How did you find out about your past lives?

[MistOfTheSea86]

Through Regression? Just passing by a familiar place? Discuss away!

[Ganga]

Through regression. I've heard of people that can remember a great deal of their last life even in ordinary consciousness, but it's never happened to me. A friend of mine visited an ancient South Indian temple where he was told that he was once a priest there (and fooled around too much with the village girls, so he had to take his next birth in Italy :D ) But no one's recognized me yet... My past lives (the three that I can remember) were not particularly glamorous - I have been an alchemist in Mediterranean area BCE, a Christian in ninteenth century England and a pious Hindu lady in rural India. Still, in each lives I've gone through lessons to learn, and the learning still goes on.

Blessed be. Nice question! (Waiting to read everybody else's answers :) )

[MistOfTheSea86]

I found out about mine through deja vu and from visions and memories. I have had many, but the main ones I remember were

My Past life in Atlantis(A wo howdy of a tale;))
A Christian Monk in the Medieval ages.
A man in 1930-40's germany.

If anyone would like to try to explain what they remember of their past lives it would be cool:)

[Melysande]

Intense dreams. That's how I've found out about some of mine.

Was a Geisha girl (or something close to it) in one life, took an axe in the face by a Hun in another, a French girl in a bording school (died of pneumonia, I think), a man in an African tribe, a scribe in ancient Egypt, and a newspaper boy during the Roaring Twenties (killed by a stray bullet). That's all I remember seeing in dreams, so far.

[Flar's Freyja]

Study, connection. For instance, I have been terrified of dying by fire since I was a child and didn't know why. In the process of doing some reading, I found that I have a birthmark between my toes that was taken as the mark of a witch, and it led me to believe that I was probably burned for practicing witchcraft. I have also met several people with whom there was a strong connection that might be attributed to knowing them in a past life. The most powerful realization I had was while reading The Mists of Avalon. I literally tranced while reading it and found a multitude of very strong similarities in Morgaine's life and mine. The references to the Old Ways were very powerful, I felt as though I had always known them. I don't have any definite details on any of my past lives, but the exploration has been a good tool in my spiritual work for analyzing where I am now.

[Dancin Girl]

Dreams, deja vu, some regression exercises, visions, and vivid memories, also very intense connections to people.... One of the experiences was with shared dreams that a number of us had at the same time about the same event. Most of the memories and details are vague and not very clear, but there are some that are so vivid that I felt like I was reliving the life!

[Earthcup]

Dreams and memories....

I believe I was an alchoholic and prescription drug addict in the 50's or 60's. I may have been from South America but I'm not positive. I know I was beat up by a boyfriend/husband and I think I died of an overdose...

I lived in a village in Europe and was killed during a raid. My throat was slashed which would explain why I have a highly sensitive neck. I've had dreams of the Tor which may or may not be connected with this life. I'm not sure but someone I knew from that life was in the dreams...

Both times I was a woman. I've never tried to remember my past lives but I've been told that I might have been a Christian monk and might have lived in Egypt once but I don't have any memories of that... most of the memories are bad ones and I just don't feel like going through all that negative gunk. I'm not that curious..
:cool:

[Epona44]

I lived my most recently remembered past life in Oregon, although I traveled a lot. Worked when young (sorry, I hate knowing this) on a whaling ship that roamed the south pacific ocean. Hated it. Married a Geisha, came back to the West Coast, left her alone a lot. She ran a general store or shop of some sort. I caught, bought and sold horses to the Army during the 1800's.

I have some memories of an earlier life, but I can't tell if it was Revolutionary America or Revolutionary France. I recall they sold young women to "girl-mongers." I watch someone I knew being taken away.

I was also a child, who was sick or injured, and thrown in a wagon loaded with too many stones. It was either pushed or the driver lost control and it overturned.

There are other bits. The memory of being a priest, a Jewish jeweler, a headstrong aristocratic woman who married beneath her (with bad results), a farmer who died of old age, and someone who died in childbirth. Also peddlar waiting for someone with horse and wagon, who was ambushed in a forest and killed.

Most of the memories come through dreams, but these are dreams that can't be changed or altered, in the way ordinary dreams can be manipulated. They have a "photographic" quality.

[LadyAutumnCat]

I haven't done any regression, but since I was a child I have had an intense love for anything from Ancient Egypt and have felt and been affected in such wonderful ways by anything feline. I strongly believe that I have some ties to Ancient Egypt!

I also feel ties to Medieval times. At first I was very afraid of that time period, but since I have been reading up on it, I feel that I may have lived in those times, and perhaps been accused of witchery of some kind, explaining my fear of dying in a fire.

It would be great to do a regression, but don't quite know how to go about it.

I also am trying to explore the closeness that my departed familiar and feline spirit guide, Bolita and I shared. I feel that I have known him before and am hoping that I will meet him again. He changed my life!!!

[Myst]

Flights of fancy or fact, it's hard to tell what's real and what is not. I therefore don't claim to *know* any past lives.

[Azure]

I have had an intense repetitive dream since I was three of being a young English woman during WWII killed while attending a party at a posh hotel/restaurant in London when an unexploded bomb from the blitz went off while being defused. I know I was in my mid twenties, with auburn hair, wearing a white evening dress - but I usually wore a Royal Navy (I think) uniform. I had a boyfriend who was a pilot, and I was a wild flirt. the American Marines came in to evacuate us, but I was hanging out waiting for someone or something and didn't get out.

I feel strong ties to other places and things, but this is the only one that is so intense, and so utterly unconnected to me as I am today, that I am certain it is a past life memory.

[Epona44]

It is always wise to have doubts and not believe every dream is true.

Like Scrooge said to the Spirit of Christmas Past, "are you a bit of undigested fat?" :ugh: Well, it could be.

The whole idea of reincarnation or of life after death, or of souls in general falls into the category of commonly held belief.

The best thinkers are skeptics, Myst. You are an excellent thinker from what I've read of your posts.;)

None of us will know until we shuffle off this mortal coil (sp) whether or not any of this is true.

In general, people who report these memories are as sure as they can be -- they know intuitively -- that the internal experience they recall is what they think it is.

I have done extensive work with lucid dreaming, and I can recognize that there are many levels of consciousness and degrees of awareness.

I've also met people who insist they lived lives as Indian princesses, or were some famous historical character such as Napoleon Bonaparte. If you think about it there were probably a lot more opportunities to be washer-women, slaves or soldiers. Skepticism is a wise approach.

So, I guess, there has to be a way for people to discuss these experiences and then decide for themselve what is valid or not.

And we always need a good solid skeptic to keep us grounded.

[Myst]

Originally posted by Epona44
The best thinkers are skeptics, Myst. You are an excellent thinker from what I've read of your posts.;)

Well thank you. :D


Originally posted by Epona44
I've also met people who insist they lived lives as Indian princesses, or were some famous historical character such as Napoleon Bonaparte. If you think about it there were probably a lot more opportunities to be washer-women, slaves or soldiers. Skepticism is a wise approach.

It is strange how many were royalty and how few were slaves or janitors or handmaidens or servants, no? And as you've said, there must have been muuuuch more opportunity to be the latter. :p


Originally posted by Epona44
And we always need a good solid skeptic to keep us grounded.

That's what I'm good at! :cool:

Seriously tho, I know I can't presume to know whether something is a past life or not anymore then I think anyone else can. I try to stay in the middle ground - that some do know, and that some are drifting on flights of fancy - but I know I appear the skeptic and cynical :)

To be sure I have notions of what I feel might've been a past life, and memories it seems of what wasn't in this life. I'm sure I've even written of it somewhere here at MW.

Hm maybe I just like playing devil's advocate too much :lol:

[Earthcup]

They say skeptics make the best magicians.:)

Personally I think there is a marked difference between odd connections and past life memories. I can't explain it but it's a sort of knowing at least in my experience.

In one of my memories I was in a hotel and looked into a mirror and was surprised to see a very different yet familiar face looking back. It was like being in a former body but without any control over the situation even though you something bad is going to happen to you next. Sort of like a replay....

I've only had one nice memory, all the rest are of traumatic events so I've never tried to remember more.

The problem is most people remember something about Egypt and assume they were Cleopatra or Mark Antony when it's more likely they worked in the Royal stables.

The closest I've come to celebrity in any memories was recognising I had a Jackie O hairdo in one, which I thought was funny. Why did anyone ever tease their hair up like that?

[Myst]

:lol: I don't begrudge people their fantasies, but you're right, people are all too happy to assume they were royalty or wonderful rather then wonder that it might've been an unimportant life. And some will say "well does it matter if it was reality or fantasy" and to that I say not really, if you prefer fantasy to truth and growth and understanding of the two.

*shrugs*

I really don't know about that hair thing either lol

[Demeter]

I've done three regressions. They were in a group setting, and the guide deliberately steered us away from anything distressing, particularly the death. Only in one case do I know anything about that.

In one, I was a Mayan jeweler. I made necklaces and brooches out of jade and copper for the priests. I had a nice home with two or three huts in a separate walled enclosure, a couple of wives, and a bunch of kids running around... I was middle-aged (about 30).

In the second, I was a woman in an Arabic type village: dust, sand, camels ... I was in the bazaar. I looked at a brass pot that was hanging on a wall and saw my face, unveiled. Dark eyes, dark hair, coins hanging on my headdress. I don't know whether it was pre- or post-Mohammed. I didn't get the feeling that there was any shame about being unveiled; this was in a culture or time when that was not a prevalent custom.

For the third, she specifically took us back to our most recent incarnations. Mine was a young man in England before WWI. Apparently I was of good birth; you know, boater hats, punting on the Thames, all that good stuff. I was engaged to someone named Elizabeth (she had dark hair; I think I was blonde). Then I got sucked forward, into a really nasty scene: it was WWI, I was in the trenches. There was gas, and I got a face full of it. I couldn't breathe, and then I managed to pull myself back to my own body. It took a while to recover from that. But that experience, for me, explains part of my sensitivity to chlorine (chlorine bleach and sometimes swimming pools are enough set off an asthma attack).

[Azure]

I think all the "I was Cleopatra" people are what has kept me from doing more research. They make me nuts. More often than not, I think people need the delusion of grandeur. I mean, who wants to think they were a very ordinary person, much as they are now?
In the case of my memories and some of the others, and ordinary person who died in an icky way. It would be much more exciting to be Cleopatra and poison ones' self with an asp. Perhaps those fantasies make up for disappointments in this life?

[Myst]

Quite possibly, Azure.

Personally I believe when we become aware of past lives it is because they will help us in some way in this life. So someone who says they remember all past lives or talks about all these grandiose past lives which, to me, seem irrelevant now, isn't usually someone I believe.

And yes I agree that people hate the idea of being normal and not extraordinary and special. A lot of fantasy and silliness seems to come from this desire to appear more or special, I think.

[Epona44]

that helped me make up my mind. The horrid smell in the crew's cabin. Of yellow light from whale oil lamps, and unwashed people. The little details like scars on the scalp of a crewmate, from a too vigorous shaving.

There is no memory of people's names at all. But you know them, who they are. I can't remember far back, and just scenes, moments. The moments aren't always turning points, they to be as simple as walking with a man down a tree-lined road, and turning back to see two women several paces behind, following along, joined in conversation with each other.

What meaning or relevance does it have? I can't say. It just is.

Gosh, wouldn't it be wonderful to have been Sigmund Freud?

It's doesn't seem that way, though.

[SimplyStrange]

I don't have the slightest idea what any of my past lives might have been... And I have absolutely no idea how to do a regression, so I can't really do that...

The closest I came to anyone telling me what mine might have been was once I had this really really really close friend whose mother could do regressions, and had done one for him, and he said that he was a Jew during the Holocaust... and he told me once that I he thought I might have been his sister. And it was just odd because the lines on our palms had like, a really similar look...

::shrug:: Otherwise I have no clue.

[Dancin Girl]

They're fragments and bits and flashes of images.... I am fairly sure I was never anyone famous or even had such a glorious life that I would be excited to remember it! I remember images of being a young girl in maybe Rome or Greece just because of the weather, the look of the hills and such.... walking down a road seeing men standing on a hill watching me... one of them smiling at me..... I knew that he knew me well, and have discovered that he still does know me well. There are images of a scrawny red haired girl in a worn green dress sitting on the steps of farmhouse on the prairie.....with the dust blowing around me and being very hungry and tired all of the time during that life. another one was a dream of riding on a haywagon with a group of other children through the woods and watching as one of the children toppled out fell to the ground and then later died.

I've done one group regression, which brought the girl in the green dress, also done a lot of research into it after my daughter had experiences as a child, kept insisting to me that she knew things had happened before.

[Imagi]

I don't know really who I've been in any past lives . . . I did a past life tarot reading that told me I was a student of the spiritual realms, that my life was devoted to spiritual practices, but what they were and who/when this was, I haven't a clue.

I do have an unrelentless, petrifying fear of seaweed. I love the water, I love swimming even more, but if i so much as see a small tuft of seaweed near me, I freeze up. For a while I thought I had drowned in a past life, but then wouldn't that make me more afraid of the water? So now, I just think that it must have been where my body was . . . tangled in seaweed on the bottom of some body of water somewhere, at some time or another.

I've always been curious about my past lives, who I was and what I did . . . who I might know in this life that I had met in another . . . :)

[SimplyStrange]

I've always wanted to know why I have a horrible fear of the ocean. Ever since I was a little kid, even looking at those wildlife pictures of deep sea stuff scared the crap outta' me... and I get the freaks if I go on a boat... and I won't swim deeper than I can clearly see the bottom...

I love the ocean, it's so beautiful... but I have this really bad fear of the ocean... and I don't know why. I think that would be interesting to find out...

That and my fear of being abandoned... I have this fear that if I'm standing around waiting for someone that they just won't ever show up... and that I'll be stranded... ::shrug:: That one I don't think has anything to do with anything, as I'm sort of growing out of it...

But still, the ocean thing confuses me.

[Epona44]

Fears or phobias can arise from past lives.

The fear of abandonment could be from this life, for example, losing your mum in a store when you were a toddler. You wouldn't remember of course.

I think that abandonment of, or by, someone is bad kharma.

One does not have to shed someone's blood to create a debt that lasts beyond one life. Abandoning someone who depends on you for their survival harms them, and may lead to their death.

It is certainly something that would generate a stong memory.

[Sisqi]

As part of my practice (my work) I do regressive hypnotherapy although never for the specific intent of past life regression. Still, If seen several clients (haven't been doing the hypnotherapy piece long) who have regressed to a past life. Some view it as a reeal thing, some as a metaphor for what is troubling them now and keeping them from being free. Either way they learn something important about themselves and work through it. I've never seen anyone be some Cleopatra or otherwise exotic past-life! I myself only experienced one past life 'flash'. I was meditating very deeply one day -meditation is a large part of my spiritual practice-and I experienced a very sharp pain in my kidney for a prolonged period of time. I tried focusing on my breath, breathing through it, to no avail. Finally I focused on the pain and asked it what it wanted to tell me. I experienced myself as a Native American young male warrior being stabbed with a very large knife right where the pain was. It was odd that I had a vision - I'm not a visual person and rarely see images when my eyes are closed, its just not my dominant sense. But I saw it all very vividly. After I experienced it and sat with it, the pain went away and I continued my meditation. I haven't figured out what it means yet except that maybe I have a fear of being betrayed?? I have to ponder somemore.
I enjoy both the scepticism and enthusiasm on this thread. Thanks!

[Sequoia]

I remember a lot of things, I think. . . though certainly not everything! hah! not gonna happen ;)

when I remember things, I remember it all like "yesterday". . . now, whether that means I have exceptionally vivid long-long-LONG-term memory, or I just have crappy general memory, I'm not sure ;) but I do remember things at about the same level.

let's see. . . I remember some scattered things that I think were "before" atlantis. . .

. . . I remember atlantis (big long story!! *waves to MistoftheSea* nice to see you again! ;) :D) hmm I remember a mediaval life, it was in Germany, I think. . . the black forest. . . it's weird, because a lot of my friends. . . we were talking once, and we were describing this place to eachother, filling in parts others missed. . . it was weird. Anyhow I was the youngest daughter of like a knight or lower noble or something. That life sucked. My father got pissed with me for falling in love with someone when he wanted to marry me off, and I tried to run away and he had me walled in. o.o dude it sucked.

I can remember being a slave, I don't know if it was like late roman or early dark ages. . . >.< dammit why must I remember dying? it sucks! Death itself doesn't hurt. . . it's like. . . it feels like "pop" and if something was hurting it doesn't anymore, and it's rushing rushing fast and faster, colours and sounds and light and dark and yet at the same time it's as though nothing's moving. . . ah, it's hard to describe. Might just be me ;) never know.

I remember one time that . . . . it was also medieval, I couldn't tell ya what time frame, I'm pretty sure it was somewhere in europe, and it was somewhere near the ocean, because I drowned. I got trapped under a dock when the tide was rising. It's creepy because I remember it like I remember getting out of bed this morning. I can feel how heavy my shoes were, they weren't mine, I had "borrowed" a pair of shoes from a man, and I was a young woman, I was trying to run away (seems to be a common theme with me -_-; "how did you die most often?" "i was running away and made a mistake") I remember how heavy they were, and not being able to kick them off until it was too late, I remember how my cloak was like. . . my clothes weren't for warmth, they were dressy clothes, but the cloak wasn't mine it was heavy, and the wool was soaking up water like nothing else and I could barely brush my feet on the bottom, and that was when I first was in the water. . . and then this guy who was chasing me, he came out and stood right above me on the dock. . . and the tide was coming in, waay faster than it should've, and he stood and waited, I think he knew I was underneath. And the water actually came up OVER the dock. . . and I was trapped under, and the last thing I remember from there is I was looking up at the boards, panicked, and finally I closed my eyes and felt like I went limp and blacked out and then- no more from that time! *sweat drop* I think I died. ne?

But I seem to have always either been middle-high noble or slave. . . not in-between. I think I might've lived in Japan at some time, but I'm not sure.

guess I"m just weird now!! :D hehe

for me, remembering them. . . it's like. . . sometimes, I"ll just be in a situation, and something feels familiar, and I reach deep inside myself, trying to remember what it is that feels like this. . . and I'll pull up a memory, but it's usually not from this life. It's like remembering something you did when you were a little kid, to me. But then at other times, I'll hear something, usually there's a trigger either visually or audio or something. . . or especially a very very strong emotion, or a similar situation, and I'll suddenly have this flash. . . where it's like, I'm trapped in that situation again, whatever it was. It's really scary, but I'm starting to be able to pull out a lot easier, to block the most painful parts. Dammit do I never get any peace? lol

[MistOfTheSea86]

Was in Germany I think during the holocaust. The only part I remember is sitting in a bedroom. I think it was mine. It had a blackish Brown look to it. It was cobwebby and dirty. I think I was hiding. ONe thing I remember vividly is the music box I had. I was sitting at a desk with my hands on my face listening to a music box, I wish I could hum the tune. Well a minute passed and I remember someone calling out my name. I ran out into the street afraid of someone and I saw my lover standing across the street holding his side. I ran over and held them in my arms. I don't remember if we said anything, but I do remember him dying there in my arms. It's the strangest thing. I can still feel the warm blood, and the overwhelming depression when I remember that. It's sad to think how many people actually had to see and experience this during that time.

[Sequoia]

*wince* aww. . . . . I"m sorry to hear that. . . .

[MistOfTheSea86]

Originally posted by Puma Hime
*wince* aww. . . . . I"m sorry to hear that. . . .
Yeah... But i had other Past lives that were happy so it's all good:D:D:D

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Guided meditations. That's how I've discovered some of mine. A couple months ago, I went to a Past Live Regression session at a local Occult store. The lady guided us through the meditation and then afterwards, we were encouraged to talk about it. I dragged my boyfriend and one of his friends with us. They both had great experiences as well, and enjoyed it very much.

I'm not sure how many past lives I've had, but I can tell you that they all have been what I would deem really interesting! lol ;)

[jelly.belly]

Originally posted by SimplyStrange
I don't have the slightest idea what any of my past lives might have been... And I have absolutely no idea how to do a regression, so I can't really do that...

The closest I came to anyone telling me what mine might have been was once I had this really really really close friend whose mother could do regressions, and had done one for him, and he said that he was a Jew during the Holocaust... and he told me once that I he thought I might have been his sister. And it was just odd because the lines on our palms had like, a really similar look...

::shrug:: Otherwise I have no clue.

me either! lol! Tho, I've always really wanted to know what my past lives have been! The biggest thing i had to a memory was a deja-vu, i have them all the time... but i just dont really remember anything.... *sigh* Tho, my aunt is sure i was a gipsy in another life... I dunno why... :hmm:

[shnen]

One of mine came to me in a dream... It was the strangest thing. Usaually when I have a weird dream I quickly try to translate it, but this one I just knew what it was... it didn't need any explanation. It was during one of the WW's and I worked in a factory alongside my best firend in this life... it was very moving.

As for others I will try regression once my life has calmed down a bit more and am able to fully totally concentrate.

[SimplyStrange]

Well... I know I was a guy sometime, like, midieval i think. I've seen myself, just from those little flashie thingies... and I have golden hair, I'm tall... heh heh... I'm a good lookin' guy.

At least... I think that's me... I dunno though! It has to be, I have a feeling...

But hmm....

Darnit, this thread! It's made me want to know what my past lives are!! How can I find this out??

[Epona44]

Darnit, this thread! It's made me want to know what my past lives are!! How can I find this out??

Try one of the many suggestions. The memories will come when you are ready.

[Emaleth]

I know nothing of my past lives, though I had a dream I think might be a glimpse of one of them. I was a young woman in France in the 19th century, I was standing outside a jail with my mother, with food for my husband who was a political prisoner or something like that.

I'm not sure if it was a picture from my past life, but it was very realistic, different from most of my dreams.

I'd like to do a regression or meditation, but I don't know how and I'm afraid I'll do something bad and something awful will happen, like I won't wake up...

Blessed Be

[Myst]

Originally posted by Epona44
Try one of the many suggestions. The memories will come when you are ready.

I agree!

What you are meant to know you will when the time is right!!! :)

[TwilightWolf]

I have found a lot of my memories coming back in dreams and visions, I have to say i have to many memories to recount in multiple times lets just say that I have been a lot. I have been a teacher a wanderer an advisor. Always have I practiced magic and everywhere I walk I have found myself fighting.

Ki'sen Far'sere
Battle is either attracted to me or I am attracted to it.

[Azure]

Honestly, I wouldn't worry much about knowing what we were before - it's more important to focus on the now. It always strikes me, especially with the people who seem determined to discover that in their last lives they were queens or something, that those people hope last time will make up for what they feel they don't have this time.

Myst is right, when you need to know, the memories will come, the omens will show themselves. In the meantime, for what it's worth, I think we should focus on this life and what we can do to make it better both for ourselves and others. What's done is done, and you can't go back and relive a life from the past, any more than you can go back and have your 6th birthday over.

Maybe it's because my only memories are of being blown up in the London Blitz of WWII, but I'd just as soon focus on getting the now right.

[Flar's Freyja]

I've never gotten very hung up in it either, only recently made some connections. I think these memories can be useful in opening communication lines to the collective unconscious (ancestral guides) to avoid repeating past mistakes, but there are many other ways to do that.

[Epona44]

As I think I said, when you are ready the memories will come.

It does require a certain level of attentiveness to those lives to encourage remembering. But obsession with past lives and ignoring the present is a distraction.

"All things in balance" makes sense to me.

[Myst]

Originally posted by Azure
It always strikes me, especially with the people who seem determined to discover that in their last lives they were queens or something, that those people hope last time will make up for what they feel they don't have this time.

Yup. Incidentally there are two readings for discovering past lives in Tarot now. :)

[Azure]

I saw those - they look pretty cool - I think I will try to play with them and see what comes up. The way things are going now, though, they will give me archetypal images instead!!!

[StarTwin]

I have had interesting occurances with this past life thing. There was someone I met and he stirred many "memories" in me. He helped me to see that i was a preistess to the Goddess Isis in Ancient Egypt, that I was a silk peddler in Ancient China. He also helped me see a connection (which I still havent figured out) to medieval Europe. When I read Mists of Avalon the story called to me as have all of the other Arthurian legends. Im not sure if those were just memories or something I wanted to remember but which ever I learn from them.

[Azure]

The Mists of Avalon, is, of course, very much fiction, and doesn't in any way reflect the actual beliefs of Roman-Britain. I have actually spoken to the late MZB on the subject ( yeah, while she was alive). The Arthurian legend itself is a continually building fiction, possibly based on a real war leader - or not.
However, during the period of the troubadours (think Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II, Richard Lionheart, etc.) it was exceptionally popular in story and song, and provided impetus for many people to go on Crusade.

If you feel drawn to the medieval era via the Arthurian legend, if I were you, I'd start with that. There's also a ton of really good Arthurian lit that exists from that period. Look for translations of Chretien de Troyes to start with.

[Myst]

StarTwin, I feel the same way.

It was more the dress, the attitudes, and so on, rather then the story itself. It's part of what triggered the memory I have of one past life.

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by Myst


Yup. Incidentally there are two readings for discovering past lives in Tarot now. :)

**runs to Tarot to check those out**:shift:

[Dancin Girl]

I checked those out, but am wonderin if you need special deck to do the readings.... also am total complete novice at tarot and not sure if I can trust myself to figure it out...

[Flar's Freyja]

I basically started as a complete novice. I had the opportunity to take a one hour workshop that got me started with basic information and tips. I haven't actually gotten there to check those out yet and since I'm not sure whether you need a special deck, it might be best to post your question there. I wouldn't think so, there are a multitude of decks and people use the ones that they feel comfortable with. I have worked with three: the Crowley Thoth deck, the Spiral Tarot, and Motherpeace. Out of these, Motherpeace is kind of a "special" deck in that it speaks more to women and is not all that male-friendly!

Yes, you can trust yourself to figure it out! Most decks come with their own little book and there are also larger books with more information on spreads, etc. that you can buy separately. The mods in the Tarot forum are extremely knowledgeable, so you'll have their support when you have questions!

[Scarlettvixen]

When I was in France 11 yrs ago I was walking down a street behind Notre Dam, where there is a flower market.

I was overwhelmed by a feeling of panic, danger and horror and
felt this need to run and hide. I looked around and it was a perfectly normal summer day in Paris. Yet i could 'see' this mob coming at me!

Needless to say I left the area and the feeling settled down.
I often wonder was that a past life de ja vue (sp).

The other place I have freaked out like that was in a temple in Luxor in Egypt. Again a overwhelming feeling of horror and danger.

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by Scarlettvixen
Again a overwhelming feeling of horror and danger.

Wow! Sounds as though you are either picking up on very strong energies of these famous land marks or you have actually been there in a past life! Did it feel like it was a past life experience to you? If so beleive your gut instinct.

[jelly.belly]

Wow... you've been to Egypt! Lucky u! I wanna go too!

Must've been pretty freaky tho, seeing a mob running after u... thats the bad thing about remembering past lives, it's not always good and if it's really bad, sometimes u just cant return somewhere because u've had a bad experience there...

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Originally posted by Dancin Girl
I checked those out, but am wonderin if you need special deck to do the readings.... also am total complete novice at tarot and not sure if I can trust myself to figure it out...

Ooh, Ooh, I can answer this one! lol :D

You don't need a "special" deck. Just one that you have on hand, or the one you decide to go out and purchase (make sure it's one that draws you to it!)

The great thing about tarot is that you decipher pictures! What item in the pictures draws your attention the most? what does that item mean to you? What is the figure... Doing? Feeling? How are they standing/sitting? What does their posture tell you? I'm sure you're much better at this than you think you are! Many people are! :sunny: They just have to find the right approach to it! From the spreads, you may not know exactly which part of the world you were in ....but you will find out what type a person you were! .....and maybe with some meditation/light trace work, you can get your foot in the door to delve into it! ;)

I went to a Past Live Meditation/Regession session at my local New Age/Occult store. During this I found that I was a male woodworker. I had created very intricate works of art out of wood by hand.....you should have seen the funiture! ;) It was definately a passion! All I can remember about the home from the meditation what that it had a Thatched roof....sort of Dutch looking?? or is that English Cottage?? I'm not sure. ;) It was a great session! If you can get into a session like this, I highly recommend it!

[Scarlettvixen]

Silver Venus said

Wow! Sounds as though you are either picking up on very strong energies of these famous land marks or you have actually been there in a past life! Did it feel like it was a past life experience to you? If so beleive your gut instinct.

I think in Luxor I was picking up the emotions of the place. I have done this in other places as well (Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Tower of London and Stonehenge), however in France it was like looking at 2 scenes over laying each other - the normal bussle of the flower market over laid with this washed out sepia like images of this mob coming after me wanting to kill me. The emotion and feelings in France was very real and very very frightening, I just wanted to pick up and run like crazy!

I have been to lots places jelly.belly, I took 12 months off when i was 26 and went backpacking for 12 months thro the middle east, England and western europe, didnt see 1/2 of what I wanted to see! ran out of time - its very much an Australian tradition to go 'walk-about' and explore the world, not every young adult does it, I think roughly 10% of us do it tho

[HeavensHope]

someone mention something about the mist of Avalon....there was a movie about that....dont if it was based on a book or what...but after seeing it...i was so hooked, kept playing certain parts over and over in my mind. Their beliefs and way of life just seems so much in tone with mine..and to me things just made sense. Its kinda hard to explain.

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by HeavensHope
someone mention something about the mist of Avalon....there was a movie about that....dont if it was based on a book or what...but after seeing it...i was so hooked, kept playing certain parts over and over in my mind. Their beliefs and way of life just seems so much in tone with mine..and to me things just made sense. Its kinda hard to explain.

:lol: I was at least one who mentioned Mists of Avalon. The book really drew me in, and my life has been very similar to Morgaine's in many ways. I felt like I was living it. It really helped me change my attitude about a lot of the rotten crap I've been through. I now look at it as "priestess training" rather than horrible experiences.

[Moon Daughter]

Upon my first meeting with her, my teacher told me that i'm a dreamer, meaning that most of my information i get from dreams.
and i do. rarely do i have a dream which means nothing.
but there were 2 dreams that were just way too real ( after waking up , it took me quite a while to figure out where i was and who i was)
1) 11th century. Eastern Europe. Lands that are around Kiev ( capital of nowaday Ukraine). i was a daughter of a small local noble. our house was pretty big but still wooden. we were already converted to christianity. after a raid by the people from the steppes in which my father was killed and the house was set on fire, my mother, upon realizing that she has lost her husband and her children, committed a suicide by climbing on the small wooden tower, and staying there, untill the fire got it, and everyhing crashed. i saw that, and , hysterical, i wished to do the same, but someone held me and didnt let me do it.
somehow i lost consciousness, or fell asleep, but when i woke up, there were only burnt down remains from our home, i looked nothing like a noble, and i was no body. i think i wanted to drown myself. only a man came, he claimed to be a soldier from my fathers small army. he said it was a tradition in his family to serve ours..and now, although my family was no more, he'd still stay.
so, i married him and went with him to his home village, where i lived the rest of my life as a peasant.

2) WW1, France, somewhere around Leon. i was a daughter of a servant who grew up with a son of our 'master' . somehow, we were allowed to marry. we loved each other well. he was in the military, and when the war started, we was called off. i was left with my 6-8 y.o. son and a baby daughter.
me and my husband ended up being separated for a few years, my son died of tuberculocis (sp.?).

another one- well, i'm not sure what it was- it almost came to me in a vision. it was me standing in a crown, held by some man, my younger brother beside me ( i was no more than 16 then). our mother was being burnt on the stake as a witch, and we were forced to watch so that we'd learn and know better and don't follow in her footsteps...

[Epona44]

Most of the information I have about past lives is from dreams.

However, sometimes a stong interest can be a sign of a past life activity. For example, a powerful curiousity about precious metals, gemstones and a ease in creating jewelry can be a sign that someone has already experienced a life working with these things.

Knowledge of a place you know you've never physically visited, can mean you've been there before, including the inexplicable good or bad emotions.

Strengths and talents can be built over lifetimes, to be used again an again, such as communion with certain animals, a basic understanding that does not come from reading a book.

[Carickah]

Wow,

Maybe you guys can help me figure a few things out. I really haven't had any visions, dreams or regresion. But what I have experienced is pretty incredible. There are certain affinities I have, things I am drawn to much more than most people, almost an obsession, but more like I miss something.

Like the sea. I have never sailed out on the sea, but I love, fear and respect it. When I feel it the strongest, no matter how far inland I am,I can taste the salt. I know things, sometimes, that I don't know why I do and I can make a rope do just about anything I want to.

Now that leaves me skeptical about having made a past-life dealing with the sea, simply becasue these are not really concrete. But bear with me as I change to a different set of experiences unrelated to these.

Swords facinate me. They always have. Nothing really unusual about that, but what does speak to me is the fact that some years ago, I joined the SCA( you know, the strange folk with an extreme facination with the "Current" Middle Ages). Well, the thought of engaging in Medieval combat was exciting and I spent a reasonable sum of monies to outfit myself for the fight.

I started out using a sword and shield, as all must who first start fighting in the SCA. But, I abandoned these as quickly as I could in favor of a hand and a half sword style. Now I admit, I did a fair amount of reading on the art of swordfighting, but that doesn't build the important muscle skills.

What was erie was to be in the fight(and I really don't mean a tourny fight, either, but a melee--as if it were a battle) and yet not be there at all. As if I just knew what to do. I didn't really have anyone "train" me, I just did what was natural to me.

My life has put a hold on any more of this rough stuff for a while. But I may be back at it soon. Now the real question is is this just something I am "just good at" or does this hint to something in my past life? What avenues would be most appropriate to further investigate this? Should I try to find someone to do a regression? How do I go about finding someone who is reputable? Thanks in andvance for any help.


Carickah

[Epona44]

Memories aren't always clear pictures in your head.



Like the sea. I have never sailed out on the sea, but I love, fear and respect it. When I feel it the strongest, no matter how far inland I am, I can taste the salt. I know things, sometimes, that I don't know why I do and I can make a rope do just about anything I want to.

Memories can be smells, sounds, sometimes the particular feel of a garment. These can also be memories of this life, but things you suppressed or just forgotten.

Being drawn strongly to an activity, for example, can be a memory of a past life activity.

I've always had a peculiar talent for being able to untie knots. I think it's related to mending nets. But then it would be a talent related to weaving.

Spend time doing those things you are drawn to do. Be aware of the other senses.

Help from experienced others is always useful.

[FaerySong]

Well one, I tried a past-life meditation (dunno if it worked) where I was a peasant girl in ireland named Elise (which is my middle name, maybe it's wishful thinking lol) but yeah I was married to a noble-lady's son (for some reason, I have no idea why) and that's all I could think of.

Another, my friend got this necklace on Thursday. We both swear that she has had it before. And she was suprised that I didn't say anything about it because I thought it was quite natural that she was wearing that necklace. And she even thought it was familiar. WE don't know why we think that is familiar tho, but I suggested that she had it in another life, or something close to it, and I had been there with her too see it. *shrug*

[Patrick]

I found out about my past lives through meditation. (If you can call it that, i was dozing off on my bed.) I was half awake and half asleep when suddenly i found myself in vietnam (thats what it looked like.) i was out on a muddy open field with jungle on all sides. i could hear the sounds of battle. gunfire, helicopters etc.. I had been shot in the chest several times, the mud was colored red as my blood dripped. And it felt so real.. I crawled in the mud, struggling to reach the jungle when i suddenly blacked out. When i woke up i found myself being carried by friends. I had bandage over my chest and they carried me out of the open field. All of them looked like typical american soldiers from vietnam. They didnt look very happy, they had an expression of resignation and "i really dont care any longer" on their faces. Then i woke up for real in my bed. I was stunned by the experience. It felt so real, a bit too real. the pain from my wounds was quite intense. In another similar "vision" that occurred under the same circumstances i was in world war one. I cant remember on which side i was, i only remember that i fought agains the russians. I and my squadmates were walking along an open muddy field, there were trenches and barbed wire all over the place, and rottening dead bodies on the ground. Everyone was exahusted from weeks of fighting (or even months.) it was cloudy so the sun didnt shine. It was dirty and cold and i didnt like it one bit. Suddenly we encountered another group of soldiers. they were russians. We engaged them and i threw myself to the ground, readying my machinegun. (An old one from 1914, it weighed alot.) I started shooting russian soldiers and they all dropped like flies with expressions of agony on their faces. I was hit by a bullet and i woke up in my bed. In the dream or vision or whatever we are going to call it. i have experienced the true horrors of war. When you watch the news its one thing. When you experience the pain, the sorrow.. its a completely different thing. Boy, this message gets long.. i have been a cop in germany in 1938 too. And i didnt like hitler. So, i was killed and reborn later (probably in vietnam. only to die and be reborn again.) Weird experiences.. Well i must go. See ya all later.

[four]

I found out through meditation, mostly, and from an unexplainable love/hate feeling for a specific person.

I think I was a young Chinese woman (not sure of the time period) married to a very oppressive husband. I remember hating him, but feeling bound to him at the same time. We had no children and he blamed that on me.

That's all I remember.

[Toad]

It’s time to bring this thread back from the grave. :D

I recently had a very interesting weekend…I spent the majority of the weekend in meditation as I was participating in Greenman’s Second Annual Group fast. I had some interesting thoughts.

I have had several things come together all at once and well, I feel the need to share. As always any thoughts you care to share would be most welcome.

First, for reasons I couldn’t pinpoint at the time, I arranged to get a past life reading done by our local ‘redheadwitch’. There is a whole story about getting this reading done…there was some crossed wires. Once the reading was delivered I will plainly admit that it was a very uncomfortable read. In fact it was so uncomfortable that I filed it away with the promise of going over it when the time was right…at the time I am sure that I never meant to re-examine it.

Since this reading I had finally sat down and read Liber Aba cover to cover. There, of course, were several things that were eye opening for me. However, in particular to this subject I am referring to the overview of ‘Magical Memory’…or remembering past lives and using them to help determine ones purpose in the universe. I am not going to attempt to paraphrase the entire section on Magical Memory, I would almost certainly do it a disservice. There are three key points that that have stuck with me and I have adopted them as part of my personal truth.

1 – It’s vital to research the past lives of yourself. In this way you can and will learn lessons that you can apply to daily life…and more importantly I believe that these past lives help us to determine our place, our path or our true will.

2 – I *think* that Crowley was absolutely correct in that if the remembrance of a past life is uncomfortable then it is most likely accurate. Crowley makes a point of saying that it’s easy to let ones imagination create a favorable past life that has some romantic appeal to the individual. It was his belief that if the past life seemed romantic to the individual it was most likely a daydream of sorts.

3 – Crowely also wisely points out that whether these past live memories are in fact real, or they are a delusion of sorts is immaterial. These ‘memories’ still serve the purpose of guiding us, whether they be actual past lives, a memory implanted by ones guardian angels or a suggestion from the subconscious…they all serve the purpose of guiding the individual to his/her true will.

Fast forward to my being lead to ‘The Celestine Prophecy’…this was a recent addition for me. It was also a very moving and powerful epiphany of sorts. (if you haven’t read this book you need to – it makes no difference what religion, path etc you are…this is a book of universal truths). Anyway Insight 6 of this book is as follows:



6 Clearing the Past
The more we stay connected, the more we are acutely aware of those times when we lose connection, usually when we are under stress. In these times, we can see our own particular way of stealing energy from others. Once our manipulations are brought to personal awareness, our connection becomes more constant and we can discover our own growth path in life, and our spiritual mission - the personal way we can contribute to the world.


While this insight doesn’t specifically mention past lives…it does mention looking at our past to determine how we interact with others and how our parents interact in efforts of discerning what lessons we learned by being born to our parents. From there we begin to see and learn of our true purpose…our ‘Great Work’ as Crowley refers to it. I personally think that learning of past lives can only enhance the understanding of the individual’s purpose. It is a logical ‘extra credit’ work if you will…perhaps not necessary but potentially very valuable.

If you are still with me… :nonono: This is a long way of saying that I feel that the study of ones past lives is of great import.

While I have read this thread…I am curious. For those that have done regressions through different means…what method was most effective for you?

Thanks in advance for your time and attention!

[Pesha]

I am sure I have had a few, just have had no luck rememebring them. Blocked I guess. If anyone has any suggestions for helping me find out who and when I was, it would be appreciated.

BB
D'S...also known as...

[Toad]

I am sure I have had a few, just have had no luck rememebring them. Blocked I guess. If anyone has any suggestions for helping me find out who and when I was, it would be appreciated.

BB
D'S...also known as...


Dargon - if you can talk 'redheadwitch' into doing a past life tarot reading I think you will find it very valuable. The lady has skills in this area. :D Her past life reading of me was exceptionaly valuable even if it was a bit painful to absorb. =)

[Myrddyn Emrys]

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it...

Now, sone may contribute what I experienced as "near death hallucination", but I do not. I was shown all of my former "incarnations and given full knowledge of those lives all in one-lump-sum. It,ist to say at the least, overwhelming!

The tale:

About 15 years ago, I was shot by a 16 year old kid with a 22 rifle. Ths caused conciderable damage to my insides, causing me to have to recieve a total of NINE FULL transfusions in one night. Up until those fatefut two weeks in the hospital, I had believed in the spiritual-metaphysical-paranormal (whatever title you wish to lay on it), but was not really active in such.

Now, about two or three days into my hospital stint, when I was just starting to come out of the woods, my electrolytes bottomed out. I went into shock. I said a few things that I do not recall to my then fiancee' (now my wife, those here know her as Nynnianne)and blacked out.

During the time that they rushed me to x-ray and did various tests and then began pumping me full of electrolytes via IV, I remember next to nothing of this world that was going on around me...

Instead...

I was in a shapeless, well lit room. I was being shown images of various people from the past, lined up shoulder to shoulder. People I knew somehow, and was able to distinguish various clothing styles dating to recognizable timeperiods. Somehow I knew them...

Then, as if you were to take transparicies and shuffle them into one pile to overlay the images...ZOOM...there was one image, combined out of all the others. And it was the image of a person I know from looking in the mirror every day in this life. No voice, but something was telling me "Those were you, those ARE you, those WILL BE you"

Then I awoke in the hospital bed with my Soul-Mate watching over me.

Bit by bit, things have surfaced over the years, triggered by familiar sights, sounds, smells. When I stop and think about a specific time, I can tell you all too vivid details. Like being a dry-goods shopkeep in the Oklahoma teritory and having this one particular woman come in to buy this gods-awful-ugly-nasty looking green gingham material to make a dress for her mother who just thought it was the prettiest material she'd ever seen! Even the daughter hated the stuff! She was afraid of going blind looking at the stuff long enough to make the dress!

At times, when my guard is down, some or another trigger will start a flood of memories, then it becomes hard to sort through it all. Am I remembering this from now? When was it...where was it?

When it's controllable, it can be a blessing. when it overwhelms...it can be a curse...

be careful what you wish for...

Myrddyn Emrys

[WandererInGray]

For me it's mostly dreams....odd connections...and discussions that suddenly spark some strange image or memory.

Of the ones I do know I've lived...it's only snippets

*a woman on a ship, may have been a pirate, or a merchant not too sure...all I know is an incredible longing for sea and sails (and I've lived in CO all my life) and a meeting with a guy who may have been on the ship with me
*a girl in Scotland
*a young American patriot at the time of the Revolution
*a sailor on the USS Indianapolis (that one is a weird one, not only explains my fear of sharks, but my father (the most reserved guy you've ever met) has mentioned that he believes he was on the ship as well)
*a baby in Texas, I didn't survive very long but was apparently so eager to get back into the game I was born as my current self less than thirty-five days later

[IrishRiotGrrrl]

Okay I dont know if this one is real or not but it's embaressing as hell to me. I remember being in a brothel. LOL! I was singing next to the piano and some guy that looked like a cowboy?!?! Anyways, *rolls eyes*, I think the cowboy was bad news and I should have stayed away from him.

As for the how do I remember...just visions. Dreams came to me. Actually I think I remember since I was a little kid. I wrote a song when I was eleven called Cowboy Bill...LOL! It helped me remember.