Down memory lane

Aug 21, 2010, 12.00am IST
Janina Gomes.

Memories are like story books. They record our experiences and the lessons we have learned from them. It is when we have quiet moments, or moments of introspection and reflection, that we allow memories to catch up with us.


Memories, both positive and negative, always have the stamp of a culture and are embedded in our consciousness as myths, dreams and fantasies. Like a motion picture in progress, they come and go and we all reach a stage when we know that we have to, for sure, release certain memories if we wish to maintain our peace and our equilibrium.

When unpleasant memories stick for a long time and refuse to go away, that is perhaps nature's way of protecting us. Unpleasant memories can become a warning signal for us, so that we do not repeat past mistakes. There is a reason why distrust can serve a purpose. Memories remind us that not everyone and everybody is to be trusted. They surface again and again, reminding us that there are certain steps we can and must take to avoid further hurt.

Memories also come down to us from our ancestors. The good we learn from them as well as certain characteristics, are passed on to us. There are however, a lot of memories buried in our consciousness with a hidden content, that surface as unhelpful and disturbing thoughts. They are disturbing because we will destroy ourselves if we allow them to rule us.

One of the greatest minds of the 20 the century, Carl Gustav Jung, spoke about a collective unconscious. The good and the bad are stored up there. When we are in touch with the deepest part of ourselves, this memory storehouse of humanity is at play within us. All the wisdom of humanity can be accessed and a continuation established with our ancestors; what they thought and did.

We, each of us, do not have to reinvent the wheel. We have on tap all the wisdom and goodness of our ancestors. That is how we find help in processing our memories, retaining those that bring life and allowing what is not good to move away.

Walking down memory lane can throw up many things we had forgotten and put us in touch with the past. By reliving these memories and letting them go, we can move into the future with hope and confidence. We will not repeat the mistakes of the past. We will avoid, if possible the people and the situations that bring us grief.

The richness of the past- the religious, secular and the heavenly, we retain as memories because they complete us and add the missing dimension in each of us, when we learn to transcend them. Memories are not merely a choice when we choose to relive the past. They are an integral part of us.

When memories retain the pain attached to them, it is usually because they revolve around nasty experiences from the past. However, the more we are able to release them, the closer we come to our true selves.

When we are told to "Let Go", we are really being asked to release those memories that bind us. We are being told to live in the Now. We are being told to reclaim our past and to reshape our future. Memories are a great shaper of the present and the future.

Take a long walk down memory lane. You will know what to claim and what to bypass. Use your memories to enrich your life and not to destroy the great potential that remains often hidden within you.