Stages and Choices

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Hanged Man:

There are times when my life gets turned upside down; things that I originally deemed necessary to give all my energy and attention suddenly seem unimportant.  At first I fight for control, thinking that somehow I can fix this person or situation, but I find myself powerless.  I usually go through Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.  It is this last stage, acceptance, where I can find peace of mind without emotional attachment (as with depression).  If I can find my way to this place, it can have a profound impact on my heart and mind.

     From the Key to the Kingdom deck comes the "Two of Hearts:"

"The Big Baboon is found upon the plains of Cariboo. He goes about with nothing on (A shocking thing to do). But if he dressed respectably and let his whiskers grow, how like this Big Baboon would be to Mister So-and-so!"  ~ Hilaire Belloc

First, a few definitions:
instinct - a complex pattern of behavior embedded in the genes which cannot be overridden by will.
reflex - an involuntary movement in response to a stimulus.
drive - motivation to take action (goal-directed behavior).
Yes, we homo sapiens are humans, and we are also animals.  But I can't blame my bad behavior on my animal nature, because it comes from drives not instincts or reflexes.  If I want to give up my cognitive self-awareness and ability to choose, I might as well go hang out on the plains of Cariboo.