Inexplicable fears or bad vibes could be related to past lives

Since I was a child, and especially when I was one, I've had a number of fears and strange sensations that have led me to believe I may have had a traumatic incident in past life related to water.
I'm not really sure about this, maybe these are all rather common feelings people usually get. That's mainly why I'm posting this to get your opinion.

I get a feeling of fear when I see big boat, and I'm actually scared to get on board, strangely I don't have a problem with smaller boats at all, I have sailed many times but I still get an off feeling when I see a big ship.
When I was a child I was scared to close my eyes in the pool, cause I feared I would end up in the middle of the sea, I had to keep my feet on the ground of the pool at all times. It was worse during the night, what I hated the most was opening my eyes and seeing lights reflected on the dark water, that drove me mad, I mostly hated going into the pool at night, and frankly I still quite dislike, specially if lights are reflecting on the surface, I still cant handle that.
I dont mind flying, but I get a bit nervous when I see the plane is flying over water. I have never crossed the Atlantic, I live in America (the continent), so I've never been to Europe or Africa, and I don't think I could do it, everytime I think of planning a trip to the other side of the Atlantic, I feel anxious, and think I couldn't stand crossing the whole wide sea.

These are all I can think of right now, oh I also have a bit of a problem with claustrophobia, nothing too extreme though. What do you make of this?
And what about you, do you get any weird vibe or inexplicable fear that makes you think you could've had scarring experience in a past life? I'd love to hear about it.

Cheers!

a reply to: payta

Yes, related to past lives, but those of one's own ancestors and genes.

In psychology, genetic memory is a memory present at birth that exists in the absence of sensory experience, and is incorporated into the genome over long spans of time.

'Memories' pass between generations

Behaviour can be affected by events in previous generations which have been passed on through a form of genetic memory, animal studies suggest.

It is a fascinating new area of developing scientific research, nothing to do with past lives, but more to do with the "factory software" we are born with (instincts and drives, knowing how to do something without being taught it). Obviously species require this for continuation and survival. With humans it appears other skills and memories sometimes get passed through the genes, too. Our experiences don't just store in our own memory, but imprint on our genes. There is a relationship and a generational interplay happening biologically.

Reincarnation is an ancient belief. Traditionally this explained to humans why there were other memories present (the effect would have been a lot more observable to simple living people without the clutter we have in our modern lives). Surely though the illumination of science lets us see how the Magician is performing his tricks; it is not magic at all, but the reality behind the appearance.

Here is a little song that captures this beautifully without intending to, by a chap named Fred Rose, performed by the likes of Hank Williams and Elvis Presley. Such songs are like memories being past down the generations; a song is like a genetic memory with a different singer performing it:

"Love is like a dying ember
Only memories remain
Through the ages I'll remember
Blue eyes crying in the rain".

a reply to: Revolution9

With humans it appears other skills and memories sometimes get passed through the genes, too.

While there is a good amount of evidence that epigenetics can influence behavior, that is not exactly the same thing as memory. Mom got attacked by a pit bull, so I get stressed by dogs. I don't remember being attacked by a dog, there is no memory of it, but my body reacts because of what happened to my Mom.

Not so sure about skills being passed on, though talent (the potential to develop a skill) certainly seems to be.

a reply to: Phage

I have read of someone who had a bad head injury. When they recovered they discovered a sudden ability to play piano without any learning or experience.

Experience: a head injury made me a musical prodigy

'I just moved over and started playing the piano – like I'd been doing it all my life'

By no means usual, but one has to marvel at this,

in some respects, I play like someone who has just started learning, in others my skills outstripped his. It can be exhausting, though. The music often keeps me up at night, and I'll sometimes wake my girlfriend by "playing" her arm in my sleep.

The source is reputable, "The Guardian".

Online there are a number of these phenomenon. Another is a skill for mathematics resulting from a head injury. There is much psychological study of this.

These are very rare, but more common are the experiences the OP is describing. I have had similar experiences; dreams that bring information and sudden what are almost like memories doing the same though there is no life experience relating to the memory.

Yes, more like the ability is the genetic inheritance, but I would suggest to anybody have a look at the studies of this.

a reply to: Revolution9

I have read of someone who had a bad head injury. When they recovered they discovered a sudden ability to play piano without any learning or experience.

I've heard such anecdotes. However, I'm not sure what they have to do with inherited skills.

I have had similar experiences; dreams that bring information and sudden what are almost like memories doing the same.

Me too. Dreams are funny things. I had a dream once that I was hang gliding (which I do) over a valley which I had flown over many times. But this time there was a golf course there. In my dream it was perfectly normal. A few years later, guess what? There was a golf course there. Now, was it a prescient dream or had I heard about plans for the golf course and consciously forgotten them only to have them appear in my dream? I'll take the latter interpretation.

a reply to: payta

Phobias may be memories passed down in genes from ancestors

Memories may be passed down through generations in DNA in a process that may be the underlying cause of phobias

Researchers at the Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta, found that mice can pass on learned information about traumatic or stressful experiences – in this case a fear of the smell of cherry blossom – to subsequent generations.

a reply to: Revolution9

Yeah, it's not like I have specific memory about having a bad experience, or that blurry images ome to my mind. I only get a strange feeling of extreme fear. Pretty disturbing tbh.

I have had the same dream for 30+ years.
It's 20 feet to the surface I can see the Sun
shining through the depths but there's no
hope...Im out of breath,
it's just too far, so I inhale water and wake up.

It's not a nightly dream or even monthly ,
but 5-6 times a year, it's always exactly the same.
Don't know if it's passed on, acquired,
epigenetic,or just a dream.
But the persistence is enigmatic.

S&F this is going to be a good thread.

a reply to: Phage

Agreed, best to be rational.

Once I dreamed of an Oracle (Sybil) in Rome. I was in an underground cave and I saw an old lady sitting on the ground. I walked up to her and she grinned and handed entrails over to me. I had no idea that Haruspex existed,

en.wikipedia.org...

What I dreamed was like a night mare. Only years later did I learn about Haruspex and my dream made sense. It has happened two more times and it is again related to Latin and Rome when it happens, dreaming of Romulus, Remus and the She Wolf myth before I knew it even existed (dreamed I was being milk fed by a Wolf), a fixation with wolves, too, and some Latin phrases appearing in dreams that I had absolutely no comprehension of until I translated them online.

Of course, there could be other explanations, but this led me to the genetic memories phenomenon while trying to satisfy mu curiosity. It is at least a possible rational explanation of these phenomenon.

I have a good memory. I constantly sift through my memories, have always done it. I remember music that was played and sung to me when I was very tiny indeed. When my Mum was pregnant with me she used to ride on the back of my Dad's motorbike. The rumble and noise of old motorbikes is like a womb comfort to me, lol. Whenever I rode my motorbike I felt like I was in a very warm and cosy place indeed.

May be there are some old Shamanic techniques that would enable us to access these generational memories? Our ancestors participated in ancestor "worship" (for want of a better word). The drive to remember the past is very strong and has led to all these techniques of recording and retaining experience through the generations. Humans have become exceptionally good at it as we know. It is a central human drive collectively. If it is that strong then there is an instinct and may be to some degree a biological process even at work. Once we understand it better might we be able to access and utilize it? Perhaps we were better able to use it once, before we had the props of modern recording?

originally posted by: UnderKingsPeak
I have had the same dream for 30+ years.
It's 20 feet to the surface I can see the Sun
shining through the depths but there's no
hope...Im out of breath,
it's just too far, so I inhale water and wake up.

It's not a nightly dream or even monthly ,
but 5-6 times a year, it's always exactly the same.
Don't know if it's passed on, acquired,
epigenetic,or just a dream.
But the persistence is enigmatic.

S&F this is going to be a good thread.

If we follow the genetic memory explanation there is no way to remember a death incident. We have not passed on our genetic memories because the experience ends our ability to continue the genes. However, there is the "observer" concept, that we see a loved one drowning and the trauma of that impacts upon our genes as info to help with survival in later generations. Also, it could be that an ancestor nearly drowned and again this important experience relating to survival was handed down because it was somehow retained as a genetic memory. It is a survival tool to have fears, like that of spiders, snakes, sharks, big cats, etc. Genetically many species have "factory installed software".

There is no evidence for "genetic memories". It's simply a conceit conjectured by psychologists hard-pressed to find a "rational" (i.e., conventional) explanation for phobias and recurring dreams whose causes they cannot identify in the lives of their patients. The notion that experiences can directly imprint themselves into the genes in cells so as to be inheritable is laughable. Genes don't encode for phobias! It's an example of the ridiculous stretching of sound, scientific facts beyond their conceptual limits whenever a scientist in one field tries to borrow concepts from another field that has no relevance when he is faced with phenomena he cannot explain in terms of his own field of specialization. But of course he gets away with this sloppy thinking because most people tend to accept whatever psychologists claim because they always believe that these people know what they are talking about, when the truth is that they would be laughed out of a department of microbiology if they ever dared to spout their nonsense about "genetic memories" there.

Personally, I think it's just instinct. There are (of course) probably things we don't know about how the mind/body perceives a threat or danger but like all animals, humans have instincts and they're there for a reason. Survival.

There are multiple obvious risks to life and limb that come from being near water or on a ship and even on big ships in particular. The brain can perceive these things in a variety of ways that might seem like magic or something if you're not really aware of it.

Usually it's just your brain telling you "Uhhhh....be careful"

a reply to: Phage

How does a spider remember how to build a web?

My dad did his dissertation on this, though he never presented it. Maybe for lack of proof, or maybe he was afraid of success..

There are a lot of studies in psychology especially with twins where they know similar things without similar environments. Twins separated at birth.

That a baby can know to suck on nipples says that knowledge is stored, hardwired, in the brain.

I wonder how much sticks and if it can be even a one off thing. I am so much like my dad with minimal contact, and with trying to not be like him it's scary.

originally posted by: micpsi
There is no evidence for "genetic memories". It's simply a conceit conjectured by psychologists hard-pressed to find a "rational" (i.e., conventional) explanation for phobias and recurring dreams whose causes they cannot identify in the lives of their patients. The notion that experiences can directly imprint themselves into the genes in cells so as to be inheritable is laughable. Genes don't encode for phobias! It's an example of the ridiculous stretching of sound, scientific facts beyond their conceptual limits whenever a scientist in one field tries to borrow concepts from another field that has no relevance when he is faced with phenomena he cannot explain in terms of his own field of specialization. But of course he gets away with this sloppy thinking because most people tend to accept whatever psychologists claim because they always believe that these people know what they are talking about, when the truth is that they would be laughed out of a department of microbiology if they ever dared to spout their nonsense about "genetic memories" there.

You sound so certain of your "facts". About as certain as scientists of the day that George Ohm(Ohm's law) was a quack, and a charlatan. Wouldn't it be better to say we don't have any evidence to this point that supports such a hypothesis? Science changes all the time as new evidence comes in. What we KNOW today, changes tomorrow, as new information negates old theories. I suspect in the future, we may very well find a link between our past and present in each one of us. It just may not work like many think it does today.

I heard about memories from transplanted organs so I have some info on it :


www.medicaldaily.com...

www.bibliotecapleyades.net...

www.wzzm13.com...

skepdic.com...

www.namahjournal.com...

www.dailymail.co.uk...

guardianlv.com...

guardianlv.com...

en.wikipedia.org...

www.naturalnews.com...

a reply to: payta

I dont mind flying, but I get a bit nervous when I see the plane is flying over water. I have never crossed the Atlantic, I live in America (the continent), so I've never been to Europe or Africa, and I don't think I could do it, everytime I think of planning a trip to the other side of the Atlantic, I feel anxious, and think I couldn't stand crossing the whole wide sea.

Me too.

I'm on the other side of the Atlantic and wouldn't want to fly/sail it to visit the Americas.

I've flown to Australia but most of that was over land (Europe and Asia) so I didn't mind; on the basis that if the plane came down, I would at least stand a chance of surviving it...assuming the crash itself didn't kill me.

But halfway across an ocean and that happens then there's no chance...zero, zip. Unless you're a fish.

This is a perfectly rational fear which probably many millions of us have; I see no connection to past lives at all.

originally posted by: micpsi
There is no evidence for "genetic memories". It's simply a conceit conjectured by psychologists hard-pressed to find a "rational" (i.e., conventional) explanation for phobias and recurring dreams whose causes they cannot identify in the lives of their patients. The notion that experiences can directly imprint themselves into the genes in cells so as to be inheritable is laughable. Genes don't encode for phobias! It's an example of the ridiculous stretching of sound, scientific facts beyond their conceptual limits whenever a scientist in one field tries to borrow concepts from another field that has no relevance when he is faced with phenomena he cannot explain in terms of his own field of specialization. But of course he gets away with this sloppy thinking because most people tend to accept whatever psychologists claim because they always believe that these people know what they are talking about, when the truth is that they would be laughed out of a department of microbiology if they ever dared to spout their nonsense about "genetic memories" there.

So what is the mice experiment I cited pointing at. How come the mice developed a fear of the smell of cherry blossom (Lord knows what horrid torture the scientists concocted to achieve this, arghhhhh). The scientists were able to develop in the mice seemingly an instinct that the smell of cherry blossom was something to fear. We have to ask ourselves where is this being recorded and what biological process is at work. Obviously something is happening here.

I think you are yourself avoiding science here. There are many papers on this, a lot of information on line and many scientists have ideas and arguments relating to genetic memory.

a reply to: BrianFlanders

Personally, I think it's just instinct.

Yes, instinct is a word for it.

an innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in animals in response to certain stimuli.

This process is accessible. This behaviour can be accessed and edited, altered as was the case with the mice and the cherry blossom. So where is that information being stored to be passed on seemingly as a genetic memory? How is it being passed on biologically without the learning of experience being present?

These are big questions. The fact that it can be altered, too, is most interesting. Psychology has a bright future I would suggest. It is a science in its infancy. It is growing as an evidence based academic discipline. Psychology is a vital component of big business strategy, determining customer behaviour. It really does matter.

a reply to: payta

Or high EMFs

a reply to: Reverbs

How does a spider remember how to build a web?

Instinct.
It is genetically programmed behavior.

That a baby can know to suck on nipples says that knowledge is stored, hardwired, in the brain.

Yes. A brain which was formed by genetic information. It has nothing to do with remembering past lives.