I sit between my brother the mountain and my sister the sea. We three are one in loneliness, and the love that bids us together is deep and strong and strange. Khalil Gibran

Depression Reflection Loneliness

There is a tendency in many of us to withdraw when confronted with harsh reality, a desire to be alone, to be lonely, to reject the very things that have illuminated our self-doubt, to push away the consequences.

Why do we take this path to isolation?

Psychologists would contend that such moods, the negativity that we rely upon, makes the individual feel ‘strong and powerful”, that it reinforces the feeling of self, of superiority, of being right in the face of contrary opinion.

I would assert however, that there is a strong hint of our forebears in this reaction. Ingrained negativity, the ready shift of our mind to the unconstructive, sometime destructive can very well be an epigenetic impulse, not cognitive, but one inherited from trauma felt by our forebears.

Take a look at the history of your family, the journey of grandparents, great grandparents and beyond, examine their histories, their trials. It could very well be they have a story to tell, a tale that lives within you, that reflects in your responses, your current view of self.

Grappling with the past in this way may reveal the genesis of your own unhelpful responses, and give you a path to better health and enjoyment of this beautiful planet.

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