In this context the survival reflex is an automatic protective response contained in everyone that is triggered in childhood by any perceived danger and associated with a core hurt. Another name for this is the ego. Humans along with every living creature that has ever lived have one thing in common, the genetic reflex or protection to survive.
This survival reflex as the name implies is fast, automatic, universal to all living creatures and is there to protect us when we are not able to protect ourselves. This survival reflex is our autopilot and our life preserver. The “life preserver” role is simple, to preserve life, yours. Its mode of action is also simple, move away physically and emotionally as fast as possible from any perceived danger. This reflex is not focused on "winning" or the "best or most loving" action, it is setup to be focused on "not losing" or "not dying", which means it evaluates, compares and in a choice between two separate actions will picks the one that harms you the least.
The survival reflex is strong and begins to form even while in the womb, we know that even during fetal development the mother’s reaction to stress is communicated to fetus through circulating stress hormones. In other words the growing fetus experiences the stresses of the mother. Understanding that the body does not do anything without purpose and the primary purpose being survival the need for this is to prime the baby for the environment that it will be born into. This could help explain why we see children that are more “sensitive” to conflict or stress.
The body and mind have an innate wisdom and intelligence, the smallest actions have purpose. At the start of life that purpose is simple, keep the body alive under any circumstance, protect survival. In the event of continual triggering (lots of hurt) the survival reflex ends up creating even deeper protective behaviors or habits. Example of this is child abuse, sexual abuse. To a child especially this is a massive amount of trauma, sadness, unknown, powerlessness and confusion to process, the fast efficient survival reflex takes over and diverts and shuts down any pain and hurt away from the child. This is great in the moment but if left unchecked in adulthood leads to deeper problems related to feeling safe, self esteem and the ability to trust and love.
This survival reflex is meant to be used for a short time only, and only under extreme emergencies. A reflex without guidance or choice creates a prison of thought and action. A protective reflex is great when you’re a child without any real power, freedom or choice but not so good when you are an adult. For example a reflex to kill is great in war time, but not so good in peace time; a person trained by their environment to be a soldier can be left totally unequipped to be "peaceful in peace" and even innocent actions can be interptrted as threats.
The thriving reflex
Most of us have a well tuned survival reflex but a untuned thriving reflex. The making of a thriving reflex comes from using all of your information from your heart (feelings) and your mind (thinking) and then actively choosing with the gift and power of free will. This process starts and repeats itself as ; first awakening, then creating awarness, followed by action and then feeling more alive.
- Awaken
- Awarness
- Action, acceptance, choice
- Alive and more awakened
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