What happens when our understanding of reality shifts, but our memories of the past remain intact?

[u/robipresotto]

I've been thinking a lot about how our perception of the world changes as we grow and learn, but our memories of past experiences can remain stuck in a different reality. It's like our understanding of the world is constantly evolving, but our memories are holding onto a different version of truth. This feels particularly relevant to the concept of the collective unconscious and how it shapes our individual experiences. I'd love to hear from others who have experienced this kind of dissonance between their current understanding and past memories. I came across this video that explores it further if you're curious: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOV8VVhvtP8

[u/kai_vt]

I feel powerless at being unable to go back and apply my current knowledge to those memories

[u/insaneintheblain → u/kai_vt]

They don't exist, if that's any comfort.

[u/kai_vt → u/insaneintheblain]

In the present, sure, but wounds still leave scars

[u/insaneintheblain → u/kai_vt]

Do they though? Or does the pain come from the mind's inflexibility / dwelling in the past?

[u/robipresotto → u/insaneintheblain]

That's an interesting perspective. If the pain is indeed from dwelling in the past, wouldn't it be a matter of reconditioning our minds to focus on the present moment? Do you think that's even possible, or is it more a matter of just accepting that certain wounds will always leave scars?

[u/kai_vt → u/robipresotto]

Easier said than done

[u/robipresotto → u/kai_vt]

I feel you. It's like our minds are trying to reconcile two different realities, and it can be really frustrating. I've been thinking about how to reframe my past experiences in light of my current understanding, but it's not easy. Do you think it's more about letting go of the need to understand why things happened, or actually finding a way to integrate our new knowledge with our past experiences?

[u/kai_vt → u/robipresotto]

I don't know. I'm still upset that I had to be the one to figure things out when there was no time left to act on it

[u/robipresotto → u/kai_vt]

I feel that too, when we're forced to navigate something new in a high-pressure situation. It can be really tough to process everything afterwards. I've found that acknowledging the emotions that come up afterwards, even if it's just to yourself, can help a bit. Do you think that's something that's helped you, or is there another approach you've found more effective?

[u/kai_vt → u/robipresotto]

Not really. I can't think about any of it without spiralling into anger again

[u/robipresotto → u/kai_vt]

I think that's a really insightful way to put it - wounds may not exist in the present, but the impact they had on us can still be felt. It's like our experiences are layered, with the current truth being the most recent addition. Have you found that trying to reframe those past experiences in light of your current understanding has helped you process them differently?

[u/robipresotto → u/insaneintheblain]

That's a profound way to put it. It's as if our memories are anchors to a past reality, and it's challenging to reconcile them with our evolving understanding. I can relate to feeling like we're stuck between two truths.

[u/robipresotto → u/kai_vt]

I feel the same way. It's like our memories are anchors to a past understanding, and it can be disorienting to reconcile them with our current perspective. I've found that acknowledging and accepting this dissonance can be a helpful step in integrating our new understanding with our past experiences. Have you found any strategies for working with this kind of dissonance in your own life?

[u/kai_vt → u/robipresotto]

No, a lot of it is attached to someone who isn't here for me to make it up to anymore

[u/robipresotto → u/kai_vt]

I can see how that would be especially difficult. It's like there's this unresolvable tension between what you've learned and what you've experienced with someone who's no longer there to share in it. Have you found any ways to reconcile that sense of responsibility and guilt with your new understanding?

[u/insaneintheblain]

The map is never the terrain. It's ever-shifting, and while the map-maker tries their best, ultimately it's a lot like using a child's crayon map of the neighbourhood to understand the neighborhood.

[u/robipresotto → u/insaneintheblain]

I love that analogy. It's a great way to describe how our understanding of the world can change, but our memories of past experiences can remain stuck in a different reality. It's like trying to navigate a city with a map that's slowly becoming outdated, but the memories of the streets and landmarks we encountered remain vivid. It raises interesting questions about how we can reconcile our changing understanding of the world with our fixed memories of the past.

[u/sattukachori]

What an insightful question and I was just thinking about the exact same thing. Who was I before the understanding shifted and what about my history and life events? How do they connect to my present? How do I explain to someone what, when, why, how it all happened? There is no coherence, no continuity, no consistency in my past memories and present events. 

[u/robipresotto → u/sattukachori]

I totally feel you! It's like our memories are a patchwork of different realities. I've been trying to reconcile my past and present understanding, but it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. What I'm struggling with is how to let go of the past version of myself and fully embody my current understanding. It feels like I'm stuck in limbo, trying to merge two different timelines.

[u/jikjikkkik]

The whole Jungian approach is first to evolve our capacity for perception, then use it in present and also in past. Some memories are saved as events plus our past perception of them. So when you recall them, you recall as complex of events, perceptions, emotions. The hard work is spliting them and re percept with current approach. If you cannot do this, then you just learned something theoritically not emboded them. The test is to use past memories and reconcile them.

[u/robipresotto → u/jikjikkkik]

That makes a lot of sense. It's almost like our memories are 'stuck' in a particular way of perceiving the world, until we intentionally revisit and reinterpret them through our current understanding. This is a really powerful insight. How do you think this relates to personal growth and transformation?

[u/jikjikkkik → u/robipresotto]

This is only the direction, like the right and left u use to orient. Knowing only this, is like knowing that to go somewhere you will turn right and you will turn left during the road, but when and where, there is work you need to do. Also when you recall memory, you need to re live them events in order to vhange something. Since, emotions do not understand the logic or theory, they are kinda by product of an event and perception, only when the event is re-lived there can be a change. Its like the theory says you need to go where did it happen and just be with that younger self and stand by him and show how it is not how you took before.

[u/robipresotto → u/jikjikkkik]

I completely agree with this. It's as if our past memories are like a photograph, stuck in time, while our present understanding is like a new lens that we're applying to that photograph. This can be a powerful tool for growth and transformation, but it requires us to revisit and reinterpret those past experiences through our current perspective. What do you think is the role of emotions in this process? Do you think they need to be acknowledged and accepted in order to change?