Unique childhood experience, Religion - M.Scott Peck, M.D.

Frequently (but not always) the essence of a patient's childhood and hence the essence of his or her world view is captured in the "earliest memory." Consequently I will often ask patients. "Tell me the very first thing that you can remember" They may protest hat they cannot do this, that they have a number of early memories. But when I force them to make a choice of one, the response will vary in favor from in her arms to show me a beautiful sunset" to "I remember sitting on the floor of the kitchen. I had wet my pants and my mother was standing over me waving a big spoon in the air and screaming at me." It is probable that these first memories, like the phenomenon of screen memories, which they so often are, are remembered precisely because they accurately symbolize the nature of a person's early childhood. It is not surprising, then, that the flavor of these earliest memories is so frequently the same as that of a patient's deepes feelings about the nature of existence.


The Road Less Travelled - M, Scott Peck, M.D.