Since discovering the Mace Energy Method I’ve had a theory that the feeling of ‘being a separate self’ (as referred to in nonduality) is a result of upsets and traumas. The article below – gratefully received from a client – would seem to back that theory up.
My theory has been that the more upsets and/or traumas someone has experienced in life, the more self-referential thinking they experience, and therefore the more there’s a feeling of separation. Which is the same as saying ‘there’s less of the feeling of their whole being-ness’.
The article (quoted below) says that during a powerful emotional experience “a unique type of protein molecule is released. It moves into the brain’s Default Network (DN) where traces of the past emotional experience are stored in the synapses between neurons.”
The Default Network (or Default Mode Network) is the area of the brain which correlates to self-referential activity and has been cited in books (like Chris Niebauer’s) as the part of the brain that lights up when we’re in this separate self mode.
Therefore the more big emotional experiences there have been in life, the more of this protein there is in the DN. When those memories have then been activated again and again during life, the stronger the memories become. Which means more self-referential activity, and therefore more of the feeling of being a separate self. Which equals more suffering.
The article recommends a solution of positive reinforcement of the good stuff. This solution is great, if it works for you.
But for some people, myself included, that kind of positive psychology wasn’t enough to resolve the deep negativity I held about myself. Negativity which no other therapy, or modality had been able to get to. Which is exactly what led me to the Mace Energy Method.
Here’s the full article…
“One of the most surprising discoveries I recently made concerned the nature of memories. I, like many professionals, assumed that memories were stored in a certain part of the brain (the cells in the body do not have the proteins that form and stabilize memories) and that they contain accurate information about the past.
It turns out that most memories – especially those that relate to strong emotional experiences – are highly unstable. When the amygdala and hippocampus respond to a powerful emotion – anger, fear, deep feelings of love and caring, even playful and pleasurable experiences – a unique type of protein molecule is released. It moves into the brain’s Default Network (DN) where traces of the past emotional experience are stored in the synapses between neurons.
When we are faced with an experience happening in the present moment, the DN makes use of those traces to see if it might be helpful in predicting a positive or negative outcome. The memory molecules are stirred up and they are then replaced with new protein molecules that are slightly different from the original memory trace. And if those memory traces are not used, they degrade, making room for new memory traces that might be useful in the future. Simply put, memories are always changing, and we are never conscious of this amazing process.
But some memories are essential, and by mentally repeating them, they become stronger and less prone to changing. Therefore, when it comes to past painful experiences, recalling them actually makes it more difficult to dissipate them! This neuroscientific fact contradicts most of the current therapies that are based on recalling past memories to change current problems. There’s no such thing as a repressed memory (this has been repeatedly proven since the early 1990s), and trying to find them creates false memories that are very hard to get rid of!
The most recent brain scan studies show that the most effective strategy is to train yourself to observe them by entering into a deep state of relaxed mindful awareness where you simply watch how your mind is wandering through an endless stream of thoughts and feelings. When you do this, you reduce the excessive activity in the DN that is causing you anxiety and stress.
Trying to accurately recall past painful experiences increases activity in your imaginative DN, making you more anxious. The result: Instead of dissipating the memory, you’ll form a stronger memory trace that begins to feel more and more real. In fact, you’ll weaken your resilience toward future stressful situations.
In a recent 2019 study, neuroscientists demonstrated that the more rewarding an experience was, the stronger the memory trace became. Then, when an unpleasant situation emerges, you can choose to immediately immerse yourself in a pleasant rewarding activity.
Here’s a practical way to use this principle: Each day, write down every positive experience you have – small or large. Take a moment to savor your meal, to celebrate the completion of a simple goal, and to enjoy the company of someone you care for.
Then, at the end of the day, right before falling asleep, review your list and replay the pleasurable experience in your mind. You’ll end up forming strong memories of the most enjoyable moments of the past, and this is the definition of optimal psychological health.
Do this for just a few nights and I’m willing to bet that you’ll feel more joy and satisfaction in your life!”
If the recommendation of ‘just shifting to the positive’ isn’t working for you, book your Foundation Sessions where we use The Mace Energy Method to solve these repeating negative emotional experiences at their source, so that you feel naturally good.
Article by Mark Waldman of NeuroWisdom LLC
SOURCE: Frédéric M. et al. Post-learning Hippocampal Replay Selectively Reinforces Spatial Memory for Highly Rewarded Locations. Current Biology, 2019.
Image thanks to Gary Weber and his video about the Default Mode Network.