According to Stanislav Grof you are probably more effected by your birth experience than you realize. A seed contains the blueprint for the life of a plant and your birth story leaves an imprint for life. Grof is a leading researcher in the field of pre and perinatal psychology. You can trace a biological matrix of emotional imprints and patterns that go back to your emergence into this world. Grof refers to these as Basic Perinatal Matrices (BPM). Understanding them can reveal a whole lot about you. It also provides a great framework for releasing old patterns, healing, and personal growth.
Transpersonal Psychology might loosely be called the psychology of spirituality and of those areas of the human mind which search for higher meanings in life, and which move beyond the limited boundaries of the ego to access an enhanced capacity for wisdom, creativity, unconditional love and compassion.
– British Psychological Society, Shamanism and Spirituality in Therapeutic Practice
Healing is a Lifelong Journey
The patterns we are healing are often inter-generational, stretching back to before we were born. It is amazing to consider that the egg which became you was literally carried by your grandmother. This is because your mother developed her eggs while she was a fetus inside of her mother’s womb.
We inherit coping mechanisms, stress patterns, family system patterns, as well as social and economic environments. Previous generations have left imprints on us that we are still sorting through. The beautiful thing about approaching healing this way is that we can bring resolution to our greater network of relatives. Some call this work ancestral healing.
The most potent of these imprints occur while we are in the womb and during the first few years after brth. The Basic Perinatal Matrices (BPM) as defined by Stanislav Grof are divided into four distinct phases of childbirth. These specific stages of a natural delivery influences our emotional lives and our experience of reality.
Western Science is approaching a paradigm shift of unprecedented proportions, one that will change our concepts of reality and of human nature, bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science, and reconcile the differences between Eastern spirituality and Western pragmatism. – Stan Grof from Beyond the Brain
Condensed Experience Systems
In order to understand the logic behind this research we need to look at what Grof calls “Condensed Experience Systems” or COEX. Have you ever noticed in conversation if you bring up a funny story, others start to remember their own funny stories too? When we do this for any kind of emotionally potent memory (happy, sad, scary, traumatic etc.) we easily start recalling memories of all the other times we had similar experiences that elicited those same feelings. Our feelings and the stories associated with these experiences are closely bundled together in our psyche.
Grof began looking for the root experience, the very first time we may have felt these feelings. By identifying these experiences you begin to notice a “storyline”. Emotional and psychological patterns have roots that strengthen over the years. By identifying them you can peel back the layers and learn about a lot about yourself.
In direct recapitulation, we unconsciously attract, or are attracted to specific situations and/or people who recreate the exact dynamic of the original trauma towards us. For example, if we experienced intense pressure during birth that was overwhelming, we may directly recapitulate this by constantly putting ourselves in relationships and work environments where we feel consistently pressurized and overwhelmed. -Enhancing the Future
Our emotional brains develop long before our rational, language-brains. Therefore these patterns have roots that go back to being in the womb or our first few years of life. Grof identified four primary stages of this process.
The First Stage – The Amniotic Universe
BPM I is the phase of the fetus floating within the womb in a timeless state. This can be a pleasant or unpleasant experience. It all depends on the emotional and physical health of the mother, environment and diet.
- Positive experiences of this stage are associated with a sense of oneness, timelessness, mystery, transcendence, and samadhi.
- Negative experiences of this stage are associated with a sense of ungroundedness and disengagement from life .
The Second Phase – The Cosmic Oppression
BPM II is the phase where the womb begins closing in, compressing us and pushing us towards the birth canal. Since we are no longer floating, this phase is the first time we begin to notice the motion of time. Along with it comes the contrast between spaciousness and compression, the beginning of duality. Hormonal changes include a reduction of oxygen and the pressure of contractions against the closed cervix.
- Positive experiences of this stage are associated with excitement about a new prospect or integration of new information or wisdom.
- Negative experiences of this stage are a sense of impending crisis, fear or resistance to new developments in your life.
The Third Phase – The Struggle Death-Rebirth
BPM III is when we actually enter the birth canal. This increased stress or compression is associated with struggle and reaching for the light at the end of the tunnel.
- A positive experience of this stage is the flowstate — being “in the zone”. This is where you are taking care of things as they come up almost automatically. You are engaged in your tasks at peak efficiency.
- A negative experience of this stage is feeling squeezed or even crushed by life’s circumstances. It can also be a feeling of being overwhelmed by life’s demands.
The Fourth Phase – The Experience Death-Rebirth
BPM IV is our emergence from the birth canal into the world.
- The baby exists the birth canal, the birth process completes, and life begins. This stage is associated with release, joy, ease, and most importantly, freedom.
Your Personal Creation Story
Each of these phases literally represent our own personal creation story. So it is no surprise how deeply they can influence us for the duration of our lives. However this is not a life sentence! Our relationship with these memories, when made conscious, can be empowering regardless of our varied positive/negative experiences. This is a brief overview. For a more in depth exploration of the basic perinatal matrices you can download an informative PDF here.
If you are wondering what you can do to bring resolve to these underlying feelings, you are not alone. It is important to welcome even the negative aspects of your story with love, non-judgement, and compassion. These are the energies that helped form you. You are not a victim, you are a powerful being here to evolve and transmute these emotions.
Accepting this from a larger perspective will allow you to “make friends” with your own process. Each phase leads to the next. We continue to cycle through them during all of our life’s transitions. Knowing these patterns allows us to relax and “breathe through the contractions”.
Closing
This knowledge can lead to a deepened sense of connection with one’s self. It can also open a beautiful dialogue with your family. Conversations with parents, or children about this potent phase of life can strengthen connection and compassion. We can all heal things that have been passed down through the generations. As we each do this individually we help everyone around us evolve and heal too.
We all feel overwhelmed with various emotional states at times. By recognizing these realms as biological matrices we will be more empowered to navigate them with grace. This understanding also helps us evolve a greater sense of connection with our ancestors and compassion for everyone around us. This is a dynamic process of personal and historical evolution. This is paramount to creating the life you dream of. If you are caught in a perinatal matrix you can consciously liberate yourself from it.
