The realization that our personality is the product of conditioning is important. The primary conditionings that are most susceptible to internal and external conflicts are the following:
- fear reactions
- prejudices, likes and dislikes
- resentments and attachments
- coping mechanisms: stress, irritation and anger
Conditioning plays a vital role in the formation of the thinking, attitudes, reaction patterns and habits of individuals. Conditionings can go deep into the subconscious, and this is where they do their maximum harm (or benefit).
Each conditioning is a push botton in our subconscious mind. When a specific type of stimulus is perceived, the button of one type of conditioning is pushed, triggering an automatic reaction. If our rational faculty is weak, then the perpetuation of the distressful experience can have a regressive effect, making the psyche withdraw into a self-defensive cocoon. If it's strong, then we can balance the withdrwal reaction with opposite actions or decisions made by the conscious will, although such as a balancing act doesn't erase the push button.
The conditioned subconscious is called our second mind. It is independent from the conscious mind, It is so self-directed that it takes a tremendous effort for the conscious mind to gain back control over the reaction pattern of the subconscious mind.
The influence of our conditioning is pervasive and includes our ambitions, our religious views, our philosophy of life, our careers, our behaviour in relationships and even the smallest things like whether we put socks on our right foot first or left foot first.
Our worldview is modled by countless influences. The main ones are:
- parents
- life experiences
- books
- peers
- media
- teachers
Until we develop self-awareness, we hardly choose our conditionings. They simply happen to us. This is particularly so for people whose inner self or inner nature has constantly been suppressed due to fear. But if we are placed in an environment of growth, with ample opportunity for self-discovery, then we may at an early age take a more significant part in accepting or rejecting potential conditiongs.
Conflicts in conditionings involve the following:
- part of personaltiy vs. another part of personality: incompatible desires- i.e. want to earn more money and do less work; want to express self but fear of rejection and humiliation; want to live a fuller life but not willing to leave comfort zone
- higher self vs lower self: a conflict between principles or realities perceived by the higher mind and the interests or needs of the lower personality
In the first case, the confilct is resolved by extinguishing one of the lower value of desire or preference. In the second case, it is resolved by strengthening the inner self and changing the conditioning of the outer self by aligning it with the values of the higher.
strengthening our inner nature is the key to mastery over our outer self.
Self-mastery is devoted to neutralizing undesirable conditionings, and forming wholesome ones. Such change is based on our clarity about our values and priorities. Accepting ourselves just as we are is the first step to discover our higher self and surrender our lower self for the sake of the highest good and the greatest joy.
May you join me on this journey. May we be happy, healthy, and fulfilled. May we have a long long lived meaningful life. May we have the freedom to choose the work that we enjoy with the people we like. May we resolve all inner conflicts and know exactly what we really want. May we all find our own path of righteousness and the path of everlasting life.
