Something important to contemplate in understanding “past” lives and what they have to do with us, is that linear time is a human construct and one that doesn’t really exist in the broader cosmos. Past lives as a concept in the daily vernacular generally views lifetimes in a linear way, where there are a series of lifetimes occurring one after another up until this present lifetime, and the future lifetimes haven’t happened yet. When our perspective broadens to time being circular, continuous, simultaneous, moments strung together by our mind, then we can understand that these various lives are occurring in the same timeframe and informing each other. Another way to view it is that perhaps these are other dimensional selves, or perhaps we can imagine an answer explained by “spooky entanglement.” I think these could all be true, and a greater truth is beyond our conscious comprehension.
When we seek to have a glimpse into the differing contexts of these patterns as they played out/are playing out in other lifetimes we can relieve ourselves of some of the angst of why we struggle to change behaviors that are causing us pain. Or why we are attracted to certain kinds of people even though those relationships are ultimately unsatisfying.
…Change is hard. As humans we are pattern makers, and we love to use patterns to predict the future. We’re not very fast, or strong, our eye sight, hearing, and sense of smell isn’t all that great, and we take a very long time to physically develop and be able to care for ourselves. Our ability to identify patterns to attempt to predict what is coming next is not unique among sentient beings, but we are heavily reliant on it. Our bodies hold memory, and our energies hold memory. It’s often pretty unconscious, our bodies responding even before our mind makes the connection with a thought. Changing unconscious patterns that are rooted in our survival (whether our mind agrees this is true or not) is extremely hard. It takes a lot of repetitions. Our energy itself can become bound up in these loops, unable to reach its full capacity for flow.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time pondering what it would be like to be a consciousness without a body, just energy existing or moving…wherever energy might go, and perhaps I get a taste of it when I astral project. It seems pretty cool and interesting to me, but from what I’m hearing as I continue these travels between realms it’s a pretty cool and incredible thing to be embodied. To be anchored and have the capacity to move energy, to transmute it, to shift it consciously and within a 3D physical experience is an amazing skill we have as humans (other beings on earth can also do this of course). I believe that’s why we choose to incarnate. I don’t want to say it’s boring to be without a body, I don’t think that term has relevance in the broader multiverse, but it’s a unique way to cultivate experience (which is to say energy).
One of the dreams I mentioned in the last newsletter that I had recently took place in the mundane environment of a hospital waiting room. Someone came out and said “Ok, you’re going to die. So we need to know what you’d like to be done with your remains.” And I go on to say I want to be cremated, but if it’s legal I also think an ocean burial sounds pretty neat… and they interrupt me to say “no I’m talking about your consciousness, what are you plans for your consciousness?” I’ll skip of the more personal elements of this conversation but essentially this individual said that we choose if we’re going to have another life here in earth, and knowing if you plan to come back or move on to another realm is important because it informs how you may choose to resolve your karmic agreements in this lifetime. When we do not make a choice, we are leaving much of this potential resolution to chance.
This of course is a dream, my dream, and not a prophetic declaration I’m making. But I was surprised in that moment that the idea of not returning to earth, for all its bullshit and problems, made me feel overwhelmed with grief. I definitely had an understanding that this notion of reincarnation being a hierarchal one, where we progress in the forward march of time (or don’t) and then “graduate” to the great beyond is not a useful framework, and moreover it’s not accurate.
What a relief actually to be able to say to yourself “yeah, I don’t think this is going to be fully resolved for me in this lifetime but I’m going to do my best to make whatever progress I can and that’s enough.” And in contrast, as rewarding as it might be to have the sense that those resolutions are within your grasp in this life, how sad to imagine leaving planet Earth permanently for the next…I don’t know— dimension? Planet? Space? Unembodied consciousness? Spirit guide?
It’s worth thinking about because it reflects some of our ideas of what our soul purpose is. Why are we here? What matters to you, what do you want to accomplish in this life? And how does this find balance with just enjoying the experience of being alive? Enjoyment and wonder seem like importance parts of cultivating consciousness to me… it can’t all be doom and gloom (contracts and vows! trauma and lessons! This can’t be the whole purpose of being here).
If you’re inclined to believe in spirit guides, this is where we might be able to access some support in bridging the gap between what brought us here and the general experience of our lives thus far. While reading Essential Energy Balancing, the author refers to the Lords of Karma as the sort of governing body of karmic contracts. This concept is echoed in a lot of writing about karmic healing. I did find those meditations very interesting and would highly recommend them, but something about the language and overall description felt in contrast with my experience. Or maybe my feminist sensibilities just gristle at the word “Lords.”
I might prefer to say that within our meditations, and in collaboration with all our guides, teachers, supports, angels, etc. as well as the concept of karma as something that goes beyond just us individually, we can assemble a sort of “karmic counsel” of advisors to help us tune into our own soul’s memory. And this would unique to each of us.
It’s quite ironic that perhaps one of the most effective methods for cultivating energy and consciousness is to live a life on earth, but the catch is that the moment you’re born you “forget” pretty much everything that happened before. I feel like there are countless movies and books that essentially explore this awareness in the creative unconscious. Remembering those “past” (really “other”) lives is then an important key to deciphering between becoming distracted in the everyday affairs, drama, and consumption of our lives vs. staying focused on what’s really important to us and benefits the collective. Some distractions offer lessons and opportunities, others are more like “Groundhog Day” where we just repeat the same experiences much as we try to change the outcomes.
Asking for clarity and insight about these patterns and conflicts can help us better direct our energy towards what’s actually in our sphere of influence, and use our time and abilities wisely.
What are the areas of your life where you feel your energy is being misused, or where no matter what you pour into it nothing seems to change?
What are your own unique abilities that can positively influence those around you? Are you using them?
To what extent do you have a conscious awareness of what your soul purpose is, or what you would like to achieve in this life outside of the material?
How does being a parent, or not, factor into this? How much of your purpose feels connected to your family of origin and the difficulties of this life?
Inward Vision 