Habits and past lives

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 19 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Aquahectate	19 Aug 2002
I recently decided to quit smoking and i made the decision to use the patches to combat the niccotine craving and all i had to do then was break the habit, the hardest part. I started thinking "How many lives am i quiting for, how many past me's have smoked?" My father is a smoker has been all my life and apparently when i was three and he smoked around me i used to nag him for a smoke, it seemed like i was a old hand at smoking. I have read that when people pass on and become spirits some of their habits and addictions stay with them, which to me means that if you don't combat the habit/addiction when you do come back in the next life they come with you. Thinking all this makes me more determined than ever to beat this, i really don't want this in the next one. It would be interesting to find out how many of the habits i have now have carried over from past lives, i know some of my fears are past life based. I was wondering what other people think of this theory. Om Shanti Gisele

catlin	19 Aug 2002
Hm, interesting thought. I remember that I was pretty scared by fire when I was a kid and later I found out that I was burned at least 2 times in past lifes for being accused as witch. Nowadays I don't have this problem anymore.

wavebreaker	19 Aug 2002
Yes, I believe in the theory that you take some things with you from your past lives, whether it's habits or fears. During the first year of my life I had trouble with food. Every time my mother would feed me, I would spit it all out again. No medical cause was ever found for this. It wasn't until after about a year that I finally managed to keep food down and I started to get a healthy weight. A few years ago I was told that my previous life was a very miserable, poor life and that I died of starvation. My theory is that, because of this, I wasn't used to proper, healthy food and I first had to get used to it in this life.

Kismet	20 Aug 2002
I'd agree with the theory you bring up. If we're to learn til we reach Heaven, or nirvana and reincarnation is based on the belief you come back til you "get it right" so to say, then you would not only take the lessons learned, but the habits as well. I've shared that I feel I may have been reincarnated and my past life was during WW II Germany. Our company just recently went from badges we wear round our neck to the option of wearing your picture and employee number on an arm band. When I first saw it, it immediately made me think of arm bands the Nazis wore. I have this same type of deja vu when outside at night and noise plays over speakers in stadiums. I can't think of anything I've had occure such as fear of fire or not partaking of food. Being a smoker, I relate to your situation. God Bless, In love and light, Kismet

Phoenix	20 Aug 2002
I died of the plague in England. I hate being sick(although I doube anyone likes it)

Rain	21 Aug 2002
I agree with this theory. That's the reason we reincarnate in the first place. To learn and get rid of old habbits. Rain

debins	21 Aug 2002
I agree with Tarotlady also. That's why I'm keen on trying to correct some personal flaws in my life; I'm assuming they're carry-overs and I don't want them in my life now, which is bad enough, or later to live with again. Thinking "long term" this way has helped me tremendously with personal goals. Namaste, Debins.

Frequency	22 Aug 2002
How do you figure this stuff out? Who tells you what you were in a past life? I'd get a kick out of it if someone from here can tell me. I'm just interested to see what someone would say. I believe that everyone is a product of their environment but there are things which are just there and I can't really explain that.

wavebreaker	22 Aug 2002
I was told by a psychic. It hadn't even occurred to me to ask her about past lives, I don't think I had ever thought about it at that time... ;) But she suddenly asked me "Are you often hungry?", and then she immediately added "No, that was in a past life". And that's when she started telling me about my past lives. She told me about three different past lives, and all these lives explained things that I'm experiencing or have experienced in this life, like the example of not being able to eat properly I posted before. I think there have been threads before on this, on how you can figure it out. Try a search on "past lives", I'm sure you'll find something! :)

DarkElectric	23 Aug 2002
I so need to know about past life stuff, I have never been able to get anyone to do anything like this for me, and I think it would clear up a lot of things. I get impressions, memories, if you will, here and there. Kismet, I think I was in Nazi Germany too, but I'm not exactly sure where. Whenever the senseless destruction of Dresden is mentioned, I actually get a sharp pain in my heart, and want to cry. In fact, I went on a European tour with a band I was in, about 4 years ago. We went through Germany on the train. It felt very familiar. The train went through Dresden. I found myself staring out the window, looking for things I knew were going to be gone. (I never saw pictures of Dresden before, in school that stuff was barely covered.) I wanted to get off the train. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. The guys in my band were freaked out, and asked me what was wrong. I couldn't tell them. I didn't really know either. It sort of faded as the trip went on, but I was really sad for a while. I am terrified of fire in the worst way. I don't think I was burned as a witch. I think I was a citizen of Dresden, who died in the horrible fires caused by the dropping of incendiary bombs. That is how it was destroyed. Fire. And I have addiction questions too. I don't want to bring this into a future life. And I want the addiction stuff gone in this one!

Aquahectate	23 Aug 2002
Hey, DarkElectric, I have never had anyone tell me what/who i was in my past lives. I have found some out through meditation, specific ones for past lives, but most have been through what i call "triggers". Going to places, seeing photos, , meeting people and either feeling i have known them all my life or taking an instant dislike to them etc, things which trigger off a memory or emotions that aren't mine. The hardest thing about all this is that there is no acutal proof, the majority goes on trusting your own feelings and experiences, if you feel drawn to a place and can't explain why, or if you have certain emotions towards a place, like you did, to me thats usually an indication of a past live memory. One thing i was told was that you only remember things which are relevant to this life, to this moment, usually answers to questions, and when you are ready to handle it too, as you now know it can bring up pretty strong emotions. Some times i have felt like i am loosing my mind when i describe a place i have never been to then see photos of that place. I think i know most if not all of my past lives, the reason for this is that alot of the people i knew then are with me now and are into this stuff too. Some of my past live recall has been pretty interesting and completely unexpected, where as some have been what i thought all along. Om Shanti Gisele

Diana	24 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by tarotlady A few years ago I was told that my previous life was a very miserable, poor life and that I died of starvation. My theory is that, because of this, I wasn't used to proper, healthy food and I first had to get used to it in this life. I remember some time back meeting at friends a guy from Burkina Faso, who had come to teach them to play some Burkina musical instruments. He stayed for three weeks. During the third week, he ate less and less, until he was just eating a few handfuls a day. We asked him if he was ill. His answer was: "No, I have to get used to being hungry again, before I leave." :(

Kismet	24 Aug 2002
Diane, that is so sad. It has a way of reminding one's self when you feel you aren't blessed, you truely are.

wavebreaker	24 Aug 2002
Thanks for sharing that Diana. Sometimes we need a reminder to know how good our lives are and how things that we take for granted aren't part of everyday life for others...

Frequency	24 Aug 2002
I watched the movie in history class, and I understood everything immediately. I grasped it really quickly. I'm really afraid of sharp objects being waved around me, and I felt uncomfortable handling a rifle. Both of those things have no reason behind them. I have no idea if I was Gandhi, but I just connected with him very easily. I dunno I just thought that was interesting. If someone here can determine what my past lives are that'd be cool. It'd give me a better understanding of myself maybe.

Diana	24 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by tarotlady Sometimes we need a reminder to know how good our lives are and how things that we take for granted aren't part of everyday life for others... Tarotlady: actually, my intention was not to post that as a reminder of stuff like that. It was what I thought of when I read your post, and thought that perhaps the answer to why you didn't want food, could perhaps have another background to what you have supposed up to now.

debins	24 Aug 2002
RE: quote: I have no idea if I was Gandhi, but I just connected with him very easily./quote In some of my recent readings I came upon an explanation that suggested that although we might feel a connection with someone or some place of very great fame we may not necessarily have actually been that person. But, we may have been close enough to have experienced their presence or that presence in a profound way. Just for example, I feel a very deep connection with the Taj Mahal. The very first time I saw a photo of it in a travel advertisement in Gourmet magazineI (many, many, many years ago) I became strangely taken in, very still, my heart beat differently, I thought I was going to cry and my eyes were just glued to the page, but I don't think I was Mumtaz, the beloved...although I am quite a silly romantic. Just food for thought. Namaste, Debins.

napaea	29 Aug 2002
i had a psychic explain some of my past lives too, tarotlady! it was wild! she started talking about a life in the 20's or 30's, she said i was hit by a train, i was really young and ran in front of it on a bet. she said this is why i was really cautious as a kid and never partied (true) i wore an old bowler hat then, and this was why i loved hats (true, i've always worn them) and why i loved the fashions of the 20s and 30s (true!) she also said i was a nun in a past life, which immediately made sense cause i waited to have sex till i was 28!!!! ha ha ha! * anyway, Aqua!! there are also theories that some people carry over evidence of their death. i've read several books that have stated that people's birthmarks are often evidence of the past life injury. a number of people in india recalled past lives vividly, and knew their names, families, houses and how they died. say they were shot in the head, in this life they had a big birthmark in the exact same spot. and many people have verified these claims. if your interested, read "20 cases suggestive of reincarnation" by Ian Stevenson (fascinating) and "children's past lives" by Carol Bowman

Bings	30 Aug 2002
I have recently read a book called "Past-Life Memories; Twelve Proven Methods" By Richard Webster. It is a very easy book to read that gives 12 methods to explore your own past lives, mostly through meditation. I had been wanting to explore my past lives but just didn't know where to start. How to go about it. I'm also afraid of what I may learn. (What if I was a horrible person or died a horrible death???) This book has helped me get the courage and some idea on how to start. While meditating a few weeks ago I fell asleep and was able to glimpse what I believe to be 3 past lives. I had three very quick flashes of three very different places and time. The flashes happened 1, 2, 3.... very quick. First was of a stone wall. One that would surround a castle or keep. Very long time ago and my view was from the outside. Second flash was of ball gowns dancing by. My view was from that of a person sitting down or maybe even a child's eye level. Third view was the one I have the most *feelings* about. Was of a women dressed in WWII era clothing running in the street, lots of fire and bombs. I *feel* like it was Germany. Now that my kids are in school I will have the time to explore these glimpses in more detail. After reading this book I feel more confident about exploring my past lives. Dianne

The Habits and past lives thread was originally posted on 19 Aug 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.