Smell Ya Later - 11/5/11

Sometimes I contemplate the power of smell.  It truly is remarkable, how smell so vividly elicits particular memories depending on what scent you inhale at any given moment.  While I realize that the olfactory portion of our brain is part of the limbic system, which is an area closely tied to memory and feeling, I am convinced that there's a deeper meaning behind this association.  And, as always, I will expound upon my theories here.

Engrams, the basic components of our memories, are seldom held in storage for instant recall unless your experience is somehow significant or you deliberately choose to hold onto it. However, I believe that every moment of your life is being recorded and stored in your subconscious, and while you cannot easily access these memories, they are there if you have a catalyst for awakening them.

Smell is such a catalyst.  It is an incredible method for triggering dormant memories in our subconscious, whether they are meaningful to us or not.  Many smells, ones we experience daily, lack the power to stimulate the emerging of these engrams simply because we are inundated with them so often.  However, certain smells, ones which our nostrils seldom inhale, can and do remind us of certain people, events, and experiences with resounding clarity.

I believe it is these memories that we should pay attention to.  Our brain wouldn't bring to mind useless information, no matter how closely we've associated a smell with it, unless it was somehow pertinent to our immediate situation. 

Experiences ingrain themselves into our being, and leave an indelible trace in our soul that we cannot remove.  We can forget and ignore them, and we always do.......but when a certain smell brings to light a memory that you've forgotten, linger on it.  Allow yourself to think back to the moment, and re-experience the memory anew with an open mind.  Perhaps you'll find an answer you've been looking for, or a treasure you've long since misplaced.