Patterns of Small Self
The small self - the body, emotions, thoughts - form a large variety of patterns, influenced by evolution/biology, culture and personal experiences.
And some of these patterns form when we live from an exclusive identification with the small self. These are patterns formed by a dualistic view, and are often patterns of contractions.
These patterns often hang around, even after we awaken to ourselves as the Absolute, as space & awareness. They come up, triggered by particular situations, and we either get temporarily caught up in them or allow them to unfold within the space. In the second case, the patterns are gradually diffused and loose their strengths. There is a gradual liberation.
Over the last few days, I have noticed this many times. Reading in a library, I saw a pattern of irritability over another's noisy leafing through a newspaper coming up, and I allowed it to unfold within space. Talking about some situations a few years back, I noticed sadness and hopelessness being triggered (which I experienced at the time), and allow that to unfold within space. In both cases, it was fully experienced - without any need to fuel it/go into it or push it away. And each time, the pattern seems to loose some of its strength.