Monday, August 27, 2007

Do you believe in reincarnation?

It shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone who knows me even a little that I believe in reincarnation. I've had a few feelings and dreams that I think might be past life possibilities. However, I had one dream when I was a baby that I'm pretty sure was a glimpse of an event in a past life.

I, of course, think I might have lived in or around New Orleans at some point based on familiar feelings I have for the city and for the plantation homes along the Mississippi River. I don't know if it would have been early in New Orleans' history (around the 1700s) or possibly around the Civil War era or maybe both. That I would think of New Orleans as a past life possibility won't come as a surprise to anyone.

I also had a very realistic dream many years ago that has stuck with me to this day. I was running around playing on some green hills with friends. When I woke up, I thought I was just having some sort of Julie Andrews moment, but I wasn't in the mountains like in the Sound of Music. I was in beautiful green hills. If you've ever seen My Father's Glory or My Mother's Castle which were filmed in the hills in the Provence region of France, you know the kind of hills I'm talking about. Since all of my ancestors are from France, this might have possibly been a past life dream as well...or not.

However, there is one dream I had that I'm certain was a glimpse of a past life. I remembered it again last night as I was watching Apocalypto and saw the scene where the jaguar is chasing the man through the jungle. I distinctly remember being a baby in my baby bed and waking up crying and standing in my baby bed holding onto the rails because I had dreamed I was being chased through the jungle by a tiger. Being a baby, I of course couldn't tell anyone why I was crying but I swear I remember having the dream and standing up in my baby bed crying.

It wasn't a recurring dream but I have always vividly remembered the details of that one dream that I dreamed that one time as a baby: I was a man running through the jungle being chased by a tiger. It wasn't a lion, or a jaguar or a panther. It was a tiger and I was a man. I woke up before the tiger caught me so I don't know if the dream was of my death in that life or just a terrifying event in that life.

Pshaw, you say? Perhaps. But, when I go to the zoo and hear the lions and tigers roaring in the distance, I get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and I sure do hate to run.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Naturally being part of this family I too have vivid dreams and past life flashes. I'm constantly dreaming of tidal waves. Water has always freaked me out. Everyone in my family can swin like a fish. I HATE my face under water. When I read "Memoirs of a Geisha" I felt like I had seen everything first hand. Yes it was written by a very good writer... I can't explain the feeling.

Baby sis

Laurie said...

Baby Sis - Ah, yes. Japan. There's that, too. I definitely got a deja vu feeling when I read Shogun.

Lorna said...

There is some really good literature out there about exploration of past lives. The would-be Buddhist in me believes it; the used-to-be-Catholic slaps my face.

I also have dreams where I am a man, specifically Tarzan, but it never occurred to me that it could be a glimpse of a past life---nopw I'll have to start paying closer attention. It would explain why no one had to teach me how to shave my legs.

Mommy said...

We have discussed this at length before. You know I believe you! :)

Laurie said...

Lorna - Maybe we were in the jungle together!

Jen - I KNOW we were somewhere together before. Had to be.

Grimm said...

In an odd twist, I often have dreams about things that will come in the future.

Of course I never realize that until it actually happens then I am like "Hey, I dreamed that!"

Yep, I believe in Deja Vu.

Laurie said...

Grimm - I do that, too! I tell people all the time that if I had control over this thing, I'd be dangerous.

Anonymous said...

I had a vivid dream like then when I was a child - I actually wrote about it in grade school. It is so real and has stayed with me all my life. I am walking along green, rolling hills and I see something coming toward me in the distance. It's a wolf and it chases me down the hills and into a little town with a cobblestone street. I run down the street and up three steps to grab the door to a corner store and he bites me on the leg. It is the most realistic feeling dream I have ever had. I've always felt like it had meaning. I'm not sure what, but I do believe it's significant.

Laurie said...

Leslie - Wow!

Anonymous said...

Hi Laurie, Civil War time period, I know about that. Go to Google Video and type in "Reincarnation Evidence". Then watch the clip that starts, "MAN remembers and offers evidence of his past life..." Hope you enjoy it. Best, Jeff Keene
PS: Keep listening to that wee small voice within.

Laurie said...

Jeff - I've seen that episode many times! Nice to meet you.