Exiting the cage...

I hear a story about a behavioral experiment that was conducted in a lab:

There is a dog in a cage. Scientists rig one side of the cage so that every time the dog goes to that side of the cage she will get an electrical shock.

Soon enough, the dog learns to stay on the other side of the cage.

Within a few weeks, the scientists re-wire the cage so that she’ll get shocked on the side she was conditioned to stay on pain-free. As predicted, the dog learns to lay down on the opposite, formerly electrified side of the cage.

After a time the scientists rig the entire cage so that no matter where the dog lays down, she will receive an electrical shock. At first, the dog paces around madly. Tries again and again to find a place with no pain. Eventually, the dog learns to put up with the shocks and lays down anyhow. Gives up trying to be comfortable and becomes zombie like. The dog no longer behaves like a dog, but more like a wounded ghost.

The scientists open the cage and get the biggest surprise of all. The dog does not rush toward the door. The dog stays inside the cage. She has been conditioned to the pain of her “home.” She has been shocked into submission.

When I hear this story (in a movie I watch last night), I shudder. I cannot stop thinking about it. It is painfully familiar...

Conditioning. What we learn and try to re-learn. Make adjustments and then re-learn again. If it hurts when we do this, then we do that. It is when it still hurts no matter what we do that we must pay attention.

When I was with the disordered one the rules were constantly changing. I never knew which side of the cage would give me a shock. I was always changing my behavior based on avoiding a shock, but eventually, the entire cage was electrified. There was pain everywhere and I somehow learned to live with it, expect it almost. It was killing me and destroying who I was, so I became a zombie in order to endure. A ghost...

He opened the door time and again through a variety of very clever and subtle D & Ds. Shocked though I was, I did not exit the cage. I had grown accustomed to the environment, believed I “needed to stay” to fix things, to make it comfortable no matter how much it hurt. I could no longer recognize myself, nor anything remotely good. I came to expect more pain, and that’s exactly what I got.

It wasn’t until I absolutely had no choice but to abandon the cage that I somehow found the strength and courage to do so. It was truly a matter of survival.

Exiting the cage has brought me back to life. Exiting the cage restored my true nature, my instincts, my spirit, my joy.

What is the moral here?

Leave the cage when the first shocks begin. There is no safety zone when you’re involved with a mad scientist who comes into your life disguised as your “soul mate.” Love does not equal pain! Walking around and around the cage on tiptoes won’t help. You’ll get shocked over and over and over again.

LOVE DOES NOT EQUAL PAIN!

Conditioning isn’t rocket science and mad scientists count on their abilities to condition us through THEIR BEHAVIOR to put up with the pain. Catching you off guard, keeping you off kilter, hyper-vigilant and always anxious is the goal, for it guarantees the optimal results in their twisted world of confusion.

Conditioning is based on behavior/response. I now know that if I behave in a way that HONORS MYSELF first, I receive the reward of peace of mind, self-esteem, and joy and awe at the wonders of living. Life without pain! Freedom from confusion! Conditioned response, re-learned in the light.

The truth is pretty simple. Love does not equal pain.

*************

Nov 8 - 6AM
Sugaplum
Sugaplum's picture

Shattered.

Mar 21 - 5PM
don'tlookback
don'tlookback's picture

How your words resonate (not)

Aug 2 - 9AM
Emjbear
Emjbear's picture

I am just now reading this,

May 25 - 3PM
Deidre99
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This is remarkable insight,

Apr 8 - 1AM
Sparrow
Sparrow's picture

This is an amazing way of

Apr 7 - 3PM
Lisa E. Scott
Lisa E. Scott's picture

Wow

Apr 5 - 9PM
Marlinmom
Marlinmom's picture

Beautifully written Sparrow

Apr 5 - 4PM
greengirl91
greengirl91's picture

Spinning, this is so

Apr 3 - 10PM
rosedewittbukater
rosedewittbukater's picture

The cage

Mar 31 - 3PM
fooled no longer
fooled no longer's picture

id love to get hold of those

Mar 31 - 2PM
florence (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

Thank you Spinning

Mar 31 - 2PM
Fearless
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way with the word...

FeFe

Mar 31 - 2PM
Alissa
Alissa's picture

Thanks for writing this

Mar 31 - 7AM
Cabo
Cabo's picture

true

Mar 30 - 2AM
Journey
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Thanks for this Spinning,

Journey on...

Mar 29 - 6PM
abreva
abreva's picture

This is brilliant.

Mar 29 - 6PM
wsh
wsh's picture

Pretty much NAILS it

Mar 29 - 5PM
Tigerlily
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This post

Mar 29 - 1PM
fallingfoward
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Great Post

Mar 29 - 12PM
Hunter
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Awesome as usual.. Hunter

Mar 29 - 12PM
Layla
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Brilliant.

Mar 29 - 8PM (Reply to #1)
Maggster
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Me too- I cried and still