Mind Warehouse.com -- "A Psychological Adventure" Article

A Psychological Adventure

How the choices we make reveal our true nature

By: Anderson Fox

Those of you who grew up in the 80’s might remember a series of “Choose your own Adventure” books where at the end of every page you had to make a decision and that determined what happened to you next. This article will take you on a similar psychological journey that might just reveal some surprising answers about your personality. I would encourage you to try this out for yourself. I have also found this to be a lot of fun to do with a small group of friends or relatives.

Before reading any further, however, I would ask that you find a small sheet of paper and a pen to jot down your answers as you go along. Try to answer the questions using the first answer that comes to your mind. Please don’t go back and second-guess your answers or try to figure out what they might mean. Just relax and have fun with it!

The Journey:

One day you decide to go for a hike in the country. After walking for a while, you come to a fork in the road, which way do you decide to go?

Do you take the path to the left that leads you up towards the open plains?

Do you take the path to the right that takes you down towards the wooded valley?

Please write down your choice before continuing.

A little farther down the path, you suddenly come across a bear.

Describe what kind of bear it is and what it is doing as you approach.

As you look around, you discover that there is also a gun lying nearby.

What type of gun is it?

Do you decide to pick it up or leave it lying on the ground?

As you continue down the path, you arrive at a body of water.

Describe this body of water in detail (size, shape, color, activity, etc..)

Finally as you stand there looking across the water, describe what you see on the other side.

Once again, please take a moment and write down your answers to all of these questions before continuing on to the explanation.

Ready?

Your Personal Journey Explained:

This type of psychological test has been used by therapists and researchers for years. The objects in the questions above have symbolic meanings that are easily recognized by your subconscious mind. Simply by completing this exercise, you will be able to learn more about yourself and those around you.

The initial path that you chose to take is said to represent your state of mind and your current willingness to take a chance on the unknown.

If you decided to turn left and travel across the open plains, your subconscious mind is telling you that you may now be ready to explore that new idea or opportunity that has recently presented itself in your life. Even though you realize that there is always a risk of failure, this might be the right time for you to try something new.

If you decided to turn right and travel into the wooded valley, your subconscious mind is telling you that right now you may prefer the comfort of a familiar situation rather than risk exposing yourself to taking any unnecessary risks. By psychologically retreating into the protective covering of the forest, you are indicating a strong desire for security and a need to guard your innermost feelings from others, at least for now.

The symbol of the “Bear” represents how you would typically view strangers or other people you have just met. Think about this for a moment, when you generally meet someone for the first time, do you usually see them as an ally or a potential adversary?

Did you imagine the bear to be large and intimidating (like a grizzly), about the same size as you (psychologically as an equal), or perhaps something much smaller that is easily controlled or manipulated (such as a small bear cub or a stuffed teddy bear). Think about not only what kind of bear it is, but also what the bear is doing (eating, sleeping, attacking, running away, playing, etc..) What might this behavior tell you about your current relationship with others?

The “Gun” that you find lying on the ground is said to indicate how you generally interact with other people whom you already know. What kind of gun is it? If it is a large powerful gun, such as a shotgun or an automatic assault rifle, then you are probably not known for your subtlety when dealing with others. When you walk into a room you want others to notice, and even if you don’t always express it, you want to be the one in charge in any given situation.

On the other hand if the gun you find is only a small pistol or just a toy, you are probably far more receptive to the thoughts and opinions of others. You are confident enough in your own abilities that you don’t always have to have your own way. Generally you are willing to listen to other people’s ideas before making up your mind.

Whether or not you pick up the gun, is said to represent how comfortable you are with this particular aspect of your personality. In other words, do you accept this part of who you are, or do you often find yourself doing one thing while thinking another? For example, those who envision a large shotgun but leave it lying on the ground may be indicating a secret desire for more power in their relationships but they are unwilling to assert themselves. This is known as the passive aggressive personality type.

The “Body of water” that you encounter next is said to symbolically represent how you see the immediate path in front of you. In other words, how difficult is it going to be to get across this body of water and reach your goal on the other side? Did you imagine a gently rolling stream or raging white-water rapids? What might your subconscious mind be telling you about your level of confidence in your abilities to achieve your current goal?

Take another look. How big is this body of water? Is it a small creek that you could easily jump over or is this a vast ocean with no visible land on the other side? The size of the water is itself a symbol that represents how long you believe it will take to get to where you want to go.

Finally, the land that you see on the other side of this water is said to represent your current vision of your goals. Look closely, does the land appear to be an inviting place worthy of your effort to get there, or is it a barren desert with not much to offer?

If this land does not appear to be a desirable place, you may want to ask yourself if it is possible that you are pursuing the wrong path. On the other hand, if the land across the water appears to be full of flowers and lush green fields, it may be your subconscious mind’s way of telling you that it’s time to focus your energy and do whatever it takes to get there.

If you have found this personality test to be enlightening or simply entertaining, please share it with someone you think might appreciate its unique message and insight into the subconscious mind. I wish you all the best.