Past Lives and Connections

[Sequoia]

I was prompted by another thread to start a whole new discussion in this one. :)

Here's my rant/question: Why is it, in the pagan community, that you cannot simply have formed a bond or connection with someone without it having been a 'past life'? It used to be that it was OK to have simply met someone, or if it needed to be special, you could express that feeling and need by saying it felt "destined" or "meant to be." That was pretty special! I mean, that sort of thing happens every day. But now it seems like if you even happen to "click" with someone, you just get right along- it has nothing to do with personalities, it's because you shared a past life. It wasn't for any other reason. It *has* to have been a past life, for you to have liked eachother that much.

It's not that I don't believe in past lives, on the contrary, I am quite certain they exist. What I don't get is why every meaningful relationship seems to be labled "past life", instead of ... say... "meaninful emotional and spiritual bond." It's like people of this current pagan community cannot bear the thought that two people could just meet, and just belong together. Or even simply be good friends - why is it that if you form a deep friendship even, it has to have been a past life?

So yeah... what're you thinking on the subject?

[Pure Ahimsa]

I believe their is a choice of staying in the Spirit World or being reborn, and I chose other. I guess that you stay with the things you loved.

[SoulHealer]

Though i believe in past lives and have worked with my past lives I don't have a deep relationship with anyone that was in a past life.
If I did fine, but I am not looking to repeat my past, but learn from it. I love meeting new people and gaining new experiences from them so I guess I'm probably not the type to want to keep close to the people from my past (for that matter I'm not close to people from the past in this lifetime either).....lol maybe there is a lesson there for me ;)

[gwendar]

I don't believe in reincarnation and past lives. I think people connect due to similarities, shared interests and maybe pheremones...

[soilsigh aingeal]

I chose other. I do believe in past lives, I don't think they are rare, and I don't believe that everyone's significat other is their "soul mate." I believe it to be possible, but I don't think that being someone's soul mate means you have to marry them. I think it could be your best friend, or your worst enemy in some cases.

I think the term soul mate is just romanticised.

[Aelfoak]

I believe that when two people are meant to be then you will know about it, it will hit both of them hard when they are not expecting it, sort of out of the blue and a real surprise, with regards to past lives, well i have yet to experience a past life or have a flashback from one so i'm not sure, i'd like to believe in reincarnation but we don't know anything till we die do we.

So i just think it is fate, plus being in the right place at the right time under whatever circumstances adds to you finding the right person to spend your life with.

[DraoinanDuanaire]

I believe in reincarnation. I don't believe most people run into each other again so much as shared resonance from the past makes some people more compatible in some ways.

I.e., Person A and Person B might both have lived in the same part of the world at the same time, and these similar experiences shape them in these lives, giving them a sense of connection. The odds that Person A and Person B actually fell in together then, happen to reincarnate at the same time now and fall in with each other again, however, are slim (unless it's their fate, but same difference). It's just math.

[Silver_FireStar]

Well me and my other half were in a past life together, but that's just because I partially remember it and the fact that we got on so well in a two minute talk about launching a search for my friend that we stayed in touch and became what we are now, and he doesn't open up to people like...ever!

None of my best friends were. Well except for my spiritual sister...but that's just a feeling/hunch as I can't remember her from a past life.

So I beleive yeah past lives exist, but connections you make in this life can be just that. This life. Ok you're bound to but the soul mates, strong friendships from a past life, will come back to you in this one.

[Silver_FireStar]

I chose other. I do believe in past lives, I don't think they are rare, and I don't believe that everyone's significat other is their "soul mate." I believe it to be possible, but I don't think that being someone's soul mate means you have to marry them. I think it could be your best friend, or your worst enemy in some cases.

I think the term soul mate is just romanticised.

I agree. Soul mate to me means a soul with whom you are close to. A friend, family, lover whatever.

[BelovedDru]

I was prompted by another thread to start a whole new discussion in this one. :)

Here's my rant/question: Why is it, in the pagan community, that you cannot simply have formed a bond or connection with someone without it having been a 'past life'? It used to be that it was OK to have simply met someone, or if it needed to be special, you could express that feeling and need by saying it felt "destined" or "meant to be." That was pretty special! I mean, that sort of thing happens every day. But now it seems like if you even happen to "click" with someone, you just get right along- it has nothing to do with personalities, it's because you shared a past life. It wasn't for any other reason. It *has* to have been a past life, for you to have liked eachother that much.

It's not that I don't believe in past lives, on the contrary, I am quite certain they exist. What I don't get is why every meaningful relationship seems to be labled "past life", instead of ... say... "meaninful emotional and spiritual bond." It's like people of this current pagan community cannot bear the thought that two people could just meet, and just belong together. Or even simply be good friends - why is it that if you form a deep friendship even, it has to have been a past life?

So yeah... what're you thinking on the subject?

I think it depends more on who you are and how you feel about the situation. Personally, I think past lives do exist. Of course, my sister went to have a past life tarot, and the reason why (and this is all according to the reader) my sister is friends with some of the people she is now is because they knew each other in a past life, and apparently, my sister, father, and brother have all been in past lives together. My sister and I, however, have only started this life together. *shrugs* I don't know if that means I'm a newbie to the world or if I was elsewhere, but now I'm very interested in seeing a reader about the subject.

On the other hand, I've never had this instant bond with someone, so I dunno...

[Bigboper123]

yes but are rare

[sarabethv]

I have met a couple of people that there is a possible past life experience with. The moment I met them it was more than a connection, it was more like a memory. Like, de je vous. And there was one where the closeness kinda freaked us both out, neither one being the sort to trust quickly or become close to another within a month or so. Then there are the people you just like right away because there is a connection. I like to stay open to possibilities.

[Bigboper123]

Attempt at thread revival What about shared souls? I mean past lives yes, but I am talking two or more people or beings sharing one body.

[Philbo]

I've known a few bubble-headed girls who just heard of past lives yesterday, and suddenly they think past lives are all the rage, and everyone they meet for the next week is somebody from a past life, because that's suddenly the cool thing to say. Maybe people feel more self-important if they can believe that they have some sort of destiny created by past lives.

[AuroraSilvermist]

I chose "other" because I'm just not sure. I find it hard to put blind faith in anything that extends beyond my own reason and logic. Arrogant? Well, maybe. But the fact is, I just can't accept that there is such a thing as reincarnation without some sort of hard evidence. It would be nice to know that our spirits go on after our bodies, the shells that contain them, are gone, but I'm just not convinced. And I feel better just saying "I don't know" than accepting some ideology that tells me what to believe.

Personally, I like to think that my relationships are what they are because I was able to connect with another person on a deeper level, and because I worked at growing that bond. I'd like to take some credit for the loving relationship I have with my husband! I worked at it. I put my heart and soul into it, actually. It is what it is because my husband and I made it that way, not because we were "destined" to be lovers, or because we knew each other in another lifetime.

So, off the top of my addled head...those are my opinions. :P

*steps off her soapbox*

[Bigboper123]

well it revived the thread.....didn't answer my question,butrevived the thread

[melantha rose]

I know that my husband and me were 'meant to be together'. We just have too many connections--deep connections, for it not to be so. We have had every legitimate reason to divorce, but we just cannot seem to do it, because we love each other and we both feel like we were destined to be together. Were we together in a past life? I don't know. Does it really matter? We have been in this life together for almost 20 years now, have basically grown up together--and have the scars to show for it. If we met in another life, would we recognize each other? I don't know. All I know is that in this life, I cannot imagine breathing without him. I guess that is enough. I can only hope that, when one of us is taken from this life, that we will be waiting for the other on the other side. Where we go from there is not for us to know now. But, if it is possible to be together again, I most certainly hope we are.

I do believe in reincarnation. I have experienced it as a toddler and know it to be true. I don't know about 'soul mates' meeting each other again and again. It's a beautiful thought, though. "Somewhere In Time" is one of my favorite movies. And who is to say for sure. We just don't know. I have learned in this life, though, that anything is possible...

[AuroraSilvermist]

Attempt at thread revival What about shared souls? I mean past lives yes, but I am talking two or more people or beings sharing one body.

I'm not really sure that has anything to do with the subject. I haven't heard of the concept of more than one soul sharing a body. That sounds more like possession or schizophrenia to me. :P

There's the notion, from Plato's Symposium, that there were once three types of beings--man, woman, and an androgynous combination of the three. The beings were too strong as they were, and the gods grew anxious about this. Zeus was then said to have split them each in two, thus increasing their numbers, but diminishing their strength. Once they were split in two, they took their place on earth as individual souls.



"And when one of them meets with his other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and will not be out of the other's sight, as I may say, even for a moment: these are the people who pass their whole lives together; yet they could not explain what they desire of one another. For the intense yearning which each of them has towards the other does not appear to be the desire of lover's intercourse, but of something else which the soul of either evidently desires and cannot tell ..."

I like that notion. :)

[Cielamara]

You get a cookie for quoting Plato. I'm impressed. :)


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Okay, so you get more than one. I'm bored.

[-Ember]

I have problems with "past life" connections for many reasons...

1) I don't really believe in time. It is a practical tool, but it isn't really real. All is now sort of idea. Past life, future life, current life... a connection is a connection.

2) I hesitate to accept predestination in the way it often gets implied. Everything is for a purpose... but it usually isn't as dramatic as it is presented.

3) Depending on how many past lives you believe in, you well may have some sort of individual connection (not just thinking the sort of connection everyone has to everyone, or similar to similar) to hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, etc, souls. Makes it a bit less impressive.

4) How to define "me" and "them". There is a thought problem presented in philosophy. Imagine your brain/personality is put in a clone, clone brain put in your body. Are you the brain/personality/clone body or the body/clone brain? Both? Neither? If you ask where the soul went... good question... and hard to answer. But am I my soul? I tend to think of the combination of mind, spirit and body being me (loosely enough that things like a haircut don't mean "I" cease to exist) but if so, reincarnation of "me" is not possible. Simmilar question: a cell divides. Is it either of the daughter cells? Both? Neither?

Revival topic:


What about shared souls? I mean past lives yes, but I am talking two or more people or beings sharing one body.

Well, I've wondered about that too. If time doesn't exist, maybe I'm here right "now" in more than one incarnation. Trick there I guess would be defining "me". Can the soul split? Is it a matter of them having been one soul, now many? Perhaps souls divide like cells when they get too big. Or can multiple souls share a body (some days it feels like it to me....)?

[AuroraSilvermist]

You get a cookie for quoting Plato. I'm impressed. :)


Ain't the Internet grand? You can look stuff up in 2 seconds if you know what you're looking for. :veryweird

[PoisonIvy]

I don't know that I believe much in past lives. I would need convincing. _witchball

[Sequoia]

Hmm, for the multiple souls theory...

This will sound strange, but here goes. I do think that more than one spirit or soul can "hang out" in a single body - but I do not think that they would be born there.

For example, someone's spirit guide may decide to reside within them for a period of time, in hopes of a deeper learning. Or another type of spirit, such as an angel, may stay relatively close or even within one's psyche or spirit, in the hopes of protecting or teaching. Heck, it's maybe even possible that a spirit who should have passed on may be caught in another person for a short period of time, for no real reason. That person might not even notice it.

But I think that such an occurance is a lot less likely than, say, schitzophrenia or mulitple personalities disorder. You've got to be logical about these things, yes?

[merlo]

I've met so many people in this life, trying to remember them all is hard enough. Past lives?? I believe in 'em, have made some really fast/strong relationships, but don't spend alot of time thinking about my past lives. This one keeps me occupied enough.

:rollingla

[Catiana]

I picked other - I believe in reincarnation, but I don't think everyone you meet or connect with in this life is from a past life. I think some are and some aren't, I also think its possible to go through a life time and never meet anyone from a past life or go through a lifetime and only meet people from a past life. Basically I think all options happen.

[ajna]

I believe in past lives. I can normally tell about how many a person has had -- I can't "read" them or tell them about it or anything, I can only feel how old (worldly experience wise) their soul is. I do NOT believe that if you chose to go, or are sent, back that you necessarily have to take anyone, or that someone will chose to come, with you. I'm sure there are incidents of multiple souls returning about the same time to be reunited, or perhaps a soul is assigned to another soul and that they are supposed to meet, but I truly don't believe that the whole world is cyclical and souls are automatically recycled into new people who always find eachother. It's more like a really awesome roller-coaster. Perhaps you all get off and one person is raving about how awesome it was and how they want to go back, but then there's always someone who hates rollercoasters and another person who will want to do something else and one who doesn't want to wait in line... etc. but every once and a while there might be someone who loves rollercoasters as much as you who will ride it with you till you both throw up.
Yay metaphors.

[anagarically]

Well, as for past lives. I do believe in them. And I can usually help other people get to know their past lives and experiences. In rare points, I can even read peoples past lives and such. I don't know, it is strange. I believe in recycling energies, and such. But, I know that I myself, have never had a past life. This is my energies first life, and last life. I have tried my own meditation into past lives, i have had readings, i have even tried past life regression. Nothing there, nothing before this life for me. But.. i know that past lives are there, and i believing in the cycles of the lifes. I don't really know if i believe in the karma affect so much, but i know that the energy that comes over to the next life, has a pattern that is in some way relational to the previous life. so...

Anagarically

[orgtigger]

Past lives can be odd.
Just because you met someone in a past life doesn't necessarily you'll have a deep bond with them.
But I have met people I have deep conections with. If you had a close friend or someone you bonded with in a past life(Soldiers in wars will general share these bonds) when you meet that person in another life your soul is likely to "recognize?" the other souls pattern as familiar.

[~Anamorata~]

I believe they exist...but, not everything depends on what happened in those lives...

[Bigboper123]

I'm not really sure that has anything to do with the subject. :)
As I said it was a thread revival and not only did it work but It is now taking over

[Koehnae]

I believe in past lives and in reincarnation, but I don't believe our meaningful relationships are necessarily connected to past lives. How would we grow as spiritual beings if we only associated with the same souls from life to life?

[Pesha]

I do believe in past lives and soul groups as well. I also feel that the strong deep emotional ties we have were there before the Goddess caled our names and we came to live on this plain. The controvesy and varied views of past lives and connections is very large. As there are many souls, so are there many opinions. Really we will not remember until we once again cross the Bridge and pass through the veil.

BB
DS.

[Arie]

I believe in past lives. I have always had an affinity for horses. My parents would tell me all the time that i was born too late and should of been a cowgirl. The first time i saddled a horse i just knew how to do it. I was in kindergarten and was at a friend of my mom's who had ponies and us kids were gonna go ride then in a corral. I just took the saddle off the trunk and tacked up the pony i was to ride. I remember my mom staring at me and her friend asking if i'd taken lessons etc. My mom was like uuuhhhhh no she never has.

[HeavensHope]

I don't believe I shared a past life with people I met or have a connection with, at least not with all of them. The only people I feel like that about are those that I feel like I've known all of my life(even if we've barely known each other), it's more then just an instant connection or bond with me (although even that is rare). I think my two best friends and I might have known each other in a past life, we've been through so much together, we've been friends and inseparable the moment we met. No matter how far apart we are, or if we haven't talked maybe for years;when we do talk it's as if we were never apart, no time has passed between us.

[obie]

i believe in past lives. i am extremely fascinated with the subject and would like to learn more. if you guys are into PLs try visiting the forum www.reincarnationforum.com you guys might get all of your reincarnation questions and such answered over there. also let me know if you guys know of any other reincarnation websites.

[TerminallyUnique]

yes, I know Ive been before, and Ill be again. I am bound to one, and scoured into my brain from birth it was. The hand-fastening in Saskatoon and the blood sharing was akin to hoisting our sails again ( :D Palantari ;)).
Since a child however, I have always been aware of others,
a kindred,
and I have been graced by the return of a friend,
another old one, and there is recognition therin.
lol, now I see why ancients used pictogram forms, ... words are too finite.:)

[tiamat-4]

Yes, but other. I believe that all relationships (both helpful and ill) are interconnected to the relationships beheld in previous lives.

[-Ember]

I believe that time (particularly linear time) doesn't really exist, eternity is a long enough time to form some sort of connection to everybody and therefore all of these instant connections do come from having met the person before in a significant manner, or because the person will be met someday in a significant manner,or because you are meeting them in that significant manner now in order to feel/because you felt instantly connected to them in other past/future lives. And if you are paying close enough connection, this will occur with pretty much everyone. In general it is easier to just ignore it or note it and move on with current circumstances because it is so widespread.

[DarkDancer]

I have met some people that I have been absolutely rock solid sure that I share some sort of karmic connection with. Thgen I have met some other people that I have a very special relationship with that I am completley sure that it is absolutely brand new.

[Valasha]

Well here is my experience.

It takes alot for me to open up to people that I meet (especially in person) I may eventually make a great connection with people and be best of friends, but my husband was different. The first day we met I felt like I had been best of friends with him forever. Even shared my desert with him (we weren't dating, but were taken seperatly by seperate friends that were a couple for a Renaissance Festival audition thingy that we all went out to dinner later) Anywho, Hubby is from Ontario Canada (Im from Michigan) but even with the distance we grew up from each other, the way we voiced our opinion about abstract things were almost exactly the same words. I was ready to marry my husband months after we met, but we were both warry of that. (Note: past relationships I had that were longterm, even after talking about marriage I wasnt that gunhoe with them, always been warry of marriage and moving in with significant others)

I can't say everyone, who has found their soul mate, met in a past life (sometimes much later those relationships fall apart, even 30 yrs later) Fate plays some funny parts in peoples lives though, past lives or not.

Hope my rambling thoughts aren't too scattered for ya'll :ugh:

[XanderAmon]

I believe in past lives. I think perhaps some people have friends or partners they keep returning to, but this is not true for all. I am still figuring out which group I belong to...