Overcoming Nostalgia

[Clayman]

Emotionally and mentally I am very stable and aware person, I have done a lot of personal development work and I rarely have any problems regarding these areas.

But when I hear a song that reminds me of something, when I walk on a street I used to walk years ago, taste something ....ect. A general feeling of nostalgia floods me, its not about the people, its not about good or bad times in that period of the past, it just about the past. It something that passed, and for some reason I miss it, thus I feel voidy inside.

In those same moments I always become aware of the feeling. I get that is just some construct connected to the petty, human-centric ego. Somehow making a story about my life, and generating feelings accordingly. I observe the feeling without getting involved with the thought processes it comes up with. I just observe ..... Sometimes I do even initiate this feeling, by playing a song, seeing a picture. And then watch. I still cant get to the root of it. I wonder, why are you here ..? Why do you exist and where do you come from.

Why is it there ?
Thoughts ?

Edited August 26, 2016 by Clayman

[Frogfucius]

Don't worry too much why it's there. Like every other addiction, or anything you identify 'yourself' as, it's a creation of the ego to separate itself from oneness with reality. Yet another illusion created in your mind. Accept it, let it pass, and it will move on.

[Clayman]

That is what i thought in the first place, that maybe I am just not accepting something, maybe I have some shit that i can not see berried within me ... so far, I can not see anything. I get the sensation, other past sensations start to link up, they form a net, and that feeling shows up as they form. After some time mind links up to something totally unrelated, forms a different net, feelings go away. Accepting it or not, it is there when the right conditions are available.  

It dies with the ego ofc,but can it die while the ego lives ? Need to read more of Jung's work it seems.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Clayman

[Saarah]

@Clayman I recently had a phase of nostalgia too, while we have the ego i don't think it can die, it just stops entering your mind because you're focused more on the present, but really what you mentioned you do is something I find helpful myself, to recognise it as a story and an accessory of this ego, and using awareness  particularly of emotions that may arise, just basically not becoming invested in the feeling

accepting it is better, even if it's uncomfortable, trying to fight it will tend to create a big ball of frustration and whatnot 

 

[Harvey]

be present while past  visiting you as a thought  be there feel it the moment then let it go.