Your personality as a reaction mechanism

In many columns on this site you will read that your personality interprets, and as a bonus comes up with feelings as a result from that, with which you are going to do something, etc. So you might say that your personality is a reaction mechanism. It perceives something, and then follows a standard reaction routine, which matches your unique personal experiences, standards, values etc.

Now the good part about your personality being a reaction mechanism only, is that you no longer have to invest in upholding the idea that it has a life of its own. How can something that reacts only, can be called "an individual"? This makes it easier for you not having to identify with it as "you". Your personality wants you to believe that when he no longer reacts, there is no life for "you". How far from the truth is this, it is there where the good part starts! Imagine that you no longer feel attacked, fearful, angry, irritated, in a hurry, etc. And that the frantic activity of thoughts in your head, drawing your attention (and what are their results anyway?) is no longer necessary. Imagine the mental space available! Okay, you will have to remember what it is that you can do with this mental space that is now no longer occupied by your personality (who, by the way, will label this absence of thoughts as empty, scary, threatening and unpleasant, and will continue to offer issues to cover this up). Now here is the place where you can really become aware again of the part of you so long forgotten: your inner Self.

Your inner Self comes with some form of feeling that you are not alone, that you are somehow connected with other people. Now the only way that you can help yourself to remember this, is not by focusing on the differences with other people, but on the things that you have in common. Now this you will not find in opinions, expectations, things, meaning etc. You will find it in the recognition that the other person has an inner Self as well, that it is very likely that he too has forgotten about it, now somehow tries to come up with the experiences it could bring him (or find alternatives for it), however does not know where to look for them. Now you can face former unpleasant situations in a new light. For example: when someone turns on the radio real loud, you have the choice to either get irritated about it, or to recognize that the other person is looking for the pleasant experiences of his inner Self, just like you. You can easily remember your reaction to the first interpretation, you may be pleasantly surprised by the experiences you get on the second one.