A Unique Motivational Element. Memory.

Remembering the events you have experienced has an immediate, beneficial effect, not only on your current mood. Sharing the past increases your level of existential satisfaction, thereby reducing anxiety, which in some cases is also associated with the natural process of aging.

Memories are therefore crucial for the awareness of the integral Self and for grounding yourself in fertile soil, where your personal identity contributes to the growth of branches full of prosperity and well-being, spreading widely.

We Are Our Memories

There is a wealth of scientific research and studies on this topic, and it's not a recent development. Our tradition has generously laid the groundwork here as well. Let's walk this path together, as much as we can, here and now.

So, let's begin by considering that, first and foremost, the most innovative academic research in this field tells us that we can literally carve our memories into our minds, activating mechanisms of motivation and reward within ourselves. In short, while the body naturally experiences limitations with age, memories continue to define who we are. Reliving our past experiences allows us to maintain a strong sense of belonging and reaffirm our identity, even in a context where many other things inevitably change.

Susumu Tonegawa, a Japanese neuroscientist and Nobel Prize winner in Medicine in 1987 for his discoveries related to the immune system, published the results of his research on memory mechanisms some time ago. He discovered that age-related memory problems are due to difficulties in retrieving information, not its loss. By stimulating specific brain cells with light, forgotten memories can be restored.

This suggests that even when memories seem lost, they may not be gone forever. They might be temporarily inaccessible, but they could also be recovered. 

In a 2016 interview, Tonegawa, from his office in the U.S., shared the importance he places on engram cells in the formation and retrieval of memories, emphasizing how manipulating these cells could have implications for future treatments related to memory disorders associated with aging.

A Quick asid.Quickly, answer this: Where were you ten years ago? What were you doing? If you'd like, you can write to us about it. Type it here in our CONTACTS section. 

But let's continue, as our journey is only at its first step.

So, these innovative observations suggest that, according to Tonegawa, aging does not necessarily lead to permanent memory loss, but rather to difficulty in accessing memories, opening the possibility of developing interventions to improve memory in Seniors. These are the most advanced scientific studies on the subject. Interesting, right?

The Desire for Memory

Improving memory means, secondly, being able to regenerate our memories and thus enrich life even as seniors. In the mid-20th century, a psychoanalyst, also from overseas but of Jewish origin, born in Kiev, based on his theoretical studies, identified the fulfillment of one's needs as what drives us, at any level, in our actions. 

But before we go further, tell me. In the 1960s, or thereabouts, what were your dreams? Did they come true? Write to us now at info@historyisus.eu.

Perfect. Thank you. Now let's continue reading. I'm sure the name of this person I mentioned is not new to you. I'm talking about Abraham Maslow, who never, I repeat never, wrote a single line about any pyramid! However, he founded humanistic psychology. Let me explain. Focusing on self-realization, personal growth, and our psychological health, he believed that aging could also be a period of growth and self-fulfillment in our lives. In short, advancing age is an opportunity for further, authentic, and unique development. It is indeed a decisive phase for our self-realization, especially when fundamental needs physiological, safety, belonging, and esteem—have been met.

The aging person can become more of what they truly are, closer to their potential, nearer to their essence.

Thus, the psychologist Abraham, who was mentored by Alfred Adler, a colleague of Sigmund Freud, writes in his 1962 book Toward a Psychology of Being. Here, aging is considered an excellent time to discover and realize one's true Self. It has nothing to do with physical or cognitive decline. For this reason, the continuity of identity and the enhancement of self-awareness in the aging process are crucial. Memory, in this context, can be seen as a tool for maintaining a sense of coherence and identity.

What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization. 

This is what he writes in his 1954 book Motivation and Personality, where he clearly states that even in old age, people must continue to strive to realize their potential, using memory and experience as resources to elevate themselves.

Once basic needs, such as safety and belonging, are met, individuals can focus on higher needs, such as creativity, spirituality, and self-actualization. This is particularly relevant for seniors, who often have more time to dedicate to these activities. 

For Maslow, aging can be a time to appreciate the small things and find meaning in relationships and daily experiences, which are often supported by memory. Maslow believed that creativity is not limited to the young but can also flourish in old age. Memory, in this context, becomes a reservoir of experiences that can fuel creativity. As a senior, this creativity can be expressed through the recollection and reworking of past experiences.

In the later years of his life, Maslow introduced the concept of transcendence, a state where individuals go beyond the individual self to connect with something greater. This concept can be applied to aging, characterizing it as a unique opportunity, a period of reflection and communion between past and future, as a kind of present flow that allows us to concretely and finally enter into symbiosis with what has always been perceived as superior.

In short, aging can be seen as an opportunity to transcend daily worries and connect with a broader sense of meaning, often supported by the memory of past experiences. For Maslow, aging is thus a favorable time for growth, reflection, and finding a more refined meaning in our lives. A great sigh of relief, right?

Now, for the sake of accuracy, it's important to know that Maslow, unfortunately, did not get to enjoy the joys reserved for Seniors that he wrote about. His body gave out shortly after he turned sixty. Therefore, everything he spoke about was, in truth, theoretical. However, what matters is the individual's intention, and indeed, we are still writing about his innovative insights, and you are still reading them here.

Healthy Seniors

Being mature, wise, and long-lived can truly be a favorable circumstance. Therefore, health is crucial to reaching and fully enjoying life as a senior. This brings us to the third point of the matter. Going even further back in time and delving deeper, Paracelsus was one who explored how to live long and healthy. Centuries ago, he wrote a work titled De Vita Longa, in which he explores themes related to longevity, health, and methods for prolonging life. This text is part of his broader corpus of medical writings, where Paracelsus combines traditional knowledge, alchemy, and personal observations to offer advice on how to live a long and healthy life through the balance of body, mind, and spirit.

The body and spirit are one; whoever heals one without the other will never achieve true health or longevity. 

Got it? For Paracelsus, longevity is not just a physical matter but also a spiritual and mental one. A person, whether male or female, influences their lifespan through conscious choices, such as the use of remedies, a balanced diet, and the care of the vital spirit. The work is fascinating. It skillfully combines alchemy, medicine, and philosophy to offer a guide on how to live long and healthy. His holistic approach to well-being and longevity remains relevant, stimulating, and perfectly applicable even today.

It should be noted that Paracelsus, whose full name was Theophrastus von Hohenheim, was a Renaissance physician and alchemist, known for his innovative ideas on medicine and nature. Unfortunately, he too did not get to experience his own convictions about being a Senior. But that's another story. What we must keep in mind here is that he, a man of the Renaissance, anticipating contemporary scientific theories, associated memory with the spirit rather than just the physical brain, as they are linked to the vital spirit. The latter, if healthy, robust, and well-nourished, ensures a strong memory, capable of counteracting forgetfulness and cognitive decline. Moreover, importantly, there are natural alchemical elements capable of strengthening memory and the mind, purifying the spirit, and improving vital, including cognitive, functions.

Memory is the mirror of the soul.

Paracelsus also offers us another perspective from which to better understand the capabilities of memory. He argues that memories are influenced by astral and cosmic forces. A favorable alignment of the planets enhances mental abilities to grasp a trace, a sign, and a testimony of the past. In short, in summary, he encourages us to address a multitude of issues, thanks to which our memory, well-stimulated, is preserved.

The Care of Memory

Paracelsus grew up in the Swiss Alps, in a family of doctors. From a very young age, he was initiated into the practice of ailments and remedies. For this reason, among cures and healings adopted in the field, following his studies in Italy at the University of Ferrara, he compared himself to Aulus Cornelius Celsus. The latter, between the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, wrote the first medical treatise in Latin, which, however, has been lost. Thus, we arrive at the fourth and final point, and therefore the importance of our cultural tradition, even in this literally memorable field. Celsus's arguments on the subject, which we know only through intermediaries, were so accurate and engaging that he was called the Cicero of medicine.

In his De Medicina, among surgery, pharmacology, and dietetics, we find both practical considerations, drawn from his direct experience in the valetudo, the field hospitals of Roman soldiers, and theoretical evaluations, derived from Hippocratic and Alexandrian traditions, testifying to the functional Roman syncretism, still unmatched, even if clumsily copied by many.

What we know of Celsus comes mainly from fragments and quotes reported by later authors who discuss health in general, lifestyle, and well-being, themes directly linked to the preservation of memory.

It is healthy to have not only the body but also the mind in a well-balanced condition.

In short, our culture, thousands of years ago, already emphasized the importance of maintaining both physical and mental harmony to preserve cognitive health, in which memory is fundamental.

This is the very foundation of the project History is Us! and if you too feel motivated to ensure that your personal identity, thanks to your memories, is recognized, appreciated, and preserved, visit our website now. If you are also looking for fertile ground to root yourself in, to contribute to the growth of branches full of prosperity and well-being, widely spread, write now to info@historyisus.eu