How do you let go of the past?

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zeldapsychology
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07 Dec 2010, 11:35 am

Outside of the whole college ordeal (which I thought actually being BACK in college) would help me "heal" forget/recover from it. UH NO! I also have another issue from my past. My 2 little sisters are in Elementary school and I hate going to there school functions since my Elementary experience was being bullied. (I automatically think of that issue of the past). I was considering going to the 9 year olds Holiday concert but wasn't sure. I tend to try to avoid the functions but since mom/dad everyone else is working I kind of feel bad and I can go (I'm only doing Online college and no job so I can get up early and attend).

Plus the whole tons of other parents thing. (I'm not good around others usually. I assume just go keep my mouth shut and see the concernt (perhaps videotape it with a camcorder). It's odd in audiences I'm not good but crowds like Black Friday I can chat it up with fellow customers and run around the "maze" of people like an expert mouse LOL! (which my sister hated this past BF) she was like OMG! why are you running!! ! (As yall know my family always seem to find a behavior to pick on.) :-(



TheBicyclingGuitarist
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07 Dec 2010, 12:11 pm

I don't know if I can help but maybe changing how one thinks of the past can change its influence on the present. The 20th century philosopher Alan Watts talked about how the past does not cause the present; the present causes the past. Each present moment becomes the past like the wake of a ship trails behind the ship, but the wake doesn't push the ship. It is very easy to feel a prisoner of one's past, but according to many spiritual teachings that is an illusion and we have the power to change how we think in the present moment.

The Hindus call the creative illusion Maya and teach to see beyond that and not be deceived. Some Buddhists don't think reincarnation means you come back in another body after you die. Instead some Buddhists say that reincarnation means that if you link all your moments in a chain and think you are the same person you were five minutes ago, you are being reincarnated. T.S. Eliot also expresses this idea in his poem The Four Quartets.

An oriental sage once remarked that Spring does not become Summer. First there is Spring, then there is Summer. Each season is in its place. In just that way, the you of yesterday does not become the you of today.

I hope this helps. Learning these different perspectives sure stretched my mind.


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MidlifeAspie
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07 Dec 2010, 1:25 pm

I don't - but I do not recommend it.



Aspieallien
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08 Dec 2010, 3:58 am

TheBicyclingGuitarist wrote:
I don't know if I can help but maybe changing how one thinks of the past can change its influence on the present. The 20th century philosopher Alan Watts talked about how the past does not cause the present; the present causes the past. Each present moment becomes the past like the wake of a ship trails behind the ship, but the wake doesn't push the ship. It is very easy to feel a prisoner of one's past, but according to many spiritual teachings that is an illusion and we have the power to change how we think in the present moment.


I like the way you have put this, TheBicyclingGuitarist

We can't at all change the past but we can choose to use past experiences constructively, or destructively. If we choose to focus and dwell on bad experiences of the past, chances are this will predict quite a lot of our present and future experiences. As the belief that this will happen is there. On the other hand if we choose to see past negative experiences as a series of lessons to improve our knowledge for our present and future. If we believe that and focus forward to our passions that enspire us, and forgive people who have hurt us, we can disempower the hold the past has over us, and move on.


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TheBicyclingGuitarist
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08 Dec 2010, 8:30 am

Aspieallien wrote:
TheBicyclingGuitarist wrote:
I don't know if I can help but maybe changing how one thinks of the past can change its influence on the present. The 20th century philosopher Alan Watts talked about how the past does not cause the present; the present causes the past. Each present moment becomes the past like the wake of a ship trails behind the ship, but the wake doesn't push the ship. It is very easy to feel a prisoner of one's past, but according to many spiritual teachings that is an illusion and we have the power to change how we think in the present moment.


I like the way you have put this, TheBicyclingGuitarist
. . .
we can disempower the hold the past has over us, and move on.


Thanks. To me, letting go of the past doesn't mean forgetting it. Letting go of the past means not letting whatever happened before control you. It's easy to listen to a lifetime of negative programming and believe it, but what's really funny (or tragic) is when one defends the negative programming in one's own mind. Richard Bach wrote in Illusions: "Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours."


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Aspieallien
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09 Dec 2010, 5:24 am

TheBicyclingGuitarist wrote:
Aspieallien wrote:
TheBicyclingGuitarist wrote:
I don't know if I can help but maybe changing how one thinks of the past can change its influence on the present. The 20th century philosopher Alan Watts talked about how the past does not cause the present; the present causes the past. Each present moment becomes the past like the wake of a ship trails behind the ship, but the wake doesn't push the ship. It is very easy to feel a prisoner of one's past, but according to many spiritual teachings that is an illusion and we have the power to change how we think in the present moment.


I like the way you have put this, TheBicyclingGuitarist
. . .
we can disempower the hold the past has over us, and move on.


Thanks. To me, letting go of the past doesn't mean forgetting it. Letting go of the past means not letting whatever happened before control you. It's easy to listen to a lifetime of negative programming and believe it, but what's really funny (or tragic) is when one defends the negative programming in one's own mind. Richard Bach wrote in Illusions: "Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours."



This really goes to show the increadable power of our minds. Beliefs dictate our reality on a moment to moment basis. Our mind is the most powerful asset we have. If we can learn to alter our perceptions and modify our beliefs we can use the power of our mind to create a new positive present and future.

Unfortunently a lot of us have been programed with negative beliefs. So you can clearly see the opposite of how those beliefs can influence us to create the negative circumstances to confirm those beliefs.


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SaNcheNuSS
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12 Dec 2010, 4:41 am

How awesome is it that a new Zelda is coming out in four months?



CockneyRebel
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12 Dec 2010, 8:26 am

I've been dealing with a lot of issues from my past. My jealousy of my strong and feminine, younger sister cropped up. Mick Avory II can't handle it. She's too sensitive. I know that my mum favours my sister, because they both like the same things. There is nothing I can do about it. I'm going to have to deal with that, and move on. My mum and sister can have their girl time, together on Canada Day and Mother's Day.


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Dalton_Man321
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12 Dec 2010, 8:41 am

I can't. I try me best to distract myself however, and let it run its course. Of course a lot of them take years to mostly get over.



Mindslave
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12 Dec 2010, 11:36 am

Letting go of the past happens with time. For example, my ex-girlfriend. Have I moved on? Yes. Have I gotten over her? Somewhat. I still care about her, and I always will, but I know it's best for both of us if we go our own separate ways.

So letting go doesn't happen overnight, and it's not supposed to. It happens gradually, and the best way to do that is to just RELAX and focus on the present.



hale_bopp
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12 Dec 2010, 1:12 pm

I don't know.

I can't seem to. I'm sorry you can't either.



Craig28
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12 Dec 2010, 1:13 pm

Here's what I think:

"You don't let go of the past, the past lets go of you"



SaNcheNuSS
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12 Dec 2010, 3:14 pm

The past doesn't exist because time doesn't exist. Everything makes a person who they are. You are just an accumulation of bad moments and good moments. The more you get through the bad moments the more the good moments grow into lasting bliss. Most people are too weak to get through the bad moments, so they call it quits, or they think that they call it quits. You can never escape your problems, not even through suicide, the universe will force you to understand who you are.



jagatai
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13 Dec 2010, 10:39 am

You have to hold onto something. You can hold onto the past. Or to the present. Or to the future.

My nature is to be a future oriented person. As a result I have a very poor memory for past events. There are some things about my past that still bug me, but mostly I look toward things I will be doing. I work in the present to prepare for things I want to do in the future. the past is what it is and I can't change it. All I can do is use it to help me get to some future state where I want to be. (Maybe Utah)

It may not be easy to change what part of your life you focus on. Perhaps when you catch yourself thinking too much of the past, remind yourself that the present should be lived actively and there are things you can do now that will make your future better. It takes reminding yourself over and over to look forward or around you rather than back, but perhaps with repetition, you can change your habits.


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luvsterriers
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13 Dec 2010, 1:24 pm

zeldapsychology wrote:
Outside of the whole college ordeal (which I thought actually being BACK in college) would help me "heal" forget/recover from it. UH NO! I also have another issue from my past. My 2 little sisters are in Elementary school and I hate going to there school functions since my Elementary experience was being bullied. (I automatically think of that issue of the past). I was considering going to the 9 year olds Holiday concert but wasn't sure. I tend to try to avoid the functions but since mom/dad everyone else is working I kind of feel bad and I can go (I'm only doing Online college and no job so I can get up early and attend).

Plus the whole tons of other parents thing. (I'm not good around others usually. I assume just go keep my mouth shut and see the concernt (perhaps videotape it with a camcorder). It's odd in audiences I'm not good but crowds like Black Friday I can chat it up with fellow customers and run around the "maze" of people like an expert mouse LOL! (which my sister hated this past BF) she was like OMG! why are you running!! ! (As yall know my family always seem to find a behavior to pick on.) :-(



I have cousins that are under the age of 12. When I visited them in Seattle I get so depressed. I think back when I was their age and how kids were so cruel to me. My cousins don't have aspergers so life for them is so much easier than it was when I was their age. It does sound sad.


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TheBicyclingGuitarist
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13 Dec 2010, 2:36 pm

jagatai wrote:
You have to hold onto something. You can hold onto the past. Or to the present. Or to the future.


I disagree with your premise that you have to hold onto something. That is clinging. Also, there is no past and no future. Now is all that is real. Living in the future is as unrealistic as living in the past. You're living in the now whether or not you accept it, so why not accept it?

On the other hand, if your philosophy works for you, so be it. I don't think it applies to everyone though unless they believe it. If they do believe it then it is my opinion they are limiting themselves. I won't say my opinion is the way things are. What I quoted you saying above was stated as if it were fact when in my opinion, it is opinion.


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