Trauma, Ego and Unhealthy Patterns in Individuals and Society

EGO, PERCEPTION, AND ENERGY
Trauma interrupts the healthy development of our nervous system and thus our mental, emotional and spiritual health. This interruption contributes to default patterns of coping. This tends to be unconscious so we may only be aware of our obstacles rather than the root. Becoming aware enables us to erase the effects from our nervous systems and build in strength and resources.

Unfortunately today we are seeing a lot of manifestation of unhealed trauma and how it can create chaos and harm. Positively we can view our time in history when we can see more clearly and take measures to repair it as individuals and as members of a society.

The limitations in our nervous/energy systems are often spoken about in terms of unhealthy ego development and the shadow. This Brief View of the Ego Functions and Shadows may help shed some clarity on this subject.

Brief View of the Ego Functions and Shadows
Our ego is our everyday awareness. It is an important and useful aspect of personality. A positive/healthy ego helps us manage the practical aspects of life. An “unhealthy”/negative ego holds our wounds, hurts, and the resulting misperceptions. These live in the unconscious or shadow part of our consciousness. Left alone it manifests negatively in our lives.

When our focus is only on the ego’s reality, the ego
• Creates a reality of isolation, weakness, and fear
• Wants to define, control, quantify, measure in order to feel safe, secure, and comfortable
• Constricts movement of energy
• Focuses desires on outer material world and things that cannot truly satisfy
Tends to be rooted in fear. Triggers a perception of the ‘other’ as a danger which interrupts connection to empathy allowing for dehumanization of others.

Next post: Expanded consciousness and perception contributes to wholeness and health