Do you believe our souls have lived other lives?

[heretic888]

So, does anyone believe that they have lived a past life? That their soul once lived another life, or is it all a bunch of hooey?

I have no idea.

However, I have to point out one of the more amusing things about proponents of reincarnation is the alarming number of female adherents that are absolutely convinced they are reincarnations of Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, or one of the Victorian queens of England.

That has no bearing on the validity of the idea, of course, but I just think it's funny that there are several dozen reincarnations of Joan of Arc running around the earth all at once.

Laterz.

 

[heretic888]

For instance, the idea that one must keep going through the cycle of birth and death to work off the bad karms that has been accumulated and so forth- such an argument is illogical.

I mean, if you're not consciously aware that you've accumulated this "bad karma" how can you really put forth any genuine effort into ridding yourself of it? It's rather like punishing a dog a week after he piddled on the floor. He has no memory of what he did and doesn't understand why he's being punished...

If you are going by how the system is actually described in Indian philosophy, then the aforementioned explanation is hogwash.

Within the Indian religious complex, "karma" is not some type of punitive retaliation or reward dished out by a personal Other. Rather, it is a universal law of cause and effect. Even the gods are subject to karma in Indian religion.

I don't know if I buy into the concept myself, but it does no good to anthropomorphize the process to bring it in alignment with Western religious ideas.

Laterz.

 

[mrhnau]

That has no bearing on the validity of the idea, of course, but I just think it's funny that there are several dozen reincarnations of Joan of Arc running around the earth all at once.

My opinion on the whole topic is that you are not reincarneted. Like Heretic, I do find it ironic that people who are reincarneted tend to recall being someone famous. Why happened to the millions of potato farmers in the past? Janitors/Sanitation engineers? Is everyone Joan of Arc? Ceasar? Why so many generals and so few foot soldiers?

Another interesting point... are souls created, or do we have a limited quantity? If they are not created, then the amount of life forms having souls should be decreasing as a function of time, right? Since some eventually get to go on to nirvana? Is there a decrease in life forms present on Earth? And how did the cycles begin? What if the earth is destroyed in some fashion?

 

[heretic888]

Since some eventually get to go on to nirvana?

Minor point here. . .

"Nirvana" is a Buddhist concept, not a Hindu one. Buddhism doesn't accept transmigration of the "soul" per se in that Buddhism does not accept the existence of a "soul" in the first place (this is the concept of anatta, or "non-self"). What reincarnates in Buddhist philosophy might be considered a collective of impulses and energies, but not a distinct personality or "self".

That being said, in Mahayana Buddhism once you're Enlightened (or realize you were always Enlightened anways), you're still supposed to "come back". This is part of the Bodhisattva Vow, that one cannot accept the release of nirvana until ALL sentient beings, without exception, also realize this.

Laterz.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I had a very interesting conversation with someone who works in an adjoining department today. She is a trained therapist who helps people who suffer from traumatic stress disorder, etc.

We started talking about our phobias and I explained to her that the only real fear I have experienced has to do with mountains and driving up into them when it is cloudy. My heart starts to palpitate and I have this overwhelming fear. I am not sure what I am fearing, I only know that I don't like the feeling. My rational side knows it isn't rational to fear such things, but the physical reaction I have to it is unbelievable. I don't consider myself claustrophobic at all. Nothing else bothers me.

Anyways...she told me that because it is a precise fear and the fact that I only react to those precise conditions that she is convinced I had a previous life experience that has caused me to carry this fear into my present day life and that I will continue to carry this fear/phobia with me until I go back in time and face what has caused this in me.

Now, I am not a big believer in such stuff but I listened because I did find the whole thing rather fascinating and intriguing. Now, I am not ready to allow anyone to help me "regress" back into a previous life and truthfully, I live in what is quite possibly the flattest land on earth and only visit the mountains every couple of years (so no need to really face anything ), but she is bringing me some literature on past life regression, etc. and I am looking forward to reading about it.

So, does anyone believe that they have lived a past life? That their soul once lived another life, or is it all a bunch of hooey?

Lisa,

While I cannot prove past lives did not exist, I also listen and ponder.

As to fears, and phobias, the fear of heights is considered the only hardwired phobia. As babies with no other input can react to being held up, while others do no react. Others are taught fears (* According to what I read *), either through our parents or our culture, or through personal experience.

The Clouds is a lack of visibility.

The Mountains are heights.

Combine the two and you get a situation where you could drive off the mountain and fall. I say it this way as in other conditions such as airplanes or ferris wheels you might feel in control or like there is enough normal conditions for you to not see the fall as most likely happening. While driving blind in the mountains does cause a fear reaction.

More on this later.

 

[Bigshadow]

Yes, sort of... I believe when one dies their energy goes back to the collective of the cosmos to change state yet again. Just as the animal dies on the plains and the energy of their body feeds the grass that feeds other animals which gives birth to new life. It is a circle. However, I am not convinced there any individuality of this energy in the collective (cosmos), so I am inclined to disbelieve "Past experiences" association. However, my beliefs can change as I gather more information.

 

[JBrainard]

Well, I had a supervisor once who I was convinced, at the time, was a reincarnation of Elizabeth Bathory.

That's unnerving.

 

[Kensai]

I have no idea.

However, I have to point out one of the more amusing things about proponents of reincarnation is the alarming number of female adherents that are absolutely convinced they are reincarnations of Mary Magdalene, Joan of Arc, or one of the Victorian queens of England.

That has no bearing on the validity of the idea, of course, but I just think it's funny that there are several dozen reincarnations of Joan of Arc running around the earth all at once.

Laterz.

I've had the same thought, although, while I don't pretend to have "been here before", I don't believe I was anybody famous, but I cannot escape the realisation that on a few occasions throughout my life, something, somewhere, someone.... is... known to me. I'm not trying to legitimise the concept of reincarnation, the soul etc, but I also cannot dismiss the possibility of the spiritual out of hand.

More and more I'm finding the MA that I study, while certainly not developing the spiritual within me, don't hinder it. It's (a sense of the spiritual) also becoming more and more important to me. I feel the need to develop it, without knowing why. It's not a want, it is a need. Hmmm...

 

[Lisa]

Lisa,

While I cannot prove past lives did not exist, I also listen and ponder.

As to fears, and phobias, the fear of heights is considered the only hardwired phobia. As babies with no other input can react to being held up, while others do no react. Others are taught fears (* According to what I read *), either through our parents or our culture, or through personal experience.

The Clouds is a lack of visibility.

The Mountains are heights.

Combine the two and you get a situation where you could drive off the mountain and fall. I say it this way as in other conditions such as airplanes or ferris wheels you might feel in control or like there is enough normal conditions for you to not see the fall as most likely happening. While driving blind in the mountains does cause a fear reaction.

More on this later.

Bingo! I think you hit the nail on the head. Anyone who knows me (and loves me ) knows I don't give up control of myself easily.

As for the "past lives", premonitions and the de ja vu's, I must say I am skeptical. However, I will share this.

All my life I had dreamed, imagined, or whatever that when I was married I would have two children and they would both be girls. I had a recurring dream of being in a bedroom and talking to these "two girls" as if they were my children. I could not distinctly make out their faces but one was a redhead and one was a blonde. We were sitting on the bed talking, not sure about what, but that doesn't really matter. What is weird is a little over a year ago we decided to sell our home and move. My "dejavu" hit me like a ton of bricks as I sat there talking to my daughters about where we would be moving, etc. I knew I had been there before and I was literally overwhelmed by the experience. It was probably the strongest dejavu I had ever had. BTW, my youngest daughter is blond and my oldest is a redhead.

Too weird....

 

[Kensai]

Bingo! I think you hit the nail on the head. Anyone who knows me (and loves me ) knows I don't give up control of myself easily.

As for the "past lives", premonitions and the de ja vu's, I must say I am skeptical. However, I will share this.

All my life I had dreamed, imagined, or whatever that when I was married I would have two children and they would both be girls. I had a recurring dream of being in a bedroom and talking to these "two girls" as if they were my children. I could not distinctly make out their faces but one was a redhead and one was a blonde. We were sitting on the bed talking, not sure about what, but that doesn't really matter. What is weird is a little over a year ago we decided to sell our home and move. My "dejavu" hit me like a ton of bricks as I sat there talking to my daughters about where we would be moving, etc. I knew I had been there before and I was literally overwhelmed by the experience. It was probably the strongest dejavu I had ever had. BTW, my youngest daughter is blond and my oldest is a redhead.

Too weird....

Important words. Not weird, just... inexplicable? Trying to find a logical suggestion for that kind of experience is going to be difficult, as it isn't really quantifiable. Some people will always be skeptical, and that's great, others, may have a more open mind/approach to questions such as this. I, as ever, fall somewhere between the two.

 

[Flying Crane]

It's something that I like to believe, but I have no proof.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Everything that will be, already was.
Everything that once was, will be again.

 

[JBrainard]

For instance, the idea that one must keep going through the cycle of birth and death to work off the bad karms that has been accumulated and so forth- such an argument is illogical.

I mean, if you're not consciously aware that you've accumulated this "bad karma" how can you really put forth any genuine effort into ridding yourself of it? It's rather like punishing a dog a week after he piddled on the floor. He has no memory of what he did and doesn't understand why he's being punished...

That's a lot like the fundamentalist Christians who believe that you are going to hell if you don't accept Jesus as your personal saviour. What if you were never exposed to Christianity? I guess you're screwed, then.

 

[JBrainard]

...one thing that always puzzles me - in the same vein as what your therapist friend was discussing - is deja vu which I'd have fairly frequently. And of course, that being a phenomenon that would seem to have no physiological explanation.

Not true. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu#Scientific_research

 

[JBrainard]

Yes, sort of... I believe when one dies their energy goes back to the collective of the cosmos to change state yet again. Just as the animal dies on the plains and the energy of their body feeds the grass that feeds other animals which gives birth to new life. It is a circle. However, I am not convinced there any individuality of this energy in the collective (cosmos), so I am inclined to disbelieve "Past experiences" association. However, my beliefs can change as I gather more information.

Cool! That's pretty much what I believe!

 

[JBrainard]

All my life I had dreamed, imagined, or whatever that when I was married I would have two children and they would both be girls. I had a recurring dream of being in a bedroom and talking to these "two girls" as if they were my children. I could not distinctly make out their faces but one was a redhead and one was a blonde. We were sitting on the bed talking, not sure about what, but that doesn't really matter. What is weird is a little over a year ago we decided to sell our home and move. My "dejavu" hit me like a ton of bricks as I sat there talking to my daughters about where we would be moving, etc. I knew I had been there before and I was literally overwhelmed by the experience. It was probably the strongest dejavu I had ever had. BTW, my youngest daughter is blond and my oldest is a redhead.

Too weird....

Not so weird. My wife has precognative dreams at least once a year. I've gotten used to it.

 

[Kensai]

Not true. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu#Scientific_research

That was cool. I have those "jolts" described as mild epileptic episodes a few times a month. Always before I drift off to sleep. Only when I'm going through a stressy period too.

 

[JBrainard]

That was cool. I have those "jolts" described as mild epileptic episodes a few times a month. Always before I drift off to sleep. Only when I'm going through a stressy period too.

FYI, epilepctic episodes and stress are VERY much related. I know this because my wife's best friend is epileptic and I hear about all of the medical stuff.

 

[Kensai]

FYI, epilepctic episodes and stress are VERY much related. I know this because my wife's best friend is epileptic and I hear about all of the medical stuff.

Thanks for that mate, would explain a lot. Am going though a house sale, a 7 months pregnant partner, doing a uni course in spare time, and working on a managerial team that's worse than any bear pit, and looking after a 10 year old step daughter. Aahh... I love it really.

 

[Lisa]

Not so weird. My wife has precognative dreams at least once a year. I've gotten used to it.

That is very fascinating. So your wifes dreams come to be reality? Are they focused on highly emotional events or are they, as mine was, just everyday things?