(c) 2012
The truth is we start learning in the womb, long before we’re born. Long before we’re able to mimic the adults around us.
Everything a mom-to-be does is shared with her unborn child biochemically, building specific neuronal connections and preferences. What she eats, drinks, thinks, believes, feels, perceives, fears, imagines…all of those things plus her unconscious hormonal responses to those things all affect the baby.
Brain research has proven that an unborn baby can hear what’s going on outside of the womb beginning at the third or fourth month. Those sounds may be muffled, but they are audible. Tone of voice can be detected, too. This is nature’s way of preparing for us as newborns to come into the world and be ready to fit in with our family and culture.
Try this experiment…take a moment and place your hands over your ears. Now, listen to the world around you. If others are talking, you can probably hear clearly enough to discern words and tones of voice. A child in the womb has a similar experience long before birth.
Some parents take the opportunity to play music, sing to, talk to, or read to their unborn child while he or she is still in the womb.
In my practice, I’ve noticed that those early influences can have a big impact on us throughout life. That impact can be positive or negative. In the case of a negative impact, it is important to address and intentionally correct any information learned from those early influences that creates self-sabotage.
Remember that no matter what you learned unconsciously early on, you are capable of learning new perspectives and behaviors. You can learn how to act according to current conditions instead of reacting to past experiences and perceptions. You may need help to access the subconscious and rewire it to your current needs and wishes, and hypnosis and hypnotherapy performed by a trained professional can be powerful tools for doing that quickly.
Your mind is a tool that you can use in any way you wish. How will you behave today? Your mind is the key – consciously and unconsciously.
Next Month: The Effects of Environment on Our Ability to Learn
