Monday, January 31, 2011

A brief history of lives



Begin usual disclaimer-- Whether the following is "true" or my imagination, some aspect of empathy, or if I'm just plain nuts, I can not say. I'm a skeptical mystic with a sense of humor. I know I could be full of it. That said, my belief in reincarnation is not revolutionary or anything. I'm not the first person, nor will I be the last, to believe this. My beliefs don't hurt anyone, and I'm not interested in trying to convince others they should agree with me. OK? --end disclaimer

I have a lot of past lives, and by the way, so do you! The idea of "young" souls has never made any sense to me. One of my friends believes that all of us are stars; in other words, ancient, shining and huge. We are currently incarnated in order to work through issues that are not accessible when we're in other forms. I kind of like that idea.

According to the cosmology of Reya, we are meant to work. On the spiritual side, we work through all kinds of issues in order to evolve. In some way, the work of the soul is a key component of The Big Plan, or it benefits God in some way. Part of how we do that is through the wheel of incarnation. My cosmology includes sets of lifetimes during which we focus on very specific issues and challenges. A "young" soul might be someone who has just entered a new set of lifetimes. Maybe. Who knows?

I've known my sister Hannah for frickin' ever. I "remember" the Ice Age, a set of hundreds or thousands of lifetimes that were pretty much identical: hunting, mating, walking, stars at night, short summers, long winters. I remember the smell of our clothes, fires at night, always being hungry, always feeling cold. My sister Hannah was mate, sibling, child, parent, cohort during all those lives. We trudged together through the Ice Age.

In another set of lifetimes, much more recent, I was a nun, monk or hermit. I lived those lives in the cloisters, among others living the same life. We prayed a lot, and broke the rules a lot. Interesting set of lives.

Just recently I was able to recover a set of very old lives in which I was a warrior - never a great warrior, should say. I was just a plain old foot soldier, not very skilled and never terribly brave.

I have a lot of memories of my past lives of service, the set of lifetimes I'm still engaged with. I've been a maid, cook, gardener, footman, and nurse so many times. Most of the nurse lifetimes revolved around caring for wounded soldiers. When I was in grade school (in this lifetime) I read a biography of a Belgian nurse in WWI who was executed for protecting injured prisoners of war. I read and re-read that book - I was such a morbid child. I believe I was relating to my job as a nurse during WWI, a terrible calling that involved watching young men die of infection, the flu, and from terrible injuries. That was not a pleasant life, nor was my life during the Civil War during which I did pretty much the same thing.

No wonder that when WWII rolled around, I rejected my calling to be a healer. I refused to be of any help to anyone. I must have been so demoralized, I couldn't help it, or at least, that's my excuse. I shut down as a healer, and I believe I died a fairly horrible death.

Reuniting with my soul purpose as a healer is something I didn't pick up on again in this lifetime until middle age, even though I always had the knack ever since I was a child. My mother told me that even as a toddler, I knew when she had a headache (for instance). I would come to her and place my hand on her forehead. Somehow I knew.

Eventually, this time around, I re-entered my soul's current purpose: to serve as healer. It's so much easier than in past lives because I have access to Reiki, I trained in therapeutic massage, and too I've been taught so many shamanic techniques with which to move energy. Also I am not treating wounded soldiers this time around. I work with all kinds of people who are dealing with a variety of issues. I don't have to sit there, waiting for young men to die, in this life. I'm so lucky!

I'm thinking about this today because I have, in the past few days, at last found a way to prepare for the trip to Krakow later this year. I've just now found my way into a method for retrieving the piece of my soul I left swirling in the Holocaust. It's going to be a big journey, but I have a strategy, I have a plan. You can't imagine how jazzed I am. Can you?

19 comments:

ellen abbott said...

good for you Reya. I don't remember too many of my past lives. I think I spent most of them as a man, or maybe just most of the more recent ones. I like being a woman but I don't really fit in the mold of most women. I had an early fascination with ancient Egypt and believe I was an artist/sculptor (probably a man considering the time) back then, sort of reflecting what I do now. And there was the warning I got in a dream from a medieval self (woman) and the regression that sent me back to a life in the middle east I think (as a man).

glnroz said...

I applaude your approach...

The Bug said...

I find the whole thing fascinating. And given my rather mundane life this time I wonder what exactly I'm accomplishing? What maybe I've refused to do that I should? Very interesting.

I'm glad you've found a method for Poland. I'm excited for you!

Rebecca Clayton said...

There will be more, yes?

Linda Sue said...

Imagination, maybe- who knows but you- I remember ...nothing! not even this lifetime.

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm so exciting about your trip to Krakow. It's going to be such a spiritual journey for you. Epic.

Reya Mellicker said...

Linda Sue - you and I? We were in the camps. Cmon. We were.

But, why do you think your life is mundane? There are levels to explore, such interesting levels.

Ellen I do believe you were a man in many lifetimes. That resonates.

Tess and Glenn, you will both be in my heart when I go to Poland!

And Rebecca - more? More detail about the methodology?

steven said...

i know what i wish i was, where i had been , what i had done. but i have no knowledge of the surface details of my existence in any form prior to this one. i am entirely aware of the work i've engaged in and certainly what's still left to be done. i've known many people who know themselves through the details of their incarnations. because knowledge is the first step along most paths my interest is - what did you learn? how could this help you now? it's so very good that you have clarity coming your way about your return to poland. steven

Rebecca Clayton said...

Sorry I was cryptic--yes, more about the methodology; although I'm also fascinated by the idea that your past lives came in "batches" working on themes. Also, being so tired of war that you rebelled for a whole lifetime.

I guess "more" of all the things you talked about would be great.

Reya Mellicker said...

Rebecca, I am happy to expound on all of it. Thanks for asking!

Reya Mellicker said...

Steven you were an angel in past lives. You were. Actually - you are!

Whitney Lee said...

Amazing. I know nothing of my past lives. I probably haven't paid enough attention. I am certain there's some way to figure out some of it but I've not the first clue where to start.

Wonderful that you have a plan.

Natalie said...

Loved your post, it made me smile. :)

Jo said...

Fascinating post, Reya. How did you handle this as a child? Did your mother encourage you to explore your gifts...remembering past lives or acting as a healer?

I've felt glimpses of familiarity in certain geographical locations, or intuitions on having lived in another country, but nothing concrete.

How did you "recover" these memories?

Angela said...

I was encouraged to be a teacher by my own teachers, but I felt not up to it. I felt not in the right body (I thought and felt like a man tiil I was about 15), and I was not at all self-assured enough. That took me decades to overcome. NOW I am a devoted teacher, love it and wish I had more time for it (with a new life, perhaps). I am sure you are a great healer, Reya, maybe you absorbed so much BEFORE you started off.
I want to hear more of your inner trip-preparing!

Pauline said...

If ever I was something before this lifetime, I don't think it was human. I am much more drawn to trees and bodies of water and mountains than I am to human doings...

Glad you are finding a way to deal with Poland.

Barbara Martin said...

Although I haven't done a lot of past life work, I think that angel visit you had will have a great effect upon your past lifetimes.

From looking into a series of past lives I had with a particular soul I know I was a young woman in a vareity of different eras, not a servant, though in one I was a knight who went on the Crusade with Richard I and returned to find my lover had perished in the tower of an opponent; and life in the Ice Ages wrapped in stinky skins.

This particular era is special for every one, Reya. We all have a part to play in this change to the Age of Aquarius.

Reya Mellicker said...

Yep, those skins really stunk, not to mention our teeth. Yikes.

A Concerned Citizen said...

Reya, I don't have clear memories like you do, but I can totally imagine knowing you during one of your monky cloistered lives. (: )