Remembering Past Lives

[unofficialsamurai]

I always found the idea of people who remembered their past lives to be interesting, but took it with some skepticism. 

Do you think one can remember their own past lives through meditation on there own?


Bows,

Rafael

[SharpPudding]

Yeah, but you should remain skeptical unless you have some good evidence it's a real memory.

[Kaivalyananda]

I read a book called, Edgar Cayce on Reincarnation, I believe it was. Apparently, he did a number of past life readings and even occasionally offered information of where the subject could find objective information about the previous life. Such as, go to this building and down three floors and there is a file in the four drawer of the second filing cabinet.

Don't know if all that is true, but I know there is a lot about all This that is beyond my present understanding.

[WayBackHome83]

Hi Rafael,

Remembering past lives is most likely possible. Rinpoche gave an ordinary analogy of the process when talking about remembering past lives during a teaching. To paraphrase:

"If you're rushing around and someone asks you what you had for lunch last Wednesday, you'll struggle to remember. However, when you sit down and calm your mind and think back, you'll be able to remember what you had for lunch that day."

In essence, our minds are so monkey-like (always going from one place to another without stopping) that most of us find our past lives impossible to remember. But, if you can remember occasions when you were two, three, five, eight years old...why not previous lives, with enough practice through meditation?

Of course, this is said to require a high level of skill before it can be achieved on our own, without the aid of hypnosis. On his Enlightenment, apparently the Buddha was able to recall numerous past lives.

If you're interested in reincarnation and thoughts of previous lives, check out Dr. Ian Stevenson, who carried out a vast amount of scientific research on the subject.

http://reluctant-messenger.com/reincarnation-proof.htm#about This article is a little lengthy, but very interesting.

Kind regards,
Sandy

[SharpPudding]

I'm pretty sure to remember past lives you either need some degree of clairvoyance or you need to have had established a subtle body as a basis for your memories and more or less skipped the whole bardo thing by ejecting your consciousness and going directly to a womb. I'm not sure if this is accurate though.

[unofficialsamurai]

Such an interesting concept.  Who or what we were before...too bad we can't easily remember...

[WayBackHome83]

You were always you, simply travelling along in different vehicles. Whatever has been is passed and you are here now. In your next life, you might wonder to know how you are now, but to be attached to the idea of the past, as mysterious as it might appear, is really of no use. You might have been a King! You might have been a mechanic

To me, the interesting concept is that we are here now, yet most of us are thinking of what will be or what has already passed. We have the opportunity, right here, right now, to put real effort into the Dharma, into developing ourselves spiritually, too bad we can't realize this amazing opportunity.

We are like rich men on our yacht fantasizing about the times when we were incredibly poor - it makes no sense

Enjoy the ride now - make the most of what you have while you have it. Before you know it, it'll be gone and just before it goes, you'll have wished you'd spent more time cultivating who you are now. Not a thought will enter your mind about who you once were.

Kind regards,
Sandy

http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/2010/09/five-regrets-of-the-dying.html

[unofficialsamurai]

Thank you for that.  And if I did exist before in past lives, then that would mean that right now is the afterlife. and as I look around(despite all the problems I think I may have) I see how much merit I must have collected in the past to be so fortunate to enjoy such a new rebirth.

Bows


 

[D.Ogyen]

I know who I was... all I have to do is see my current ignorance, I can tell you I for one am only relieved by the mechanism of nature to NOT remember everything horrible I felt guilty about before.  It's hard enough to face my life and own my actions of THIS life, I can't imagine bearing the scars in my mind every day of all the awful things done out of ignorance and anger that I have single-handedly generated.  

I know who I was.  I was like I am, trying to find freedom.  Whether poor or not, my choices led me here today, in this frame of mind.  There is nothing to romanticize.  In the same way there is nothing to romanticize about my childhood.

I think it's natural to wonder like a child, "Who was I in another life?"  It's as natural as the question, "what created this?" or "Who am i"  However, wondering and really seeking are the difference between realizing the purpose of one's past and trying to achieve something through the validation of its happening.  To be more clear, I can wonder briefly about any thing that rises in my mind, but how I hold onto it is where I choose.  To hold onto fantasy is where I keep repeating ignorance.  To see the fantasy for what it is and let it rise and fall away is to "renounce" the ways of the childish mind that is the little king wanting to command and rule all.

I used to wonder who I was, even went so far as to ask a psychic.  It was before I understood I was just trying to "know myself" now for how I can free myself now.  So once that sunk in, who I was became clear to me in all that surrounds me.  Those who love me, hate me, know me, these are the karmic conditions I've chosen for my special brand and flavor of ignorance.  When I think of investigating remembering past lives, it's occurred to me to ask, "WHY?"  so I can know I cheated on my wife or husband, or done some heinous stuff out of anger?  Or how I was a dog or a cat and ate my best friend who was a mouse?  You know...?  I have enough garbage I'm trying to slough from my psyche, past lives would be more weight of the past I carry in my mind.  

Until I have more skill and natural remembrance, there is no further reason for myself to investigate this, I've determined.  Who I was is much who I am still, just different skin, different name, same game, same dream.  After all, I'm still shedding the karma I've generated before.  It's not like it's "going" anywhere, as long as I am, so is my baggage.  

FWIW, my two cents on the importance of past-lives.  They could be fundamental at your stage in your journey, for me I've realized they're just a distraction that need not be given more thought than the past of this life.  That is contemplate, learn, but beyond that, let go lightly of what has slipped away.  If you don't, you'll see it again, for sure.  So it's not like you have to CLING, your natural wanting will make you grasp again.  Instead, better focus on this not-grasping quite so fast, not reaching quite so far, and keeping a light footprint on the world.  Past lives are your heavy footprints.  You were no better as a whole than you are now, your realization will blossom wherever your karma takes you, because wherever you go, well.. there you are.  In hell or heaven, in skill and in doubt, there you are.

_/|\_
D.Ogyen

[wmw111]

Having procured such a precious rebirth do not leave it without extracting some essence from it .

Remember we have existed since beginning less time if we don't do the dharma when will we ? This human life is the vehicle that  can lead to high rebirths, liberation and buddha hood hence make full use of your life.
At the very least invest half of your time in dharma and half your time in worldly, knowing that you will have future lives ahead of you. 
 

[Joey]

you could if  you want to, but can you control your emotions after learning about things that is better left unknown?

also, what would be the main purpose of knowing your past life? because what matters is how sincere and how much we practice here now.

[unofficialsamurai]

true! what matters is here and now....

Just curious about it......for information sake's wouldn't it be interesting to know?

[D.Ogyen]

for information's sake.... what's the purpose of the 'sake' part? 

[WayBackHome83]

Hey Rafael,

I fear Ms Ogyen is playing with you a little

Of course, for information's sake, it'd be good to know. Perhaps even it could act as some kind of positive inspiration, who knows? In any case, it's just as valid a subject to learn about than, say, music or going to the cinema. What's the point in music or any other entertainment? I think we're allowed a little fun for fun's sake

Regression's usually the way to find out about past lives, though there seems to be a huge question mark over the accuracy of the practice. Dr Ian Stevenson and others have said that regression is inaccurate due to the fact that hypnosis can "guide" the participant to believing certain things, or give their imagination a push in a certain direction under the "power of suggestion" that hypnosis can provide.

Still, if it's something you find interesting, you should have a look into it. Don't listen to these killjoys haha.

Kind regards,
Sandy

[unofficialsamurai]

for information's sake.... what's the purpose of the 'sake' part? 

I like it.

But, as Sandy was saying, it is true, no harm in wanting to know.  But do you think Regression can be done by oneself without the aid of a teacher or whatnot

And I do think it can be inspiring to know, or depressing.(If I ind out I was a Dung beetle)...

Anyway....

Bows