Memories are powerful allies and/or enemies depending on the circumstances surrounding them. A powerful memory can bring back the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, mood and virtually everything your senses were experiencing at the moment they were stored away for you to recall.
Sometimes the most simple of actions or events can trigger the recall of powerful memories and immediately immerse you back in the moment. I'll bet almost everyone has had a memory come rolling in like a speeding freight train from things as simple as the smell of room or the sound of a crash.
All theses sensory memories are stored and available for recall if you can figure out how to get at them.
I sometimes sit and view a photo from one of my trips, then just close my eyes and think about the photo and the location. I recall the light, the scenery, the weather; I try to recall as much as I can from the moment when I took the photo.
I recall the view from the cockpit of the bike, the view through the windscreen and the rear view mirrors. By concentrating on the photographic image I am able to project myself into actively experiencing the memory cluster of sites, sounds, temps, tastes, smells etc and relive the memories images over and over if I choose to.
I find this exercise to be a great way to reduce my stress level when it all starts closing in on me.
I didn't learn to do this over-night, it took practice, a lot of it and worth every hour I put into it.
Years ago I spent a lot of time learning the techniques of Self-Hypnosis in order to master sitting quietly for hours on end, while exerting the very minimum of physical energy and remaining in a highly enhanced state of alertness to my physical surroundings.
Having been present when the photos were taken brings in the power of "Been there done that" and enables me to call on the memory touch points my mind stored automatically along with the sensory input I experienced at the moment the memories were stored.
To recall these memories in as much detail as possible I have to access Sensory Memory, Short-term Memory and the
Long-term Memory structures and explore a little using Self Hypnosis to enhance my memory recall. The memory touchstones I mentioned above aid me in doing this by recalling the memory details of a specific characteristic of the memory.
An example may be useful here; lets take a look at my profile photo for this.
There are literally thousands if not millions of memory fragments / components stored in my brain regarding this photo.
I recall the photo was taken in West Texas in the late afternoon as the sun was setting. The temperature was hot, traffic was lite and I could smell sage in the air.
I remember how the grips felt in my gloved hands and the vibration through the bike as well as the wind noise. I don't recall if I was listening to music or news or the exact time I took the photo. I also remember holding the camera and taking the photo.
These are the memories associated with the photo that are instantly recallable without any effort on my part.
With a little effort/concentration to quiet my mind to reduce the background noise I easily recall the hills in the distance looking purple in the afternoon light. I recall the huge windmill farm off to my right on top of a long butte. I also recall running over a snake just minutes before the photo was taken.
These are the easily reachable memories components of the photo experience, with more time & effort I easily recall the sensation of the sun's heat on my face and my lips feeling dry, almost cracked.
I remember watching the instrument cluster of the bike vibrate with a strange period or cycle in relation to the bike, it didn't seem to vibrate in-sync with the engine or road bumps.
I remember in great detail the how my body felt at the time, relaxed but a little tired of sitting and how the left sleeve strap of my mesh jacket kept whipping around in the air turbulence. Also, I not only recall the sense of well being and happiness I was experiencing during the time the photo was taken but I actually feel it now as I have been recalling the memories.
This is just one of the techniques I use to continue to enjoy my past rides and it's something we all do with varying degrees of success.
Later
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1 comment:
thanksss.
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