How Your Past Lives In The Present: Memory Integration

How can something you don’t consciously remember still influence your life? This kind voice meditation explores memory integration, the fourth domain in interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB).
In IPNB, memory means how past events affect future function. Mental time travel, or autonoetic consciousness, allows you to revisit your past and imagine your future.
The “story” and “storyteller” offer metaphors for retrieving memories and bringing present-day awareness to how you remember them. Remembering is an active process, opening possibilities for new meaning and greater agency in how the past influences your life. The practice also introduces the hippocampus, implicit and explicit memory, and working memory as a mental chalkboard for what we can hold in mind at one time.
In this two-voice call-and-response practice, you can receive the words, repeat them silently, or say them aloud.
Fourth in a nine-part series on the nine domains of integration.
Second voice: Meriah Fields

Transcript

And this is just for you to practice memorizing what it means to integrate at the fourth level. My kind voice says, My kind voice says, At the heart of memory is the skill of mental time travel. At the heart of memory is the skill of mental time travel. It's called auto-noetic consciousness. It's called auto-noetic consciousness. It's the capacity to mentally project myself into the past and future. It's the capacity to mentally project myself into the past and future. And it's one of the most integrative capacities. And it's one of the most integrative capacities. Related to that is how the hippocampus Related to that is how the hippocampus. Is one of the most neuroplastic brain regions in adulthood. Is one of the most neuroplastic brain regions in adulthood. And thus plays a crucial role in memory integration. And thus plays a crucial role in memory integration. So integrating a memory starts with being able to mentally time travel. So integrating a memory starts with being able to mentally time travel. I then access those levels of processing. I then access those levels of processing. Whether the memory is explicit or implicit. Whether the memory is implicit or explicit. Conscious or unconscious. Conscious or unconscious. Memory is ultimately about how time one affects time two. Memory ultimately is about how time 1 affects time 2. I must be able to retrieve memory. I must be able to retrieve memory. This function is nicknamed the story or remembered self. This function is nicknamed the story or remembered self. And I must be able to modify that memory using my wizard brain. And I must be able to modify that using my wizard brain. That's nicknamed the storyteller or remembering self. That's nicknamed the storyteller for the remembering self. Whereas there are a lot of terms around memory. Whereas there are a lot of terms around memory. Like memory simply being that which we can consciously recall. Like memory being that which we can consciously recall. Versus neurobiology's definition of memory, Versus neurobiology's definition of memory, How past events affect future function, How past events affect future function. And even the concept of working memory. And even the concept of working memory. Which is more like the chalkboard of memory. Which is more like the chalkboard of memory. And how many things I can hold in conscious awareness at one time. And how many things I can hold in conscious awareness at one time. Which this kind voice is challenging. Which this kind voice is challenging. Ultimately, My goal is to strengthen the storyteller. The modifier part of memory called the remembering self. A modifier part of memory integration. All the remembering self. So that I am the author of the timeline of my life. So that I am the author of the timeline of my life. And I can rewrite past chapters. And I can rewrite past chapters. And create new chapters. And create new chapters. With my incredible capacity to mentally time travel. With my amazing capacity of being able to mentally time travel. The opposite of this is being a victim. The opposite of this is being a victim. Having to weather the storms of thoughts and sensations. Visiting me randomly day or night. Visiting me randomly day or night. As memories flash through my thinking. As memories flash through my thinking. Doing this. Doing this. Strengthening memory as modifier. Strengthening memory as modifier. And not just staying in memory as a retrieval process. And not just staying in memory as a retrieval process is a skill I can grow. Is a skill I can grow.