Evolution in Process: Body, Memory, and the Observer
By Abhay C. Denis
29/05/25
Introduction: A Path of Gradual Growth
Life unfolds through an interconnection of feelings, memories, and awareness. Our body senses the world, our memory organizes it into patterns, and a part of us observes it all with curiosity. Together, these create our experience—how we perceive ourselves and engage with each moment. Sometimes, old wounds or fears can disrupt this process, leading to reactions that feel inconsistent with who we want to be.
Process meditation offers an effective approach to resolve these difficulties. With four simple steps—breathing, observing, thinking, and acting—it helps us transition from automatic responses to intentional choices. This isn't about forcing change immediately; it's a progression of small, consistent steps toward balance and calm. Let's explore how our body, memory, and inner observer function together—and how we can utilize them for growth.
How We Respond to the World: Two Processing Systems
Our mind has two natural ways of responding to life: one is rapid and instinctive, the other is deliberate and reflective. Both serve important functions in different situations.
The Rapid System: Instinct
When something captures our attention—like a sudden noise or physical contact—our body responds before conscious thought. Your breathing might accelerate, your muscles might tense, or emotions might suddenly arise. This is your instinctive system operating, designed for protection. It's quick, automatic, and occurs without verbal processing.
The Deliberate System: Reflection
Following that initial response, your cognitive processes engage. You begin to analyze what's happening, evaluate its significance, and consider appropriate responses. This is when you might recognize that a loud sound was merely an object falling, allowing your stress response to subside. It's a slower process, but it provides clarity and conscious choice.
Consider walking outdoors and hearing unexpected movement. Your body immediately tenses—prepared for potential threat. Then upon seeing it's only wildlife, you relax. That's the interaction between instinct and reflection, moving you from automatic reaction to considered understanding.
The Body: Our Primary Sensor
Your body is where every experience begins. It's your interface with the world—detecting sounds, temperatures, physical sensations, and the physiological effects of emotional states. These sensations aren't merely information; they carry emotional significance. A gentle voice might generate comfort, while a harsh sound might create tension—all before conscious processing occurs.
When difficult experiences occur—such as loss or frightening situations—your body retains physiological patterns. Even if conscious awareness moves forward, your muscles might maintain tension, or your respiratory system might remain constricted years later. However, by attending to your physical responses, you can begin to release these patterns and restore equilibrium.
Memory: The Storage of Our Experiences
Memory functions as an information system, collecting the experiences of your life. It holds two types of content:
Direct Experiences: The unprocessed sensory information—such as environmental conditions or physical sensations.
Interpretations: The meanings assigned to those experiences—such as "this situation is safe" or "I am inadequate."
These interpretations influence how you understand yourself and your environment.
If you've experienced significant challenges, you might develop a perception that the world is threatening. However, memory isn't permanent; it can be reinterpreted as you develop, creating new perspectives and responses.
The Observer: Your Internal Awareness
Within your consciousness exists a capacity for self-awareness—a function that monitors without immediate reactivity. When you pause to consider, "What am I feeling?" or "Why did I respond that way?"—that's your observing function operating. It functions as an internal monitoring system that helps you evaluate objectively.
This internal awareness allows you to recognize your patterns—such as becoming irritable when fatigued—and select alternative responses. It creates a separation between stimulus and response. In that interval, you can breathe, consider options, and respond deliberately.
When Difficulties Persist: The Impact of Trauma
Life sometimes includes experiences that exceed normal coping capacities—such as significant loss or harm. These can create lasting effects, which manifest in two categories:
Normal Difficulties: The expected challenges all humans encounter—such as grief or developmental transitions. These are challenging but typically resolve with time and support.
Psychological Trauma: The extraordinary experiences—such as violence or severe neglect. These can persist, creating ongoing distress even in non-threatening circumstances.
When trauma remains unresolved, physiological stress responses remain activated, and cognitive patterns may include thoughts like "I cannot trust others" or "I am fundamentally flawed." However, with consistent practice and appropriate support, these patterns can be modified and functioning restored.
Process Meditation: A Structured Approach
Process meditation provides a systematic method for restoring psychological balance. It integrates four components to transition from automatic reactions to intentional responses:
Breathing: Regulating Physiological States
Begin with respiratory control. Several slow, deep breaths signal your nervous system to reduce stress responses. This creates a physiological pause, allowing higher cognitive functions to engage.
Observing: Non-judgmental Awareness
Next, direct attention to internal experiences—physical sensations, thought patterns, emotional states. Avoid evaluation or attempted change; simply notice what's present. This develops the capacity to recognize patterns without immediate reactivity.
Thinking: Cognitive Reappraisal
Then, engage analytical functions with questions like "What factors are contributing to this situation?" or "Are alternative interpretations available?" This isn't forced change—rather, it's an exploration of more functional perspectives.
Acting: Intentional Response
Finally, select behavior based on values and goals—not from conditioned patterns or immediate emotional states, but from considered evaluation. This might involve verbal communication, physical movement, or deliberate non-action.
Gradual Progress, Sustainable Change
Development occurs incrementally, through consistent small adjustments. Each instance of pausing to breathe or notice internal states establishes new neural pathways—creating increased capacity for self-regulation. Over extended practice, perceptions may evolve from "I experience constant fear" to "I can access feelings of security" to "I have greater self-confidence." This is a gradual progression, developing with consistent practice.
A Basic Exercise: The Regulation Pause
Try this straightforward practice to connect with your body, memory, and observing awareness:
Find a comfortable position and allow yourself to settle.
Inhale slowly for 5 seconds, noticing abdominal expansion.
Exhale for 5 seconds, releasing tension in your shoulders.
Identify one physical sensation—perhaps warmth in your extremities or tension in your chest.
Consider, "What information does this sensation provide?" and listen without rushing.
Take another slow breath, then select a simple action—such as gentle movement or hydration—to address what you've noticed.
Remain with this process for 5 minutes, engaging in this structured sequence.
This exercise encourages connection with physical sensations, awareness of memory patterns, and engagement of observing functions—all within a brief period of focused attention.