You Can Learn to Remember: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life pdfdrive com

memory massage
A
ll through our lives we are urged to live in the present or to plan for the
future. But to shut ourselves off from the past is to seal off one of the chambers
in the heart of our being. Our lives are incomplete if we do not recognize the
value of memory as an important and positive dimension of ourselves. It can
help us understand who we are, what we have become, and why.
Improved memory is one of the routes to greater satisfaction in life –
certainly socially and professionally, but also in terms of cultural and spiritual
fulfilment, which become more profound as we accumulate experience. When
problems in the present or worries about the future cause us to feel under
pressure, positive reminiscences can help to improve our mood and put our
concerns into perspective. Although the past is no place to live, there is no
reason why we cannot draw upon it to lift our spirits.

---

Calling upon our senses to entice happy memories to the light of
consciousness is a wonderful way to connect with the restorative episodes of our
past. Try relaxing in a sensual “memory massage” session with a partner or
friend, as described below. It can be refreshing either to receive or to give a
massage in an ambience that encourages us to recapture lost times, or revitalize
fading mental pictures. During the massage, we can allow ourselves to “soak” in
our pleasant recollections as well as enjoy our partner’s memories.
Set the scene by choosing a warm, comfortable and softly lit room, where
you will not be disturbed. The most soothing form of memory massage is
effleurage – firm but gentle stroking movements – which is suitable not only for
large areas such as the back but also more delicate regions, including the face.
As your partner gently massages your body, invite your most pleasant memories
into your consciousness. Talking gently with the rhythm of your partner’s
strokes, speak openly of the memories that drift into your head. Let the fluid
strokes of the massage be a cue for your memories to unloosen and flow – let
them wash back to the shore of the present, like beautifully shaped driftwood on
an incoming tide.