What Are Inherited Emotions? Can We Carry Generational Baggage?

When I first learned about inherited emotions, it sounded far-fetched. The idea that I could be carrying emotional energy from my parents, grandparents, or even relatives I had never met felt strange. But as I began studying this work and experiencing it firsthand, I realized something powerful: inherited emotions are very real, and letting them go can be life-changing.

What Are Inherited Emotions?

We know we inherit physical traits—our eye color, hair type, and even certain health tendencies. A fascinating discovery is that emotions and energetic imprints can also be passed down through family lines.

When someone goes through a strong emotional experience—like fear, grief, or shame—the body can store that energy at a cellular level. If the emotion isn’t fully processed or released, the “imprint” of it can be carried into the next generation, just like DNA. This is why you might feel weighed down by sadness, anxiety, or self-doubt that doesn’t seem to have an obvious source—it may not have started with you at all.

I think of it like a backpack of emotional baggage that gets handed down from one generation to the next. Sometimes we’re carrying things we didn’t even pack.

Is There Scientific Proof?

This might sound unusual, but modern science is beginning to catch up with what energy healers have seen for years. A fascinating field called epigenetics studies how life experiences can influence the way our genes are expressed, and how those changes can be passed down.

One interesting example comes from a study conducted at Emory University with mice. Scientists exposed male mice to a cherry-blossom–like scent (acetophenone) and paired it with a mild electric shock. The mice developed a strong fear of the smell\, just as suspected.

Here’s where it gets incredible: when those male mice had offspring, their babies—who had never been shocked or even exposed to the smell—also showed fear when they encountered it. The grandchildren did too. In fact, researchers found that these descendants were born with more smell receptors for that scent and changes in the brain regions that process fear.

The only explanation for this is that the trauma response was biologically inherited. This suggests that emotional experiences don’t just end with the person who lived them—they can echo forward into future generations.

(Source: Scientific American, “Fearful Memories Passed Down Through Generations”)

How Does Energy Linger From Those Who Came Before Us?

Energy can’t be destroyed—it only changes form. That means when a relative passes away, their unresolved emotional energy doesn’t just disappear. It can remain imprinted within the family line, silently passed on until someone finally acknowledges and releases it.

This is why you might notice repeating patterns in families: similar relationship struggles, anxiety that seems to “run in the family,” or cycles of addiction and grief. These patterns often have roots in inherited emotional energy.

Why Releasing Inherited Emotions Matters

Carrying emotions that aren’t truly yours can affect your health, relationships, and sense of self. When you release inherited emotions, you often feel a dramatic shift—like setting down a heavy backpack you didn’t even know you were carrying.

Some of the benefits people experience include:

• Emotional freedom – feeling lighter, calmer, and more authentically yourself.
  

• Improved health – unresolved emotional stress can take a toll on the body, so releasing it often supports healing.
  

• Breaking generational cycles – freeing yourself means your children and grandchildren don’t have to carry the same burdens.
  

• Deeper peace – the quiet relief of finally realizing, “This wasn’t mine to begin with.”
  

Final Thoughts

Inherited emotions might sound far-fetched at first—I know they did to me. But when you realize that unresolved trauma and stress can echo through generations, it makes sense that we sometimes carry feelings and beliefs that don’t belong to us.

The best part? You don’t have to keep carrying them. Releasing inherited emotions creates freedom not just for you, but for the generations that come after you. It’s one of the most profound ways we can bring healing to ourselves, our families, and our future.

Recommended Reading

If you’d like to explore this topic more deeply, here are some wonderful books that expand on the science and healing of inherited emotions and generational trauma:

• It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn
  An accessible, eye-opening book on how family trauma gets passed down—and practical ways to break free.
  
  

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
  A groundbreaking look at how trauma is stored in the body and how healing is possible.
  
  

• The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.
  Explains how our beliefs and experiences can actually influence gene expression, connecting science and energy in a powerful way.
  
  

• Your Resonant Self by Sarah Peyton
  A practical guide with meditations and exercises to rewire old emotional patterns and create more inner safety and healing.
  

Exploring these resources can deepen your understanding of how much influence the past has on us—and, even more importantly, how much freedom is possible when we choose to release what doesn’t belong to us.

If you are interested in exploring whether or not you have inherited trapped emotions, you can book a session with me at empoweredhealthandhealing.as.me  I would love to support you on your healing journey.