As every advertiser knows, our homes, possessions, clothes, cars and general lifestyle all give out powerful signals about us. They reveal not only our status in the world, but also how we see ourselves – for example, regardless of wealth or social standing, a timid woman will always dress more drably than a young rebel.
How we see ourselves comes partly from the kind of world we were born into in this life. But a lot of it also comes from other lifetimes. Clues about those lives are around us all the time.
Deep down we know that happy past-life memories are a healthy influence. We therefore unconsciously surround ourselves with reminders of our best lives and experiences. These could have been times of abundance and security, emotional contentment, great achievement, learning or spiritual growth.
Even if we don’t consciously remember them, those experiences are a great source of confidence, resilience and optimism. This is why we instinctively put physical symbols of them around us. They help us to draw that positive energy into our current lives. It’s a bit like putting framed certificates on the wall to remind yourself and others of what you’ve achieved and who you are.
A pair of cowboy boots, for example, may cheer you up because they speak of a past life of freedom and adventure. An antique mirror might echo an elegant lifestyle you once enjoyed. A Persian rug may be a subliminal reminder of an intriguing life in the Near East. Retail therapy can run deeper than people think.
The way we decorate our homes, as well as our tastes in furniture, pictures and treasured knick-knacks are all full of clues about our favourite past-life homes. If money was no object, what kind of home would you have? Given this choice, surprisingly few would opt for glittering palaces. Our ideal home is more likely to resemble a past-life place where we felt happy, safe or fulfilled – however humble it may have been.
One of my clients told me that whenever she feels insecure or worried, she closes her eyes and imagines herself going to visit a cottage on the edge of a wood.
‘It’s always the beginning of autumn – still warm, with the leaves just starting to turn yellow. As I approach the cottage I see smoke coming out of the chimney. There are tall trees behind it.
‘My grandparents live there. Grandpa’s often working in the little vegetable garden at the back. Grandma’s usually cooking nice things in the kitchen. I’m always welcome there. I don’t even talk about my problems – I just go there to soak up their love and support.
‘I’m sure this is a place I knew in a past life. This is probably why I’ve never wanted to live in a flat or even a large house. The home I have now is a lot like that cottage, and I love it.’
Terri told me that she’s had several dreams of life in a harem. She feels sure this is about one of her past lives.
‘It’s quite a small place. There are only a few of us and we’re all good friends. I feel safe and relaxed there. The world outside was dangerous and rough in those days. In the harem I was sheltered and protected. We were treated kindly. I enjoyed that life.
‘It feels like it was somewhere in North Africa. I’m sure this is why I like things that remind me of that part of the world. I’ve got a tagine (a large, heavy North African cooking pot), which I always use when friends come round for supper. Those evenings are probably my way of harking back to my happy times in the harem.’
Even a little night-light can have a big tale to tell. Glenda told me that she found it hard to sleep without its red glow switched on. One night she had insomnia, so she decided to gaze at the night-light to help her drop off.
‘I started drifting, but was still partly awake. And I found myself in a big round tent – I think it’s called a yurt. The night-light turned into the embers of the fire in the centre. I was lying on a pile of soft animal skins. It was so warm and comfortable. Other members of my family were also there, sleeping around the edges of the tent.
‘It felt as if we were in some cold, northern country. I fell asleep gazing at the red glow of the fire. Some dreams came then. It looked like we were in Lapland. We wore Lapp-type colourful, patterned clothes, and had snow sleds. I think we herded reindeer. So now I know why I always wanted the night-light on. It reminded me of those cosy nights in the yurt.’
Do you have anything that hints of another time or place? When you look at your possessions with new eyes, you can make some surprising discoveries. Your everyday surroundings can become the door to some of your best and most empowering past-life memories.
Often, we have favourite outfits and items of clothing that we like precisely because they unconsciously take us back to how we once were in an earlier life. For example, Gayle always had a kimono-style dressing gown. It was only years later she discovered that this was because she’d had a happy past life in Japan as the beloved wife of a wealthy man.
Similarly, Patti recalled life as a Quaker in the early days of America. She told me that some time ago she’d bought an antique dress from Dutch Pennsylvania. It made her feel strangely nostalgic. After the regression, she understood why – it was exactly like the kind of dress she used to wear in that life.
In contrast, Alana loved formal ceremonial dress. In her regression she discovered a past life in an oriental court, and later as a Renaissance princess. In those lives she loved the clothes – but learned to distrust large groups of people. She said this explains why she has never felt at ease when she’s with more than a few people at a time.
And Jake realized that he loved wearing moccasins because they were a subliminal reminder of the magical things he’d learned during a Native American life.
In a way, all our outfits are a form of fancy dress. We put them together to show the world who we are and how we wish to be seen. Even if we aren’t fully aware of it, this can also include elements of who we were in other lives.
One of my clients regressed back to a life in a monastery. Afterwards he mused that he now knew why he always went to fancy-dress parties dressed as a monk. It was because it felt normal and comfortable for him to dress that way.
Another client, Margot, went back to a life as a wealthy man in the sixteenth century. He’d fallen in love with a serving girl. The rigid social codes of the time meant that they could never marry. Whenever he went to visit her, he wore a suit of deep red velvet – perhaps as an expression of his love for her. After the regression, Margot told me that a few months previously she’d chosen a costume for her husband to wear to a fancy-dress party. She’d dressed him in a suit of red velvet. After her regression she realized that it was just like the one she used to wear in that past life.
In classroom play readings Frank always got the part of the comedian. In one school play he had to wear the traditional jester’s outfit of motley colours with cap and bells. He said that for some strange reason he really hated wearing that outfit.
In his regression he discovered a past life as a court jester. This life went to the core of his current problem. He had to decide whether to speak out about something important in a serious way that might backfire on him – or to stay safe by pretending to make light of the matter. In his past life as the jester he’d faced the same problem, risking real danger if he spoke his mind. But he decided to follow his conscience and speak out.
‘I packed my things so I could leave quickly if I had to. I then dressed as an ordinary person. I went to see the lord of the castle. There was no one else in the room, just him and me. I was very afraid. But I told him what I felt I must.
‘There was a long silence. Then he said that I was right not to wear my jester clothes any more, because that life had just ended. I thought that meant he was going to kill me. But instead, he promoted me to be one of his advisors. It was the biggest relief I’ve ever felt!
‘That’s why I hated putting on the jester costume when I was a boy. It represented taking a step backwards. It meant being a coward and playing it safe.’
Take a look in your wardrobe to see what clues to your past lives you can find. The following questions may help to prompt your memories:
Often standing for something significant from a former life, jewellery can represent past-life status, special qualifications or important triumphs.
Take Leila, who loved wearing a chunky brass necklace that she’d picked up on a tropical holiday. One night she had a dream that explained why she liked it so much. She was leading a religious ceremony somewhere in South America – and wearing an almost identical necklace. Whenever she looked at pictures of ancient Incan artefacts, she said a cold shiver of recognition ran down her spine. She realized that she’d been wearing that brass necklace to remind herself that she’d once been a high priestess there.
Brooches may be the echoes of medals or badges of honour from earlier lives. Hilary had a strange little brooch in the shape of a scimitar. As soon as she spotted it on a market stall, she knew she had to have it. When she came for a regression, she found out why it was so important to her.
She recalled a life as a young man in the Middle East, hundreds of years ago. Devoted to his spiritual path, he joined a secret esoteric school. He advanced steadily through all its stages of initiation. When he reached the highest level, he was given a jewelled scimitar as a sign of high attainment. Hilary’s little brooch was a reminder of this achievement.
Rings often stand for commitment and responsibility. Tina had worn a moonstone ring for as long as she could remember. One day I asked her why it was important to her. She held the ring in the palm of her left hand with her eyes closed for a few minutes. Afterwards she said it represents her past-life commitment to ‘the moon path’ – the study of secret wisdom and magic. She realized that wearing the ring now was a sign of her continued dedication to that path.
Do you have an item of jewellery that feels especially meaningful to you? Like Tina, you can find out more about it by holding it in your hand, closing your eyes and seeing it in your mind’s eye.
As you do so, information or scenes from a past life may start to come up. If it doesn’t work at first, don’t be discouraged. These abilities are inborn in all of us and it just takes practice to start using them.
