{"id":452,"date":"2020-07-24T18:04:18","date_gmt":"2020-07-24T08:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/the-six-bardos.org\/?page_id=452"},"modified":"2020-07-24T18:30:13","modified_gmt":"2020-07-24T08:30:13","slug":"looking-back-and-forward","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/the-six-bardos.org\/index.php\/looking-back-and-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back . . . And Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article is dedicated to all senior citizens wherever they may live<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, may all readers benefit from the points shared<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we reach later life and get older, a habit can be to look back and ruminate too much on bygone experiences. Somehow, we enjoy reliving past events, over and over again, or become depressed about them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the past is not<\/em> here. The person we were, our friends and enemies, as well as the actual events themselves, are long gone. When we relive a past experience, we are not<\/em> actually reliving the exact same event. Each time we recall it, it is a different experience now in the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The causes and conditions that existed in the past can never be re-created in exactly the same way. And so, we simply cannot undergo the same experience again today, whether we thought it to have been wonderful or horrible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply reliving the past in a continual and mindless<\/em> way is not going to be helpful for us. At any time, the truth can only be found in the moment of present experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, we know that we will look back on our lives. The answer is not to reject our memories but to accept them mindfully<\/em> \u2013 to understand their limitations, described above, and to then draw on them in a meaningful way. From our memories we may gain precious insights into past actions and also such reflections can help to free us from our not-so-good habitual patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two specific<\/em> ways to benefit from our memories are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1) To look back on our lives in a positive, loving light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(2) To deal with any unresolved issues and on-going pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, then, are some areas to reflect on during our later years (but they apply for any stage of our lives):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reviewing Life Positively<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n