conscioussness and formatting (aik 2016)

Consciousness, Stress and Formatting


Original imbalance (Samskara)

Pranic Flow

Behaviour Patterns (Archetypes)

Conscious thoughts & emotions

Subconscious thoughts & emotions

Unconscious thoughts & emotions

Anatomy & Physiology


• No Stress – Social engagement system (Para sympathetic

vagus nerve) • 1st Stage of Stress

– Sympathetic nervous system • 2nd Stage of Stress

– Hypothalamic / Pituitary / Adrenal (HPA) Axis • 3rd Stage of Stress

– Unmyelinated ‘vegetative’ vagus nerve


• No Stress State Characteristics – Increased vagal influence (via pathways originating in

the nucleus ambiguus) on the heart – Spontaneous social engagement behaviours (e.g.,

facial expression, vocalisation, listening, eye gaze, prosody)

– Structural and Functional link between the muscles of the face and the smooth muscles of the viscera (visceral states that promote growth and restoration)

– Neuroception which determines whether environmental stimuli elicit a fight-flight (1st Stage) or social engagement (No Stress State) response

– Inhibits sympathetic behaviours – Dampens the HPA axis – Reduces inflammation by modulating immune reactions


• 1st Stage of Stress Characteristics – Fight Flight Response – Governed by the Sympathetic Nervous System – Vagal withdrawal – Hypothalamus and PAG of the brainstem

orchestrate the response in the body – Also known as short term stress – Survival mechanism – Extinguishes after the stressor disappears


• 2nd Stage of Stress Characteristics – Governed by the HPA axis – HPA Hormones orchestrate the response in

the body – Also known as long term stress – Survival mechanism – Extinguishes after the stressor disappears


• 3rd Stage of Stress Characteristics – Governed by the unmyelinated vagus nerve – Immobilisation (e.g., feigning death, vasovagal

syncope (sudden drop in your heart rate and blood pressure), and behavioural shutdown)

– Inhibition of HPA axis (low cortisol) – Conditioned Emotions – PTSD

• Hyperarousal • Memory blackouts • Flashbacks


• The flow of imbalance – Samskaras – Archetypes – Thoughts – Emotion – Physical body


• The word samskara comes from the Sanskrit sam (complete or joined together) and kara (action, cause, or doing).

• In addition to being generalized patterns, samskaras are individual impressions, ideas, or actions; taken together, our samskaras make up our conditioning.

• Samskaras can be either ‘good’ or ‘evil; ‘positive’ or ‘negative’. They are the impressions that give rise to duality, they are the imprints that form the mind.

• Therefore they are the basic impulses that give rise to the archetypes, thoughts, emotions and physical problems that cause suffering in the world.

• Each samskara therefore generates behavioural compensations that lead to continued repeated patterns of behaviour.


Samskara Compensation Explanation I am bad I have to prove I'm good People with this samskara have to

constantly prove how good they are I am unworthy I have to prove my worth People with this samskara have to

constantly prove their worth I am undeserving I have to sacrifice my needs People with this samskara often do the

martyr archetype


• Archetypes are defined as pattern of behaviour or a collectively-inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., that is universally present in individual psyches.

• These patterns of behaviour and thought arise from the seed of imperfection that is the Samskara.

• They are represented in mythology, storytelling and in many different aspects of psychology and healing


Archetype Thought and/or behaviour pattern The victim Bad things always happen to me The creator I need to have an audience for my ideas The martyr Your needs are important, mine are not The fool I'm never taken seriously The magician I manifest what I want The tyrant Everyone must do as I say The warrior I need to battle to succeed The innocent I believe everyone (naïve)


• Possible Outcomes of an Emotional Experience – Resolution of emotions – Emotional expression – Subconscious emotional suppression – Emotional conflict between the conscious and

subconscious – Deep unconscious emotional storage which

surface at inopportune moments


• Resolution of emotions – Requires access of cortical functions – Spiritual development – Requires ‘no stress state’ of the myelinated

vagus nerve


• Emotional expression – Function of the sympathetic nervous system – Vagal withdrawal – Hypothalamus and PAG of the brainstem

orchestrate the response in the body


• Subconscious emotional suppression – Stores emotion in the body – Why bodywork works – Muscle and organ stress needs to be

released – Leads to long term stress


• Emotional conflict between the conscious and subconscious – Stores emotional conflict in the fascia

associated with musculoskeletal system


• Deep unconscious emotional storage – Stored in bones and teeth – Independent of the nervous system – Most spiritual and life challenging issues


Emotional State Awareness of Emotional Reaction

Conscious emotion I’m angry at myself and I know it

Subconscious emotion I have an issue with anger, but I’m unaware that I’m angry with myself

Conflict Subconsciously I’m angry with myself, but consciously I’m not

Unconscious emotion The anger at myself is completely unconscious, consciously I have no idea that I’m angry


• Format brain areas: – Cortex: Anatomy x Gland x CV24 – Limbic brain: Anatomy x Gland x CV24 x CV23 – Reptilian brain: Anatomy x Gland x GV26

• Samskara mode (death mode x spiritual mode): explore samskara

• Archetype mode: explore archetypes • Explore emotions

– Emotion mode for conscious emotions – Emotion mode LT for subconscious emotions – Emotion mode DT for unconscious emotions

conscioussness and formatting (aik 2016)

Education