Have you ever wondered why we don’t reach our full potential? Why we often don’t achieve our goals, dreams, or desires? What is it inside us that holds us back from doing what we really want?
A big part of the reason are the rigid beliefs and decisions we’ve made based on our past experiences. We start believing these as absolute truths about our life, and they become our postulates—our deep, core beliefs, attitudes, and principles.
Hans TenDam, a well-known figure in regression therapy, explains in his book Deep Healing and Transformation that postulates are like mental programs—charged thoughts or sentences that keep repeating in our minds and influence how we think, feel, and act.
Postulates are the fixed ideas that shape how we see ourselves, others, and the world. They show up in how we talk:
• “I’m always unlucky.”
• “People only care about themselves.”
• “Life is unfair. ”Even simple phrases like “I don’t get it” or “I’m stuck” can be postulates.
Often, these thoughts are generalizations which use words like always, never, everyone, or everywhere. But these generalizations block us from seeing things clearly. They stop us from considering the situation or our own role in it. They give us false certainty and limit what we can do.
Postulates are mental stamps, stuck judgments, and/or our rigid attitudes.
How Do We Get Stuck in Postulates?
Our minds always want an explanation, especially for painful or shocking experiences. Any explanation that would help us make sense of the situation. When we go through similar experiences again and again, the conclusions we draw start to feel more and more real:
Any experience for the first time: it's like it's written in pencil. Can be erased easily.
After it happens again: it’s written in ink. Erasable but needs a lot of efforts.
However, the third time and: it’s carved in stone.
Now, that experience will become a fixed belief—a postulate. Examples:
• “People only care about themselves.”
• “Life is unfair.”
Or personal ones like:
• “I’m always unlucky.”
• “I don’t get it.”
• “I’m stuck.”
Sometimes we believe these things because others have said them to us—and we accepted them. For example, if your parents always said “You’re a bad boy,” eventually you may believe it and start thinking, “I’m bad. ”That’s called internalization—taking in other people’s judgments as our own.
Many postulates act as protection—from getting hurt or failing. Examples:
• “I’m too good for this, so I won’t do it” (a superiority complex).
• “I hate easy success.”
• “I could do it if I didn’t have headaches.”
• “I’m talented, but I’m lazy.”
Every postulate says something about how we see ourselves. The most powerful ones are character postulates—they define who we think we are:
• “Nothing ever works out for me.”
• “I see no way out.”
• “I don’t care.”
• “Nobody loves me.”
• “Everybody loves me.”
Our character is the collection of habits in how we think, feel, and act. We often describe it as good or bad, strong or weak. A good character includes healthy, human habits. A bad one includes unhealthy, inhuman habits.
But even good habits can become too rigid. So, the most important part of a truly good character is being open and willing to learn and change.
Psychologist Carl Rogers said that when people strongly hold on to beliefs, it often means something’s wrong. Strong beliefs help hide doubt and uncertainty.
We all feel uncertain inside, and that makes us look for things to hold on to. Postulates come in when we can’t handle that uncertainty. They become strong opinions that protect us from feeling confused or unsure. They might help us sometimes—but usually, they limit what we’re capable of.
The best way to avoid falling into the trap of postulates?
Accept uncertainty.
Regards,
Ankour Joshii
Clinical Hypnotherapist ,Transpersonal Regression Therapist, Numerologist, Vastu consultant & Music therapist