Developing Control Over Time and Focus

This section, I'm afraid might seem a little dry. It's unfortunate, but necessary. Especially for those of you who aren't used to this style of meditation.

So, today I'll be introducing some useful techniques for memory manipulation. When learning and developing these techniques you will gain a great deal of control during memory meditations which will be very helpful when performing some of the more advanced exercises in the series. Mainly, these techniques are used for the purpose of analysis. They're particularly useful for a last-ditch effort to recall information.

Time

Control over time in your memories, you've all attained somewhat, at least on a very basic level. By practicing the Anchoring exercise you've demonstrated the ability to travel forward using perfect recall (hopefully in real-time) and also been able to isolate memory segments in partial recall.

Memories are similar to DVDs or videos. In fact, they're even better. While the latter only include sound and sight, your memories contain (for the most part) every sense you experience. Just as with DVDs, at will you can manipulate the timeline in your memories. With practice, you are able to alter the speed and direction of travel through the timeline.

Reverse

Moving through memories in this manner can be difficult as it is generally unnatural or unnecessary for us to do so. However, it can be done. It's just a little slow, especially compared with the time it takes to isolate memory fragments. The nature of this technique makes it extremely useful for moving backward over a small amount of time without breaking the connection to the memory.

To achieve this, you need to already be fully connected to the chosen memory via the Anchoring meditation. Once connected; in the moment, instead of working your way forward through the memory, work backward. Intuitively feel for what happened previously. What were you looking at? Had your emotions subtly changed? How did your posture rest before you moved? What were you doing? What elements in the situation had changed? Continue in this manner, speed improves with practice.

Speed

Altering the speed of memories, or more specifically, slowing them down. I've found most effective for reprocessing audio. This is useful if you weren't paying attention to what someone was saying, or if you need to understand what was going on in the background. Plus, it makes for a neat party trick. This works because even though you weren't focused on the sound, it was still recorded in the memory. Even so, due to the lack of focus at the time of recording it, during perfect recall the noise can often seem off in the distance or plain unintelligible.

Fortunately, the method for increasing or reducing the speed of playing through memories is relatively simple. All it takes is a degree of concentration and you simply will the anchored memory to slow down or speed up. Imagine the memory slowing around you, each second passing more slowly, a shift in movement once registered in milliseconds is now drawn out... instead of words you hear the individual syllables...

Focus

This next exercise developed separately from memory meditations, though I thought it was pertinent as it's handy when incorporated into memory meditations.

The idea behind focus tiering is that everything we do, even unconscious actions, takes a degree of focus however minute. By making ourselves aware of our focuses or tasks we can manipulate them and for most conscious tasks, take complete control. Take this example, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

Imagine the tiered triangle. Near the top of the triangle, the highest tiers, there are the unconscious actions like breathing, temperature control, heart rate, etc. As you travel down the tiers, there are semi-conscious actions, such as reactive behaviors. And further down at the base of the triangle, are your conscious actions. Basically, whatever tasks you're working on and your thought processes. The further down the triangle the task lies, the more focus it consumes. The purpose of the following exercise is to allow you to become aware of the different elements you were focusing on in your memories, and to learn to take control and shift the focus. In memories, this is most helpful for recalling things you didn't take into account when you were initially forming the memory.

The example of the focus technique below is written so it's incorporated into the memory meditation, the method is the same however, if any of you plan on removing it from the context.

Focus Tiering

Begin, as always, by anchoring to a pre-selected memory. Feel the moment for a second and almost as if tracing in your mind, focus one by one on each individual sense, hold the focus, allowing it to touch briefly before moving on. Finally, allow your mind to naturally rest on what seems most important. Now you've carefully considered all of the elements of the memory, it should be apparent which ones you were most focused upon.

Now, say you want to consider an element of the memory which you weren't focused upon in depth. This is where you actively shift the focus. Trying not to focus on something you're already focused upon is no good. Instead, concentrate on what you'd like to focus on. This happens gradually; at first almost playfully turn it over in your mind.

Next, allow yourself to become more interested, begin to consider the individual elements of your new focus, specifically their form and how they interact as a whole. Lastly, obsess over the focus, explore every facet, allow it to fill your entire mind.

The only thing that matters now is this one focus, it's the only thing in your world. By now, you should know it intimately. Once satisfied, take a slow deep breath, inhale... and slowly exhale. You are ready to move on; release your focus. Your mind is clear. Again, inhale slowly, deeply... and exhale. You might want to sit for a moment and enjoy the quiet of your mind before you seek to busy it once more.

Conclusion

Have fun with these exercises, if possible. I hope you guys enjoyed them. Do your best and if you get stuck or have any questions just leave a message.

I think it would be helpful for those participating to write up their experiences of their level of control and its progression as it develops with practice, or at the very least, be mindful of it.

Oh, and remember; practice makes perfect.