Each of us are parts of wider systems which — often invisibly — influence what we do.
Neuroscientists working with laboratory mice have shown that fears and trauma appear to be transferred down generations through DNA.
The mice were trained to be afraid of a scent similar to cherry blossoms. The following two generations of mice had no exposure to the same scent. The great “grandchildren”, when exposed to “cherry blossoms”, exhibited a fear response similar to their great grandparents!
The transfer mechanism, according to the research, is the greater activation of specific genes. See a fascinating BBC article here.
I believe this calls us to have greater awareness of intergenerational systems, and greater compassion for ourselves and each other. What if what stops us from moving forward are fears we’ve inherited from our parents, grandparents and even further back?
Being aware of intergenerational effects can help to burst the bubble. I can, by metaphor, train myself to notice when I’m triggered by “cherry blossoms” (or whatever it is), and consciously choose how I respond. I can “give back” what I’ve inherited, leaving the fear and trauma with previous generations.
It can cause different eye issues, including cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. cheap viagra 100mg Clinical Trials Indicate Acupuncture Provides Relief The American Cancer Society has reported that half of all men that are between the ages of 40 to 70 years As you get older than 40 years, it may require more than on line levitra just medication. For people going through prolonged erection problems, cialis 5mg uk ED medicine is the factor of price. cialis for order check out this opacc.cv Conversation is like the gateway to her mind. Over the holidays, my mother gave me a folder with memoir writing she had done in the late 90s. I was struck by several references to how my mother would give up whenever she encountered resistance as she sought connection with her parents.
Perhaps not coincidentally, also over the holidays, my husband and I contrasted our respective styles in the face of resistance: I tend to withdraw/give up, and he tends to persist.
In this new year, I’m getting a lot of mileage out of noticing this particular “cherry blossom” trigger. I have been able to follow up more persistently in situations where I’d like to make a connection, and have way more compassion for my irritated self’s desire to chuck everything in the face of resistance to how I’m organizing a group I co-convene.
Understanding that we (and everyone we deal with) are affected by previous generations opens a lot of cans of worms. The good news is that since those worms are working on us anyway, being more conscious of them allows us to shift our “system”, both for our own lives, and for the lives of our children!
Pass it on!
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P.S. One of the most powerful tools I know of for shifting intergenerational systems is Hellinger’s Constellation work. Ask me for more info if you are interested!
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