What Is Memory?

[Phil]

Is it reproductive… what is reproduced, what is reproducing? 

Is it reconstructive… what is reconstructed, what is reconstructing?

 

What is a memory?

 

What clarity can be shed on this, and what is the potential significance in doing so?

For your life?

For the quality of experience?

 

When you inspect & scrutinize direct experience, what do you find?

[Orb]

All I know is a memory is a replication of a replication.

[Indisguise]

Memory is more of what is, not of what ever "was".

Reproduction? Or just production? 

Attatching images and thoughts about oneself and life to oneself and life, yet none of it actually exists. "Did" it ever exist? Well no. Nothing ever "did" exist.

Conceiving of oneself as a continuous, permanent thing/stream that goes from "the past" through "the present" and into "the future"  is dragging images and thoughts about oneself along. Although it's not really "dragging things along", just burdening yourself now.

No memory means no future, because the future is a projection created by the illusion of continuity. 

The past is birth, the future is death.

[almond]

for the sentimental or learning value, memory is useful as an inkwell to write from or draw understanding from... or it could just be a drawer of unsorted, old stuff in a picture-book. I find for direct experience, no thought process because the happening is happening. except memory recall occurs of a first exp for better practice in somthing.

[Lotus]

19 hours ago, Phil said:

Is it reproductive… what is reproduced

When I bring up a memory, the bringing up of it is spontaneous. In that spontaneity, it is creative and quickly sews a mental image, first without verbal thoughts. As I hold space for the mental image, verbal, descriptive thoughts of that mental image pop up. Reproducing wouldn't be quite right imo, as it is not  re-ing something. Rather, the memory is being produced now. The actuality of impermanence shows that either a) everything is recycling everything 'or' b) nothing could ever be reproduced/recycled, as it is always new.

 

19 hours ago, Phil said:

what is reproducing? 

The memory is being produced/created by me. Or to say the least, I can't find anything other than me, which could create the memory for me.

[Lotus]

On 7/2/2022 at 6:34 PM, Phil said:

What clarity can be shed on this, and what is the potential significance in doing so?

For your life?

For the quality of experience?

Memories are a cool way to remind ourselves that we have a limited time here, and that things pass away. Out of that, a certain gratefulness is being born. It's up to us what we make of our time, but upon the recognition of time being limited, I want to make the 'best' out of it, which is living a life full of love. Life is way too precious to get hung up on unnecessary little things! But sometimes, we tend to forget that and get way too serious about certain things.

 

Gratefulness of what is boosts the quality of experience quite a lot. It really showers the present moment with the love of an open heart.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Lotus

[Orb]

On 7/2/2022 at 12:34 PM, Phil said:

Is it reproductive… what is reproduced, what is reproducing? 

Is it reconstructive… what is reconstructed, what is reconstructing?

@Phil Thought attempts to recreate a scenario, then when it is remembered thought recreates the recreation of the original scenario and so it goes on, like a game of telephone. Details will always be missed. 

 

On 7/2/2022 at 12:34 PM, Phil said:

What is a memory?

I dont really think its any different from any other thought. I see though that I use memories as momentum.

On 7/2/2022 at 12:34 PM, Phil said:

What clarity can be shed on this, and what is the potential significance in doing so?

For your life?

For the quality of experience?

When you inspect & scrutinize direct experience, what do you find?

I dont know 😭.

[fopylo]

There is the experience of forgetting, and there is the experience of remembering. A thought might come up that really jives in the moment so that it is believed to be the exact same thought. Actually, I don't know what it means, because we still have unconscious beliefs about the world and ourselves, so...

[Robed Mystic]

It's indescribable.  You can similarly ask what is Consciousness?  Anything you describe Consciousness with is Consciousness.   It's an aspect of Consciousness.  The ability to think and thus refer back to those thoughts.   But what are thoughts?  So you see it is all tied up in the mysterious knot of Consciousness.  Something you cannot get outside of to say what it is.  It is rock bottom.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Robed Mystic

[Indisguise]

 

Wow, wow, wow. What a beautiful soul.

Holy sh*t you guys. watch it. Incredibly insightful and this man is full of wisdom and love. 

 

"That's what it's all about, love, isn't it? Everything."

[Indisguise]

Memory may be nothing, but everything is memory. No memory = blank.

 

@Phil Wanna share your take on your own question?😄

[Phil]

🙂

 

What about…

 

What role does memory play in creation?

 

And what difference does it make if any, wether memories belong to someone or not?

[Orb]

@Phil

 

5 minutes ago, Phil said:

What role does memory play in creation?

Memory plays a huge role in creation! 

 

I mean holy shit planes are modeled after birds, all of the fairy tale creatures we created are really amalgamations of memories of animals. 

 

Thats where it stops for me, my brain is melting beyond that point.

 

8 minutes ago, Phil said:

And what difference does it make if any, whether memories belong to someone or not?

 

I dont think theres any real distinction between a thought and a memory. I dont think it makes a difference no.

 

[fopylo]

If there is no such thing as memory, then that means you are literally creating reality every second, every moment, always. But then why do we think we have memory?

[almond]

18 hours ago, Phil said:

🙂

 

What about…

 

What role does memory play in creation?

 

And what difference does it make if any, wether memories belong to someone or not?

 

The role of memory in creation is motherly.. teaching and also learning too.. The difference whether memories belong to someone or not, it's similar to memory of a newborn, which he is familliar of the mothers' scent and voice, so memory engages the senses and builds a bond with other creatures. I remember of a kitten I cared, she disappeared one day I could not find where. She returned weeks later, weaker than before. I realized she followed her nose or something which connected the dots back home. I was surprised she remembered me at all, despite her condition 

[Orb]

@Phil

 

On 7/4/2022 at 4:49 PM, Phil said:

🙂

 

What role does memory play in creation?

 

Nature is inspired by itself, then takes that and combines it with other things it's inspired by.

 

Memory is our super power.

 

Memory is the basis of all human stuff.

 

But it doesn't actually belong to any humans, I'd say it's just nature being beautiful.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Orb

[Phil]

@Orb

Ohhh that was nice. 

[Orb]

@Phil 😀

[nurthur11]

On 7/2/2022 at 6:34 PM, Phil said:

Is it reproductive… what is reproduced, what is reproducing? 

Is it reconstructive… what is reconstructed, what is reconstructing?

 

What is a memory?

 

What clarity can be shed on this, and what is the potential significance in doing so?

For your life?

For the quality of experience?

 

When you inspect & scrutinize direct experience, what do you find?

Can one improve its memory? I know humans can become smarter but I am not sure if now I remember less or more. I would be very intrigued to know how to improve my memory. For sure the way is to try to memorize more but how to engage with the content fully? 

[Brilliance Found]

In dreams, sometimes I remember owning Disney world, or an aunt who flies cargo to the moon for a living. Are those memories created in the moment, creating the moment? Perhaps. But I believe them, boy do I believe them. If I didn't, I'd be lucid and the story would end or change dramatically. (That's not entirely true, I still believe some silly stuff even when I know it's a dream)