why do we have no memory from before we were born

Do you guys find it hard to comprehend that for some who dont believe in life after death that you will just loose all knowledge of existance that you will just stop being conscious?? That you will just stop living! It scares me sometimes thinking about it too hard, but then my mother put the question to me the other day, 'Why do we have no memory of before we were born'? of course we weren't alive then, but for some of you that believe in enternal life...it just seems weird.. any thoughts ??

This might seem ridiculous but we didn't have a brain up until a few weeks after conception. We were all zygotes at one point in time.......... We formed a brain during the process of conception........ We won't remember our life after we die either because our brain will shut down. Spiritually thats another subject. I'm just being logical on this one... Hope this makes sense.

Philosophically:
Maybe some people are too worried about where they are going to even wonder about where they came from. Or possibly they even choose to forget. but if you are talking about this with the eternal life issue, that means you are concluding that every person that was ever born or will ever be born is already live, as if there is already a set quote for th number of us on the planet.

Which is another mind-boggler in itsself.

Scientifically:
Some people do!

Although most of us do not remember our lives as infants (not to mention in the womb!), the process of memory begins in infancy, and perhaps even before we are born. Research indicates that memory may begin to develop in the third trimester of pregnancy[/i

library.thinkquest.org...

However, an accumulating volume of research demonstrates memory in the first years of life and in the prenatal period as well. Some children spontaneously recall birth events (even secrets) but expression of these memories is delayed until they can speak.

www.birthpsychology.com...

A study at the University of Leicester in the UK, to be shown on BBC's Child Of Our Time today at 9pm, reveals for the first time that babies remember sounds they heard in the womb -- and recognize them well into later life.

And an interesting tid-bit for those who say people who listen to classical music are more intelligent:

However, these babies' outstanding musical memories are not at all related to their intelligence. Dr. Lamont emphasized that there is no evidence here that playing classical music to babies helps make their brains develop -- the babies perform just as well with pop or reggae music, and the same high levels of musical memory are found in babies from families in which IQ levels differ enormously.

unisci.com...

I believe that when we die, there is nothing. When our brain and body cease to function, so does our consciousness. Look at it this way; when you sleep, in between when you fall asleep and wake up, you dont have any conception of time, it is like a void, like, well nothing at all. That is what I believe it is like after death; absolutely nothing. And please dont tell me I am wrong. I very well may be, but none of us truly know that.

Well, this is going to be a strange post so bear with me. I for one do have some memory from before I was born.

When I was about 4-5 I told my mom about remebering a trip we took when I was young. About going to a pretty lake with lots of tall trees and the like. I told her about the car we drove there in and described the color (white/red interior) and how it was really round compared with our 'new' car.

My mom says-that's impossible-I was pregnant with you when we made that trip (Wisconsin Dells) and we sold that car and got a different one before you were born.

They didn't have pictures of the car-a late 40's Ford-and we hadn't been anywhere else that would resemble what I described.

So-I belive that it is possible to have memories of before you were born-all that is required is brain activity.

Does it make sense? No. How whould I have known colors without seeing them? Good question. See, I told you it would be a strange post.

there are many documented cases of people/children who remember past lives...not all of us are born totally ignorant.

but to answer your question, here are some links:
www.childpastlives.org...
www.healpastlives.com...
www.144000.net...
www.theosophy.org...

When I went under anathesia it was like a warm blank blanket covering my whole body. It was such a comforting feeling.

However, I don't remember anything, I think it's because when your under anathesia you are basically dead. Or as close as you'll ever come to it.


It may sound funny, but some people will find any proof to believe what they want to believe. Minds play tricks on people, past life regression isn't impossible, but who can say for sure.
I know what I felt, and I know what that I don't remember, and my belief is that that is just how it is.



I know a guy who got shot, he said the same thing, we went unconconscious and he said when he went down he just remembers a warm feeling coming over him.
He doesn't recall dreams or anything of the sort, it was just black and warm.
He said it was the most peaceful feeling he's ever felt.

Here is an oddity. My son Thomas, when he was able to speak, told me of being "pushed" and "falling". I remember at the time that he had never been pushed or had fallen in any way shape or form. I could only assume, then and now, that he was remembering his birth. It struck me as odd then and still does today.

Of course, no one can say for sure...at least not believably.

Strangely though, I've always kinda had the sneaking suspicion that I chose this life. Almost as if I took a look at how my life would (potentially?) be and said "Yep, I'll take that one." Knowing full well that it would not be 'all good', but somehow also having faith that it would be worth it in the end. Why do I feel this way? I have absolutely no rational explanation for it at all. It's just kind of a gut feeling, almost like a deja vu sort of thing. Very strange, and extremely hard to put to words.

Hope that helps...or confuses more, at least!

When I was little my Grandma told me that when my aunt was really young (like 4 or 5) she told her that she remembered being born. My Grandma asked her if she remembered before she was born, and she said it was warm and dark and she slept a lot. Then my aunt told her that she remembered even before the "warm and dark place". My grandma asked her where she was then, and she said she was a star in the sky.

It is too easy to comprehend, the final lights. Dark, empty, lonelyness, fading to nothing.

I am not going to close off the possibility of something supernatural happening, I firmly believe if we have souls so do all of our animal friends.

I think the simplest explanation is that we don't usually remember because if we DID, it might get in the way of what we are doing NOW.
For me, it was important to remember. For other people, it may not be important or relative to this lifetime.
Imagine....I used to be a Grey (walked into this body) but before that, I was a child living in NY....and before that, I was an astronaut from another planet, assigned to "investigate & report" what other planets were like.
I have several other memories, too. Most of the time I was an "alien". If I remembered ALL my previous lifetimes, I'd be confused.
It seems that I only remember the ones that will help me in THIS LIFETIME.

Apparently when I was 2 years old I would ask my mom all the time "Remeber when I died?" and now my little cousin who is 1 1/2 aks all the time "remember when I died?"

I also rember watching a TV show about how we have knowledge of past lives when we are in are younger ages ie 1-2 years.

Just a little something to think about.

[Edited on 28-3-2004 by Lord Of The Strings]

I believe everyone has memories of being inside the womb. It's just that it's engraved all the way in the back of our brains that we can't seem to tap into it.

I've had this strange feeling since I was little that I was killed by a shark or whale in my previous life. I have this memory of being dragged under water by an orca whale and being drowned. It could have been a dream but for some reason it really feels like a memory and not dream.

wow. what a wonderful thread. i 100% agree with Imzadi, about choosing the life. i my circumstance this gets complicated and crazy and i can't even remember from day to day what i need to do due to certain afflictions.

i also agreed with jrod about all the animals being just like us.

someone said about if you remembered everything from all your other lives that there would be no way to accomplish the things that need to be achieved or to reach tha conclusions and realizations which you came here to realize in this life. and this is what i wanted to say. i will admit i am afflicted. seriously. all the problems i have i cause myself. even though i am aware of this there is nothing i can do to stop myself from harming me. i am not talking about drugs i promise you. i am talking about thought patterns and just being problematic in the head.

[Edited on 3/29/2004 by panchovilla]

I've wonderd those things too and yes they are scary to think about long enough. I believe that when we die, we go back to the state of mind before we were born. Or maybe reincarnation.

I have 'memories' or 'flashbacks' of things that happened many years before I was born.

I believe that at the point of death, the soul returns to the otherworld to recuperate or prepare for the next incarnation. At that point it remembers all of its past lives. Before the next incarnation, the soul receives a kind of 'hypnotic command' (which the ancients saw as the River Lethe) to forget the past incarnations while it is in another body. I think the belief goes something like this : Imagine you are a Roman Emperor or Empress in a past life. You have all you want. You then die and are reincarnated as a peasant living in a hut surrounded by sheep, pigs and turd. Would you want to remember a life of opulence knowing that you would never receive such things in this life ?

[Edited on 29-3-2004 by Pisky]

we were alive before we were born. and we will be alive after we die. our rememberance and recognition of this life is nothing more that our recognition of a flower that is only open one day then withers and fades away. most, i dare say, do not even recognize a flower in it's full glory. just like our prime is quickly forgottern by everyone, none any less our entire lives. but the reason that is so complicated and disturbing to you and scarry is that you are not as important as think you are.

i am not talking about y0ur position in society but your position in the universe. no person on the face of this earth is any more important than the other. nor is one that lived to 98 and conquered nations small and great any more important than one that never made it out of the womb. see for yourself

we don't remember our past lives because we do not need to and it would be detramental to our lives here.

granted i am only talking about those who cant remeber they may need to devote a little more attention to focusing on the task at hand. no.

I'm a believer in reincarnation despite the fact that I am Catholic.
As for memories before birth, numerous studies have shown, and anecdotal evidence also shows that children often refer to what might be called "past lives" or, to take the other stance,"darn good imaginations".
Personally, I think that up until around 3-4 years of age, we are much more in touch with the "great out there" (whatever it may be) and are less inclined to censor our thoughts. As time goes on, we forget past memories for a variety of reasons...because e are socially conditioned that to express them are "bad", that it's "fantasy", and we are trying to adapt to THIS world. Slowly, we move farther from those "times before we were born".
Some people DO have documented memories of previous existances, but I won't get into an argument about that now LOL
I do believe that we CHOSE this path we are on for reasons we can't understand now (I think that was part of the deal...you go and do what you have to do and you will lose most of your full knowledge of what you have to do).So, we have to rely on intuition, blind faith, hunches, and whatever gets us through the night.
Just my hit or miss philosophy.
joey