A Carbon Copy

The other night when I was meditating about twenty minutes into the session, I had a vision or rather a reflection of my long lost memory of more than ten years....
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I was shopping in a local supermarket, I had finished shopping and waited on the check out line. There was a long waiting line on the check out counter. I saw, to my amazement, me walking into the store. It was unmistakably me, a carbon copy of me walking into the store. I said to myself, "my God, that is me" How could it be possible? I felt like to approach that person, but unfortunately, I was in the middle of the check out line and there was no way to pull things out and run after that person since I have waited for so long. However, I made a mental note to look out for that person next time around.
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Many weeks after that, every time I shop in that supermarket, I will carefully look around and see if I can find that person again, but to no avail, I had never seen her since then. It was rather disappointing! So, I completely forgot about that instant for many years until a few days ago when I was meditating!

Meditation sometimes will flash some long lost memories in the profound stilled state. It may not mean anything in and of itself. In my case of remembering the past event, I don't think there is any significance other than that this surface of forgotten memory is a normal course of meditative practice.

If we want to use meditation as a mental clearing process, the flash back could sometimes stir up unsettling mental attitudes and disturbing images. This gives a meditator an opportunity to acknowledge the somewhat unpleasant memories and release them if one so inclines to break the bondage of the hidden past.