Memories coming up while meditating

[Pilgrim]

When I practice meditation, I do not only have the problem of constant thoughts arising, but also strong memories. I seem to be very visual in my perception and recently I get so many flashbacks. Not a day goes by without a flashback. 

Is there something I can do about this? In which way are thoughts different than memories? I mean memories are usually visual and can be triggered by scent or a certain scenery. But for me they also come up randomly. They are linked to certain emotions.. so maybe it just means that I have emotional turmoil inside me and need to address this first? I guess that's why you really have to first heal your emotional problems before you can attain a quiet mind. 

I am not getting much sensory input lately and have retreated to a very quiet surrounding, so therefore it makes sense that strong emotions and memories are arising, since I am not constantly distracted by external stimuli anymore. 

If I express suppressed emotions linked to the memories, do you think the flashbacks will reduce? It's not the same memory recurring by the way.. such as in a case of PTSD. It's just a lot of random stuff, also very nice memories.. but I am in a time of transition and I guess my system does notice this and the memories do make me sad, because I know this time is over. It's a form of grief in a way.. I know a certain chapter is closed for good and I guess I am still attached to it. That's why I guess the memories are coming up this frequently. So, do you think they will reduce if I express this grief through writing, painting etc.? What else could I do? 

[111111]

Looks like an ego-backlash, very common. 

15 hours ago, Pilgrim said:

So, do you think they will reduce if I express this grief through writing, painting etc.?

Maybe, but the most direct approach is to just keep the beam of awareness onto the stuff your ego throws at you.

[Charlotte]

@Pilgrim I kid you not over the past couple of month's I kept getting random memories of my childhood that triggered emotions. I took this as a guide. It needed addressed. 

That's what I did. I addressed it. It actually held much deeper meaning than I ever could of anticipated and it's changed my life. 

That's my personal experience.

What you do with them is ultimately up to you. If emotions are coming with them I'd personally say shine the light of awareness on them. .

❤️