It is very common when people begin to do Meditation, that they worry about losing valuable memories of their past.
This is because novice meditators are instructed to "discard" the "pictures" which have built up during their lives.
The truth is of course that these memories do not cease to exist. Instead they are cleansed of the attachments and emotions that cause us #regret and #pain. If anything our memories are sharpened and freed from potentially negative connections.
I remember being told many years ago, that our mind was like an onion. Even though we peel off the outer layers of our memories, many dozens of layers still remain below. And the sting of the onion remains, until the last layer is finally removed.
Sometimes after we have discarded our past, over several sessions, we imagine that nothing remains.
We are left feeling invigorated and at peace. It feels as if there is nothing left to remove.
We sit there pondering the need to continue, when suddenly like a wave, a new set of memories come surging up from below.
The key to Meditation is #persistence and #patience.
From my own experience, one of the most profound discoveries during Meditation, came to me, in relation to my need to "collect".
I have many collections, some of them dating back many years.
During my practice at Sydney Meditation, I suddenly caught glimpses, of myself sitting at a kitchen table.
I was very young and I was seated next to my Nana (my Grandmother).
We were steaming the labels off matchboxes and laying them out to dry on a clean tea towel. Each of the labels were then carefully positioned and glued into a purpose made, matchbox collection book. Federal Matches, in Australia use to print a variety of collectable labels.
Suddenly I understood where my interest in collecting had come from. I could feel the #love from my Grandmother, as she sat there, helping make my Matchbox book.
I remembered at that moment, equating collecting with feelings of love and #acceptance. While I have never forgotten this experience, my Meditation has removed my obsessive behaviour and my impulsive need to possess.
