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My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares
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I don't know how John the Baptist was a reincarnation of Jesus, considering they lived during the same time period. And, John the Baptist was born first. I believe he was about 6 months older. Do you maybe mean someone else? Cuz, I'm pretty sure it can't have been John the Baptist... ;)
Sorry, sometimes I type faster than I think, Ashley.;DJohn the Baptist was supposed have been a reincarnation of Elisha. I did hear that Paul was a reincarnation of JC however. I hope not, cause in MHO, Paul is definitely a step down for JC... Sorry. Gonna have to watch when I type as well as setting the cap key on as I hit A.
You know I once did a past life regression too. The ex-husband and the lost love were in that one too.And whether the sight I mediatated on was truth or not,it made excellent pyschological sense and was helpful. Have you ever read any of Brian Weiss' books?
Oh. Lol. That makes more sense, although I don't think I've heard that one either. But, logistically speaking, that definitely makes more sense! :)
Okay, Ashley your turn. :D What will your answers be to some of Nerdgirls' questions?
I haven't read the book, but it does sound interesting. But, I don't believe in reincarnation. I believe that we are who we are, were and will be. I also don't believe in soul mates in the traditional way- that there is only one person out there who can/will truly complete your soul. I believe that there may or may not be that person there for you at that time in your life, and without a doubt I believe in true, deeply abiding love, but I've known too many people who have been able to truly love more than once to believe in that one and only person.
I'm not much a believer in fate. I believe that we make our own, and are in control of our choices. Believing that there is only one person out there for me, and that if I don't find him, I will never be complete takes too much of my freedom to choose away from me...
I like your answer on fate,and certainly it's more psychologically healthy to believe you can deeply love someone more than once in your lifetime. Spending the rest of your life waiting or searching for the "only one" is a real waste of time and love.But there is another idea of soul mates,which claims that your soul mate is not or is always supposed to be your lover,but your most influential person in that span, over many spans.For some interesting reading though do borrow or buy Brian Weiss' books.He is a Jewish psychologist who found himself believing in reincarnation after he treated a woman with many phobias with hypnosis and discovered past-life traumas. I find it strange that although I am more or less of the mind that reincarnation is just a romantic/fanciful concept that I spend so much time wondering about the idea. It does make a great story though.
I don't know if I would call it a soul mate per say, but I do believe to a degree that there are those people (or that person) that is exactly what you need at that one moment and may be the most influential person in your life. I'll look into Brian Weiss, but I've never been a believer in past life regression. Hypnosis is pretty sketchy too. If the person putting you under is not excruciatingly careful, it is incredibly easy to inadvertently suggest something to a patient that then becomes their truth. A hypnotic state relaxes you and puts you in a position of higher suggestibility. Using hypnosis, a large group of psychologists 'discovered' a wide spread satanic cult that severely abused many young children and forced them to watch and take part in human sacrifice. The only problem with their 'discovery'? Absolutely zero physical evidence. They went to the places these rituals were supposed to have taken place- nothing. No bones, no bodies, no blood. Watch the videos where they are questioning these people under hypnosis? They are trying to uncover these satanically abused children, so they ask many leading questions and planted this idea in their minds. Being that they are in an advanced state of suggestion, these leading questions become their truths and numerous lives have been ruined as a result. I'm very skeptical when people use hypnosis as their justification...
However, I definitely agree that it often makes for a really great story.
Trying to lose weight, I went to a hypnotist.It was good for 30 pounds in three months time and the loss lasted for three years.For me that was a significant loss for a long time,so I have respect for the power of hypnosis.The past life regression I had, was more of a emotional response than an memory of a time gone by. It was like having a dream,where you analyze the content and figure out what you are trying to tell yourself. I didn't accept the fact that I had lived another life,(it was a nice story)but I did know the fact I had to accept. It was just easier wrapped up in a story that happened to "somebody else"
In the first book I mentioned Weiss was able to "cure" a phobia of a long term patient when her past life was discovered as a cause. But even Weiss mentions that if a patient believes that "x" is the cause of a trauma it can serve to cure that trauma. But in this paradiem changing session (for Weiss),neither Weiss or the patient was looking for past lives. Infact,at first, Weiss didn't tell the patient about this past life she had mentioned,but the symptoms of the phobia disappeared anyway.
I've never seen the videos you mention. But I do remember hearing about these cases.Knowing that alot of lives were totally destroyed by the"testimony" of the subjects would have made that very,very, painful to watch. Do they accept hypnosis in trials still? I hope not.
Hypnosis is as hypnosis does. If it helps you lose weight, get a handle on some "truth" you'd rather not face then it's all good. But to destroy someone elses life is a definite wrong. What's really scary is that the therapists of those children thought they were being helpful when it's quite possible that their own psychological motive was power or attention for themselves.The question is how do you tell what is real or what is fantasy? Or even what is helpful or harmful?
I agree. I believe that hypnosis has the potential to be very helpful, or very harmful. One of my undergrad professors used hypnosis at times in his practice. He spent some time on it, trying to educate us to both sides of the issue and to emphasize that if any students in the class went on to become practicing psychotherapists of any kind with the intent to use hypnosis that we become very educated and trained on the proper techniques before we implement it in a practice. It can really go both ways. I tend to put more faith in it when focusing on things like weight loss than on past-lives or hidden memories. It's pretty dangerous. I don't know if hypnosis is still admissible in court, but I imagine that in many communities, what happens at the trial is secondary and almost irrelevant. If a someone starts making those accusations, often people have already convicted the accused in their mind and are not particularly concerned with the outcome of the trial, and although they may not end up serving prison time, their life will never be the same.
I kind of think, that even if there are such things as past lives (which, again, I don't believe in) it's entirely possible that it is best for everyone involved if we let them be. Even if I believed in reincarnation, I would not want to know who or what I was in a past life. I'm more concerned with my present and my future.
Your comments are well thought out and well written Ashley. I'm enjoying discussing this with you. And I hope I'm not annoying the **** out of you. I'll gladly cease and desist, if so, and I realize we're getting off topic as well.But what if knowing who you could have been (Suspend disbelief,for a minute :D) could actually help you? Like the woman with the phobias in Weiss' first book? Isn't revisitng the past to find answers for your future an underlying concept of psychology? Of course you have to stretch the definition of past there. :D... And "above all do no harm" is also a strong basic tenet. That's the conundrum. I'd guess like choosing a cancer treatment,too much or too little can cause irreparable harm. The decision ultimately has to be agreed on by both the patient and the doctor. And in serious cases that's where I'd leave a past life regression type therapy.
In the child abuse cases, I agree people definitely convict before a trial ever happens. It's so terribly common (1/4 girls and 1/7 boys) it's no wonder we go on witch hunts. My daughter Amy who was a pysch undergrad and works as a wrap-around, calls sexual child abuse the equivalent of emotional murder. I can agree.Teaching kids myself I've seen the lasting damage abuse causes.And working with kids I've also seen what nasty suspicions can do. And I've only dealt with rumours about co-workers that were either proven to be unfounded or left to fade away. The possibility lingers on your mind and you watch ... Fair? Not at all,but there's the "not on my watch" mentality that takes over.(Nope you can't go visit that person alone, you really need to be at"X" or I'll just hang out here for awhile and stare at the wall ect) If I quietly prevent one kid from having to deal with a pervert, I'd rather do that than take chance that I let something happen that could cause so much damage. If I make "that person" feel uncomfortable, then okay,I'm sorry but its' still the choice I have to make.
Thanks Betsy. I've enjoyed this conversation very much as well. It's always great to have this type of intelligent conversation! (Same sentiment, I hope there is no offense being taken or annoyance coming from my end either!)I believe that with Weiss' patient, the help for the woman's phobia did not come because she visited a past life, found the root cause of the phobia and was therefor able to conquer it. I believe that she was hypnotized, believed she discovered the reason behind her fear, and was able to overcome it. I don't know if I'm very clear on the difference there, but it's like placebos in medication testing. If you truly believe that what you are trying is going to work, there is a pretty high likelihood that it will.
It's not for everyone. There are some people that are able to be helped that way, and there are others that are not. It would not help me, because I don't believe in it, and would not be comfortable being placed under hypnosis. I know myself well enough that I would start fighting it as soon as a doctor suggested it. But, there are a lot of people that it works very well for.
Even if I were a believer in reincarnation, I don't know that I would enjoy knowing my past lives. There is truth to the fact that you can learn from mistakes, but you can also lose your future wondering what might have been, and focusing all your attention on what was.
If it is something that you chose to try, be very careful. There are some people that it probably would help, even if all it is ends up being a mind over matter effect. If you chose to undergo hypnosis, especially for something like past life regression, make sure that the therapist putting you under is someone that you trust implicitly, who is highly trained, and take all necessary precautions and correct steps before, during and after the procedure.
And, I totally agree on the abuse thing. Emotional murder is a great way to put it.
Ashley wrote: "Thanks Betsy. I've enjoyed this conversation very much as well. It's always great to have this type of intelligent conversation! (Same sentiment, I hope there is no offense being taken or annoyance..."Hi Ashley,
Sorry to not have responded in awhile.A student on our team was killed while riding her bike around a hillside bend going to soccer practice. Smart kid,good kid,and all of 13.
A man from her church was the driver of the auto and stayed with her untill her demise. Sadly,they cancelled the life-flight before it landed. So freaking unfair,no matter what your faith says about an after-life.That is the purpose of faith to me,to comfort you and to make life,living with the seemingly impossible,manageable.I wish the blessing of faith for her parents and the man who drove the auto.
I read your advice and will heed what you say. I know, unfortunately,that I am the type of person who can focus too much on "what was" and not solve current issuses.
SPOILER ALERT
Back to My Name is Memory. What I appreciated most about this novel was that the main character, Daniel, had to let go of the past to be able to move forward with his forever love,Lucy. He wanted to share "all of his selves" with this woman. Lucy's inability to initially accept this idea drove a wedge
between them. He was,in Lucy's eyes,a nut case who would be incapable of loving her. When they finally become a couple,Lucy has to accept their pasts,and Daniel has to stay with her in the present time.It never was an either/or situation.
Okay where is the post button?
Oh no Betsy. How heart breaking! I am so sorry for you and everyone involved. I can't believe they would cancel the life flight! I will remember you in my prayers. I agree that faith is supposed to be a comfort and a blessing in your life.
(I'm okay with the spoiler, and will probably still read the book anyway.)
I like that she ended it that way. It makes it more plausible in my mind already. I know I wouldn't want to be involved with 'multiple' men at the same time, which is how I would feel if the man I was interested in/with started telling me about all these different lifetimes we were in love together. So I like that he had to accept the now in order for the relationship to work.
I hope that things work out for you. Best of luck to you and all those around you.
Hi Ashley,The life flight was canceled because Alexi had all-ready passed,so to take her to John Hopkins would have caused alot more problems.
Oh. How heart breaking. I feel for everyone involved. That is tragic. My deepest sympathies for everyone.
You betcha. I'd love to discuss this book.Yes,it is brillant and for me, at that time, excellent bibliotherapy.I picked up this book about a week and a half ago and think it helped save my sanity. A lost love from 40 years ago contacted me, said some seriously nice stuff and then,(once again:d)disappeared. I knew this man meant too much to me,but I didn't expect to spiral into a mini life crisis mode.I'm sane now though, or as sane as I get. :D
I'm not sure if you want me to answer these questions you posted now or wait till you form a group. So I'll try to give brief answers here.
Reincarnation? I'm not sure. I'd like to.John the Baptist was supposed to have been a reincarnation of Jesus. So maybe it is possible.I hope so. I think everybody wants a "do-over" on some part of their life. It could be all wish-fullfillment too.
A soul mate? Yes, if there is such a thing as reincarnation. And in a psychological sense, I believe it is possible to be such a part of a person's growth and path that the word soul mate would apply if even there was reincarnation or not.