In my prior thread, I concluded with the following: "our entire personality is based on our perception of reality. Or, reworded, our entire personalities are based on a lie. Curious." The more perceptive amongst you would have noticed where it was heading straight away. If our entire personality is based upon a certain perception, then could we not change our behaviour, our actions, our personalities by changing the way we perceive events, or by changing how past events were perceived?

In this thread we're going to deal with changing how past events were perceived; we're going to be modifying past memories. In a future post we'll discuss with how to change our ongoing perceptions; how memories are recorded. If that's something that interests you, look out for future threads.




Would you be surprised to learn we all have timelines? I'm not using this as a metaphor. Let me rephrase this: would you be surprised to learn that all of us have literal, real timelines within us?

Are you able to tell, between two memories, which is older? If I were to ask you to take five different memories, visualize a single picture to represent them, then arrange them by oldest to newest, would you be able to do that? Now, imagine yourself in a future event. Perhaps you're starting a new year of University. Imagine yourself at this new location, taking a class. Are you able to tell the difference between this future event and a past memory?

If you're like most people, you'd have answered "of course." Perhaps you even thought it was a stupid question; and that's alright. You can think whatever you want as long as you pay attention and answer carefully. Now that we've established you can tell the difference in age between memories (past and future) I'm going to ask you another question: how? Somehow your inner mind is organizing your memories, from oldest to most recent.... and beyond, to future memories. Begin to realize that this organization is linear. The exact organization differs form person to person. It can be left to right, right to left, back to front, it can come it in v shapes or in some geometrically improbable line. That's all fine and, for the purpose of the simple techniques I'm going to share with you, that's largely irrelevant. That said, I would like to take a moment for you to realize how you are oriented. Recall an older memory. Did you notice where it came from? Left, right, behind? If you didn't, that's alright. Tell yourself that you want to realize how your memories are organized, and recall a different memory, this time really focusing on the direction from which it comes. If you didn't notice it again, that's fine. Pretend you did. Just pretend. It may seem like you're making it up, and that's alright. You'll pretend it's real; I'll pretend it's real, and we'll pretend so well that everyone else will pretend as well. Now that you've realized where your past is, do the same with the future. Tell me about your time line. Where is past, where is future?

Now that you've realized how your time line is oriented, we'll begin with some simple time line exercises. First, you are wise to realize the time line is all in your mind, and yet it's real. And because it's in the mind, you can control it. You can modify it. If it does not serve you, you can change it into something that does. First read the directions all the way through, then follow them. Allow yourself to relax now, and as you close your eyes, remember how your time line is oriented. Visualize it. See your time line in whatever way is right for you. Now, I want you to float up above your time line, so that you can look around and see your time line spreading out into the past.... and into the future.... and you can see yourself relaxing in the present moment, with eyes closed as you focus now, pay attention and relax even deeper. Choose a memory that doesn't hold much significance to you. Something you have a mild dislike for, something that's not too big or important, something you would like to change. Float to where that memory is represented on your time line. Now, float down to where it is. Notice you can pick it up, take it off the timeline. I want you to push it away.... further and further away form you, watching it fly outward, toward oblivion. As it floats further and further, I want you to darken it... darken it further... until it melts out into the sun. Now, I want you to choose a new memory that you didn't have before. Notice a large movie screen in front of you, and play out this new memory... acting in the way you would have wanted to act so the negative memory becomes a positive memory. Play this new memory on the movie screen before you, and when you are satisfied that it gives you a new, positive experience, pick it up off of the movie screen and put it where the old negative memory was. Notice now how the new memory fits perfectly. I want you to float to five minutes before the new memory began. Turn to face now, turn to face the present moment. Now, notice how all memories between the new memory and the present moment change to fit the new memory, because the new memory became real.... and you are congruent with your new memory, with your new reality. Finally, now that you are congruent with your new memory and you've noticed how other memories changed to accommodate it, float back to the present moment, back to the now. See your body as it is.... and step into it. Open your eyes.

Run the above pattern now.



That is just one example of how we can work with our time lines to change our perception of ourselves and increase our resources. Perhaps you had a certain memory that when you recalled it, made you feel in a negative way. Perhaps this memory you had made you feel not confident. You now have a tool to go into your memories and change it into a new memory that supports you, and allows now infuses you with strength.... relaxation... confidence, whatever is appropriate for you. Allow yourself a new reality, one that empowers you and makes assists you in being the strong, confident person you know you are becoming...

How surprised will you be to find out, because you modified this one memory, you feel more confident in other areas of your life as well?


( I've written a lot, and it will suffice for now. If there is any interest, in the future I may add other strategies for using the time line to assist you in life, by working with both past and future. )

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The future exists first in the mind, then in the will, then in reality.