When a present situation awakens old wounds

The present moment is the only thing that is truly real. However, painful experiences that have not been resolved remain alive deep within the subconscious, the body, and the mind. Even if they happened years or decades ago, the energy of those moments is still active, influencing how we live and feel today. It’s like carrying an invisible suitcase everywhere, filling the present with the weight of the past.

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to “let go” of what hurt us, we feel those memories or emotions chasing us. They can appear unexpectedly: a comment, a look, or an everyday situation that, without us realizing it, awakens old sensations. This doesn’t mean weakness; it means that certain parts of our story have yet to be attended to.

Inner work means giving genuine, compassionate attention to those parts of ourselves that have been stuck in time. It’s not about reliving the pain, but about recognizing it and giving it a safe place to be transformed. In doing so, the energy that once disrupted our present life begins to settle, leaving space to experience the moment with more clarity and lightness.

Exercise: observing and releasing past energy

1. Identify a present moment that causes discomfort. Choose a recent situation that triggered a strong emotional reaction.

2. Listen to the body. Notice any physical sensations: tension, pressure, warmth, cold, emptiness.

3. Let the emotion speak. Ask what memories, images, or thoughts come up with that sensation. Do not judge or force anything.

4. Offer presence and kindness. Imagine embracing the part of you that carries the memory. You can say: “I see you, I hear you, you are safe now.”

5. Return to the present. Look around, name three things you see, take a deep breath, and remember you now have more resources than before.

Final reflection

The wounds of the past do not have to decide how we live today. By giving them space to be acknowledged and understood, we open the possibility for them to transform. What was once a constant burden can become an integrated part of our personal history, one that no longer interferes with the present or what is yet to come.

Living in the present doesn’t mean forgetting the past. It means releasing the trapped energy so that our current life feels more authentic, free, and whole.