Are You Re-incarnated?

[tartempion]

From age 10 to 25 I stuck together with my best friend and we hiked all over Europe during our school holidays.

One day we visited the Camargue, South of France, Rhone river Delta.

As we wandered around my friend made a strange statement: "I was here before" Which was not possible sine we did everything together. Later that day we hit the small town of Saintes-Maries-de la Mer. We sat on the porche of the church and he went silent.

After some time he told me: "I was here before, in an other life"

Now that was strange and we philosophed a lot about this without reaching an agreement.

On the other hand, from age 10 also I never felt at home in my birth town and always dreamt of living somewhere else.

For 20 years I worked as an IT conslultant and worked/travelled all over Europe, from Italy to Finland, never found that magic place, and forgot about my friend's "been here before" feelings.

Then I spent one year around Montreal and Quebec, followed by one year USA: Atlanta mainly, also NY, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, San Diego. Then I went to work in Asia: Hong kong, Singapore, Taipe, Kuala Lumphur.

One night in December 1990 I walked out of The Sukhumvit Ambassador (not many hotels there in those days) and the smells, the heat and the people did it to me. I was here before, in an ohter life. But it did not fit 100%. The concrete to begin with.

So I travelled to Chiang Mai and hired a taxi to drive me up all the way to Mai Sai. Some scenery I saw gave me that 100% feeling of having lived around here long time ago.

I have been back many times since, travelled from Bangkok to Hat Yai, to Sanglakuburi, to Nong Khai, lived around Chumpon, moved to Isaan but never had that exact 100% feeling again. I still feel some of it every day when I ride my bycicle around the villages, it is strong, I feel home but many things are not right, the concrete again.

Then I remember that Oliver Stone movie, Heaven and Earth? A rice field with palm and coconut trees?

Driving on road 304 from Khon Kean to Kabin Buri I saw such a scenery, that was it 100%. I did not stop, why should I, did not find this to be that important. But it hangs there in my mind, every day. I just booked a trip to Vietnam, maybe I will experience it there again, although I don't think that Oliver Stone movie was shot there. Maybe I am simply wrong and Vietnam will not fit.

But I do feel more at home here in Issaan than anywhere else on this planet.

Anyone elsewithy similar feelings out here?

Edited February 24, 2008 by tartempion

[apetley]

False memory syndrome.

See enough movies, read enough books and tourist guides about an area and it will seem terribly familiar.

[sutnyod]

I have the same when I am in Burma. However, I am not convinced that it is a sign for reincarnation (am 50:50 on that), but just because Burma is so beautiful and soooo much like the "old Asia" you read about in books. Many other people say the same. Well, for Thailand it seems different.... it is more developed. On the other hand, some (of the very very few) practitioners who meditate on their former lives say it is not like an "inner cinema", but rather like feelings, sometimes diffuse. Seems to fit, right?

Edited February 24, 2008 by sutnyod

[bannork]

Since I first visited Issan about 20 years ago I've felt 'at home'. The people, music, climate just seemed right, I'm sure I was there in the last life if there was one, only I'm not sure if I was a farmer or a buffalo.

I've asked the wife to scatter my ashes on the fields after shaking off this mortal coil, back to the soil and mother nature.

[lazeeboy]

im out to lunch on this ,never had feelings that i've live another life ,but i do believe were here more than once.......

[dave111223]

My father in-law told me he "used to be a dog", and I would not disagree; except maybe with the "used to be" part.

[Momo8]

Not necessarily reincarnation but deja vu as the French would say.

If you've never experienced it then you wouldn't understand.I too have had overwhelming feelings of being in a place before to the extent that I was in this small mountain village in China and I 'knew' where all the paths led to the surprise of my friends.I go back there regularly and it's the oddest feeling.Surreal.

[GuestHouse]

Cut back on the Red Bull.

[Momo8]

Now now Guesthouse don't knock the believers.(and I didn't say I'm a believer just that I can relate to the deja vu thing)

You were Bogey in a past life,right? So that's Casablanca calling for you....

Edited February 24, 2008 by Momo8

[girlx]

agree it is probably deja vu, not reincarnation

[GuestHouse]

Are there any reincarnated ancient Romans around here. I need help with my course work translating Cato.

Actually, if Cato himself is around that would be a great help.

[Neeranam]

Buddhism is a crock.

Re-incarnation even moreso.

A crutch for the weak.

I've been hypnoticaly regressed to a previous life, so I know for sure. my previous life was not what I had wanted but the ones before were pretty good.

[Heng]

The question is, why are there more and more souls being reincarnated as people. Not enough room in animal and insect heaven?

[garro]

The question is, why are there more and more souls being reincarnated as people. Not enough room in animal and insect heaven?

Not if 'weekend warrior' has his way.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...50&start=50

[Neeranam]

The question is, why are there more and more souls being reincarnated as people. Not enough room in animal and insect heaven?

People can't be incarnated as animals.

[Boo]

probably not good enugh to become an animal so forced to suffer as people

[slackula]

Buddhism Religion is a crock.

Re-incarnation even moreso.

A crutch for the weak.

FTFY

[way2muchcoffee]

Is this a sincere question? Please....

[JAG]

I don't have a view on reincarnation per se, and I respect the Bhudhist View, but can someone please explain why Cliff Richard keeps coming back the same?

[banchang]

"I do not fear death, in view of the fact that I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it."

Mark Twain

[Heng]

The question is, why are there more and more souls being reincarnated as people. Not enough room in animal and insect heaven?

People can't be incarnated as animals.

People can't be reincarnated at all.

[Momo8]

I don't know about that,plenty of banned people on TV reincarnate themselves

[submaniac]

Not if 'weekend warrior' has his way.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...50&start=50

I love that guy!!! Probably the most entertaining member in a long time!!!

[submaniac]

Ermmm...I retract the above statement after reading the thread and realizing that he believes poisoning dogs is a good thing.

[micksterbs]

The question is, why are there more and more souls being reincarnated as people. Not enough room in animal and insect heaven?

Not if 'weekend warrior' has his way.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...50&start=50

I'd love to hear his views on reincarnation. I could do with a laugh, tonight...

[Momo8]

Weekend Warrior would come back as his gun,er what is dat dere gun calld folks?.....and if you believe in Karma http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...t=0&start=0 then all those poor wee animals wood come back and sick on him.hahaha

Stick to deja vu,makes better sense.

[mark lamai]

i do believe in rebirth.

I used to be me!

more seriously,

its very strange how so many members here are ignorant of Buddhist/Hindu teaching,

you would think all these thai loving folks would make an attempt to understand why there are so many godddamn temples around the place.

anyhow , you will only know for sure when you achieve Sotapanna,

are there any in Thailand? don't know, ask your wife/gf.

hmmm.. where does mai pen rai come from?

unfortunately too many thai people do not follow the teaching,

like christians, thinking they are immune from Kamma and a last minute prayer will save them.

BTW the numbers argument against rebirth does not work if you know that Bhuddism teaches 36 planes of existence.

and BTW #2 - The theory of no rebirth or heaven/hel_l is equally unproven to 'science".

just love these Rambos who say "I know what I know!!"

well mate, maybe you don't know much.

[Thaifan2]

>>just love these Rambos who say "I know what I know!!"

well mate, maybe you don't know much.<<

I like that comment .

I have had the same feeling as the OP in Germany .I lived there for two years .Am hopeless at picking up languages ,but was able to learn German to a significant degree .I do believe in reincarnation ,but think we could have been in other planets many million light years away in our previous lives ,as well as planet Earth ,or even in another dimension .

Edited February 24, 2008 by Thaifan2

[Robski]

If reincarnation is real I was very, very bad in my previous life.

If I recall correctly Deja vu is cause by a sudden chemical imbalance in the body, where the subconcious builds up the chemicals used for the fight or flight condition in anticipation of an perceived event, when that event is realised not to be a threat by the concious mind the chemical store has to be dumped and causes the temporary imbalance.

[Heng]

I must have been very good then (if you go by the common *misguided* notion that the more merit you make in this and past lives, the wealthier you'll be in this life and the next). If you want to annoy this type of temple goer, all you have to do is explain to them that if there is any correlation between making merit and wealth, it's that the more you do the less chances you'll create/maintain any kind of wealth in this life. Especially if you become zealous about it... as you simply lose your focus on what does create wealth in this life: focusing on your income streams, expenditures, assets, and businesses.