Temporal Perception: How Your Mind Shapes Reality
Do you ever get the feeling that time is sprinting ahead while you’re stuck trying to catch up? That it’s some kind of relentless, ticking overlord keeping you in a perpetual state of ‘not enough’?
Well, let me whirl you into an alternate reality for a moment because both science and spirituality suggest that temporal perception isn’t quite as real—or fixed—as we think it is.
Time: The cultural construct we all buy into
You’ve probably noticed how our language is peppered with time-related phrases? We “save time,” “spend time,” “waste time,” and even “race against time.” It’s as if time were a tangible commodity, like the last biscuit in the tin.
And some people insist that “time is money.” If time really were money, I’d demand a refund for all the hours I’ve wasted scrolling through dog and parrot videos. 🐕🦺 🦜
We even measure time
Centuries, decades, years, blah, blah, blah, all the way down to seconds and even nano seconds. These measurements and the linguistic embedding of time reinforces the notion that time is a fixed entity, a universal truth we all adhere to. We even try to “find time”. Why, because we lost some somewhere?
The fact is, you don’t find time. You create it
Our temporal perception is really just a way of tracking change—a mental construct rather than a universal truth. I say perception, because in reality we only have this very moment. Any concept of the future must be imaginary and any notions of the past are mere memories. (Read that last sentence again.)
Many spiritual traditions view time as an illusion
Buddhism speaks of the ‘eternal now,’ Hinduism describes time as cyclical rather than linear, and Western mysticism often refers to timeless consciousness. It seems that long before Einstein and quantum physicists got involved, spiritual traditions were already onto something.
Time is a difficult thing to get your head around. I know—I’ve been trying for years! 😜
“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” ~ Groucho Marx
How you code time (And how it’s messing with your head)
In my experience most people—without realising it—assume time is a straight line; yesterday behind, tomorrow ahead, and today smack in the middle. Or they have the past to their left, the present just in front and the future to their right. But that’s not how everyone experiences time.
Through years of working with clients, I’ve found that temporal perception varies wildly—some see their past and future laid out in a neat line, while others experience a series of floating snapshots. There are those who even store their future behind them—which can make planning a bit of a nightmare!
Want to experience how you personally code time? Then check out the 4 minute mark in this podcast. (You’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the article.) Give it a listen—if only to confirm that your past isn’t actually stacked up like a pile of dirty dishes.
This idea of time coding isn’t just some quirky NLP concept—it’s fundamental to how we perceive and interact with our past, present, and future. When I work with a clients temporal perception, their emotional experience changes.
Imagine clearing a painful past event, or series of events and, as a result, experiencing lightness in the present. I know it sounds like magic (but I don’t even need my magic wand for this). In fact I’m just using the natural way our brains work.
Quantum Physics: time isn’t what you think it is
Now, if I haven’t completely done your head in already, quantum physics has a few mind-bending revelations about time. It’s not actually the steady, predictable force we think it is.
Theories of relativity suggest that time is fluid—it bends, stretches, and even stops altogether under certain conditions.
Here’s an example
Have you had the experience of driving and suddenly realising 2 hours have gone by, and that you’re just round the corner from home? Then started worrying about where the time went, what your driving might have been like and what you’ve missed?
Or being so engrossed in a project that you forgot about breakfast and lunch and only thought about ‘time’ as it began to get dark?
If reading this makes you feel like your brain’s been put through a quantum blender, don’t worry—you’re not alone.
Physicists like Julian Barbour argue that the past, present, and future all exist simultaneously, and what we experience as ‘time passing’ is just our brains putting things in order.
“Time is what keeps everything from happening at once.” ~ Ray Cummings
In other words, time isn’t a straight, unbreakable line—it’s a human-made construct. This might explain why some clients have accessed memories from before birth, past lives, or even unresolved generational trauma—suggesting that temporal perception isn’t just personal, but potentially collective and inherited.
Their unconscious minds are pulling information from what might as well be a timeless soup of experience.
Really?
OK, now own up! I bet you’re a little bit sceptical—right? (Okay then, you are probably like I was when I first learned about this— I think the phrase “You’ve got to be %$#@ kidding me!” kind of sums it up!)
I’d say the majority of my clients are like this too, until they experience how these practices transform traumatic memories, that in many cases have haunted them for decades. Or they rid themselves of unwanted emotions that have seemed to be on the ‘rinse and repeat’ cycle for as long as they can remember.
Healing the past, changing the future
One of the most fascinating things I’ve observed in working with temporal perception is how re-evaluating a past experience from a new perspective changes not only the present, but also the future.
I’ve had clients release long-held emotions from childhood events and, suddenly, their relationships improve, their anxiety lifts, and they start making different choices—without even consciously trying.
Case study
One particularly memorable case involved a woman who carried a deep sense of unease for no apparent reason. Her unconscious mind led her to a memory in the womb—where her mother had been experiencing extreme stress.
Once we completed the process, the unease dissolved, and she felt a sense of inner calm she’d never known before.
The Body Keeps the Score: Insights from Bessel van der Kolk
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his seminal work The Body Keeps the Score*, [affiliate link] delves into how trauma imprints itself on both brain and body. He emphasises the profound connection between our physical sensations and emotional experiences. By becoming aware of these sensations, individuals can begin to heal from past traumas.
This underscores the importance of integrating body-centred therapies in trauma treatment.
Recent studies in epigenetics also suggest that trauma can be passed down generationally—not just through learned behaviour but potentially encoded in our very DNA. This adds a fascinating scientific angle to the spiritual idea of ancestral healing.
The cultural quirks of time
Not everyone sees time the same way. Some cultures view it cyclically—life events repeating in patterns rather than progressing in a straight line. Western cultures tend to be obsessed with ‘time running out’, while other societies treat it as something far more flexible. Ever been frustrated when you’re waiting around for someone who’s ‘running on island time’?
“The trouble with being punctual is that nobody’s there to appreciate it.”
~ Franklin P. Jones
That’s just a different perspective of time’s urgency (or lack thereof). If you’ve ever planned a dinner date with someone who thinks ‘leaving soon’ means sometime in the next 3 hours, you’ve experienced a cultural time clash firsthand.
Even in personal relationships, time perspectives collide
Some people are future-focused planners, always thinking three steps ahead, while others live entirely in the present.
And then there are the ones still stuck in 1998, emotionally speaking, because they’ve never processed something properly. Changing how we code and understand time can transform not only our personal experiences but also how we interact with the people around us.
Want to find out how you can use temporal perception to empower yourself?
Work with me!
Let’s see what your unconscious mind has been up to while you were busy watching the clock. Just know that when you’re trying to *find* time, what you’re actually doing is waiting… for what?
Until things settle down? (They never will). Until you’re in the ‘right space’? (But it’s when you’re in the ‘wrong space’ that help or guidance is useful).
So, please don’t use your precious time waiting…
Imagine how different your life could be if you change the things that are holding you back. Shifting your temporal perception can unlock some seriously surprising changes—allowing you to step into a more fulfilling and relaxed life, free from outdated emotional loops.
Check out SHIFT Coaching, now!
The best thing?
You don’t have to tell me about it! Honestly, I won’t make you step into your trauma and relive it. That doesn’t help at all.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Tags: Perception, Self-awareness, Spirituality, Thinking and mindset, Time
