The Daily G.I.F.T. from The GratiDude

Let the music play and the tears flow.

www.grateful4.org

Gratitude

Intention

First

Things

The G.I.F.T. Today

Grateful: for the never ending journey of healing

Intention-focus on rest and recovery first

First-plan some Feb travel

Things-rich and rob email

Morning Platitude from The GratiDude

Hi Dad.

It took me 40 years to realize that I could say that and that I should say that when I have that feeling of a strong memory.

When you have a feeling of a strong memory, and you haven’t processed or integrated the experience from a trauma or a pain standpoint often times our reflexive instinct is to shut it down as a means to protect ourselves in that moment. What we realize in time is that shutting it down doesn’t make it go away it exacerbates, and sometimes even expands the poison in our system, and only delays the inevitability of either unhealthy toxicity in our life or dealing with it down the road.

There’s no shortcut you can’t go around it or over it or under it you must go through it.

However, I’m here to testify that the reward on the other side is not just worth it but something that is so strong and powerful that I’m committing my life to finding different ways to help people get to the point where they can be OK with the quiet and the stillness.

I know that it isn’t easy for just about everyone in large part because of how disconnected we have become from nature and how much information that we are being exposed to, and that we consume either intentionally or just as collateral damage.

Without a connection to breath and regular movement of your body, fresh air and sunshine, it is very difficult to stay connected to your higher self, which is the only way that you can feel comfortable in the quiet and the stillness.

I found it music and songs are often equivalent to Time Machine and how they can transport you back to a period of your life, a relationship or even a single moment or an event. There have been lots of different studies about how the different senses can trigger memory and music is right up there with the sense of smell in terms of the number of neuropath ways to the parts of our brain that control memory and recollection.

And then there’s some music that is so powerful and invokes memories that unless you deal with the trauma, or the emotion associated with a particular artist or song you simply can’t listen to it.

Yes, music can bring back memories. This is called a music-evoked autobiographical memory. Music can trigger strong emotions and vivid recollections from the past.

How music triggers memories

Activates the brain

Music activates the areas of the brain that control emotion and memory, including the hippocampus and amygdala.

Creates a soundtrack

Music associated with an event or information can create a soundtrack that can be replayed to spark a recollection.

Evokes emotions

Music can induce emotions that are otherwise inaccessible.

Interact with other senses

Music interacts with other senses, such as taste and smell, to trigger memories.

How music can help with memory

Evokes nostalgia

Music can transport listeners to past times and places and awaken associated emotions.

Help lay down new memories

Music can help form new memories, which can be helpful for patients with dementia.

Can alter the emotional content of existing memories

Music can alter the emotional content of existing memories through memory reactivation.

If you’re not ready to do the work and deal with what you’re feeling then you either need to turn the song off or leave the room.