a lot of people down the garden path. One way of looking at this lopsided view would be to say that it is a consequence of living in a mind-centric society; a society where so many people, due to trauma, are in a disembodied state. The outcome of this collective self-alienation is that the body is generally ignored and the focus is primarily on the mind. Going Deeper If one’s thoughts are triggering what is taking place in their body, this may illustrate that their early years were anything but nurturing. This may have been a time when they were abused and/or neglected on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Ultimately, their developmental needs would have rarely been met, and this would have been incredibly painful. Day after day, week after week, they would have experienced a sense of loss, and, each time this took place, they would have experienced grief, in addition to feeling helpless, powerless, hopeless, worthless, terrified and enraged. A Build-Up As the care that they needed wasn’t there and they were too undeveloped to handle this pain, they would have had to disconnect from their feelings. This would have caused them to lose touch with their body in the process. If they were unable to do this, it is unlikely that they would still be alive. But, although this survival mechanism allowed them to survive, it will now mean that they are carrying layers and layers of unprocessed emotional pain. Awareness If one can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or healer.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
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If someone is going through a very challenging period, there is the chance that they will have a lot going on internally. As to why this stage of their life is challenging, it could be due to a number of different reasons.
They might have just gone through a breakup, lost their job or fallen out with a friend or family member, for instance. When it comes to what is taking place internally, this could be a time when they feel overwhelmed. A Closer Look If they were to go deeper and to connect with their feelings, they could find that they feel helpless, hopeless, powerless and worthless. Before what happened took place, they might have been in a good way or at the very least, been fairly settled. Consequently, what has happened externally is likely to be seen as the reason why they feel the way that they do. If it wasn’t for this, then, they would be fine and so would their life. One Focus Through having this outlook, they could hope that their life soon goes back to how it was before. Furthermore, they might do what they can do change what is going on externally. When it comes to the people in their life, those who knew what they were like before, they could also have a similar outlook. This may mean that most, if not all, of them, will encourage them to do what they can to make their life go back to how it was before. Moving Forward If they are able to pull themselves together and do what they can to change their life, it might not be long until they feel different. It might be possible for them to get back with their ex or to find someone else, to find another job, or to make up with whoever it was they fell out with, for instance. Thanks to this, their life will go back to normal and it might soon seem as though what they went through never happened. This could be a time when they will be both highly relieved and incredibly grateful. A Short-Term Solution Still, if this does happen, it doesn’t mean that their life will stay this way for very long. It might not be long until something similar happens again and they end up experiencing the same feelings. Once again, they could end up doing the same thing as before to make their life go back to how it was and to feel different. This approach might work or they may find that it doesn’t get them very far this time. One Outlook One way of looking at this would be to say that ‘bad’ things happen, its part of life, and, when they do, it will be normal for someone to be emotionally affected. Considering this, the best thing for them to do will be to get back up and to do whatever they can to move forward. Bathing in self-pity and feeling like a victim is not going to serve them; what will serve them is staying positive and taking action. It could even be said that in moments like this, they will need to be stoic. Going Deeper Nonetheless, what if it is not this black and white and there is actually far more to it? What if what took place mainly triggered how they already felt and that these feelings caused them to experience what they did? If one views themselves as just an observer of their life, they are not going to be able to see how this is so. Being an observer of their life will mean that they played no part in what happened and how they feel will be nothing more than a consequence of what happened. Two Levels In order for one to understand how this is so, they will need to know that they have a conscious and an unconscious mind. When it comes to their unconscious mind, this will be the part of them carries the material that their conscious mind has disowned, among other things. But, although their conscious mind will forget all about what it has pushed into his part of them, it doesn’t mean that this ‘material’ won’t have an effect on their life. From this deeper level, it will exert a massive influence on their life; a far greater influence than their conscious mind. Destined To Happen One thing that will happen, through having this emotional pain inside them, is that they will unconsciously co-create situations and circumstances that are an energetic match with how they feel deep down. Their emotional pain will then co-create an experience and this will allow them to experience the feelings that co-created what happened. Therefore, although it may seem as though it is the experiences first and the feelings second, it is actually feelings first and experiences second. What this emphasises is that repressing something doesn’t neutralise it. Awareness When something ‘bad’ happens, then, it will be a time when their true feelings will have entered their conscious awareness. This will give them the chance to process these feelings, which allow them to develop a better connection with themselves and to fundamentally change their life. If they don't take this opportunity, the same thing is likely to happen over and over again. One thing that they can do, if they are unsure about how to move forward, is to reach out for external support.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk Emotional Pain: Can Someone Carry A Lot Of Emotional Pain If They Experienced Childhood Trauma?12/1/2021
Although experiencing emotional pain from time to time is simply part of being human, it doesn’t mean that everything can relate to this experience. For some people, this is something that they will experience after a breakup, a loss, the end of a job, or when something doesn’t go as they had planned, there are others who will more or less always be in pain.
When someone is in this position, something challenging won’t have needed to occur externally for them to be in a bad way. Being in pain will just be a normal part of their day-to-day life. Another Outcome However, if they are not experiencing a lot of emotional pain, it could be because they have been able to disconnect from how they feel. As a result of this, they generally won’t have to experience the pain that they are in. But, while this will give them a much-needed break, it will alienate them from an important part of themselves. The reason for this is that their emotional self won’t just be the part of them that allows them to feel things; it will also be the part of them that provides them with valuable information. Another Form of Intelligence When it comes to whether or not something is in their best interests, their emotional self will be there to guide them. This part of them will also be where their intuition is found; another part of them that will direct them in the right direction. Their ability to know what is right for them and what they need to do is then going to be greatly undermined. With this part of them offline, so to speak, they will be reliant on their intellect and the advice of others. One More Consequence Another thing that this part of them will do is allow them to feel connected to others and to life itself. Thus, through being out of touch with their emotional self, they are likely to feel disconnected and alone. It won’t matter how close they get to another person, as they won’t be able to truly connect to them. One may believe that sharing their body with another person will allow them to experience a deeper connection but this is unlikely to have much of an effect. The Lesser Of Two Evils Now, as numb as they will be through not being connected to their emotional self, this can be seen as being far better than the alternative. And, if they want to artificially bring themselves to life, they most likely won’t be short of options. Yet, as much as they will do their best to keep their emotional pain at bay, there could come a point in time when it will end up being triggered. They could experience some kind of loss and the floodgates will open. Totally Overwhelmed The defences that they had in place will have been cast aside and some of their emotional pain will have come to the surface. Said another way, some of what was locked in their unconscious mind/body will have entered their conscious mind. They will most likely be on solid ground at this pint but it could be as though they are all at sea. Their inner world will be all over the place and it might even seem as though they are going to die. Business as Usual They are going to be emotionally raw and, if there are moments when don’t feel overwhelmed, they could feel very low. A big part of them might want their life to go back to how it was, irrespective of how dead they felt. To go back to how they were before might take even more force to keep their pain at bay. Thanks to how much pain they are in, they are in the perfect position to become addicted to something that is destructive; that is, of course, if they are not already in this position. A Desperate Place The addiction can then be seen as the problem yet this will just be a consequence of the pain that they are in. They won’t be able to soothe themselves, so they will need something external to soothe them. It is then not that they are trying to get high; it is that they don’t want to be in pain. If someone was to believe that this person is weak or lacks willpower, it may show that they lack empathy and haven’t the faintest idea about what is going on for them. A Deeper Look When it comes to why someone would be carrying so much emotional pain, it could be due to what took place during their early years. This may have been a time when they were abused and/or neglected on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Throughout this stage of their life, they would have experienced a lot of pain, and this pain wouldn’t have been dealt with. Instead, they would have had to disconnect from this pain, which would have involved disconnecting from their body, and to live on the surface of themselves. The Past Is Present Many years will have passed since that point in time but the emotional pain that they experienced will still be in their body. Most likely, they will carry many layers of pain inside them. This pain won’t be removed by using positive thinking or by changing their thoughts and behaviour; it will need to be worked through. If one tries to use the same approach on their emotional body as they would on their mental body, they are unlikely to get very far. Awareness When it comes to the mental body, change takes place through using force; whereas when it comes to the emotional body, change takes place through surrendering to what is. Through feeling their feelings, they will be able to let them go. Nonetheless, as they are going to lack the inner strength to do this, they will most likely need to work with a therapist or healer. With their support, one will gradually be able to let go of their emotional baggage.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk Negative Feelings: Can Childhood Trauma Cause Someone To Be Attached To ‘Negative’ Feelings?10/1/2021
If someone was to take the time to take a step back and to reflect on their life, they may find that they rarely feel good. Along with how they feel, there is going to be what takes place.
At this point in time, they could believe that what takes place causes them to feel as they do. Therefore, their life is only going to change if they have different experiences - experiences that are life-affirming. A Closer Look If they were to make a list of how some of the situations in their life make them feel, they could end up with a number of ‘negative’ feelings. They could list some, if not all, of the following feelings: powerless, helpless, hopeless, worthless, rejected, abandoned, angry, enraged, fearful, overwhelmed and violated. This is not to say that they will always experience the same feelings; what it can mean is that when they experience something ‘negative’, they will experience some of the aforementioned feelings. Considering this, they are likely to have a lot of experiences that are ’bad’ and even deeply traumatic. For Example They could be used to spending time with people who treat them badly, and some of them might even physically harm them. Their friends and family could be this way, and they could work with people who are the same. There is the chance that they could live somewhere that isn’t very safe either, with this being somewhere where there is often violence and loud noises. Instead of being able to relax at home, they will need to be on guard. Out of Their Hands If they were to think about how long their life has been this way for, they may find that it has been this way for a very long time. In fact, it may have more or less always been this way. It is then not going to be a surprise if they believe that they are powerless to do anything about what is going on. Consequently, they may believe that they need someone or something ‘out there’ to change their life. A Bystander They are then going to just happen to end up in these situations and won’t be playing a part. What will add weight to this view is that they will be fed up with what is going on and will desperately want their life to change. To say that they are playing a part in what is going on could be seen as an example of what is often described as ‘victim-blaming’. This is the term that will be used when a victim is seen as playing a part in what they experience. Diving Right Down Now, what is perfectly clear is that one is not consciously choosing to experience life in this way. If they were, they wouldn’t want their life to change and there would be no resistance to what is going on, and they would be incredibly masochistic. However, what needs to be taken into consideration here is that one doesn’t just have one mind, they have two minds. So, in addition to their conscious mind, they also have an unconscious mind. Two Needs As a result of this, although their conscious mind can want one thing, their unconscious mind can want somewhere else entirely. Due to this, they can end up in situations and experience feelings that don’t serve them. Yet, if this understanding is not in place, it will be normal for them to see themselves as a victim of circumstances. In reality, they will be being victimised by a part of them that they are not aware of. The First Part If they were to go deeper inside themselves, what they are likely to find is that they are emotionally attached to a lot of ‘negative’ feelings. Ergo, as painful as these feelings are, they will be what feel comfortable at a deeper level. This will mean that external circumstances don’t make them experience ‘negative’ feelings; they simply trigger how they already feel. Moreover, how they feel will cause them to co-create situations that allow them to experience these feelings. What’s going on? When it comes to why they would be attached to these ‘negative’ feelings, it can be due to what took place during their early years. This may have been a time when they were abused and/or neglected on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Experiencing these feelings would have been painful but they would have ended up being associated by their ego-mind as what is familiar and therefore, what is safe. The years would then have passed and their conscious mind would have forgotten all about what took place, and the outcome of this is that it would have seemed as though the external world made them feel a certain way. Awareness If someone can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or healer. With this support, one will be able to work through their inner wounds and to let go of their attachment to ‘negative’ feelings in the process. As this pain is worked through and they start to feel different, their outer world will also change.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
Now, while someone’s early years may have been a time when they received what they needed in order to grow and develop, there is also the chance that this wasn’t the case. As a result of this, they would have been deeply traumatised at this stage of their life.
However, even though this took place, the years would have continued to pass and one would have gone from a child to an adult. From the outside, then, it may seem as though everything is fine. No Idea In addition to this, one could be in a position where they are not even aware of the fact that their early years deeply traumatised them. Consequently, how they experience life will just be what is ‘normal’ and they won’t even question what is going on. If they were to gain a deep understanding of themselves, though, they may see that they don’t have a strong connection with their own emotions. During the moments when they do connect to his part of them, they might not feel like a strong and capable adult. Stepping Back What this will illustrate is that although their physical self, and even their mental self, will have grown, their emotional self won’t have really changed. This part of them might not have moved beyond the level of emotional development that a small child has. Not only this, this part of them is going to be in a very bad way. But, as they are likely to be carrying a lot of emotional pain, they are going to do whatever they can to stop themselves from becoming aware of it. The Outcome Through not having a good connection with their emotional self, it is likely to be difficult for them to form deeper connections with others and to know what their needs are. The antidote to this will be for them to reconnect to this part of their being. Yet, as this will unconsciously be seen as something that is too much for them to handle, this is unlikely to taken place. Thus, if they do connect to his part of their being, it is not going to be through choice. A Trigger If this does take place, someone or something that they have formed an attachment to could change in some way or no longer exist. For example, a relationship could come to an end or a loved one could pass, unlocking a lot of pain in the process. One can then go from being shut down, to being overwhelmed by how they feel. What they are going through will be painful enough but, thanks to the emotional pain that has been brought to the surface, it could be unbearable. Business as Usual This could be a time when they will do just about everything that they can to get rid of this pain. One way that this can take place is through using their willpower, and there is a strong chance that this part of them is very well-developed. The reason for this is that as they won’t have had access to their emotional fuel – their body’s fuel - they will have had to rely on their minds fuel. This fuel can give one a sense of control but solely relying on this fuel to make things happen is likely to be very tiring. A Number of Options Along with this, they could consume and/or engage in something that will allow them to avoid how they feel. By behaving in this way, it might not be long until they are able to feel better. Nonetheless, the pain that they were in won’t have disappeared; it will have been pushed out of their conscious mind and into their body. Ergo, sooner or later, something else will unlock some of their emotional pain. No More Running They may also that they get to a point where it is no longer possible for them to avoid how they feel. The dam that they had in place to keep their painful material at bay will have burst. This may cause them to reach out for external support, where they may be put on some kind of medication and thereby, prevented from healing their wounds. Alternatively, they may end up working with a therapist or healer who understands what is going on, allowing them to provide one with the guidance and support that they need to work through their inner wounds. Two Issues To conclude, firstly, childhood trauma causes someone to be emotionally stuck at a certain stage of their development and, throughout their adult years, they can do whatever they can, both consciously and unconsciously, to keep this pain at bay. It is then not going to be a surprise is someone stays emotionally stunted for most, if not all, of their life. Deep down, one will associate emotional pain with the experiences that they had as a child, and they won’t want to have those experiences again. The difference now is that they are a lot stronger than they were all those years ago and they can reach out for the right support. Awareness If one can relate to this, and they are ready to face their emotional pain, they will probably need to reach out for external support. This can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or healer.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
Although experiencing a loss is part of the human experience, working through a loss is not something that is generally seen in the same light. As a result of this, it can be normal for someone to experience loss and then to carry on as normal.
They could then have lost a family member, their partner or a pet, for instance, but they will continue to behave in the same way as they did before. If another person isn’t aware that one has lost someone or something, they might not realise what has taken place. A Cover-Up This can show how well someone is able to hide how they feel and to ‘keep it all together’. It can go further than this, though, as one can do what they can to hide how they feel from themselves. Now, of course, there is always the chance that what has taken place hasn’t really affected them or maybe, as this person or being wasn’t well for a long time, they have already been grieving their loss for quite some time. But if either of these two factors is not relevant and one has been deeply affected by what has taken place, it will show that they are not allowing themselves to face how they feel and to go through the grieving process. Positive Feedback If there are people in their life who are aware of what has taken place, most, if not all, of these people might not find it strange that they haven’t really been impacted by their loss. They could just believe that one is strong and ‘resilient’, which is why it hasn’t really affected them. There can be times when one will look sad and won’t be up to their usual level, but this will be something that seldom takes place. Therefore, even though one will be denying how they feel, they will be seen as doing the right thing and applauded for it. Another Scenario Alternatively, one could embrace how they feel and allow their feelings to influence their behaviour. Consequently, it won’t be possible for them to keep it all together or to look ‘strong’. Thanks to this, they could feel as though they are ‘weak’ and certain people in their life could insinuate the same thing. Still, before long, this internal and external pressure could cause them to disconnect from how they feel. Out of Balance Whether the former or the latter takes place, it will come down to the view that emotional expression is a sign of weakness. To be seen as strong and together, someone needs to keep a lid on how they feel. Further, when someone pushes down how they feel, their mind will be resisting what is taking place in their body. They will be using their willpower to try to keep how they feel at bay. Unaware But, even though one will using their inner masculinity (mind) to control their inner femininity (body), it doesn’t mean that they will be aware of what is taking place. As far as they are concerned, their feelings could be the result of what is taking place in their mind. Thus, it is not that they are denying how they feel, it is that they are simply not allowing themselves to get caught up in the ‘negative’ feelings that their mind is creating. By not focusing on these feelings and having the right thoughts, they will be able to let go of how they feel and to move forward. A Half-Truth at Best This could be something that they have learnt from the self-development world or by having some kind of counselling. From one of these sources or another, they will have come to believe that their thoughts create their feelings. This view can be seen as a consequence of living in a society that is mind-centric and doesn’t even acknowledge the existence of an emotional body, let alone looks deeper into the impact that it has. If this part of ones being was also taken into consideration, it would be clear that thoughts can create feelings and thoughts can also trigger trapped feelings. A Short-Term Solution So, bearing in mind that how someone feels will also be a consequence of what is going on for them at an emotional level, it is simply not going to be possible for them to let go of their feelings just by having the right thoughts and focusing on the right things. Now, this is not to that this approach won’t allow them to convince themselves and others that they have ‘moved on’ from what happened. Through using force to push how they feel out of their conscious awareness and down into their unconscious mind/body, and creating a strong barrier between their two minds in the process, they could maintain this illusion for decades. Nonetheless, even though they will end up forgetting that they have forgotten about this pain as time goes by, it will still exert its influence on them. Out of Mind but Not Out of Body Over time, this emotional pain can end up having a negative impact on their physical health and drain them of vitality. The situations, circumstances and events that they find themselves in can also be a manifestation of what has built-up. There could be a point in time when they will experience another loss and this will trigger a lot of the pain that they have avoided for so long, and this time, they might not be able to use their mind to deal with it. Another thing that could take place is that through not dealing with their pain, they end up passing it onto future generations. Final Thoughts When it comes to the grieving process, this a time when one will need to surrender to how they feel. Their masculine nature can support them during this time but there will be no need for it to try to control the feminine part of their nature. Going through this process is a sign of strength and something that will gradually allow them to truly embrace life once again and to find meaning. Doing the opposite and forcing themselves to be happy and joyful is not going to serve them in the long run.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
If someone’s mind and emotions were settled and they felt at peace, they may wonder what it would be like to experience life in this way more often. Then again, thanks to how rarely they experience life in this way, they could be totally consumed by what is taking place.
Perhaps they have taken the time to be in nature or maybe they have had something to drink, for instance. Regardless of what it is that has allowed them to have a different inner experience, it will be a welcome relief from how they usually experience life. The Norm If they were to think about how long they have been this way for, they may find that they have been this way for as long as they can remember. Consequently, this could just be seen as what they are like. They may even believe that they were born this way, with it being part of their personality. Further, some of the people in their life could often describe them as being ‘highly strung’ or ‘a very anxious person’. An Exhausting Existence Whether they are at work or with friends, they could find it hard to feel at ease and, as they are typically not on stable ground, it probably won’t take a lot for them to overreact. Another person could say or do something and one could end up losing it. What other people are exposed to will merely be an expression of what is taking place inside them. To look at this symbolically; their external eruptions will be an externalisation of the internal irruptions that are continually taking place. Two Worlds So, there can be what happens when one is around others and there can be what takes place when they are way from others and are online. Just as what someone says in the real world can often cause them to react strongly; what someone says online can often lead to the same outcome. In both cases, it might not take a lot for them to become highly emotional and to lose their ability to think rationally. When this happens, they could create the impression that they are missing something. One Big Challenge Being this way will make it hard for them to focus and they will experience a lot of unnecessary drama, in addition to generally being all at sea internally. Thus, so much of their precious energy and time is going to be squandered. Still, there may be moments when they think that they are doing the right thing by getting worked up. At times, they might be, but there will probably be times when behaving in this way is not serving them. One Outlook One way of looking at this would be to say that they need to gain control of their mind and to develop ‘emotional intelligence’. Through doing this, they will settle down and be able to manage their emotions. This will be based on the belief the mind defines how someone feels and emotional intelligence is an important part of having emotional control. However, what this approach would overlook is the fact that one most likely spends so much time in fight or flight mode because they are carrying trauma. Going Deeper This means that what is taking place at a mental and emotional level will be a reflection of what is taking place at an instinctual or animal body level. Their body and mind will carry the charge or all of the energy that they experienced when they experienced trauma. Dealing with what is going on further up might lead to short-term relief, but it probably won’t lead to long-term relief. As they are carrying all this trauma, their reptile brain will often end up overriding their emotional and thinking brain, which will stop them from being able to experience emotional control and to think clearly. Out of Control When this takes place, it will seem as though something else is in control of them as they will lose their free will. For them to settle down and to gradually gain control over themselves, they will need to work through the trauma that is inside them. The big question is: why are they carrying this trauma, what happened to them? What this may illustrate is that their early years were anything but nurturing, with this being a stage of their life when they were abused and/or neglected on a regular basis. A Living Hell The safety and security that they needed at this time wouldn’t have been provided. Instead, they would have had to handle a deeply challenging environment at a time when they were ill-equipped to do so. They would have often felt overwhelmed and there might not have been anywhere around to soothe them. At this stage of their life, they would have had the ability to regulate their own emotions and so, their main way to handle what was going on would have been to dissociate. Awareness What happened would have left a mark on every part of their being and the issues that they have as an adult will be a clear sign of what they went through as a child. Nonetheless, without this understanding, it can seem as though they just lack ‘self-control’, ‘emotional intelligence’ and/or are ‘irrational’, or another term that completely misses the mark. If one can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or healer.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.
Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
By taking a step back and thinking about how some of the people in their life behave, one could come to the conclusion that they are very different. The reason for this is that one could see these people as being very emotional.
If they were to describe themselves, they could say that they are not very emotional. It might not stop there, though, as some of the people in their life could say the same thing about them. Who They Are This could be how they have been for as long as they can remember which could cause them to believe that this is just how they are. So, in the same way that some people are born with light or dark hair; they will have just been born this way. Having this outlook might put their mind at rest and give them something to say it if another person ever asks them why they are this way, but it won’t change their life. They are still going to have to deal with the challenges that will arise through being this way One Challenge Throughout their life, they may have often found that it has been hard for them to know what do to. This can relate to what to do in each moment of it and what they want to do with their life in general. In other words, connecting to their true needs won’t be easy. As a result of this, it can be normal for them to do what other people want and what they think they want. One and the Same Not having a strong connection to their true needs is going to make it hard for them to live a fulfilling existence. The only way that this will change is if they develop a strong connection and their life starts to reflect who they are. It might seem strange as to why not having a strong connection to their emotional self would make it hard for them to life a fulfilling life, but there is a clear reason for this. Their true needs are located in the same part of their being. Two Parts Their feelings and their true needs will be found in their body, so as they are generally out touch with these two elements, it will show that they don’t have a good connection to their body. They are going to spend a lot of their time in their head, rarely being in the other part of their being This is not to say that they will consciously choose to live in this way; it will be just how their life is. Still, one of the benefits to being this way is that they might not struggle to think clearly, with them having a well-developed intellect. Another Challenge Yet, although this might not be an issue, what will most likely be an issue is forming deeper connections with others. The part of themselves that will allow them to form strong attachments, their emotional self, won’t be there. Their friendships with others can then be very surface-level and if they have ever been in an intimate relationship, it might have soon ended. Without a connection to their feelings, they wouldn’t have been able to grow closer to the other person, let alone to express how they felt A Miserable Existence Being this way will probably mean that they are used to feeling frustrated and angry, and they may have even felt deeply depressed and even suicidal. They won’t have a sense of wholeness or feel alive, that is unless they consume something. If they were connected to their body, and their emotional self, it would allow them to experience a sense of wholeness and to feel alive. The emptiness and deadness that they may often feel would disappear. Going Deeper If they have been this way for as long as they can remember, it could show that their early years were extremely traumatic. Perhaps this was a time when they were neglected and/or abused on a weekly, if not daily, basis. As they were powerless and dependent, along with being in an undeveloped state, they wouldn’t have been able to fight back or to run away, so their body would have frozen up and they would have had to disconnect from their body in order survive. If this hadn’t taken place, the pain that they were in would have been too overwhelming for them to handle. Life or Death One will then be pretty emotionless as an adult, but their early years would have been a time when they experienced a lot of strong feelings and sensations. And as this was too much for their undeveloped being to cope with, their system would have shut down to keep them alive. What this is going to mean, then, is that behind their cold exterior and inner numbness will be a lot of emotional pain and trauma. The defences that they have in place will keep all this arousal/energy at bay. A Gradual process If all of these defences were removed and this pain was released, this pain would be too much for them to handle. Once again, they would feel like a powerless child who is unable to do anything about what is going on. This is why this is not something that can be forced or rushed; if it is, it could lead to a lot of unnecessary problems and even death. It is a case of working through one layer at a time and being patient and persistent. Awareness If one can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or healer.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.
Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
There are feelings that can be seen as being ‘positive’ and then there are feelings that can be seen as being ‘negative’. When it comes to how a feeling is perceived, it is likely to depend on the impact that it has on someone’s mood.
If a feeling causes one to feel good, it can be seen in a positive light, but if it doesn’t, it can be seen in a negative light. Based on this, it could be said that certain feelings serve a purpose while others don’t. Neutral However, although some feelings will make one feel good and others won’t, it doesn’t mean that they don’t all serve a purpose. As even though a feeling might not make someone feel good, this feeling can provide them with important information. For example, they could end up feeling guilty, with this feeling potentially letting them know that they have done something wrong and need to make amends. If they didn’t feel this way, they wouldn’t know that they had done something wrong and they may continue to do the same thing. Another Effect Along with there being feelings that feel good and feelings that feel bad, there will be feelings that energise them and feelings that drain them. Rage can allow them to feel strong and powerful, but toxic shame can cause them to feel weak and powerless. The former can be seen as being part of the fight response, while the latter can be seen as being part of the freeze response. By seeing each feeling in this way, it is clear to see why it will feel better to experience rage than it will to experience toxic shame. A Defence Considering this, it makes complete sense as to why someone would experience rage in order to avoid experiencing toxic shame. One will allow them to rise up; the other will cause them to sink right down. Now, this is not to say that this is something that will consciously take place, as this will most likely be something that takes place automatically. In fact, it could take place so quickly that one is not even aware of their own toxic shame. The Main Issue Reacting in this way will stop them from sinking right down, and that can be seen as a good thing. The trouble is that through becoming consumed by rage, it could cause them to cause a lot of damage. Their behaviour could have a negative effect on their relationships, which may end up isolating them from others. Other people will find it hard to relax and to feel safe in their presence. A Different Outcome Another way that someone can avoid their own toxic shame is by completely disconnecting from it and projecting it into others. Through disconnecting from it, they will rarely, if ever, come into contact with it. But, as this toxic shame is still inside them, it will still have an effect on their reality. There will be people ‘out there’ who end up embodying this toxic shame, with these people being seen as worthless and useless, for instance. Totally Oblivious As they are unaware of what is going on, it will seem as though they just happen to come into contact with people who are like this. In each situation, they will be the common dominator, yet this won’t stand out. The defences that they have built up will prevent them from being able to see how their ‘outer world’ is reflecting back their inner world. Of course, it won’t just be reflecting back what is taking place in their conscious mind; it will also be reflecting back what is taking place in their unconscious mind. The Downside of Intelligence What can also play a part in their own self-deception is that they can have a well-developed intellect, with this allowing them to rationalise what they are doing. Through having the right evidence and facts, they can label certain people are being-less than human. If they were able to take a step back and to reflect on their behaviour, it might soon become clear that they are simply engaging in a more sophisticated form of abuse. They will have their reasons as to why what they are doing is right and acceptable, but that won’t alter what they are actually doing. No Better Off What this illustrates is that being ‘intelligent’ doesn’t necessarily mean that someone will be less likely to deceive themselves. Being this way can just make it easier for them to avoid their own inner wounds. It may seem as though they are not very emotional and are very logical, but how they perceive life and what they believe will still be a consequence of what is taking place at a deeper level and are unable to acknowledge. They might see their emotional self as being ‘lower’ or ‘inferior’ to their intellect, yet this part of them will be defining how they experience life. The Key The antidote to this is for one to realise how their ‘outer world’ is there to shine the light on what is taking place inside them. This will allow them to see that if they believe that other people are worthless and less-than-human, it is a clear sign that this is how they see themselves. Not only will taking back their projections allow them to become a more integrated human being and to develop self-love, it will also allow them to make the world a better place. The reason for this is that they won’t be feeding into the drama of the world. Awareness If one can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can take place with the assistance of a therapist or healer.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.
Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk
If a being from another planet was to look at a human being, it might seem as though they are only made up of one part: a physical body. However, if they were able to look through their physical body, they would soon see that they also have what could be described as a mental and emotional body.
What they might also see is that not all of these ‘body’s’ are at the same level of development. So while someone’s physical body could be very developed, their mental and emotional body could be undeveloped. Another Experience Conversely, they could see that although someone’s physical and mental body is developed, their emotional body isn’t developed. Then again, they might see that someone’s physical body isn’t very developed, but their mental and emotional body is. Considering the fact that appearances are often seen as important and the mental body is predominately the point of focus in today’s world, it is not going to be a surprise if someone hasn’t neglected these two areas of their being. What this will mean is that their emotional body will have been neglected. Different Ages Through working on these two areas, it could mean that their physical body doesn’t match up with their chronological age and neither does their mental body. If a number of tests were conducted, one may find out that their body is actually a lot younger than it really is. As for their mental body, this part of them could easily belong to someone who has been on the planet for a lot longer, due to how well developed it is. But, when it comes to their emotional body, they could have more in common with a small child. To Be Expected Nonetheless, if they live in a society that generally ignores this part of their being, why would they be any different? Most likely, they went through an education system that didn’t touch upon this area and, once they went into the big wide world, it is unlikely that they were encouraged to develop this part to them. While emotional training or education is not a big part of today’s society, this doesn’t mean that there are not plenty of options available that will enable someone to avoid them. There are so many distractions available that can allow one to keep how they feel at bay. Two Outcomes If someone is emotionally undeveloped or stunted, regardless of whether or not their physical and mental body is developed, it can mean that they can experience life in one of two ways. They can be emotionally shut down or they can come across as highly emotional and reactive. When it comes to the former, it can be as though they lack an emotional body altogether. On the other hand, when it comes to the latter, it can be as though they only have an emotional body and are missing a mental body. Two Sides of the Same Coin It is not uncommon for someone who is emotionally shut down to end up with someone who is highly emotional. But while each person will have a similar level of emotional development, the person who is shut down could see themselves as being more evolved. Through believing that they have their emotions under control and the fact that they will live in a society that encourages emotional repression, they will have just happened ended up with someone like this. Their ego-mind – the part of them that allows them to have their own experience on this earth and is there to keep them alive - will create the illusion of being separate from what is going on ‘out there; when in reality, what is going on ‘out there’ will be mirroring back what is taking place inside them. The Cause Irrespective of whether someone is emotionally shut down or not, if their emotional body is undeveloped; it is likely to mean that this part of them stopped growing at a certain stage of their life. The reason this part of them stopped growing is likely to be the result of trauma. One experience or a number of experiences, probably during their early years, would have caused their whole system to be overwhelmed, which would have stopped them from being able to move on from the stage of development that they were going through. When it comes to whether or not they completely shut down at this point or still maintained a connection to their emotional body can depend on a number of different factors. Deep Pain After this, the years would have gone by but one’s emotional body would have stayed stuck at this level of development and the pain that they experienced would have also stayed in their body. Their emotional body can carry layers and layers of the following feelings: powerlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, rage, loss, rejection and abandonment. Unlike their mental body, where they will just be able to change their thoughts and to let them go, it won’t always be possible for them to just change how they feel and let their feelings go. What this comes down to is that while one’s thoughts can create how they feel, their mental body can also trigger feelings that are held in their emotional body. Awareness If one can relate to this, and they are ready to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This is something that can take place with the assistance of a therapist or a healer.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.
Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk |
Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 26 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Introductory Consultation
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Disclaimer
That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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