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Meditation triggering lost memories?

clearviewclearview
edited February 2011 in Buddhism Basics
Often while I'm meditating a memory will pop into my head, a memory that I have not recollected for years. Sometimes it's just the scenary of a place I visited years ago, other times it's something someone said to me that I have forgotten long ago. I just observe the thought and move on, but I find it entertaining that it's triggering all these memories buried deep inside. I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else so I was wondering why this is happening? Thanks

Comments

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Well, just hazarding a guess here, but meditation is a form of self-hypnosis, so maybe what you're experiencing is like retrieved memories under hypnosis...? When the chattering mind is stilled, intuition and memory can come to the fore.
  • Ada_BAda_B
    Be careful about "retrieved memories". The mind is not a videotape and most of us confuse dreams and imagination with our memories, even in everyday contexts. If it's a memory of a place or a person, that's great, but don't rely on its accuracy.

    I think personally it is due to being relaxed and examining your thoughts, which we don't do generally, unless we learn meditation. But its a thought like any other - let it go.
  • chariramacharirama Veteran
    I find that I am remembering things from my younger days much more now when I am not meditating. Like Ada_B suggested, I think that it is a result of being relaxed and the examination of thoughts during meditation.

    I believe the expanded awareness continues on even after the actual meditation has ended.
  • DazzleDazzle
    If the actual focus of the meditation is the breath, its easy to forget and wander off into thoughts about something or other. When one notices that one is thinking, one should just gently bring the attention back to the breath again. This might be helpful:

    http://www.amaravati.org/abm/english/documents/nowisknow/03ana.html

    :)
  • DairyLamaDairyLama Veteran Veteran
    I haven't heard of this happening to anyone else so I was wondering why this is happening? Thanks
    This is quite common. Old stuff tends to bubble up as the mind quietens down. Just observe and return to the breath.

    P
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    It's happening to lightlotus--check out his/her thread on meditation unlocking bad memories.
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