Memory Lane - Ice Cream for the Soul by Joy Koenig, MD - Personal Growth, Wellness, Healthy Lifestyle, Meditation, Inspiration

WALKING DOWN MEMORY LANE
CATEGORY

      Visualizations

DESCRIPTION

        Re-live a happy, fun or joyous point in your life to brighten your mood.

INSTRUCTIONS

       If you are like most of us, your photographs are thrown into a drawer, still in the original packaging from the developer. Sift through them and pull out a few that make you break into a smile when you come across them. Put them into a basket or box, decorated with brightly colored ribbon (see To Have and to Hold). Don't worry, this activity works, even if your photographs are neatly categorized, or meticulously secured in a photo album complete with subtitling -- just grab the appropriate stack, or turn to your favorite page. You can also do this activity using travel brochure photos from your favorite destination.

       Pictures of pleasant outdoor memories generally work best. If you want to recapture the feeling of love, devotion, and respect you had at the beginning of a personal relationship, choose wedding pictures or christening photographs.

       Place the photographs in front of you and find a comfortable position. Relax your stomach muscles, straighten your spine, and take a few slow deep breaths. Now, think back to the memory, and make it as vivid as possible. Remember how your senses were involved in the event. What did you see, hear, feel, smell, taste, and do? If you want, you can write down all the unedited thoughts that come into your mind. When you feel finished, look at what you've written. If its fun for you, take this activity one step further, and form the words and images into a story or poem.

JOY'S JOURNEY

       This idea originated while I was working with Cancer Action in Rochester, New York. A woman came to my office to speak with me, somewhat hesitantly, because she wasn't sure why she'd decided to seek me out. As we talked, she described how empty each day was for her. She wasn't filled with negative thoughts, she said, just sort of empty. "There's no joy in my life anymore. I don't even remember what joy feels like."

       I asked her to identify and describe her life's most joyful moment. She chose her wedding day. We created a meditation using her wedding photographs together with the same type of flowers she'd had in her bridal bouquet. By reconnecting to her memories of her wedding day, she was able to recreate the physiological response that accompanies the emotion of joy. She could then recognize and identify the smaller expressions of joy during her other daily activities. She lost her battle with cancer, yet spent her last months able to appreciate and experience the joy of her marriage and family, as well as other joyful moments in her every day life.

QUOTES

Memory is the best of all gardens.
Therein, winter and summer, the seeds of their past lie dormant,
ready to spring into instant bloom at any moment
the mind wishes to bring them to life.
Hal Boyle

We do not remember days, we remember moments.
The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.
Cesare Pavese

We all have our 'good old days' tucked away inside our hearts,
and we return to them in daydreams
like cats to favorite armchairs.
Brian Carter

Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.

This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.