अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः
anubhUtaviShayaasampramoShaH smRutiH
Memory is not allowing an object which has been experienced to escape.
Taimni
Memory is the retention of past experiences in the mind. However, experiences are there only in a potential form (samskara); only when they are converted into their active state cna they be considered as "chitta vrittis" (mental modifications).
Aranya
A distinction is made between the object and the process of knowing the object. We had some interesting discussion on how well one can know the object since any impression in the mind is purely subjective. The same object can create different impressions in different people’s minds. We finally came to the conclusion that indeed the sutra is talking about individual impressions based on personal subjectivity. All memories arise out of impressions produced by either one of the five vrittis (right knowledge, wrong knowledge, imagination, sleep or former memory). The fluctuations of the mind are of the nature of pleasure, pain, or dullness. Pleasure accompanies attachment (raaga), pain by aversion (dvesha) while dullness by ignorance. Only by shutting out these fluctuations can we attain the state of ‘samadhi’.
Discussion
Prema Battle mentioned about Past Life Regression and how some people have the ability to bring past life samskaras into an active state. Lea mentioned that in her experience, PLR can help with pshchiatric analysis of a person’s situation. Kailasam recommended a book titled, "In search of memories" by nobel prize winning author Eric Kandel. He mentioned that a Freudian therapist can help you get deep into your subconcious, thus bringing past experiences to the fore.Kailasam also talked about the case of the patient with the name HM (Henry Molaison) who lost his memory in an accident and was the subject of study for almost 40 years. Most of the study related to understanding the connection between brain and memory.
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