Purge the Past

Beautiful memories are to be cherished, especially as we grow older.  However, most of us also have had negative experiences that can impede our spiritual growth and development if we continue to hold onto their energy.

In order to move fully into the present moment, which is our future unfolding day by day, it is important to do the difficult work of looking at our past mistakes and failures honestly.  By acknowledging our part, forgiving ourselves and others, then letting go of the burden, we are able to move on, learn and grow.

As we move along the path of self-discovery by "tuning in" daily to our internal landscape through quiet moments of prayer and meditation, we may find that these memories spontaneously spring into our awareness.  We may dream of them or be reminded of them in the wee hours of the morning.

Over the course of the past year, I watched my father, in the process of dying, relive long repressed memories of World War ll, which surfaced in dreams or lucid dream-like states.  He would talk about these experiences, expressing his feelings and acknowledging his and others' pain, which I believe brought him peace in his final moments.

We do not have to be dying to experience such peace.  It is the honest examination of our past and the letting go of whatever hinders, that is most important.  We may have physical reminders that need to be purged, such as documents, pictures, or other memorabilia that we have been holding onto, or that sit forgotten in a closet.  Find these reminders, look at them closely, feel the pain that they brought, forgive all, and then burn them in the fireplace or shred and discard them.  As the physical reminders are destroyed, we can imagine our psyches destroying the spiritual hold that they have had on us, releasing pain, guilt and regret. We can be free of the past, experience the present more fully and envision the future with hope.