Reactive Mind
The part of a person’s mind that gets triggered by stimuli in the environment. There is always something irrational about the trigger and this part of the mind is not under the person’s own control. Even when they are aware of being triggered, they will not have a full understanding of why that is.
(Ref: Scientology 0-8: The Book of Basics “Description of Scientology”)
Example:
It’s rational to feel nauseated by the smell of rotting garbage. But Lois gets nauseated by the smell of gardenias. Maybe she even experiences some emotional response, like feeling sad. She may or may not have some idea about what lies behind this. Perhaps she remembers a funeral where gardenias were present. Regardless, she resigns herself to feeling sick to her stomach and sad whenever she encounters this flower. However, there will be more to it. With the help of an auditor, Lois can discover all the underlying factors causing this trigger. In this example, it could be that something traumatic occurred at the funeral that she doesn’t recall. All these years, she’s remembered it was her grandma’s funeral. And she’s recounted it to some friends. But with her auditor, she recalls something she had blocked out. Or there could be some other related incident holding the trigger in place. By working together and using the proper techniques, the auditor and Lois can release this trigger and all the other triggers that make up this part of her mind.
To gain a full understanding of the Reactive Mind, read Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health.
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