Changing the Past and Future

1999-4-2 18:24:00

Brian Writes:

"I don't believe we can change the actual past, but we can change our perception of it. In fact, many people do this, sometimes to the point that they no longer remember the actual events but only their own fabricated memory.

"In NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and other disciplines, one of the basic tenets of self-development is that you can change who you are now by changing your language (including your internal dialogue) as well as changing your memory of negative events in your past. There are various vehicles for changing a memory, but they all have the same basic premise:

1. Relax your whole mind and body.
2. In your mind, go back to the "negative" event and immerse yourself in it. Remember the colors, the smells, the people, etc; every ingredient to make the experience as vivid ("real") as possible.
3. As you replay the event in your mind, CHANGE the outcome. Make it a positive experience.
4. Replay several times so that the new memory takes hold.
5. Slowly bring yourself back to the present.

"What this does is changes not only your mental memory, but also your physical memory. You'd be surprised how much of our past is not only in your head, but also trapped in your lower back, your stomach, your neck, etc."

JJ:
Good realistic comment here dealing with the starting point of the reality in which we live. Some people would actually think you are changing the past with this process, but as you say you are not doing this. Instead, you are changing the negative effects of the past. As long as we understand that we are changing effects rather than past reality, we keep that tricky illusion from trapping us and we can use this principle for good.

Any time, however, we get caught in an illusion that tells us we can change the truth of the past then we get our vision caught in a fog that winds up creating more harm than good.

Jennifer makes a good comment about responding to difficult situations with honesty and tact. It is not a lie to hold back or not tell all you know, but all you tell should be true.

If someone asks if he/she is fat you do not have to give out a blunt, "you're fat as a pig." That would be more harmful than a lie about it. Instead look for something positive you can say that is true. Perhaps something like this, "You look like you have lost weight this last month to me."

I'm not sure if Jennifer read my comments on the possibility of changing the future but my comments on the snowball and snowman correlate with her comments. By changing the location of the spider you do not change its future. Its future was always in the location in which you placed it. Instead you created the future. Creating a thing and changing the finished creation are two separate things.

JJ