I don’t relish the notion of reincarnation. To go through time jumping from body to body like a hermit crab sounds tedious.
I know a few people who believe in reincarnation; they have tried to explain it to me but I get easily confused. They believe some of my interests and longings are leftovers from past lives.
It is an intriguing concept. If they are right then I have been the following –
1) A Pacific Northwest Native American.
When I first visited the Northwest I fell in love with it; it felt like ‘home’ although I have never lived there. I collect Native American art; I am drawn to it for no logical reason. One of my recurring dreams is visiting a Shaman in a longhouse on the coast of British Columbia.
2) An actor during the Elizabethan era.
This is another example of my attraction to a time in history, and the drama of a certain period for which I have no experience.
3) A hedgehog
During high school art class my cartoon logo of a hedgehog appeared spontaneously; I have been drawing hedgehogs ever since.
4) Messalina
I don’t think I will explain this one.
5) Eleanor of Aquataine
Or is this merely my fondness to watch and imitate Katherine Hepburn?
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May 14, 2008 at 7:47 am
Kalvin
I don’t mind the idea of reincarnation. The funny thing is, the people who believe in reincarnation apparently DON’T want to be reincarnated. They want to escape all that. I don’t find it all that disturbing though. What’s the differences between vague affinities and our “magical” genetic propensities. Both seem mysterious to me.
May 14, 2008 at 8:12 am
Cameron
Reincarnation makes perfect sense to me — everything in nature goes through cycles, why not human lives?
I disagree with Kalvin that just because I happen to believe in reincarnation that I don’t want to reincarnate. Quite the opposite — I know that I have quite a few lives left before I can “move on” from the physical plane.
I would venture to say, Spo, that your affinity with certain things could in fact be resonances from previous lives.
Politics and religion, and philosophy like this, are probably best avoided in this kind of forum. But I couldn’t resist!
In ANY case, regardless of what one believes, all we’ve got is the PRESENT life to live right now.
May 14, 2008 at 8:21 am
Cliffie
There are very adequate alternate explanations, although I think reincarnation makes more sense than a lot of the other ideas out there.
Hedgehog: Everyone knows you are a thorny character.
Pacific Northwest Indian: Everyone knows you closely resemble a Wendigo in your person and habits.
Messalina: You could just as easily have been plenty of other debauched Romans. Aim high — think Caligula! Or you could just be flashing back to college toga-party experiences now the roofies are finally wearing off.
Katherine Hepburn: I think your own fixated, repetitive re-watching of “A Lion In Winter” is the real problem here.
May 14, 2008 at 8:55 am
TigerYogiji
Messalinia? You? Surely not!
I am a firm believer in reincarnation, and you most probably did live in the regions and times that you have such an affinity for in this life!
May 14, 2008 at 9:33 am
citywoof
Since I was in elementary school, I have had a very clear recollection of being a soldier and returning home from the civil war. I remember the clothing and the face of my wife and the house we lived in. I was mortally wounded and I don’t remember actually dying, but I do remember the strong emotions….the happiness of being back home and the sadness that I wasn’t going to survive.
May 14, 2008 at 10:12 am
Jay
I may have know you in the Pacific Northwest. It is one of my “places” also.
May 14, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Purrchance To Dream
Elinor of Aquitaine - that’s great!
Lots of years making the whoopee and leading the country, then several years of solitude, with lots of great dialog to go with it!
I know that at least one of my previous lives was as a priest in Ancient Egypt - when I was there, on the Nile, my soul felt “at home” for the first time in this life. Probably similar to the experience you had in the Pacific Northwest.
And I think I was a gypsy dancer somewhere along the line, too. Definitely a dancer.
I’m still smiling thinking of you in Elinor’s head scarf-wrap thingie!
May 14, 2008 at 1:37 pm
mo
OH - sorry, that was from Mo.
Didn’t realize I had the kitty blog name in then “name” spot til I hit publish!
D’oh!
May 14, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Pink
I hope you find a Shaman in a sweat lodge in BC.
I know a very good Shaman in Portland who travels all over the USA. She does all kinds of journeying and actually…given your love of Jung…I think you’d like her work. Her name is Christina Pratt and her website can be found with the Last Mask Center for Shamanic studies. I’ve worked with her both in New York and Portland.
xx
pinks
PS - I also recommend Purdy’s hedgehogs. They are yummy BC chocolates
May 14, 2008 at 3:43 pm
seriouslyflippant
I don’t relish the idea either. Here’s to hoping we’re fast learners!
May 14, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Seamus
I wonder if I knew Citywoof in another life…?
I have this feeling that I was an African American Woman back then - during the Civil War. Memories of markets and freedom trains and ships and herbal medicines… Sometimes it’s amazing - I think - how do I know this?
Affinities run for other periods in history, too: Egypt, Babylon… even Atlantis.
Others have told me that my life number is 8. Meaning that this is #9. I think it may be the last… But then again, I don’t think I’ve learned yet what I am meant to… so, that leaves it open I guess.
Maybe I’ll go read my gay tarot.
May 14, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Raybob
The Museum of Anthropology at UBC has an incredible collection of shamanic artifacts. And Bill Reid’s depiction on the Canadian $20 is a classic shamanic “spirit canoe” used in healings, complete with partially-transformed shamanic helpers doing the paddling. The original, done in basalt, is as at the Canadian Embassy in DC. The copy is at Vancouver airport.
A Lion in Winter is one of my favorite movies of all time. Are you windburned from being barebreasted?
May 14, 2008 at 9:38 pm
zeph
I had enough drugs, once, that I felt religious for a week or so. I was inclined to like reincarnation– it seemed only fair for people to get another chance.
Drugs wear off, and I’m less inclined to believe that fairness is a property of the universe.
May 15, 2008 at 4:37 am
BentonQuest
I love where Laurie Anderson talks about her past lives. She says she was a bird, and in her next life she was a hat. Well actually, she was a feather on the hat so that only counts as a half-life.
I think I am Frank Lloyd Wright reincarnated.
May 16, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Daniel
I once had a dream that I was a druid alive around 300 BC in Romania, present at some battle between the Macedonians and the Celts. this was followed by another dream in which i was in a theater, messing around in empty dressing rooms while a play was in progress onstage. I figured that meant I needed to deal with the present and leave the past alone.
But still, an ancient Druid? That’s really cool.
June 11, 2008 at 12:18 am
Josh
LOL @ Messalina!
Hey Spo,
Hope you’re well. I don’t blog anymore, but drop in on sites every now and then. Hope the heat isn’t killing you down in The Valley of the Sun.
Josh aka Smiley