What would you say if I suggested that the "you" that others often experience is not the real you? I would be a wealthy man if I saved a dime for every client, friend, or colleague that has uttered the words, "I don't know who I really am..."
How does this happen to us?
Children are wonderful sensors yet poor perceivers. That is to say, throughout our early childhood development we experience many different seasons of change and have a variety of complex, painful, and pleasant experiences. Our ego resources are immature and underdeveloped, unable to adequately understand our experiences. Depending upon the severity and duration of our childhood experiences, there comes a time when we interpret that our love needs are not being met to suite our wants and needs.
In our panic we think that these experiences must be happening to us because something must be wrong with us or "I must have done something bad" and "I'm afraid that you are going to take your love from me." The underdeveloped ego then makes a "shift" and creates an alternate self in hopes that love will be returned. This is the emergence of what many have referred to as the "false self." Carl Jung suggested that we "disown" parts of our "original" self in order to protect us and to form other traits of self to save the love and acceptance we long for most.
This is how the "original" self becomes lost or buried deep inside our psyche, but it doesn't have to remain that way. Next--Recognizing the Original Self in the midst of our false perceptions.
Ken Zeigler
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1 comment:
Such a fascinating topic and so hard for me to grasp. I'm looking forward to your follow up of "Next--Recognizing the Original Self in the midst of our false perceptions".
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