According to the American Psychological Association, memories are subject to modification. Dr. Stefan Hofmann explains that there is an emotional creation process of painful memories and their storage in our brain. When we are a witness, an observer, or object of a fearful event, like a violent robbery, the death of a parent, and abandonment, the communication of this sensory information travels from the thalamus to the amygdala in the brain. This emotionally charged and significant incident embeds itself. An individual to avoid or know how to defend themselves from similar future risks uses this storage mechanism as a reference.
In the book, The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by medical doctor Bessel van der Kolk, “alexithymics substitute doing and action for emotions. They register emotions as a physical problem to be stuffed, rather than a signal that something deserves their attention. Instead of feeling, they experience muscle pain, bowel irregularities, insomnia, and other symptoms.”
The feedback loop in the hippocampus creates long-term potentiation. In the first few hours after an event occurs, memory maps and related synaptic connections for imprinting the memories in your brain are in place. Multiple parts of the brain work together to record sights, sounds, images, and smells. This gives rise for the brain’s recall of the memory with new information triggers and the ability to modify old memories.
Vedic Tradition
In Vedic tradition, samscaras – mental impressions, recollections, or psychological imprints that are a basis for the development of karma, are the outcome or effect of a vasana that are our leanings, trends, inclinations, and biases.
The collective human desire to find a balance between material and spiritual worlds contributes to the pathway to heal stress, depression, anxiety, pain, and traumatic experiences. These efforts provide the basis of the healing arts. It combines emotional and energetic work that penetrates subtle planes, and in return, it affects the condition of the physical body for health and personal wellbeing.
Some traumatic memories are created out of the association of certain aspects of life; such as a frightening event that occurred and is repeatedly experienced; for example, when watching a violent movie full of traumatizing scenes with music playing in the background. The brain is able to record that every time you watch the movie. Furthermore, every time you will hear that music, even if the film is not streaming, the brain triggers the subconscious mind to replay the violent scene. It then grows, and you become accustomed to the habit. This experience remains unresolved because most people focus their energy on creating blockages around them.
Healing methods focus on the energy and life force of your system. Meditating, self-reflection, breathing, requires one to look inward. Pranic healers use energy medicine to rebalance the body and neuron nerves. The energy is then directed to the real experience that triggers the pain filled traumatic memory. Body energy is channeled there to create a renewed and positive memory. The process is not a one-time occurrence; it requires patience and commitment to mastering the healing energies. Energetic healing techniques are very effective in releasing the body and mind from pressure, pain, and helping patients with illnesses recover effectively.
Pain motivates changes in behaviors, beliefs, old patterns, and can establish a deeper sense of self. It is our inner GPS or our alarm system that alerts us to our distress. To heal your suffering seek out practitioners and self-practices that will help restore, heal, and enhance your quality of life.