Smarana—the bhakti practice of remembrance—allows you to honor your former identity without seeking to resurrect it, transforming memory into spiritual practice.
Smarana means remembrance or constant recollection in bhakti practice. Devotees use smarana to keep the beloved (usually Krishna or the divine) continuously in mind through repetition, story, and reflection. Applied to grief for lost identity, smarana becomes a disciplined practice of remembering who you were—not obsessively or with longing to return, but as a form of reverence. You remember the person you were with the same care a devotee brings to remembering their god: with gratitude for what they offered, acknowledgment of their limitations, and honesty about why the relationship transformed. Smarana prevents two extremes: the denial that pretends you were never that person, and the nostalgia that yearns to return. Instead, it holds memory as sacred even while affirming transformation. Through smarana, your former self becomes like an ancestor—real, honored, and properly released into the past rather than haunting the present.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.