Memory / Memory Interference

Memory is listed by Patanjali as one of the unwanted features of the psyche. It is difficult to pin it down therefore some who meditate take the posture of trying to ignore it when it arises in the mind. Some others have a method of being silent indifferent witnesses to it.

There is another method however that of a head-on clash with it where the determination to gain control of the mind meets the memories when they arise during meditation, challenging them to cease the exhibition. This brings on a totally different realization which is that particular memories have greater or lesser power, where the clash between the desire to cease exhibition of a memory, and the memory’s resistance to that, varies from memory to memory.

The question arises:

Why does a certain memory exhibit so much power that it overrides the desire to terminate it and it continues in the mind regardless of the desire to end it, where even for those who desire to disinterestedly observe it, are forced to comprehend it as if their disinterest has no effect?

Why does another memory have so little staying power in the mind, that as soon as a desire to end it arise, that memory disappears like a mouse which sees a big cat?

My information is that each memory has power over the self on the basis of the value energy which it was initially stored with in the mind. This value energy is levied in the mind with the memory when the memory is stored in the subconscious.

Whatever value one placed on the memory when it was first formulated, that value is present when the memory arises. This value may undermine the desire to eradicate the memory or it may yield to the desire.

The key to this is that one has to be careful during incidences so that one does not place a large value on any memory unless one is sure that such an incidence would be constructive towards the aims of meditation.

It does not matter if the memory was pleasant or unpleasant, enjoyable or detestable. What matters it the value which is lodged in it when it is first formulated. The mind is such that it may levy a great value even to an unpleasant incidence, with the result that the memory of this will resist attempts to ignore or be indifferent to it during meditation.