Memory Is Attachment: How to Navigate Dreamwork Without Going Crazy

  Memory is an often-overlooked form of attachment. Many people would like to remember everything they can, as sentimental pieces of their soul. But Sri Nisargadatta Maharaja taught that attachment to memory tethers the soul to the past, making it harder to live in the present, resulting in greater suffering. The seminal work I Am That relates all his teachings in Socratic-interview form, and is one of the highest-rated books on Goodreads that I've read this year.

 I explored my memory frequently this year, mainly from being reminded of things in my dreams and trying to psychoanalyze them. For me it was dreams about people who hurt me that I no longer wanted to have. I got carried away when I did some dreamwork with my spirit guide to help resolve them- a wild journey that I am hesitant to share with the public. It wasn't the spiritual resolutions that stopped the dreams, but realizing that exploring my memory was making me overly attached to the past. I haven't had a recurring dream since making more of an effort to let go of the memories, which have also helped with the pain and suffering they've caused. The spiritual resolutions actually helped with forgiveness more than dreamwork, at least serving to make them less vivid.

 What also helped was willing myself not to check the social media pages of people who hurt me. These indicators of the present can trigger memories, inviting them into our dreams and distorting reality. In our dreams, we might replay past events as if they were scenes from the present on their social media pages. It follows that along with memory, we must detach from these social media checkups, no matter how interested we are. We don't know them anymore, and the pain of checking can sharpen the memory of the trauma they caused, reinforcing the dreams. Sometimes I would check their page just because of a dream I had, so it works both ways. Our minds want more information to fuel the dreams, but we must not provide it; we must stop supplying the subconscious with new details of the present.

 This is not to say that memory isn't important. We need memories to help us function in daily life, and our dreams can help us sort through past problems so that we may learn how handle situations in the future better. But if we go too deep by trying to solve them through memory alone, it can backfire. In dreamwork, you must find a balance by practicing detachment from your memories. Focus on the emotion and not the contents of your choices. If there are regrets, forgive yourself and move on. Vow not to make the same mistake twice and your mind will reward you with more pleasant dreams.