Past Life Dream
During mid April I experienced what I consider to be a past life dream. On waking I had an unshakeable knowing that this was no ordinary dream. I had been transported to another time, another country, inhabiting another body from another culture and possibly exposed to a significant event in history. I was there.
The dream unfolds…
It’s late afternoon, the wind is soothingly warm. Look down..there is grass underfoot. Look up…there is a clearing and sand…the peninsula of a small island. Dense forest not too far away. Many people have gathered. A festive feel permeates the atmosphere. What are we celebrating ? This is not home…not familiar…a holiday destination perhaps ?
The woman is Chinese, or at least of Asian appearance. But Chinese I think. Glossy black hair cut in a neat bob, fine boned and somewhat fragile. She cradles an infant no more than four months of age, looking down at her precious child…wait…those are my arms…this is my child I hold. This woman is me ! Another child, a girl maybe five years of age stands alongside me; and a man, slight in stature and quite young also …he is my husband.
Sudden commotion. A deafening blast in the distance. A huge fireball emblazons the sky line in varying hues of red and orange. The sandy beach that extends along the western side of the island is quickly filled with people running towards us. I see bloodied faces, clothing torn to shreds and blackened by soot. The terror in their eyes is horrific. Panic engulfs me. “Quick !” they scream, “To the boats, to the boats”.
Children in tow, we follow the crowd towards a pier on the opposite side of the island. There is a scramble to find a spot on the boats. I am sitting with my children, their grandparents sit alongside us. I extend my hand out towards my husband who still stands on the shore. “Come” I say, there is room now”. He shakes his head. A stern frown furrows his brow. I am confused. What’s happening ? What is the problem ?
In that moment, as the observer / participant of this dream, I understand that initially there was no room for him on the boat and the grandparents and I had consented to leave the island without him. Leaving him behind to an unknown fate. His refusal to then join us was based on his hurt and pride that we were prepared to go without him.
Eyes open…
On wakening I had no doubt this was a past life dream. The sequence of events, the clarity, the profound sense of importance this dream held for me was like nothing I have ever experienced with previous dreaming. And I dream often !
The process of writing this piece has suddenly awakened within me an understanding of the meaning and significance of this dream that naturally, I have also been pondering. In my current life time I have experienced a huge sense of loss and abandonment. I have felt unwanted, unloved and detached from my birth family. A sense of being a lone Caruso in this world…my island. Is this the karmic trauma I have brought with me into this lifetime ? I was willing to abandon a loved one therefore the same fate has befallen me and now I must experience the pain and hurt I inflicted upon my husband ?
One thing of which I am certain is my gratitude for the exposure to this episode in my past journey and will continue to explore how it may assist my passage through this lifetime. I hope for future instalments !
Over the past few weeks I have researched historical events but have not been able to place the period and context of this dream. I will keep searching.
Please let me know if you have any thoughts…or if you have encountered your own past life dreams.
Well this is very open ended, At first I had thought of perhaps the atomic bomb tests in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but after further consulation it feel it was not these, due the fact the Hiroshima is on Japan’s largest island and Nagasaki is on Japan’s third largest. It could have been any bombing in the war, as we all know, there were many, and I fear it may be difficult to find an exact location of where a bomb was detonated on a small island, however you may be lucky. This also may not be to do with any World War’s and perhaps was some sort of paranormal phenomena not recorded in history due to the fact is may have happened so long ago, as I said it is very open ended and has endless possibilities, hope you are luckier than I was, good luck.
July 7, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Thanks Jack for your comment and interest. I have wondered whether the scenario relates to these events but haven’t found any leads that feel familiar in relation to my dream. I do feel the general setting lends itself to the World War II era however. Thanks again !
July 8, 2009 at 1:09 am
Hi Coleen. If you consider that everyone in a dream represents ourselves – who would the young man be? I think it is interesting that you are almost blaming yourself (for actions in a past life) for what has happened in this life? Just by coincidence I got a twitter today from Jane Teresa Anderson (leading dream analysis) and it is a link to a podcast where a person rings in with a past life dream. You might want to have a listen (she’s very good) – she also does dream alchemy where you can use the information in your dream to assist with improving your life today. You can even get her to directly interpret your dreams (though you have to pay for that).
Twitter – Podcast: Belinda dreamed a past life in ancient China was revealed. Was it? Interpretation & insight: http://bit.ly/WB8OI
August 7, 2009 at 12:47 am
Hi Gabrielle,
Thanks so much for the info. I have just listened to the podcast and taken a quick look around Jane’s website. I would been keen to make contact with her to discuss this dream.
I guess I feel the dream has parallels with my present circumstances and issues with my marriage breakdown and relationship with the ex-husband, who I think may be represented by the young man. I just wonder whether there is past-life trauma I need to learn about in order to help me on my healing journey in this life.
I don’t know..I’m not sure…the more I think about it the more confused I become! So maybe some insight from Jane is timely !
Thanks again for the link.
August 7, 2009 at 1:22 am
I think concentrating on present life trauma is more than enough.
Is it possible that the husband could represent the tougher side of you who has to move away from your inner child/children – he is tough enough to survive whatever happened on that ‘island’ but feels bad about leaving them to go away on the boat and a bit left out. There is no room on the boat for everyone! But maybe that is what it takes to survive.
August 7, 2009 at 1:42 am
It seems to me that whatever happened to you that left you feeling abandoned and alone has left you with a clear understanding of why it is so important to be careful not to be the cause of those negative feelings in someone else’s life.
but it all depends on circumstance. Sometimes you have to abandon those who only let you into their life if you are willing to be an enabler.
In any event you now have important knowledge. It is important to never wrongfully abandon those who count on us to not.
People who are hurting inside and if the hurt and pain is such that they cannot forgive, heal what they can then love….. it’s the people who are hurting the most that let anger control them and spread their anger and hurt.
All you have to do is forgive yourself and forgive others. If not completely then it is ok to temporarily forgive just enough to be able to love.
It all boils down to the fact that we must be able to give and receive love.
If we could all just do that (give away love and not hatred or hurt) then together the world will be able to deal with anything
September 7, 2009 at 6:13 am
Hi Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Learning to replace hurt with forgiveness is certainly a confrontational journey and most definitely a big part of mine. You are so right that we all need to start with our own personal relationships in order to spread the healing love throughout the world.
Thanks for sharing your insights !
Colleen
September 8, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Hi Colleen
I’m really excited to have found this post about a past life dream. I am a believer in reincarnation – more than a believer, for me it’s real. I have experienced past life dreams too and they feel different from the normal ramblings of the subconscious mind.
I don’t believe you had this experience to relive the pain and hurt you caused another individual. But perhaps something has been troubling you that brought this “memory” to the surface.
February 14, 2010 at 1:21 am
Hi Sharon,
I’m so glad you appreciated my story ! It’s always nice to feel that in sharing these very personal experiences of our journey, there is someone else who benefits, if even only by the small sense of common ground. I know wonder whether this dream was meant to expose the various shadow sides of myself…to bring me greater insight into my strengths, fears and passage of growth. I’m pleased you understand though that these type of dream is definitely quite distinct from the “norm”…as crazy as that “norm” can be !
February 16, 2010 at 11:22 am