Over the winter I got several good laughs when a certain commercial came on the television where the doorbell rang. My chocolate lab - then bout 15 months old jumped up and ran to the the door ready to greet whoever was there! (there was no one of course)
The fun part about this was that we never have anyone come to our door - and to be truthful - I am not even sure that the doorbell works. But every time he heard the familiar 'ding-dong' on the television - he ran to the door barking!
Now comfortably nested in our RV in Canmore at the campground we manage - we had one of the 3 television channels on during the recent snowstorm. (will it ever end?) On came the commercial with the doorbell sound effect. The dog, who had snuck into the bedroom area and was quietly taking the bed apart so he could snuggle under the covers, tore out into the living area and slid to a stop by the door of the RV and began barking.
I could hardly stop laughing. Now we have NEVER had a doorbell on the RV - so this was indeed very funny. But it got me to wondering about his behavior. Born and semi-raised in an outdoor pen - Finnegan (our dog) had never lived in a house, until ours. And I know there was no doorbell on the barn he was born in. How then did he know to run to the door when hearing a doorbell chime?
The answer may not be what you expect. You see, our cells have memory. And everything we are exposed to affects our cells - and they change as a result. Cells develop memories and may even evolve as a result of stimulus or changes they may need to make to keep us functioning properly. So it is fair to say that we do unknowingly and unwittingly carry with us many of the memories of our families past. (This has actually been proven scientifically) And this is why he knew a doorbell sound and why he should run to the house's entrance.
This isn't just true with animals - it is true with humans as well. So for instance in my family - we have all developed in a certain way, with certain ideas and beliefs as a result of where we were born, raised, and the work the family did before I was born. One belief I know I had was that the we were 'underdogs' - always treated unfairly never able to get ahead. This was not something I made up - it was something I subconsciously knew to be true.
Our brains as we all know are made up of cells with memories. Interestingly enough, much of what my brain knows subconsciously, came not from my own expereinces but from the learned and shared experiences of those who went before me. My mother, father, grandparents and great-grandparents passed along helpful and not so helpful understandings that shaped who I am and what I believe. Some of these beliefs serve me well.
Some of these beliefs do not serve me well at all. But how do I know what they are - or how to change them?
Sorting through my subconscious is like trying to find a needle in a haystack in a DARK barn. Almost impossible until I get pricked by the sharp end.
What I learned several years ago is - we can use some great methods to find out what those subconscious beliefs are - and we can change them using a collaborative of knowledge around brain gym, affirmations and connecting the left and right side of the brain. It takes a little training - but is more than well worth the time to learn it.
Think about it. If you could learn how o remove the blockages and subconscious beliefs that hinder your ability to reach your goals - wouldn't you want to learn how to do it?
The other option is to deny that we can change at all - that we are stuck in self limiting behaviors that sabotage our ability to change our worlds. Hmmmm... I don't think I can accept that way of thinking!
