The ground of it is that we NEVER react to outside influences. We ALWAYS react to our perception of those outside influences. We in effect react to our own inner reactions.
This is a principle of Sympathetic Response. If we react with fear or with guilt (the really BIGGIE!) our reactions will be strongly negative and antagonistic to the "source" who the ego inevitably blames for the negative event. If the reaction is a strong one it will tend to imbed itself in our easily retrievable memory and that means we will henceforth react similarly. This is the learned response mode of the ego. The trick then is to understand this principle of self-reaction to what we think we perceive. (Our misperception is the infamous illusion.) We can all learn to be "proactive" or as the Masters of old have taught - transmute a negative reaction into a positive action. To master this it takes 1) passive observation of our own thoughts which includes our reactions to and within various situations and 2) devoted application to responding in a more desirable mode. Practice and patience (TLC) with self is what makes these come together. Remember we are replacing an old and non-serving habit with a new habit that will better serve us.
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