Kathleen – re: memory, that’s precisely how I see it. A subjective recollection of a subjective perception – at least twice removed from ‘reality’ (whatever that is!)

Hypno-toad – haha! Perhaps I’m busted!

Maya -thanks, I’ve been enjoying reading your blog too.

Robert – thanks so much for the digg. As a result I received a good 800 – 900 visitors! Your diggs are v.powerful!

Janine – there is debate on whether ventilating feelings from repressed memories can lead to further traumatisation. Clearly that can happen, but most hypnotherapists view controlled abreaction is as useful & powerful tool…

I’m surprised that there is any question that this is a valuable tool for change. Research shows hypotherapy is definitely useful for many conditions – weight loss, smoking cessation, depression, stress, phobias, and many other problems that ultimately lead to poor health.

Re: “research on memory makes it clear that the brain does not record experience accurately.” I have two sisters. We have “recorded” many childhood situations differently, though we were in the exact same situation, at the same time. In fact, just speaking with them about the past is a means of rehsaping my own perceptions.

Anyway,your post is quite interesting and comprehensible.I myself studied a bit about Phycology etc.
I loved this part:Our memories of the past have an effect on who we are in the present

I personally believe the rebirth and death as process of all thing’s rythm to make one big stream,but whatever the truth is,the important thing is to understand the same moment never will come back and never been before,so to attend the importance on every each single moment,right now….

Thank you Adrian!

Elizabeth Loftus wrote a book on implanting false memories and repressed memory in the 90′s – it begs the question, if people want freedom from the past, but their recollection of the past is not necessarily accurate or even real…where, ethically, do you go from there? Treat it as if it’s real, as the person will be experiencing atached emotions anyway..? How about convince the world all their bad memories are fabrications of their imagination – I like that better

I remember (or do I?!!) nicking some money out of my mum’s purse for Frosties sweeties aged about 8, then manipulating one of my brothers and convincing him he’d done it so when she found out, he even admitted it and truly thought he had done it! No doubt he will remember the time he stole from his mum’s purse and got a smacked arse. I bet people implant false memories all over the shop!

Some other studies (dunno which ones, was too hungover in the lecture to write) concluded that unleashing repressed memories actually did more harm than good for lots of people. I’m fence-sitting on the whole debate.