Out of curiosity does anyone believe in past lives that is they have lived before?
I ask because I recently came across someone who claims to be able to take people forward to future lives in much the same way under hypnosis some people seem to be going back to revious lives. Not something that had occurred to me to consider but it should be easier to prove.
Past Lives
Past Lives
An odd notion, "they". Who do "they" think they are? Amnesiacs? Sleepers? Dreamers whom death will awaken back to their normal state?
Somewhere in my body there's a few dozen molecules that formed part of Julius Caesar. That's the nearest I come to re-embodying either him or anyone else.
I am my conscious self. I have limits in time, from conception to death. No part of me existed before then and no part will exist after. My constituent atoms, yes, they have a wider history. There's absolutely nothing added on a so-called "spiritual" level which animates those atoms, just plain good old-fashioned chemistry and physics and biology and a lot of maths. "I" am not a mental leech attached in some way and capable of replanting in a new host whether I want it or not. I am a developing mind expressing natural processes. Damage that mass of tissue and there's no secret compartment where an undamaged master-copy of me is sat awaiting some form of heavenly liberation.
As for my perception of the world, that's a different matter. I'm quite sure there are alternative viewpoints from which time and distance are abridged, for instance. Those viewpoints are accessible, many people have found ways to explore them. None of that contradicts my earlier comments. Whether that provides mechanisms for minds to interrelate across time and space I don't know, I'd not discount it. That's a far cry from a transmigration of souls though. It gives nobody any excuse for saying they once worked for the Pharaoh building a pyramid. That's not a meaningful use of the word "I".
Somewhere in my body there's a few dozen molecules that formed part of Julius Caesar. That's the nearest I come to re-embodying either him or anyone else.
I am my conscious self. I have limits in time, from conception to death. No part of me existed before then and no part will exist after. My constituent atoms, yes, they have a wider history. There's absolutely nothing added on a so-called "spiritual" level which animates those atoms, just plain good old-fashioned chemistry and physics and biology and a lot of maths. "I" am not a mental leech attached in some way and capable of replanting in a new host whether I want it or not. I am a developing mind expressing natural processes. Damage that mass of tissue and there's no secret compartment where an undamaged master-copy of me is sat awaiting some form of heavenly liberation.
As for my perception of the world, that's a different matter. I'm quite sure there are alternative viewpoints from which time and distance are abridged, for instance. Those viewpoints are accessible, many people have found ways to explore them. None of that contradicts my earlier comments. Whether that provides mechanisms for minds to interrelate across time and space I don't know, I'd not discount it. That's a far cry from a transmigration of souls though. It gives nobody any excuse for saying they once worked for the Pharaoh building a pyramid. That's not a meaningful use of the word "I".
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left. ... Hold no regard for unsupported opinion.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious. [Fred Wedlock, "The Folker"]
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious. [Fred Wedlock, "The Folker"]
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
Past Lives
gmc;1355624 wrote: Out of curiosity does anyone believe in past lives that is they have lived before?
I ask because I recently came across someone who claims to be able to take people forward to future lives in much the same way under hypnosis some people seem to be going back to revious lives. Not something that had occurred to me to consider but it should be easier to prove.
Good question----------There have been times where I have been to new place and feel that I had been there before, but as another person. Many have felt this I'm sure. Do I believe that I have had past lives? Not really, but I like the idea. I also like the idea that I would live again as another person. Do I believe it? Nah
I ask because I recently came across someone who claims to be able to take people forward to future lives in much the same way under hypnosis some people seem to be going back to revious lives. Not something that had occurred to me to consider but it should be easier to prove.
Good question----------There have been times where I have been to new place and feel that I had been there before, but as another person. Many have felt this I'm sure. Do I believe that I have had past lives? Not really, but I like the idea. I also like the idea that I would live again as another person. Do I believe it? Nah