warriors for embodied liberation (WEL) is an apprenticeship program developed and lead by universal partnership's principle, rusia mohiuddin. WEL is a 2-year training program in which the students learn and practice the core methodologies for embodied training and coaching. as a part of their studies, students explore, learn, and develop pieces on their understanding of many things related to change work. one of the first points of entry, into understand the work UP does, is human nature. what is human behavior and how does change happen? this is a five-part series. each piece has an accompanying audio file for those who prefer to listen to each article on their way to or from work. a playlist will be included at the end of part five.
what is human nature?
by rae leiner
What is human nature as you understand it? How does change happen in the context of human nature?
As I understand it, human nature is a core pattern of behavior that is somewhat developed from early childhood and on going through adulthood but also informed by primal behaviors inherited from human evolution.
I believe there are arcs of human behavior that are influenced by human nature and these patterns range through all human experience, for example the fight or flight pattern or survival of the fittest. That human nature has evolved over time, has helped to inform emotional intelligence and behavioral patterns.
I feel as though there are layers to human nature that are influenced on a physiologically level, that biologically we carry information that informs aspects of our knowledge, wisdom and informs our trauma. I also believe that trauma is passed on from generation to generation, that physiologically we are informed by knowledge that sometimes we don’t know how to access but is ever present and presenting itself to us. A lack of connection to the knowledge influences us on a psychological level, either allowing us choice or limiting our choice.
I’m not sure if human nature changes, there is something about it that feels instinctual and primal even. I do believe that it does inform behavior and that patterns of behavior can change more so than human nature.
