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This institute has shed some light on the inner self as it were.  I often find that there are many contradictions in what my brain initially "says" and what I feel I actually believe.  Whether it be positive, negative, or benign, I often find there is a conflict in what my initial reaction is to things and what "I" truly believe (of course the idea of "Truly Believing" usually comes after reflection of the former).  I think it is this contradiction and inner conflict that truly helps me to learn and make sense of my world.  But it also serves as a filter for the things I allow to come out of my mouth or the actions I take.  I do believe, as it was said earlier, that it is a form of protection.  But from what I am being protected is the question.  Am I being protected from potential harmful, material world things.  Or am I being protected from my own feelings of disappointment, guilt, and/or frustration?  I assume it may be any, all, or a combination of those things.  But I am further perplexed as I try to figure out where those initial, subconscious reactions came from.  I know one can make the argument that they were both implicit and explicit cultural inputs, social, educational, as well as genetic.  But for me, it is a matter of trying to identify which of those contributed to those reactions so that I can better make sense and...who knows...maybe even control them and change them at some point.