Albert Einstein is quoted as saying that “memory is deceptive because it is colored by today’s events.” I had never heard that before this week but I am reading a book about the science of happiness and how you can use it to change your life and saw it there. The book is called “Build the Life You Want” by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey and this was one of the insights. Studies show that people remember the same events differently depending on how they feel about what is happening in their lives today, and that those memories shift and change for the same people over time. Again, HOW this changes is highly dependent on what a person thinks and feels about the present and their potential future. In other words, if you are miserable about the present you are more likely to ruminate on the terrible things that happened in the past and how those things put you in the terrible place you are in today. But if you feel good about where you are at today, you are more likely to view those same events as “useful learning” or “not all bad” or in some other less charged, more positive, or at least more balanced light.
Furthermore, if you spend a lot of time ruminating on negative past history, you are more likely to feel bad about the present and what is possible for your future. So it becomes a vicious cycle that gets worse and worse. I believe this is likely one of the reasons people fall into depression (I haven’t read far enough into the book yet to know what the authors think). But one thing I know for sure is that stepping off that miserable not-merry-go-round and seeing things differently can snap me out of a feeling of hopelessness and depression instantly.
Lilac Flower Essence came to mind when I first thought about writing about this topic. Lilac is specifically used to help a person access more positive memories and a more balanced perspective on past history. This can have a truly rejuvenating effect and make it easier to dissolve blocks to enjoying the present day or making more empowered and focussed decisions.
But there are other flower essences to consider depending on how deeply into this cycle you happen to be. A combination of Honeysuckle (for being stuck too much on past memories—either pleasant memories of people or places you long for or painful memories you still regret) and Star of Bethlehem (for soothing and letting go of trauma) can be helpful. And if you have gotten really stuck in a pattern of believing the worst about the past, present and, therefore, the future consider Sweet Chestnut. That’s for despair, but I also thinking of it as a pattern-breaker because nothing makes you feel more trapped and despairing than being in a life pattern you don’t know how to get beyond. Some people call this a “dark night of the soul” experience. But it also holds the potential for life transformation, and I think Sweet Chestnut (sometimes with Star of Bethlehem) can be amazing for that.
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Flower essences are used to assist with mind-body-spirit interactions and individual results may vary. They are extremely dilute which makes them quite safe. But because so little physical substance can be detected in a flower essence solution, these products are presumed to work on an energetic or vibrational level—something that cannot be adequately tested by western scientific methods. Claims made by me, therefore, are based on personal experiences and the evidence of the combined multiple decades of case notes by Dr. Edward Bach as well as Healing Herbs and Flower Essence Services (the companies who make the ingredients I use in my products). This is not, however, accepted medical evidence or substantiated scientific evidence from a modern allopathic point of view. I am not a medical doctor or licensed healthcare practitioner.
Statements made have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided on my blog, websites or by this company are not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a health care provider, and should not be construed as individual medical or mental health advice. Consulting with a health care provider is a must for anyone taking medications or working with a medical or mental health condition, and highly recommended before using any herbal product. Please consult your doctor or health care provider for any possible contraindications and/or interactions with current medications. I trust you to seek the medical guidance you need to use any of my herbal products healthily at your own risk.