Brain circuit damage control

Subconscious Brain Circuit Damage Control

We have discussed the (Tree of Life) and have noted some of the hazards of the first and second brain circuits when these are damaged as most are from childhood teaching, activity, and trauma. How do we get hurt as a child in such a way that causes damage which often lasts for our whole lives, destroying opportunities for love, happiness, advancement, etc., ?
When first born, the only brain circuit functioning is the Biosurvival or first circuit. We are not at that time conscious as we know conscious now. We have only an instinctive awareness. We suck automatically on anything placed in our mouth (such as a "pacifier" or a breast). We have no voluntary control over our body functions so diapers are needed. We cry when we need food or hurt or want comfort to feel more secure. At this time we acquire subtle direction which stays with us all our life unless we retrain the Biosurvival brain circuit.
We learn that when we cry Mommy holds us or feeds us or cleans us. This is very important to the newborn and studies have shown that newborns who are fed, kept clean, but otherwise not touched, die. So, the newborn struggles with a world they cannot control and cannot live in unless someone gives them life. The Biosurvival circuit begins in fear and, in order to live, must figure out how to behave so someone will allow or help them to live. That fear drives us all our lives. The first chance we get, we find a way to be secure in ourselves such that we don't have to depend on anyone else for our survival.
Soon, we learn (as babies) to manipulate Mommy. After all, people are pretty predictable, especially toward helpless babies. We find how to push Mommys' buttons to get what we want; food, cleaning, cuddled, etc. This pushes us toward aggressive, passive, helper, helpee, positive, negative, or other attitudinal activity. These traits affect each brain circuit in its turn as it opens and the Biosurvival circuit provides the framework for the complete learning process the brain will experience throughout the life of the organism. Thus, a person with great fear and frustration in the first brain circuit will pass that fear and frustration on to the second brain circuit (Ego), creating a less than bold territorial exploration, a timid child, and a shy, introspective adult.
Or, a child may grow bold in their demands on those around them, finding every whim quickly answered. This child may grow to be an aggressive extrovert, taking and demanding whatever they think is their "due". Again, a balance may occur such that the child gets enough love and attention but not over or underdone and the child moves into the second brain circuit learning process unbiased toward fear, aggression, or other strong bias.
How do adults keep the damage from happening? First, cure the damage they have so they won't pass it on. Second, do the best they can. The good news is that all the circuits can be retrained, even the most primitive Biosurvival first circuit.
The "flight or fight" aspect of the first circuit is retrained through a study of a Martial art so that when threatened the person automatically responds in the manner they have chosen to train in. The fear of the first circuit can be retrained by study of spiritual values coupled with an honest appraisal of the persons innate abilities. After all, most people are strong enough, smart enough, and able enough to work and stay alive in relative comfort. You might not have a million dollar home with servants but virtually all people live a full life to old age and, if they could include spiritual values which lower stress would live very full, long lives of great happiness no matter how much money or toys they had.
The first exercise in learning to retrain your Biosurvival circuit is acceptance. Now, I don't mean lay down, accept me as I am because I'm perfect and don't need to change, because that's a trap. You know you have areas to improve---so accept that. Don't make it a problem. Find out how and then act on it. Make the changes you need and build on that as you become the best you possible. Don't shoot yourself in the foot and then say "I'm OK" when you're not. Be honest and accept that honesty as a growing point. It doesn't matter how wretchedly you may have behaved, use that to grow with. See how bad it was, analyze how come it happened, find a way to improve it and grow. Accept your growth. Accept your potential. You can do it. Others with less going for them have done it. What's stopping you? OK-then fix that and MOVE!
Learn to accept others. Don't confuse acceptance with approval. Put your walls up to the psychopath and know you can't change them. Accept that you can protect yourself without attack on others. Our society is well protected against physical attack and if that is a fear, take up a martial art. Wall off the emotional attacks. That is them, not you.
Learn to live wisely. No, you won't get instant gratification all the time. To buy a new house you may need to work and save for years. It may be difficult and you may have to alter your goals but you can do it. Learn to set realistic goals and work on them realistically. Setting huge goals will overwhelm you and cause you to give up. Thus you will add to the frustration you already have. To attain a huge goal, set many small goals that move in the needed direction. One day you'll find yourself way past the once huge goal and won't know how you did that.
Don't become discouraged, you haven't failed until you give up. This brings up another important point. Failing is OK. Don't feel bad about changing your goals. Remember, if you have a goal of a cheap, second-hand car and you save enough for a new one instead, you have failed. Your goal was one thing and you have done another. How to know which was best is difficult. Perhaps the extra money spent on a new car would have been better spent in another area.
Set goals, attain them, then look to the rest. Mini-steps succeed where 7-league boots fail. Don't rush yourself and don't idle. Use each day wisely. Work, relax, meditate, study, treat yourself as you would advise another. Step back, accept who you are now, take a look without judging and move forward without pain. The old story of no pain-no gain is definitely not in THIS path and I don't recommend it to anyone. Even athletes now know that pain means they are doing damage. Don't give pain to yourself or anyone else.
Set your environment to comfort your Biosurvival circuit. Make what you do have as nice as you can. Re-order, clean, touch up, fix, and add to your comfort as you have time and money. Don't neglect yourself. That's exactly what you're trying to cure. Like yourself, love yourself, even with the things you know you'll change. Tell yourself eye-to-eye that you love yourself. Give a pep talk to yourself. Put up notes to you that you read each day for inspiration. Reward yourself for doing well and don't punish yourself for screwing up. Pick up the pieces, apologize to whomever, (and yourself), learn, and remember.
Keep a journal. When something goes wrong, write down everything you can about what caused it. Look between the lines, behind the facts, into your mood, your diet, time of month, money, habit, anything. Every so often correlate your journal and look for similar factors that control you. Remember, if you don't control you, someone will! That someone usually is a parent, a past event, an old bad attitude, etc., that taught you years ago to behave in a certain way. You don't have to behave as they taught you and can re-learn to be in control from your conscious circuits. That's what you are learning now---how to teach your damaged subconscious and unconscious brain circuits to grow up and integrate with the rest of your brain.

Home