Unlocking the Truth: Is Memory Accurate? Unlocking the Truth About How Memory Works

You’ve probably heard people say, “I remember it like it was yesterday.” But is memory accurate? The truth is, memory isn’t a perfect record of the past. It’s more like a story your brain tells, and rewrites, over time Every time you recall a memory, your brain reconstructs it, blending in new emotions, beliefs, and even details you’ve picked up since the original event. Far from being a reliable playback system, memory is creative, flexible, and shaped by who you are in each moment.

At The Alchemy of Being, we know that understanding the true nature of memory is freeing. It means you’re not stuck with old stories or painful recollections. You have the power to reshape your memories and, in turn, your present and future.

In today’s world, it’s easy to see people arguing passionately about what they believe to be “the truth” – whether it’s in the news, on social media, or even around the dinner table. But when you understand how memory really works, you realise that much of this certainty is built on shifting sands.

Our memories, shaped by beliefs, emotions, and time, are never the same as the original event. So when you see polarised debates or stubborn insistence on a single version of the past, remember: each person’s truth is a story their brain has carefully crafted and continues to adapt.

The Myth: Memory as a Perfect Record

For centuries, many have believed that memory works like a video recorder, capturing events exactly as they happened. This belief is comforting – after all, if our memories are accurate, we can trust what we recall to be true. It’s why eyewitness testimony has been so heavily relied upon in courts and why personal histories often feel unchallengeable.

But this idea doesn’t hold up under scientific scrutiny. Memories are not static snapshots; they are dynamic and changeable. The more we rely on them, the more they evolve.

How Memory Really Works: The Science

Neuroscience reveals that memory is not a fixed record but a reconstructive process. When you recall an event, your brain actively pieces together fragments from different regions – sensory details, emotions, and context – rather than replaying a perfect recording. This reconstructive nature means memories can change each time they are retrieved.

A 2013 neuroimaging study published in Frontiers in Psychology showed that when participants encoded new information related to previously learned material, their hippocampus reactivated earlier memories, which sometimes led to the original memory being altered or partially lost. This illustrates how memories are dynamic and susceptible to modification during recall.

Further research shows this reconstructive process is adaptive. It lets us use prior knowledge to guide current behaviour. But it also means memories can blend with expectations and biases. This is why our recollections are not always reliable reflections of what truly happened.

Each time you revisit a memory, it can be subtly altered by new experiences or feelings. This is why two people can remember the same event differently or why your own memories can shift over time. Your brain isn’t playing back a fixed recording; it’s creatively rebuilding the story.

The Influence of Beliefs and Emotions

Our memories are deeply intertwined with our beliefs, emotions, and sense of safety. When a memory forms, it is encoded alongside the emotional state and personal context of the moment. If you experienced an event during a stressful or fearful time, your brain may encode it with heightened emotional intensity, which colour later recall. Your current beliefs and expectations can also reshape memories. For example, if you expect someone to behave a certain way, your brain may unconsciously fill in gaps to fit that narrative.

Elizabeth Loftus’s landmark studies on the misinformation effect demonstrate how easily memories can be altered by introducing misleading information after the event. In the famous “Lost in the Mall” study, 21% of participants came to vividly “remember” being lost as children, despite this never actually happening. This shows how malleable memory is, shaped not only by original experience but by subsequent information and beliefs.

If you expect someone to behave a certain way, your brain may unconsciously fill in gaps in your memory to fit that narrative. This interaction between memory and belief means that what you remember is as much about who you are now as it is about what actually happened.

Memory Distortion: Why Stories Change Over Time

Have you ever noticed how your stories about past events change when you tell them to different people? Or how your memory of an event feels different from someone else’s? This is because memories are malleable and influenced by many factors—new information, emotions, social context, and even the language you use to describe them.

Memory distortion is a normal and inevitable part of how our brains function. Our recollections evolve as we retell stories, absorb new information, and experience fresh emotions. Studies using advanced brain imaging techniques have identified specific neural mechanisms behind false memories. Research published in Nature Communications (2023) found that false memories are associated with activity in the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex, areas involved in memory reconstruction and evaluation. These brain regions help explain why memories can be both vivid and inaccurate.

Moreover, retrieval practice – actively recalling memories – can strengthen memory retention but also increase false memories. A 2020 study showed that repeated retrieval reorganises neural patterns, enhancing long-term memory while simultaneously making memories more susceptible to distortion. This dynamic process highlights memory’s malleability and the balance between remembering and reshaping.

It’s not a flaw but a feature of how our brains help us make sense of the world and protect us. Sometimes, memories shift to reduce emotional pain or to reinforce our identity.

Ancient Wisdom: Memory as Living Story

Long before neuroscience, ancient cultures understood memory as a living, evolving story. Many indigenous traditions see memory as communal and fluid, passed down through storytelling, ritual, and ceremony. Memory isn’t just personal; it’s woven into the fabric of community and culture.

For example, Aboriginal Australians use “memory landscapes”, embedding knowledge in the features of the land, songs, and stories. These songlines are sophisticated memory systems that hold vast information about survival, the environment, and cultural law, all encoded in story, song, and dance. This method has allowed stories to be passed down accurately for thousands of years, supporting both individual and collective memory.

In Native American cultures, oral traditions are central. Stories, histories, and spiritual lessons are shared through spoken word, song, and pictographic records like the “winter counts” of the Northern Great Plains. These bison hide paintings serve as visual memory cues and are tended by keepers, who ensure the stories remain alive and relevant for each generation. Among the Navajo, oral traditions have preserved detailed knowledge of hundreds of plant and animal species, all passed down without written records.

In the Heiltsuk Nation of the Pacific Northwest, the concept of Nuyem refers to a “treasure chest” of memories and knowledge, embodied in stories, dances, names, and rituals. This living memory is revived and strengthened through communal ceremonies, such as potlatches, where children and elders come together to share, perform, and remember. These gatherings help heal, connect, and reinforce cultural identity, showing how memory is a source of resilience and meaning for the whole community.

This perspective honours memory’s flexibility and recognises that stories change to keep us connected, resilient, and aligned with our values. It’s a reminder that memory is not about perfect accuracy but about meaning, growth, and the ongoing weaving of our shared human story.

Practical Alchemy: Curating Your Memories

Since memory is reconstructive, you have the power to curate it. Practices like journaling, mindful reflection, and guided meditation can help you revisit memories with new perspectives and healing intentions. Reframing painful memories can reduce their emotional charge and open space for growth.

Techniques such as visualisation allow you to imagine positive outcomes or rewrite old stories in ways that support your wellbeing. Memory reconsolidation, a process used in therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), helps people safely revisit and transform traumatic memories by pairing recall with calming or empowering experiences. Creative expression, through art, music, or storytelling, can also help process and reshape memories, making them less rigid and more supportive.

Grounding practices, such as breathwork or sensory exercises, anchor you in the present moment, making it easier to approach old memories with compassion and clarity. Connecting with others and sharing your story in a safe space can also bring new understanding and healing, as different perspectives help soften and enrich your own narrative.

Remember, you are the alchemist of your own mind, shaping your memories to serve your journey. All these approaches help you work with your memories, not against them

Conclusion: Freeing Yourself from the Past

Memory is not a fixed archive but a living, breathing story that evolves with you. Understanding this truth frees you from being trapped by old narratives or limiting beliefs. With practices like journaling, mindful reflection, guided meditation, visualisation, creative expression, and even therapeutic approaches like EMDR, you have a rich toolbelt for curating your memories and supporting your wellbeing.

At The Alchemy of Being, we invite you to embrace the fluid nature of memory and use it as a powerful ally on your journey. Your past is not set in stone – it’s a canvas waiting for your creative touch. So next time someone recalls a memory differently from you, you’ll know why, and you can simply marvel at the incredible power of your brain to create, reshape, and adapt your story.

And when you see people in the media, politics, or your own life becoming polarised and dogmatic about their version of the truth, try swapping annoyance for a bit of sympathy. They may not realise that even their most passionate memories and beliefs are shaped by time, emotion, and experience.

The irony is, the more certain we are, the less likely we are to notice how much our memories have shifted. True wisdom comes from recognising this, staying open, and allowing space for growth and understanding, in ourselves and others.