Human Imprints

What is human imprinting, you ask? I'll be happy to explain.

Have you ever had a certain experience with a person, let's say for example, your friend Lucy shows you the best sushi place, and now, years later, every time you have, see or smell sushi, you think of her.

This is how "human imprinting" can occur. Certain things can be linked to memories such as music, places, words, actions, senses, and much more.

It's different for everyone, because we all have different memories and have drastically experienced life differently.

Everyone has had both wonderful memories linked to someone that had a certain impact in their life, and not so wonderful ones too. It's all a part of life. But today I would like to give you a few of my happy ones!

For each of the five senses we have, I will give an example in each area.

And we will even touch base on a bit of the brain science behind it too! I know, pretty interesting. Am I right?

Human Imprinting

First off, I want to clarify that I came up with the name "Human Imprinting" in this context. And If there is a more scientific name to it, I couldn't find one to this precise topic I had in mind.

In the way I look at it, "Human Imprints" are certain things we link to memory to certain people we have/had in our lives.

To give a clearer and better picture, here are a few of my imprints.

Taste: Whenever I eat a strawberry, I'm instantly transported back to the little house in the country, where I grew up as a child. My mom and I are in the front yard strawberry patch, wearing oversized floppy sun hats, and wearing long flowy skirts. We're laughing and having the time of our lives.

Touch: Whenever I walk into a store that has the department where you can have wood cut, and there are those long wooden poll dowels, I run my hand across the smooth wooden surface, and I'm back to the time when I first began my Bo staff and Wushu practices with my teacher.

(Bo staff is an Asian fighting weapon for martial arts, that traditionally came from China. And Wushu (武术) is the translation of the term "martial arts" and represents the combat systems that originated and developed in China. Over many centuries, Wushu evolved into hundreds of different styles across the country's unique geographic regions, with each producing a distinct set of self-defense principles and fighting weapons.)

Sight: As a photographer, when I pick up my camera, I think back to the times when my sister, Kayla, taught me to see the beauty in capturing moments in time. From people to flowers. She is a photographer as well, (and great one!) And I always have admired her.

When taking up photography, that's the closest thing we have to capturing time in a bottle.

Sound: There's this song, I'm sure you have heard of it. It's called "Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes" And when that song clicks on the radio, I'm back in my brother's, Charlie' kitchen, where he taught me to play the very first song I ever learned on the guitar.

It's one of my favorite songs, purely because of this memory.

Smell: It doesn't matter what mall I walk into, as long as there is mall court food wafting in the air, (and the whole ambiance with it all, & movie theater,) I'm back to being a teenager again. Laughing and spending time with my old friends on the weekends.

Man... those were some good times.

The Science Behind It

After scouring the internet as much as I possibly could with what time I had, I couldn't find anything to what I was looking for exactly. BUT the closest one was an article, on "knowldgeone.com" You can find other interesting things there as well!

In their words, "Episodic memory allows one to recall memories lived personally in a given context – in such a place, at such a time, with such person, etc. – with its perceptive-sensory details (emotions, perceptions, smells, etc.). It is particularly distinguished from other types of memories by the fact that the individual sees himself as the actor who lived the events. This memory capability, which would be the most complex we possess, also includes the ability to make connections in time and space between various experienced events.

The quality of the encoding of memories by the episodic memory is also greatly influenced by the intensity of the emotions felt during the event. This type of memory is the one that is most affected by amnesic disorders."

It's so fascinating to me, on how we, as humans, are very sentimental creatures. And it's very easy for us to connect to things that we like and link this with ourselves as part of our identity.

There are many different ways in how others leave a mark on us. And some may be small, while others are much larger, and stay with us for life. Shaping and reshaping us as we continue to live.

Once I began to recall on what appeals to me and certain things that were linked to memory, I was stunned on just how many there were. And there were SO many examples!

I wonder, what types of imprints have you brought with you throughout your life?

I'm sure there are many more than what you'd expect.

There will also be an episode on this topic on the Podcast! I think its both important and interesting to learn about. (This episode will be out on Friday at Spotify and Anchor "Write Your Life with Astria Mikaelson.")

Until next time. Xx. -A

Currently: Sipping some coffee and putting the finishing touches on this post and an episode of the Pod.

The candles that have been lit are giving an extra cozy feeling to the room. Giving a light vanilla scent, to the house.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day for the Etsy shop! I'm looking forward to getting some product photos done and organizing done. (I can't wait till its fully together!!)

I think that just about wraps todays blog up nicely. Now, I'm off to slip into some pjs, grab a snack and enjoy some relaxation time. That's code for, "Binge watching 2 broke girls & eating way too many cookies."