“I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams.” ~ Jonas Salk
Traumatic or painful experiences that happened in the past can have a powerful impact on how we live our “present.” Old emotional wounds can leave us frightened, untrusting, insecure, distant, angry , anxious or depressed .
We may read things in to the comments or behaviors of others that were never intended. We may be less resilient, and have a hard time letting go of real or imagined slights. We may challenge or judge others because we feel wounded. Consequently, there may always be turmoil in some aspect of our lives. This can result in new wounds that keep our memory of the old wounds alive and active in our psyches.
In order to be happy, and to have healthy relationships and interactions with others, the old wounds need to be healed. That, of course, is easier said than done. Therapy can be very helpful, as can spiritual healing. Some find that reading self-help books can provide useful insights.
What is critical, of course, is wanting to be healed and wanting to let go of the past. For some, the pain has been there for so long, it is like an old friend. Others may become stuck in the victim mentality. Some may erroneously think that letting go of the past would mean that what happened was okay. It is easy to let the past define us, but it is not helpful to do so.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the pain and the memories just will not go away. This is because the impact of the past has been recorded at a deep subconscious level, and the subconscious can sabotage the intentions and affirmations of the conscious mind. If other avenues have been tried without success, the use of guided imagery or hypnosis can be a useful tool. I say if other avenues have been tried, because it is important to have insight and understanding, and that comes with therapy or reading. As and adjunct to these, tools that work at a subconscious level can be very effective (providing they are done by a trained and reputable therapist.)
Healing the wounds of the past can free us up to live life in a joyful, positive and loving way. It is never too late.
Copyright © Gwen Randall-Young, All Rights Reserved. Contact us if you would like permission to reprint.
Related MP3s Available:
Healing the Past
Healing Your Inner Child
Releasing Anxiety
Healing Depression
Releasing Anger