I was inspired by a wonderfully written post about not allowing the past to impact on the present (Shout out to @theseeds4life. Ed). It got me thinking about my clients and how profound an impact their past has had on who they are. When we see the past in the rear view mirror we can do something to avoid it rear ending us. But what about the past that is sitting in the backseat telling us how to drive?
I agree that sometimes the past is a nuisance and on a conscious level is a parasite that sucks the joy out of the moment. However, on an subconscious level, the past can be a cancerous growth that malignantly infects all aspects of the present.
Repressed memories, unresolved conflict, mental barricades and the maltreatment of the world that leads to lowered self esteem, fester beneath the surface of our mind. If we don’t have a thorough clear out of this sticky mire it can develop into all kinds of neurotic manifestations. We shouldn’t ignore the past that lingers unchecked in our subconscious, we should explore it, resolve it and learn from it.
Our behaviour is driven by our subconscious, which is mainly a complex, encrypted security system. We need to decipher the encryption before we can understand what drives us to do and say the things we do. Once this is done we are in a better position to make conscious decisions to change.
It’s a painful process. Things we bury in the subconscious are buried for a reason. But, just like treasure, digging up what is buried can be immensely rewarding. We shouldn’t be afraid of the process, because as painful as it may be it is cathartic and, like all painful wounds, eventually there is healing.
The past that comes like a raging should be tranquillised from time to time, but at some stage it needs to be appeased to find out why it keeps returning. Understanding why the past is haunting us will allow us to gain a better understanding of who we really are. With this understanding we can discover the ‘Inside Me’, the one that cowers in the darkest recesses of your mind.
You don’t have to let the past in when it is a raging bull on your doorstep, but inviting the bull in for a hot beverage and a chat may lead to some stimulating conversation. And who knows, perhaps when, or if, the bull returns there will be less rage.
