Echoes in the Bone and Blood: Adlerian Approaches to Cultural Postmemories.

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	Echoes in the Bone and Blood: Adlerian Approaches to Cultural Postmemories.
Authors:	Saeedi, Sara, Bluvshtein, Marina, Erickson, Shonora, Mendel, Ellen
Source:	Journal of Individual Psychology. Spring2025, Vol. 81 Issue 1, p137-161. 26p.
Subjects:	Early memories, Collective unconscious, Aboriginal Canadians, Jewish authors, Canadian authors
Abstract:	The concept of blood memory is deeply rooted in diverse cultures. It embod ies the idea that memories and experiences can be inherited across generations through bio logical, cultural, or spiritual means. Originating from Dr. Momaday's coinage of the term in House Made of Dawn, blood memory finds resonance in Carl Jung's collective unconscious and Alfred Adler's emphasis on early life observations of one's environment, including live interactions and family or cultural mythology, shaping lifestyle. Marianne Hirsch's concept of postmemory illuminates how the second generation inherits profound connections to an cestral traumas, such as the Holocaust, which shape their identities. This article explores the intersections of blood memory, postmemory, and epigenetics in memory formation. Drawing from personal stories from Indigenous Canadian and Jewish authors and borrowing from neuroscience, it examines the intergenerational inheritance of memories. The significance of blood memory transcends linear understandings of memory and time, challenging tradi tional notions of early recollections. While scientific explanations of the transfer of individual episodic memories remain elusive, cultural wisdom offers insights into the lived experiences and phenomenological realities of memory transmission. As psychologists and researchers, embracing diverse perspectives and cultural narratives is imperative to understanding the complexities of memory inheritance and its implications for cultural identity, movement, and lifestyle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
	Copyright of Journal of Individual Psychology is the property of University of Texas Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database:	Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

Description
Abstract:	The concept of blood memory is deeply rooted in diverse cultures. It embod ies the idea that memories and experiences can be inherited across generations through bio logical, cultural, or spiritual means. Originating from Dr. Momaday's coinage of the term in House Made of Dawn, blood memory finds resonance in Carl Jung's collective unconscious and Alfred Adler's emphasis on early life observations of one's environment, including live interactions and family or cultural mythology, shaping lifestyle. Marianne Hirsch's concept of postmemory illuminates how the second generation inherits profound connections to an cestral traumas, such as the Holocaust, which shape their identities. This article explores the intersections of blood memory, postmemory, and epigenetics in memory formation. Drawing from personal stories from Indigenous Canadian and Jewish authors and borrowing from neuroscience, it examines the intergenerational inheritance of memories. The significance of blood memory transcends linear understandings of memory and time, challenging tradi tional notions of early recollections. While scientific explanations of the transfer of individual episodic memories remain elusive, cultural wisdom offers insights into the lived experiences and phenomenological realities of memory transmission. As psychologists and researchers, embracing diverse perspectives and cultural narratives is imperative to understanding the complexities of memory inheritance and its implications for cultural identity, movement, and lifestyle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	15222527
DOI:	10.1353/jip.00024