Why can't I remember my past lives?

You were probably a scientist at some point. Sort of a joke - but we do pick up some natural talents and some baggage. Think about things you're naturally good at and some irrational stuff in your consciousness (which is always helpful anyways).

Originally Posted by Altair

Hello, I am one of those analytical people. I have that scientific mind and it does get in the way at times with my spirituality cause I need that feeling of having 'evidence' versus 'faith'. When I try to think about reincarnation and see if I could accept it as a possible belief system, I can't fathom it cause I don't remember squat from past lives. So then I am like: "What's the point in living this life if I am not going to remember it or learn from its lessons if I can't even remember old lessons from previous past lives." It is just sad to know that I will die, eventually be reincarnated and nothing of value is taken out of the life I have now since I can't remember it. So what's the point in reincarnation? Why can't we remember these things?

Reincarnation is either:

1) an ego-based belief that reassures us that there is an individual "me" that goes on after death;

2) a metaphor for something that was more difficult to explain in earlier times. My favorite operating theory is that it is a metaphor for parallel realities.

As to your sadness about death, perhaps there is a reality in which we have discovered the cure for death and you do go on endlessly and never die? Maybe this is what the Buddhists knew, and that's why when the hungry tiger leaped, they did not flinch. Because in another reality the tiger was not hungry and they weren't eaten.

Personally, if you believe in living in the Here & Now and being Present, then it is incongruous with a belief in reincarnation. I am of the mind that time is but a human construct and past, present, and future all go on simultaneously in the Now. Thus there is no such thing as past lives, because there is no past. There is only stories of the past that our minds like to tell us. We identify with a past life experience (possibly a famous person) because they represent an archetype that resonates.

Science is showing the past can be rewritten by what happens in the present. It's quite possible time flows backwards, not forwards. Politicians re-write history all the time (much to the chagrin of historians who are constantly battling against it, but also putting their own personal filter of beliefs on their re-writes). What does that do to a belief in reincarnation?

I *also* have no past life memories. I resonate a lot with certain historical figures because I adore history --- I adore all stories.

So my own conclusion is that it's as I said above, or...... I don't remember my past lives because I had already concluded the cycle of reincarnation, ascended, but chose to come back with a complete slate. That's a cool story for ones' self, no?

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

I have neither experience nor knowledge of Akashic or other records that are available to us while being in the physicl world. My knowledge of dozens of my lives comes through talking with soul connections about their recalled memories if me, my own spirit guide, and other spirits, plus the odd infrequently recalled memory through extremely well remembered dreams and little visions.

This is all a new experience to me. Last year it started pouring in after a whole lifetime of thinking the only thing after death was to be wormfood. I asked my guide why it was all coming now. His answer: "You was ready."

I asked a spirit I have dealings with some times, an angel, where all my past life memories are stored, because at that time I did think she was looking me up somewhere. Her reply was "It is different for everybody but in your case it is all stored in your own mind, to be unlocked if the right time comes. It is up to your development." If I recall it right word by word."

We do get clues. Turned out that my enormous interest for ww2 and german equipment and my empathy for all the soldiers who had no choices, is due to me having been a german officer then myself. And my love for the Old West from childhood? Been there. My love for sailships? Yep, commandeered a few of them too.

If this is the case, then I guess I really am Jesus reincarnated.

[Ninoushka]

Originally Posted by SerpentQueen

If this is the case, then I guess I really am Jesus reincarnated.

I had to laugh at that



Altair, I can totally relate to what you say. As a child, I was always taught that anything God-related or supranatural was an invention. My father had (still has) a lot of authority on me and I naturally embraced his beliefs, even if they didn't always satisfy me and give me all the answers I wanted. Nowadays I am interested in spirituality, but it is still very difficult to get rid of my mental blocks and my rational spirit.
I'm tempted to say that if you came to this forum in the first place, you are already starting to get rid (although very slowly and progressively) of your scientific, down-to-earth spirit. You're already doubting your very cartesian vision of the world. I think it is important for you to stay positive. Being very Cartesian may be considered a bad thing as to opening to spirituality, but it also guards you from believing whatever. I mean that being open is important, but I'd rather have too much skepticism (and still keeping my critical thinking) than having too much credulity.
Then another piece of advice that seems to be working for me is that I try to take all of this past lives exploration thing as something entertaining. When I'm in a meditation or daydreaming about past lives or my spiritual guides, I try to accept whatever I see. In order not to doubt all these "visions" I tell myself that:
- either what I see is real/true, and it increases my awareness + it teaches me things about myself
- either it was just my imagination and at least I had a good time! ;)
Basically, future meditations, astral travels and whatnot will show me if all my visions are consistent and confirm each other, or if I was just making the whole thing up. Really, when you think about it, what do you have to loose in exploring all of that?

If you don't trust dreams or meditation, maybe you will want to explore your past lives through hypnosis. I am very interested in Hypnosis because it is a scientific tool, and I believe that for people like us we will tend to trust it more than just a vision while meditating. Right now, it is something that I'm trying to do research in and hopefully it will work? We'll see...


Oh and I would also want to thank Evaah for his (her?) very enlightening post!!

Originally Posted by Ninoushka

Then another piece of advice that seems to be working for me is that I try to take all of this past lives exploration thing as something entertaining. When I'm in a meditation or daydreaming about past lives or my spiritual guides, I try to accept whatever I see. In order not to doubt all these "visions" I tell myself that:
- either what I see is real/true, and it increases my awareness + it teaches me things about myself
- either it was just my imagination and at least I had a good time! ;)

I love a good story. Even if it is "just your imagination" who cares? All great stories have meaning, do they not? You learn from the stories. So what if all this is (everything) is just a story we've created with our lively imaginations? Does it really matter?

Why such need to confirm, validate, prove... or to dismiss as "entertainment"?

Stories ARE real. Stories are worthwhile. Stories are the only thing that sets humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. We are stories. We create stories. Dreams are stories. Reality is a story.

Imagination is everything.

Dear Altair,

Your a perfect divine being just the way your , spirit is showing me a picture of you waking up and knowing there is something more to life, yes you are right to ask, Why can't I remember my past lives? ,Spirit is ready and so are you, and you teacher is ready too, Dr Brain wiess,

Book called

Many Lives, Many Masters
A spellbinding case history substantiating the effectiveness of past-life therapy. The book will open doors for many who have never considered the validity of reincarnation."
-- Richard Sutphen, author of Past Lives, Future Loves and You Were Born Again to Be Together
Dr. Weiss integrates concepts of traditional psychotherapy and the exploration of his patient's spiritual unconscious. My view of myself and others will never be quite the same."
-- Joel Rubinstein, M.D., former instructor of psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School now in private practice
An interesting, well-written and thought-provoking exploration of the influence of past-life therapy on present behavior. You cannot put it down without feeling empathetic with Dr. Weiss's conclusions."
-- Andrew E. Slaby, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. Medical Director, Fair Oaks Hospital
A profoundly moving account of one man's unexpected spiritual awakening. This significantly courageous book has opened the door to a marriage between science and metaphysics. Must reading for a soul-searching, hungry world."
-- Jeanne Avery, author of Astrology and Your Past Lives

As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks.
His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss's family and his dead son.

Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career
Love Valerie

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

My knowledge of dozens of my lives comes through talking with soul connections about their recalled memories if me, my own spirit guide, and other spirits, plus the odd infrequently recalled memory through extremely well remembered dreams and little visions.

I was curious about the 'odd infrequently recalled memory'. I have experienced that kind of phenomena and it is like a miniature vision that seems strong in energy and that feeling like I have been there or done that and yet you haven't in your life. And they are far and few. I just wasn't sure of them exactly. Couldn't tell if it was just my imagination.

Originally Posted by WhiteWarrior

We do get clues. Turned out that my enormous interest for ww2 and german equipment and my empathy for all the soldiers who had no choices, is due to me having been a german officer then myself. And my love for the Old West from childhood? Been there. My love for sailships? Yep, commandeered a few of them too.

Somebody also had mentioned that to me. If there is a certain time period in your life that you can connect with or you find very fascinating then that is a possibility of a type of past life. I just choked it up to me just really liking it *LOL*

Thanks for sharing this!

Originally Posted by Chicken Hawk

I know how you feel Altair! I wish I could remember past lives as well. I do feel very strongly about certain places and times, but have no idea if that is connected at all. It can be frustrating.

Yep, I absolutely agree. I do get those quick odd feeling visions every now and then and you are like, "What the hell is that?" =D

Originally Posted by Evaah

If you remembered all your past lives, wouldn't that cause confusion for you upon entering this "current" life? You'd be like: "What the heck is going on? Why am I here?"

Plus, if you knew/remembered everything, there'd be nothing to learn... the point of experiencing a "current" life is to experience a current life! Not past ones!

You'd probably be a bit unstable as a soul in a human shell if you knew all the lives you experienced in the "past."

Your brain might explode.

Oh! I never thought of it like that. I think I am understanding this now. So the whole point in living is to just enjoy life and enjoy and learn every time you have a new chance at living?

Originally Posted by perfect earth

You were probably a scientist at some point. Sort of a joke - but we do pick up some natural talents and some baggage. Think about things you're naturally good at and some irrational stuff in your consciousness (which is always helpful anyways).

Well, I do have a story about a possible incident that happened to me that might shed light on a past life of mine, but then that leads me to a question:

Can you have dreams about past lives?

Originally Posted by Ninoushka

When I'm in a meditation or daydreaming about past lives or my spiritual guides, I try to accept whatever I see. In order not to doubt all these "visions" I tell myself that:
- either what I see is real/true, and it increases my awareness + it teaches me things about myself
- either it was just my imagination and at least I had a good time! ;)
Basically, future meditations, astral travels and whatnot will show me if all my visions are consistent and confirm each other, or if I was just making the whole thing up. Really, when you think about it, what do you have to loose in exploring all of that?

That is beautiful!! Thank you so much Ninoushka! Lately, I have been skeptical and questioning things, etc. This is a great idea of yours and I like your thinking on this. I will definitely keep this in mind. Thank you again!!

Originally Posted by Ninoushka

If you don't trust dreams or meditation, maybe you will want to explore your past lives through hypnosis. I am very interested in Hypnosis because it is a scientific tool, and I believe that for people like us we will tend to trust it more than just a vision while meditating. Right now, it is something that I'm trying to do research in and hopefully it will work? We'll see...

Oh, let me know! I am very interested in hypnosis. LOL about it being a scientific tool. That is exactly how I viewed it and was planning on doing research on it myself. I just personally know it is hard for me to go under hypnosis, but I am willing to give it a shot.

Thank you wisdom for the book idea! I will definitely check it out.

Thank you everyone for your posts and ideas. I really appreciate it.

[Skytiger]

I remember the true world of spirit and some of my past lives. IMO if you don't remember your past lives it's because those memories won't help you in your current life, and life is about learning as well as putting into action what we have learned in spirit. Also if you find that something comes really easy to you, it maybe something you learned in a past life.
Why do I remember? I often wondered that. Meeting people who believe in nothing outside their five senses, I realize that my memories might give them another point of view or at least something to think about, sometimes they just think me insane. And for those who do believe in an afterlife, they may find confirmation in my remembering.
One thing about remembering, I have always been homesick for my true home of spirit, so it's not always a good thing to remember.

Your spirit knows everything and remembers and holds all memories of all past lifes.

[angels eyes]

I feel we have had past lives before. As others on here have said, if we remembered it all, what would be the point.

I was once told, when I was a big part of the spiritual church, that when we die, we sort of 'agree' with our guides which life lessons we feel we are still yet to learn. No matter how hard, heartbreaking and difficult they might be, we agree to try to get thru these lessons and learn from them so we can advance.

I think this is sort of cool. We agree to experience certain things so in our next life we don't have to. Each life, we get better and better, hopefully achieving a more knowledgable view of what we are here on earth for.

Past lives make sense to me, it would explain a lot. My endless search for spirituality. Loving them all so much. Think in a past life, I was a Catholic Priest, a Buddhist Monk, a High Priestess and a Shaman. If I was it would explain so much.

Wish I knew it all, it bugs me that I don't .

Blessings.