In this section, you want to write down what feelings you felt before this flashback and what feelings you felt during, and the feelings you feel now as you begin writing. Also write down what you were doing beforehand in detail such as where you are, what you were doing, what you were hearing and etc. If this flashback was not discovered through meditation and instead through a random hit of nostalgia, detailing your surroundings might let you find what triggered this flashback. Could have been a lyric to a song, a certain smell in the air, someone you saw might have reminded you of someone etc. These triggers are good to know as they can help align you more with your identity and past life, or maybe map negative triggers you should know about.
2.The Memory Itself
This section is more quoted from a book Journaling for Joy by Joyce Chapman
Close your eyes to get the full perception sense of the visual and sensory details of the memory. Where are you? What are you wearing? What lighting or shadows do you see? What sounds can be heard? What do you smell? Describe your body and how its reacting. Who else is there? What expressions lighten or darken their faces? What do you imagine they might be thinking, what is said? How is this different from or typical of other memories from that life? What is assumed and what goes unquestioned? If possible, does this connect to a period of time/date? What other memories does this connect to?
You want a full, detailed search of this memory to the best of your ability. Trust your gut, you may feel sometimes that you are fabricating some parts of the memory or it may have not went down the exact way you are writing down. That's okay, even if your mind is trying to fill in some spots and make sense of this memory through a translation, the theme around this memory is still real and even if this happened in another way that you can't fully see, it still happened. This is why journaling these memories are important, you may feel vague on the memory now, but later on it might get triggered again and you get the full story. Be patient with yourself.
3.Afterwards
You now have this memory written down to detail to the best of your ability, now let's analyze it using feedback statements. You can start this part with "I now realize that.." or "I learned that.."
What conclusions can you draw from this memory, and during this incident what did you draw from it then as compared to now? How does this memory affect me now?
What does this memory mean to me?
What emotions do I feel as I write these conclusions/questions?
Keep asking questions as they come to you, all the questions you have about this memory. you might not have all the answers now, but as you continue this technique those holes will be filled over time.
In my experience and the experience of many others, writing more has lead me to remembering more, and as I write one memory it may suddenly bring back another and another and another. It's great for self exploration.
A Quick Format
This format is for if you don't bring your journal with you, or are busy, and have a pocket notebook or phone to just jot it down real fast. It's supposed to be quick enough so you can deeply journal on it when you get the time or spoons.
1.What caused this Memory?
2.What was this Memory?
3.How do I feel/What feelings are rising?
4.Details you think are important to remember/write down real quick for later
5.Extra Thoughts about it
Conclusion
Anyways, I hope this helps you guys out as much as it's helped me. Would love to hear your experiences trying this out.
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