Memory in Objects at Rest Affects Our Life in Real

Memory in architecture and objects 

Maurice Halbwachs (1877-1945)  was a French sociologist, famous for his advocacy of the concept of Collective memory. According to him, the past is inscribed as a trace in space and held collectively through this trace. 

Difficult academic reasoning aside, it is true that sometimes I get a strong sense from architecture or objects. I know that there is certainly something like memory in objects at rest.

Two contrasting experiences of architectural memory in Scotland 

A trip to Scotland in 1995 gave me a sensitivity to the presence of an invisible force. As soon as I enter an architecture, I recognize it as negative or positive.

I traveled to Inverness, Scotland in 1995 when I was a student at L.S.E in London. I studied Philosophy at that time.  At Inverness, I touched on the memory of these two contrasting types of architecture.

Landscape in Inverness

Architectural with Happy Memory in Scotland 

A wonderful stay in Inverness, Scotland, was at the Manor House, Loch Ness Country House Hotel at Dunain Park.　It was the best stay of my life. If it comes true, I want to stay again in my lifetime. 

It had a beautiful garden surrounded by the scent of herbs. The staff were friendly and sophisticated and made my stay comfortable. Most importantly, the food was excellent. It was similar to French food, but with a beautiful, delicate, herb-based sauce that was delicious. The furniture, including chairs, tables and shelves, was tasteful. 

I enjoyed reading and talking to regular customers in the drawing room.　I felt the time pass happily. As I looked out of the window at the garden, I felt as if there were dainty fairies in the garden.  Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it was a strange sensation.

Architectural with Sad Memory in Scotland 

In the same Inverness, I booked a stay at the castle. 

The castle is owned by an old German couple. I was the only guest in the castle. As they showed me around the castle, I sensed a small screaming negative presence at the end of the corridor. 

It was late in the evening. I went into my room where I would be staying. After a while, the lights suddenly went out. And the furniture in the room started to clatter and shake. In the darkness, someone was approaching me from the corner of the room. I stiffened in horror. 

But I knew it was not safe to sit still there. So I took a deep breath and got myself together. Clenching my fists, I walked out of the room. It happened in a split second. 

Then I told the German couple that I couldn't stay here, and I left the castle and stayed in a nearby business hotel. 

The owner of the castle was said to have been killed, according to a story I heard later, but his body had not been found.

 

Former Residence of Prince Asaka in Tokyo, Japan

Another experience was in Tokyo: I went to Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in September, 2020 with my two daughters.

The tickets of the museum

This building is the Former Residence of Prince Asaka. It was built by a Japanese craftsman based on an Art Deco style design. 

Giant perfume bottle

The prince and his family left the imperial family on October 14, 1947, at the behest of GHQ. And they left this mansion. 

                              

The combination of high artistry and memories of the lives of noble people made me feel heavy energy. 

The trees and gardens surrounding the mansion cleansed, lightened, and blew away its weight. In a sense, from this museum, I may have enjoyed the autumn of art and meditation.

Japanese garden in Teien Museum

Resonate with architecture with happy memories to be happy

Some buildings have happy memories and others have negative memories. 

This is especially true in older buildings. If you have the freedom to choose, it is better to spend time in a building with happy memories. 

Because such buildings evoke a sense of happiness. 

Everything is a wave, and if one is in tune with the happy wave, one will become happy.

Creating a happy resonance in your living space 

Compared to our relationship with people, it is easier to change our relationship with things. 

To the extent that we have a choice in where we live and what we do, we can change it to something positive. 

A tuning fork of the same vibrational frequency resonates, so it is helpful to spend time in good places and with things that we like in order to maintain a happy tone. 

"You are what you have in a sense..."

On the other hand, it's not a good idea to hoard things you no longer use. Because that's not a good relationship. And it is important to keep it clean.

Conclusion

Architecture has memories. So we want to spend time in architecture with happy memories. Our relationship with our possessions is also important. To make your life happy, it's beneficial to just get your living space in order.