I often wonder, sitting on a bench in the countryside, thoughts wandering, eyes semi-focused on clouds and distant views, freeing the heart, the ever-present spirit that guides us through life, either joining us in such a dream-like state or stimulating hidden energy and realization of urgency; of living the time of now.
Drifting back to childhood and reliving memories, good, bad, or just everyday recollections of everyday life, becomes more frequent as one becomes more senior. At least that is my personal impression. Past memories come to the fore and in some cases seem to resonate with the present. Parallel universes?
Two or more lives of the same person, but hidden from view; déjà Vous? The visuality of ‘being there before’ but the location exists not in conscious reality, but a vague sense of having visited what could be another space-time continuum.
Age is relative to revisiting times past, transporting them to the present day. Revitalizing conscious awareness; treasuring every moment, sharing with friends and family such memories, experiences, accompanied with laughter, awe, horror, or pure amazement.
Think back to past memories and expand the sights, the sounds, the scents, and let the mind wonder. Good vibes? Sometimes, most times.
But focus on a happening that was unpleasant and building upon that recollection could attract further negativity until the heart drives the negative memory away, recalling the ultimate solution.
My recollections; memories of childhood (childhood Memories, also featured on Bizcatalyst360) are extremely vivid. I am literally ‘there’; reunited with the weather, scenery, atmosphere, the voices of Mom and Dad. Always supportive always a ‘can-do’.
Dèjà Vous
DéJà Vous is an amazing, thought-provoking reality that can be quite scary! Essentially re-visiting a situation or scene that we seem to remember, or don’t remember.
Described in one of my blogs on Carol Campos’ awesome platform The Divine Breadcrumb, my experience of focal seizures (a form of epilepsy without the shakes and foaming mouth!) is fully described with a touch of ironic humor. One just goes ‘blank’ staring; for a minute. Naturally, as a male, I deny any such thing!
I take meds and all is well; the most traumatic side effect is not being to drive my 17-year-old 4L Jeep Cherokee Orvis!
One really strange side effect of focal seizures is indeed déjà Vous.
Suddenly as if from nowhere, a scene; so vivid, so stark and so real, visits the consciousness. Not ‘typical déjà Vous where the experience is modest and pleasantly surprising, or having visited a location again after a fairly long time.
The experience is so sudden; scary to say the least, typically remembering a scene from somewhere; a location, a sidewalk, a building is ‘there’, but not recalled from ‘real world’ encounters.
There are other forms of déjà Vous where a natural memory of a location returns.
Being a positive minded person, I do focus on the type of memories that make me smile. These can range from eating my very first oyster in Brussels (after strict instructions!) to enjoying being a passenger in my son’s 1973 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which has a wonderful roar as it ‘takes off’.
What initiates a memory? Why do we sit and think of past experiences? Is it because there is a link to the present ( a sort of déjà Vous). Daydreaming.
Memories transported to the present, create a dream-like countenance; seemingly miles away; perhaps visiting a parallel universe.
Simon, Thank you for the reminder that memories have an after life and often we find ourselves walking with a memory.
Thank you Larry, strange phenomenon memory. Some people awaken after a serious illness or coma and are fluent in another language that they have never spoken before. I think there is a lot we are not aware of. Also, way back in time, anyone indicating they can foresee the future or other areas would be burned as witches. Women are more in-tune to the sensing such feelings. Hence when two individuals have the same thought at the same time; especially twins. Fascinating world.
Dear Lynn,
Thank you everso for your comments. Very much appreciated. The text cam from my heart; no plan, no notes, just flowed from my heart. Deja Vous is a strange phenomenon and can be good bad or indifferent. I agree, sometimes a smile and other times a little emotion; or a tear. I do thank you for your comments and will never thak the time you spent for granted.
My kindest regards to you,
Simon (From across The Pond!)
I enjoyed the experience of reading this, Simon. Thank you for the permission to wander back in time even as we sit here grounded in the world of 2020. I have many memories that show up like scenes from the movie of my life story-vivid, all sensory-I often remember exactly what I was wearing, sensing in my body, thinking in my body, feeling in my heart. As someone who lived through so much trauma, I’m practiced at “flashbacks” for the purpose of healing and not re-living…to see the scene and circumstances from a transformed, healthier perspective-from deep acceptance for all the lessons gleaned about being human, transcending challenge, and thriving in current time. For me “deja vu” is an opportunity to reclaim a part of my soul that I left behind in “quarantine” for safety and now can claim and integrate into an experience of wholeness. I’m always so thrilled to know people whose lives have been a bit less traumatic, or bumpy than my own-to know that there are people who were cherished, deeply loved, and cared for when they were children-that as adults-they have many rich happy memories to return to and savor/relish.
Dear Laura,
You have really touched my heart with your moving comments. I cannot describe how meaningful and so special, that you take time to describe such innermost feelings and I am deeply honored that you are comfortable sharing them.
One things is for sure that what is more than likely unique in this world of ‘brutal’ social media, is that we enjoy real friendships withn Linkedin and Bizcatalyst. Flashbacks can be a bit traumatic as one is re-living memories that one would prefer to be totally removed from the memory, I guess it can be like waking up after a ‘nightmare’ but not knowing what it was about. That is a bit what deja vous is like when created by a focal seizure.
I will never take for granted the gentle manner of conversation we experience via Linkedin at Bizcatalyst.
The essay I wrote was literally from the heart. When I read it the next morning (this morning) I could not recognize the initial part of my text. It has happened before, but I remember ‘writing’ with a smile on my face as the words flowed via my heart to my ‘pen’. Thank you gain, my friend, simon
Hi Simon, loved reading this, and found myself expierincing deja Vous as I read through your article. I think when something in our life has had a great impact on us at somepoint, that we can find ourselves one day with a trigger that takes us back in time. Sometimes it may leave a smile on one’s face, or perhaps drop a tear or two. Stay well and thanks for sharing.