How did you let go of the past?

[phaseshiftR1111]

I sure have come a long way with this. I keep having dreams about things I did in my past. They can sometimes be nightmares or (not fun) I notice the appear quite often. How do you let go of the past? It seems so simple... And I have done it with a few things but it's harder with the bigger stuff. Do you simply just "let go?" I am trying to write it down on paper and then I crinkle it up or what not and dispose of those memories. Trying some new stuff. Do any of you have some techniques I can do? Thanks a million =D
-Cody

[beavis]

Generally the past nags at your mind because there is something more to think about it. What happened? What did you and others do? What could and should we all have done? What caused it? What are you going to change about yourself to make it not happen again, if bad, or to make it happen more often, if good? When all the important questions are answered in your mind about it, theres no more reason for it to come back, and it will fade away after a few more repetitions of this.

Also, I hear the people of scientology have a similar practice called "clearing" the mind of such nagging memories, not that I'm suggesting all the other stuff that goes with it. One of them just explained it to me that way and I realized I had already been doing that. But lets not get distracted with groups and churches when theres a good idea to use.

[phaseshiftR1111]

Beavis thanks a bunch!

[Lionheart]

 FORGIVENESS! 

[Astralsuzy]

Lionheart said it spot on, forgiveness.   Also do not think about it.   The more you think about it, you are likely to get angry and hurt.  I know from experience.    I never want to go there again so I choose not to.    I forgive and I do not think about it.    When it comes to my mind, I put it out of my mind straight away.   Just forget what happened and forgive.
 

[Szaxx]

If you learn from your mistakes that's all that's required.
If you did good deeds and stopped, start again.
We are here to learn and at this present incarnation are only human.

There, problem solved.

[desert-rat]

There are a bunch of methods . You might try some deep breathing and yoga . 

[Astralzombie]

Are you referring to things that you did or things that were done to you. There's no need to tell us but it's important for you to distinguish the difference.

As far as I can tell, I really have it in me to forgive anyone that has ever harmed me in the past or will do so in the future. This includes some acts that I don't feel are necessary to mention.

But for example, I had a neighbor that is a registered sex offender. His crime was committed against a seven year old child. I took it upon myself to become his friend or as least I made a great effort to do so. As you can imagine this made enemies for me because not only did I not participate in the organized community plan to make his life a living hell, I went as far as to defend him in public, not his crime but him personally. This did however, sway a few people's opinions and they too took it upon themselves to treat this man a little lore humanely whether he deserved it  or not. AS far as we know he not committed anymore crimes. There's no way to know for sure if our kindness had anything with his decision to stay straight but it never helps to treat a human being like an animal or a pariah.

I know this repulses many people and maybe even some here but I do not have it in me to hate someone nor do I feel that it is my place to judge someone else. He was labeled a high-risk offender which means that he is considered someone who is most likely to re-offend.

Don't get me wrong though, if I were to have caught him in the act of committing a similar crime, I would have prevented it with whatever force necessary.

Please understand that I am not comparing you to this person in anyway but am merely trying to make a point.

The bottom line is this. If you are the "victim" than forgiveness is absolutely the key to moving on as everyone else suggested. If you are referring to things that you have done than the same holds true and you must forgive yourself and do every thing within your power to make amends.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

[phaseshiftR1111]

Thank you so much for the replies everyone. I am actually referring back to when I used to volunteer at the local fire dept. I have stopped that path for a while because I didn't like it anymore. There was a lot of drama and I wasn't able to qualify for a few things. I do sometimes miss it though. I am really excited for my future. But I keep having reoccurring dreams of scenarios. Never any calls that I ran on... Stuff that never happened. The captain yelling at me saying I am doing a terrible job... HUGGGGE fires breaking out threatening towns and I would always mess up some how and be responsible for things... Firetrucks randomly appearing in good dreams and then turning bad. Not all of them are bad... I just would like to stop having those dreams in particular. Perhaps it's because I still miss it sometimes? Obviously if I still miss it it's going to keep showing up to me. Got t make peace with this and I think all will be good.

[Astralsuzy]

But for example, I had a neighbor that is a registered sex offender. His crime was committed against a seven year old child. I took it upon myself to become his friend or as least I made a great effort to do so.

I think you are terrific.   It would not be easy for you to do what you did.    I think we could all learn from you.    I can see that there would be a lot of angry people.     

[Astralsuzy]

I keep having reoccurring dreams of scenarios. Never any calls that I ran on... Stuff that never happened. The captain yelling at me saying I am doing a terrible job... HUGGGGE fires breaking out threatening towns and I would always mess up some how and be responsible for things... Firetrucks randomly appearing in good dreams and then turning bad. Not all of them are bad... I just would like to stop having those dreams in particular. Perhaps it's because I still miss it sometimes? Obviously if I still miss it it's going to keep showing up to me. Got t make peace with this and I think all will be good.

I used to have bad dreams.   It was about school and being a failure.    I am 54 years old now and I still have an occasional dream about it.    I do not think about it or talk about it.    I think it is deep down in my system and that is why I still dream about it.    What I suggest is to try and forget about your dreams and try not to pay any attention to it.   That should help and the bad dreams will get less and less.   

[majour ka]

Accept the past and all that it makes you feel. Forgive and move on

[Xanth]

And remember, *forgiveness* is as much about forgiving yourself as it is others.

One of the biggest things you can do for yourself (and others) is to allow yourself to be as you are.  Just "be".

Who are you?   "I am"

[beavis]

To forget the past is the opposite of letting go of it. That leaves a minefield in your mind to unbalance your thoughts whenever something reminds you of it. My solution as described above is a way to make the past boring so when it comes up it is naturally quickly forgotten.

[PlasmaAstralProjection]

Psychedelics have been known to not take away the memory of some negative past experiences but to take away the emotional pull that they use to have. So it's no longer an internal problem. It just becomes a neutral memory. That is what Alexander Shulgin wife Ann Shulgin and psychologist learned about these marvelous substances before they were made illegal, and they reported huge successes in the beginning using certain psychedelics until they were banned.

She compared becoming free from a past haunting experience that some people have like the story of Beauty And The Beast. Inside of us when we gain a negative experience the beast is created/empowered inside of us, but if we open up to this part of ourselves that we ignore, and learn to love the beast unconditionally then the beast transforms into a price. Learning to love the beast can take time. They use to get breakthroughs in as little as one session with some molecules I don't even want to mention right now. And you are made whole again. So my only thought is that if you want to do this without psychedelics, you have to learn to love the beast within. We all have it to some degree. Psychedelic psychotherapy just makes it possible to open that part of ourselves up faster IMO. I think it can been done without psychedelics, but it takes much longer IMO.

Here it is. There is an audio of her out there saying this. I am pretty sure this is the article.

Ann Shulgin Psychedelic Psychotherapy and the Shadow
www.matrixmasters.net/podcasts/TRANSCRIPTS/AnnShulgin-TheShadow1.html

This is not necessarily an endorsement of any illegal substances, but rather showing you the view that psychedelic psychotherapists have taken and what they learned has worked. In other words this is just to help bring some comprehension on what likely goes on when we get rid of negative past experiences. And IMO this can quite possibility be translated into something practical for yourself.

Peace.