Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Past Lives

I'm hesitant to mention her again, in case you get the wrong idea about me. Sure, I like her show, depending on the topic, and I DVR it and watch only those I'm interested in. But I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat over here, waiting for her to tell me what to read next or shelling out 300 actual dollars for a bathrobe or taking her "online classes" or anything.

That said, I just have to ask you about Oprah's recent shows about past lives. I am so intrigued. She's got Dr. Oz and this other dude (hold on a sec, I have to google it...) Dr. Brian Weiss, who hypnotizes people and takes them back to previous lives.

Now, I'm going at this topic with a completely open mind, trying not to bring my religious beliefs into it. I'm thinking- WHAT IF.

It's so crazy to think about. I'm so curious to know if I would have any past life experiences. What about my parents? My kids? My husband? Wouldn't it be cool to know what "previous" experiences our children had?

Could knowing this information help us understand each other better? "Oh, well, my daughter was a Samurai in her past life, so, you know, she's bound to be working through some aggression." Or "So-and-so was royalty in a past life, so that explains her current princess tendencies." I mean, we ALL know a "princess" in this life, right?


Many of the people who were hypnotized could remember dying or being killed. For these people, how they died in previous lives explained many of their fears/dreams/phobias in this life. Many found the experience very healing. But what if you were the MURDER-ER. Or, say you found out you were... HITLER or something? (Then again, what if you were George Washington? Martin Luther King Jr? MISTER ROGERS????) (Why are all of my hypotheticals MEN? Maybe I was a man in a past life? Hee.)

Also, some of these people remembered past lives from not too long ago. So wouldn't it be possible that you would have children/grandchildren still living in THIS LIFE, and if you could remember enough details about your previous life, you could look them up?

It could happen. And that would be weird. "Hi Tom. Nice to meet you. I know this sounds strange, but my daughter Kate? She was your dead Uncle George in her past life? Remember good ol' George? Yeah, that's right, he died in 'Nam.")

So? Maybe it's best to leave it alone?

I'm not sure I even "believe" in it. I just like to entertain the possibilities.

Also, in a blatant attempt to troll for sympathy/kudos/CASH PRIZES for my bravery, and also speaking of FEARS, I feel the need to tell you- I had to have an Emergency Root Canal (!!!!!) on Monday (on a tooth that recently had a filling but now the tooth is dying). AND I had to do it without ANY gas/happy-drugs/anti-anxiety meds. AND I have to go back tomorrow for MORE work on that tooth. I AM YOUR HERO, I know, I know. Not everyone can be tough like me...

Fucking dentist.

(Hi Dentist! If you ever find this blog... um... I like YOU. Just not all your masochistic TOOLS and your stupid Xrays that MAKE ME GAG. WHO NEEDS TEETH?)

(Also, I'm pretty sure my file at the dentist's is labeled "RUNNER!!!!!" because I HAVE actually run out the door before. Now? When I get there? I don't even GET IN THE DOOR and they are taking me back. I've NEVER (since I ran, and barfed twice in the parking lot) sat for a SINGLE SECOND in the waiting area. They probably have a team meeting, and have, I don't know, ROPES or something set aside to TIE ME DOWN if need be.)

(Also? My dentist is now my FRIEND, and we get together often with our kids, or as couples, and OMG I could DIE. Because I HATE DENTISTS. But you should see how COOL I can be hanging out with her. NOT sweating, or running out the door or twitching or ANYTHING. Well, at least not until I had to have an EMERGENCY ROOT CANAL (see: above)

(Also? I'm really curious to hear how you feel about past lives. All this DENTIST TALK may have distracted you, but past lives is really what I'm interested in... I mean, IF YOU INSIST, we can talk about how much DENTISTS SUCK... I won't mind that either.)

12 comments:

Mary O said...

I'm laughing about your running out of the dentist's office. Haven't we all wanted to do that before? =)

Flibberty said...

I totally watched that Oprah yesterday (DVR is my friend). I'm convinced that I was killed by a snake bite. Why else would I be so desperately afraid of snakes? I mean desperately, more than normal, afraid. I wish I had lots of cash to drop on some hypnotherapy because I fully believe there's something to this shit.

Anonymous said...

O.K. so I'll finally comment instead of just popping in to see how my dear-old friend is.
And may I backtrack by saying that I LOVED your cat post. Why couldn't you have written that about a year ago, but instead enlightened me with, "Here is why you shouldn't get another dog..."
Because seriously...my dog...
Oh, we so need to catch up.
And now I'm sitting here typing this and asking myself why I don't just pick up the phone and call you or email you or Facebook you, but alas...here I am just being a Comment Whore.
Back to the topic at hand:
LOVE this topic. Along with ghosts, mediums, psychics, etc.
I don't even know if I believe it either, but yes, it is extremely fascinating. Certain members of "my family" often visit a psychic and they one was told she was "an old soul". Whatever that means. The psychic also went on to say that the mother and daughter also knew each other in this past life or something like that...
I'm more curious to know about "your religious beliefs" on this subject matter.
We seriously need to have a playdate.
Sorry to hog your whole comment board.
Miss you!

Swistle said...

My heart is actually pounding hard just READING about the dentist. Oh, I HATE going! I HATE it! I only go now if I have pain. Because part of the reason I hate it is that I hate it, but part of the reason is that I never know if they're for real or not. $1700 for a special deep cleaning, SRSLY? And they say it's NECESSARY? I beg to differ. (And this is not the case with just ONE dentist: I've had FIVE so far and they ALL try to sell me EXPENSIVE STUFF.)

Previous lives: I'd be more able to have an open mind about it if I could understand how that would WORK. I don't get the LOGISTICS of it. Souls are...reused? By WHOM? Who manages that shop? It doesn't seem like something that would run itself.

d e v a n said...

I had to laugh at the dentist. That is a good way to get out of waiting. I might have to use that...

Past lives. Hmmm. very interesting. I don't think it's impossible and it sounds cool. I would undergo hypnosis just for the heck of it...

Jess said...

Are you freaking kidding me? I'd be a runner too after such a fun time! Except I'd probably be known as rocket runner.

Past lives...Hmmmm... I believe in a pre-existence definitely. And that our spirits are who they are when we get our bodies (partly because of experiences we've previously had). Definitely an interesting topic!

Kristina said...

I am having serious heart palpitations just thinking about my dentist appointment in two weeks! I'm not a runner, but I can throw a pretty decent hissy fit in the chair if need be. I know for a fact that my chart is labeled "anxiety/panic". My hygenist doesn't get too far into the small talk before asking if I took my medication:)

As far as the afterlife goes...I am undecided. If we do have past lives I would love to know what mine were!! I do believe that I was once visited by a dead friend in a dream(kind of along the same topic). I just talked to another friend about this over the weekend, because she feels like her father recently visited her in a dream.
Does anyone else think this is possible?

Anonymous said...

Hey lady! You have had some awesome posts, I am just a lurker but a very faithful reader :-). What about hygenist anxiety? I have met some evil hygenists, I think pain is in their job title. Seriously! As for Oprah, well I sometimes wonder if she should be running with Obama. The lady has a sixth sense on things that make people go....hmmmmmm. Truly she could only help his campaign. Thanks for the interesting topics, you should be a guest on The View!
Paula

Anonymous said...

Or maybe something happened to you in a past life at the dentist.....

Kelsey said...

I am very interested by the idea of past lives, but I'm not sure how it jives with my "religious" point of view. I am intrigued by Swistle's question, who runs the shop??? I do think knowing about past lives, if they exist, would help us understand things about ourselves or our family members.

Isn't there and Indigo Girls song that references past lives?

Manager Mom said...

Why on the name of the good green Earth did they not give you drugs! I am canceling my dental checkup IMMEDIATELY.

Astarte said...

NO DRUGS?!?!?!?!

I do believe in past lives. I definitely think that some of us have been around longer than others.

The only time I watch Oprah is during her Xmas Favorite Things show, because I like to watch the audience screech. The entire rest of the year she makes me want to rip my ears off. She's so smug, ugh.