Figure 4A. The thought produces a, memory, which creates an emotion. In
time, the thought becomes the memory, and an emotion follows. If this
process is repeated enough time, the thought is the memory, which is the
emotion. We memorize the emotion.
The subconscious comprises most physical and mental processes that
take place below our conscious awareness. Much of its activity is involved
in keeping the body functioning. Scientists refer to this regulatory system as
the autonomic nervous system. We don’t have to consciously think about
breathing, keeping our hearts beating, raising and lowering our body
temperature, or any of the other millions of processes that help the body
maintain order and heal itself.
I think that you can see how potentially dangerous it is for us to cede
control over our daily emotional responses to our memories and
environment—to this automatic system. This subconscious set of routine
responses has been variously compared to an autopilot system and to
programs running in the background of a computer. What those analogies
are trying to convey is the sense that there is something below the surface
of our awareness that is in control of how we behave.
Here’s an example to reinforce these points. Imagine that in your youth,
you came home one day and discovered your favorite pet lying dead on the
floor. Every sensory impression of that experience would be, as the
expression goes, burned into your brain. That experience would scar you.
stevenselfio
(Stevenselfio)
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