Uncovering Triggers and Past Life Patterns for Growth
- Soul Pathy
- Sep 17, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 24
Ever felt a sudden rush of emotions, like a wave crashing over you out of nowhere?

That’s a trigger, an echo from your past, whispering (or sometimes shouting) in your ear. It’s a moment when your history decides to pop by unannounced, courtesy of a song, a scent, or a comment that strikes a chord.
These intense emotions aren’t mere accidents; they’re clues, fragments of a puzzle pointing towards unresolved wounds. Imagine these triggers as cosmic breadcrumbs, left by your soul to guide you on the journey to healing.
But before we dive deeper, let’s understand exactly what a trigger is and how it works.
What is a Trigger?
Triggers are like invisible emotional buttons, just waiting to be pressed. They are external or internal stimuli that evoke a strong emotional reaction. Often, these reactions are rooted in past experiences—sometimes recent, sometimes deeply buried in your subconscious, or even in your soul’s past incarnations.
External Triggers:
External triggers are like stealthy ninjas of the emotional world. They can sneak up on you through everyday events, words, smells, sounds, or even images. One moment, you’re calmly sipping your tea, and the next, a song on the radio catapults you back to a time when life wasn’t quite so rosy.
Examples of external triggers include:
A place or a picture, a scent, a sound or a song - perhaps a particular tune brings back memories of your teenage years, instantly transporting you to the giddy euphoria of a sweet romance or the angst of a painful breakup,
Internal Triggers:
Internal triggers, on the other hand, originate from within. These are thoughts, memories, or physical sensations that arise unexpectedly, stirring dormant emotions and linking them to past experiences.
Examples of internal triggers include:
A physical sensation, a stray thought - perhaps you suddenly recall a childhood incident where you felt dismissed or unworthy, and that feeling resurfaces with surprising intensity or anxiety, even if that time has long since passed. A memory - a flash of a long-forgotten moment might trigger a cascade of emotions, leaving you unsettled and unsure of why you feel so intensely.
How Triggers Shape Your Emotional Journey
Being triggered can feel like being yanked from the present and thrown into the past. Your heart races, your palms sweat, and suddenly, you’re overwhelmed with emotions you thought you’d left behind. It’s as if you’re reliving the hurt, the fear, the loss, all over again.
This is because our subconscious mind doesn’t differentiate between past and present. It reacts. It remembers. And in that moment of being triggered, the lines between now and then blur.
Imagine you’re standing in a peaceful garden, basking in the serenity of the moment. Then, out of nowhere, a storm rolls in—dark clouds, thunder, lightning. The storm is the trigger, and it sweeps you away before you even have a chance to open your umbrella.
Everyday Triggers in Your Daily Life and Their Hidden Roots
You’re driving to work, it’s a beautiful bright day, you're feeling cheerful when suddenly a song from your teenage years comes on the radio. In an instant, you’re back in your old bedroom, reliving the heartbreak of your first serious breakup. Your chest tightens, and a wave of sadness washes over you, as if it just happened yesterday.
You’re in the middle of a disagreement when your partner says something that stings. Suddenly, you feel unworthy, small, insignificant. Only later do you realise it mirrors a childhood experience where you were harshly criticised by a parent or teacher.
You take a bite of a dish that reminds you of your grandmother’s cooking. For a moment, you’re transported back to your childhood, feeling the warmth and comfort of her presence. But with that nostalgia comes a pang of grief, as you realise how much you miss her.
You’re in a relationship, and your partner storms out of the house in a fit of fury. It triggers a deep fear of abandonment, stemming from a childhood experience where you were often left alone. The fear is overwhelming, and you find yourself reacting with intense anxiety, desperate to feel secure again.
Someone compliments you, but instead of feeling good, you immediately feel suspicious or undeserving. This might be tied to a past experience where praise came with strings attached or hidden motives.
A colleague's seemingly innocuous comment triggers a deep-seated resentment. Your cheeks flush with embarrassment and you feel humiliated. Perhaps it echoes a time when you were belittled by your boss in front of the entire team.
While many triggers stem from current life experiences, some are echoes from past lives. These triggers are often more subtle, but their impact can be just as profound.
How Past Life Experiences Influence Present-Day Triggers
You’re visiting a new place, yet it feels strangely familiar. A feeling of déjà vu leaves you unsettled. Could it be that you’re tapping into a past life’s unresolved karma? Maybe you’ve been here before, in another lifetime, and there’s unfinished business that still needs addressing.
You see an image of a far-off land—a place you’ve never been before, yet you feel an inexplicable connection. It’s as if your soul recognises it, stirring memories of a past life spent there, where you experienced both joy and hardship.
You have a deep-seated fear of water, heights, or certain animals, despite never having had a traumatic experience with them in this life. This could be a phobia carried over from a past life where such things played a significant role in your demise.
You harbour resentment towards someone, yet can’t pinpoint why. It might be that you and this person had a difficult relationship in a past life, and those unresolved feelings have followed you into this one.
Meeting someone for the first time, yet feeling an instant, powerful connection—or even an inexplicable animosity—can be a sign that your souls have crossed paths before, with unresolved karma influencing your current relationship.
The Healing Journey: Embracing Triggers for Spiritual Growth
Triggers, while uncomfortable, are messengers. They nudge us—sometimes gently, sometimes not—towards the wounds that need healing. They are the gateways to deeper understanding and spiritual growth.
The next time you feel triggered, try viewing it as an opportunity rather than a setback. What is this trigger trying to show you? What wound is still open, waiting to be healed? By embracing your triggers with curiosity and compassion, you can begin to heal those old wounds and align more closely with your soul path.
Practical Tips for Dealing with Triggers:
Pause and Breathe: When you feel triggered, take a moment to pause and breathe. Ground yourself in the present moment and remind yourself that you are safe.
Reflect: Ask yourself, what is this moment teaching me? What is this trigger revealing about my past, and how can I use this insight to heal and grow?
Practice Mindfulness: Cultivate mindfulness in your daily life. This will help you become more aware of your triggers and respond to them with greater clarity and calmness.
Seek Support: If a trigger feels too overwhelming, don’t hesitate to seek support. Whether through therapy, spiritual guidance, or talking to a trusted friend, sometimes the path to healing requires a helping hand.
Spiritual Perspective:
From a spiritual perspective, triggers are not obstacles but opportunities for growth. They are the soul’s way of drawing your attention to areas that need healing. By confronting and healing these wounds, you can break free from their grip and move closer to fulfilling your soul’s purpose.
Remember, your triggers are not your enemies—they are your teachers. Each one offers a lesson, a chance to grow, and an opportunity to heal old wounds.
In summary, triggers are powerful, sometimes uncomfortable, but they are necessary tools for healing. They illuminate unresolved pain from both this life and past lives, urging you to confront and heal those wounds. By understanding and embracing your triggers, you can unlock deeper levels of self-awareness, spiritual growth, and emotional freedom.
So, the next time a trigger surfaces, don’t shy away—lean in. Let that rush of emotion be your guide, not your undoing. It’s your soul tapping you on the shoulder, asking you to listen, to heal, to grow. Embrace the discomfort, ask the deeper questions, and see where the journey takes you. After all, the path to wholeness is paved with the very triggers you’re tempted to avoid. Ready to turn those emotional roadblocks into stepping stones? Your healing journey starts now.
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