Generational trauma…think pavlov’s dogs…conditioning…events that produce a response.

For example there was study done at Emory University in Atlanta where they trained male rats to fear the smell of cherry blossom by shocking their feet whilst spraying the scent.

This is referred to as epigenetics, above the genome, meaning our genes can be turned on and off based on stimulus from our environment.

When I was using a particular modality specific to women a couple of years ago, I could see generational trauma go back many many generations, some back 10 (or more) generations.

We can see generational trauma coming through with money beliefs. Money can be the “cherry blossom” spray that when the subject is brought up, a highly anxious state is felt. A dysfunctional relationship to money is playing out, one that has been experienced for generations. This could also be described as a survival response, clinging to money for fear of lack, working all hours to make as much money as possible whilst having enough to live comfortably. These are both signs of a trauma response.

There is an underlying angst every time they make money or spend money.

The same can be said for divorce or separation. The “cherry blossom” in this situation could be if you experience a distance between yourself and your partner (or you experience it as a child watching your parents). You see cracks starting to appear in your relationship, arguments, disagreements, and because of this you start to experience a survival response of “this could be the end of my comfort, losing my home, losing my children (catastrophizing)…” this fight, flight, freeze response could potentially turn on the gene response in your system. Getting passed down from generation to generation.

Food is also another trauma response that can be traced back from generations of poverty, war, rationing etc

Essentially survival adaptations that are passed down from generation to generation need to have “closed loops”, to end the cycle of trauma.

The adaptations that show up are based on surviving, they do not have to define you or your family generationally anymore.