Darth Plagueis training

I’ve written three posts on memory and its’ link to aging already (you can find them here,here and here). We’re not talking here about keeping a sharp memory, the memory palace techniques used by some, or staving off age-related memory loss. What we are talking about is the disaffecting effects of memory on living a fulfilling life. No, I’m not for you forgetting where you put your car keys or eyeglasses. You don’t wanna do that.

Imagine you are revisiting a place -it can be anything, anywhere- and instead of enjoying yourself anew, your thoughts of having crossed that place come through. They can be pleasant or unpleasant experiences you’ve had. In this case, the thought process taking place is barring perception and clarity. You stop being in the moment and are swept down the memory lane.

Powerful events – those entrenched in memory -must be relieved where you gain some authority over them, without emotion, without judgement.

How ?

I’m going to cite here from Darth Plagueis by James Luceno , a NY Times best selling novel from the Star Wars Expanded Universe series . Darth Plagueis, the Sith Lord, is training young Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious. Darth Sidious is reliving the memories of the crime he committed upon his family.

…In telling and retelling it, in reliving it, he had finally gained a kind of authority over it, the ability to see the event merely for what it was, without emotion, without judgement. It was as if the event had occurred years rather than months earlier, and as if someone else had authored it.”

Darth Plagueis

The emotional imprint of life defining events -positive and negative – is a shackle. You don’t have to be a Sith Lord (or a Jedi) to have formed those attachments. Memory becomes a crutch. Train to unshackle it.

I will be back and tell you how.