We normally have a tendency, rather not a tendency but we think that we live in the past, present and also future - we look before and after while living in the present. But is that true ? Human beings as of now have always lived in the Past - the past being his memory.
Even when we are living in the present we try and analyze everything with reference to the past and when we plan or think about the future we use past as a background for all our projections. We are here we want to be there - we always think with the past in mind. Even when we try to understand something new we try to refer it to past theories, facts, formula and then try to put meaning to the new experience. And this is where we become blind to new ideas, concepts, theories etc. Its requires complete shutting off the Past to invent a new use of an electro-magnetism as in a telephone.
We must be aware - totally aware whenever we take reference from past for each of our actions - there has to be total absence of past so that we really get to touch the New. Its really difficult even to think about this - as we have lived for centuries accepting violence, hatred, war, competition, anxiety, jealousy, greed as part of our daily existence. We hold past as our ‘Valued Tradition’ - we say it defines our social fabric - the moral values of life - while the entire structure of this society does not stand on any moral values. Like our violent past - we are violent - and we cannot excel in anything except in war, in brutality, in hatred and in violence.
What has past given us so far - it has given us a life of competing with fellow human beings be at a commercial level or at a superficial level, it has given us religions - religions which divides people - makes one hate the other and kill each other - it is all some intellectual twist of some shrewd people with some little knowledge who crated all these divisions - from a different perspective - it all looks so childish, foolish and also immature. We cannot truly call it a religion - religion should make us love one another - be compassionate leaving aside our hatred, greed, jealousy and brutality.
But who wants it ? Who wants to embrace a new way of living - a new way of thought which draws no reference form the past accepts no authority on anything ( not the specialized or technical areas) and is free from pre-conceived notions which only leads us to hatred and misery. Almost no one… why ? Cause most of us believe or want to believe that this is the proven established order of living and established order of the society. And living has become an effort in all sense. We all feel that there must be a way to live better, to live without anxiety without fear or without misery and conflict and then we look for directions - (and this is where the authority comes in - with their limited knowledge and intelligent ways) but the simple answer lies exactly lies within ourselves.
While the majority says that this is the way, when we look at Youth - we find them revolting almost always - asking us why do you give us exams , why do you make us compete, why do you make us do the same thing day out, why do you make us sing and dance the same song, why do you give us war, violence, history, religion …. We don’t listen - as also its difficult for a young mind to grasp the complications of human mind on how his life is also shaped or about to be shaped by the pervert past.
We are only Prisoners of our own past. And this is not only physical evolution but psychologically also We do not take charge of the present on a as-it-is basis and always act based on a conditioned response based on past. We walk on pre-defined roads and directions and never depend on our own self to decide the right path. We believe in things and ideas - we believe we are in love, when actually we mean the possession, jealousy, hate, physical comfort, convenience, domination and all things. To be in Love we don’t need to believe - we need to experience it with our whole being 
Like when you see a dew drop glistening on a blade of grass - you don’t believe in the beauty of that drop - you just see it and experience the beauty drawing no reference from anywhere.
Its difficult and demands intellect to face the present everytime as a new instance without allowing the past to interfere with it - as this only can bring in a great change in the way we live and show us a new direction. Else we will remain chained with our beliefs our pre-conceived notions, our hatred, our violent nature , our violence, our war and our constant struggle. And we will allow religions, philosophical gurus, spiritual leaders to tell us that we need to make an effort to live - and encourage more blindness to spread and keep us locked in our past away from the light which resides only within us.
We must remember that the place we stand is between the future generation and the primitive past - we have the means to define the path to future or simply ignore and continue remain as prisoners of the past. Even a handful of right thinking people can make all the difference.
We are victims of circumstance. I think all we can do is accept it. As any act of trying to break free from past influences is intself yet another product of past experiences.
The moment we think we do become a victim of the past - circumstance or otherwise. Its not trying to break free - its shutting off the past totally
Not only are we victims of the past, circumstance. or otherwise but we are also contributors to it.
Why try to break free? Is this becuase you desire control?
That’s what i thought - we are product of the past only in all respect rather we are the past -and so wrote this post.
Control my friend comes from authority - be it religious or philosophical which prevents us to be aware with my total being and keeps us closeted from any new way without the reference. There should not be any control in all sense.
I am glad to have you here on this discussion.
The Sparrow Said: “I am glad to have you here on this discussion.”
you should be.
Ok, prisoners of our past, get it.
I think we hold on to our past because our past we know.
Can the Sparrow assure me there is a future? There is a tomorrow?
This is how i see it: The future is something we create in the Today with promises, illusions and hope. If we don’t understand and know our own past how do we learn? Are you proposing stop holding onto our past just to hold on to the idea of Future?
Sounds good my dear friend Sparrow “…there should not be any control…” - however we all know how “uncivilized” we humans could be when left on our own, does “chaos” exist only in fantasy movies and Fantasy? Or Anarchy? Only if we ever Evolve to a higher conciousness we would be able to shed our past like a snake is shedding his old skin, without forgetting the lessons we could learn, thus without letting past controlling us.
@Lafa:
We do not hold onto past dear - but we live in it or to say correctly we are “the past”. Promises, illusions and hope which make up the future are all designed with the Past acting as a constant background. We plan we are here - we want to be there - I am a manager - I want to be executive - the past is always acting. At present we cannot think of future without referencing the Past - in all spheres of life - and that is holding us back to the same old conflict and a violent immoral society - problem is the world also does not want to let go of it.
The future light can come only when we come outside the shadow of our dark past.
I am glad you came here to discuss
@Tatiana,
I appreciate your views but past or history can be a research subject only. There is no good or no bad past. Its simple past - and when you shed the past like a snake skin - you do not retain any single portion of it. Coz then we limit ourself again.
Like I said it calls for a strong awareness and strong mind and also intellect to switch off the past. And the results will be bright - relations where we do not refer to past - appreciation with no reference - so the definition of good or bad gets thoroughly evolved. And a true evolution of mind can truly bring in a different world without hatred, anxiety, conflict, fear and violence.
Even if just a few people embrace it, it can make all the difference coz minorities also matter
A boy met a stranger who gave him a horse for free. The people said: How lucky! The zen master said: We’ll see.
The boy fell from the horse and broke his leg. The people said: How unlucky! The zen master said: We’ll see.
A war came and the army wasn’t interested in the boy with the broken leg. The people said: How lucky! The zen master said: We’ll see.
…
Enlightening post!!! I look forward to my future journey and am making sure I enjoy the presence…it’s hard letting the past go but each day we are reborn.
Hugs, JJ
Your perspective is interesting and has much to recommend it. Most meditative disciplines depend on mental exercises focusing on the present moment. The goal is both to relieve anxiety and to free oneself from biases. Much sorrow lies in one’s individual past–not only the disappointments and failures, but the joys, too, which no longer exist.
That said, another way the past acts upon our imagination is to light up thought patterns that can lead to a reliably expanding perception. In music, for example, often find “Joy in Repetition.”
Many leaps in creative thought use paradigms as a springboard. I’m a fiction writer, and truly, every story has been told–but not in the same words or from the same point of view; not with the same details or full-fledged characters.
Sometimes, I believe, people whose minds interact with a past, present, and future light upon discovery unavailable from one set time frame.
@JJ - I can understand how difficult it is - but letting go of pleasures will sure bring you joy - as also we will be able to overcome much of the pain. Thanks for your kind comments.
Love - The Sparrow
@Kathleen - Welcome to the Sparrows nest
“Much sorrow lies in one’s individual past–not only the disappointments and failures, but the joys, too, which no longer exist.”
- You are so correct - happiness is nothing but images in our mind of some interaction in the past. A reference to which can only provide the raw material for conflict. Past is always sorrow in one sense or the other.
If we are aware of the all our actions we become aware of the past - and that awareness helps us in not allowing it to interfere with us.
On meditation - my observations are pending - you will have to come back later. So long -
Love - The Sparrow
You can’t be ‘here’ and ‘there’ at the same time, you cannot be in the present and the past now, and you cannot travel this life of time and be somewhere far behind. It isn’t about control; control is for weakness, and the past cannot be controled, anyway. It is about the childlike autonomy to stand and fall, again and again, until you can stand without falling. It is the childlike autonomy to take a step, and fall, and get up and do it again and again, until you can walk several steps, and be excited and laugh because of the results. The child takes the success of its life, and moves on. The only baggage in life you are required to carry is the good and intelligence and abilities you have made and taken from your past. This is freedom.
aliasinkhorn
Please please PLEASE tell me you’ve read ‘Written On The Body’ by Jeanette Winterson.
“…or is memory the more real place?”
The best, most intelligent and thought provoking book I have EVER fucking read.
P.S. You should try having Borderline Personality Disorder. You have your memories, but no emotional attachment to them. It’ll give you a WHOLE new perspective on the past.
http://lippylesbo.blogspot.com/2007/11/borderline-pregnancy.html
I always tried to make decisions not based on some past situation or circumstance but almost always failed. I have constantly worked towards living in the present but somehow, something connects me to the past:-(
Cheers!
dear sparrow, being present in the presence… meaning: past is past, experiences you have gone through or you have been challenged by are over. I belive there were some funky reasons for it to happen to you / us (what does this or that tell me..) musing on the “why” is okay for a while. I “feel” disturbed in flowing on (floating?) if my diary (= mental storage, my memory) sets up a “reminder” with unpleasent, unreasonable and unwanted interruptions and warnings. of course, depending on the nature of the “beast” it wants my eyes to look at. focussing on the good things inside and around me is much more pleasing and inspiring. if there are not many of the good things around me, I am definetly in the wrong neighbourhood. I´ll leave for good.`
i am facing a very big problem in my life. I dont know the reason behind it but please suggest me some way so that i will save my self in future. the problem is……………….whenever i get in touch with any girl i get emotionally and most of the time sexually attracted toward her. due to this everytime i have to loss my career in between it. neither i get the girl instead my own created good image will get disturbed. please help me. this happened with four times in my life. currently i m 29 year old. i wants that in future this thing will not goes to happened by my hand…. for god sake….please help me