If you could talk to yourself in an alternate universe....A very personal look at oneself

What would you do?


Think of the rules as those in Fringe... Aside from ripping the universe apart stuff. Keep it simple.. Would you just want to see what yourself would be like if simple decisions were made differently? I think this exercise would be great for self reflection. Perhaps decisions you have made weren't as profound on your state today as you think. Keep in mind, this isn't time travel. You would see your exact self at your exact age. Who knows... Maybe your alternate would be exactly as you are. Or maybe not...


I may be sharing too much here, but I personally would love to know if such alternate universe existed. I don't like to define my life by what happened to me as a child, but I cant ignore the trauma I faced as a child. I was sexually abused during three summers from ages 6-9. And while, I had the growings of some personality issues, I feel like the events of my life from 6-9 profoundly changed the course of my life and the decisions I made since. Thus, I'd love to talk to my alternate and hope he didn't go through the same thing I did. I'd love to see what he became.

Although as I write that, it makes me feel as if I am some kind of failure. I'm not. I'm happy, I married a wonderful beautiful woman, and live in my own version of paradise. However I have made serious mistakes in my life. Mistakes with trust, honesty, and decisions that almost seemed like self destruction. There are things I do regret in life. However, what would be different if I didn't do them? Would I have ever met my wife? Don't know... More reasons Id love to see how my alternate is doing...


What about you guys? Sorry I got a little personal there, but I wanted to illustrate how deep Ive thought about this. Would love to hear fellow ats'ers thoughts.

Ive also thought about this,

What if I continued to take my sport seriously and didnt start "seeing" Mary Jane as a teenager, What if I hadnt cheated (or got busted cheating) on my very first GF, what if I hadnt of taken the job Overseas etc etc

I wonder about those other me's and would love to take a glimpse into their lives but at the same time, like you, I like my life and the experiences, good and bad and my successes, failures and mistakes have made it what it is today.

I wouldnt mind being the buff AFL all star parallel me for a day or 2 though

I'd tell me to knuckle down at school.
Stay away from a certain soul eating little brunette.
Not ever even consider owning a Suzuki SP 370
And then I'd teach me how to play smells like teen spirit.

Trouble is I would nt take a damn bit of notice unless I was very different from this universe's version.

Originally posted by SprocketUK
I'd tell me to knuckle down at school.
Stay away from a certain soul eating little brunette.
Not ever even consider owning a Suzuki SP 370
And then I'd teach me how to play smells like teen spirit.

Trouble is I would nt take a damn bit of notice unless I was very different from this universe's version.

Are you still in school? If not, you've broken the rules.

reply to post by bknapple32


That's me. Didn't bother reading it right. Ok id like to talk to the version of me that never made those particular mistakes

reply to post by SprocketUK


That would be nice... But the way I look at it is... You dont know what youre going to get in this alternate version. They may have made every single decision as you did. Or maybe one or two different ones...How much of a difference would that make if only a couple things went differently

Well if I'd done some work at school. ..a huge difference. I'd have had a job I enjoyed probably.
If I'd run away from a certain girl then that too would have been a biggie.
The suzuki not so much, but I'd have saved a few quid.

There isn't too much in my life that looking back seems to be big moments. Though strangely I've just handed in my resignation from a job I've had for 20 years. That was a big step.

Most of my problems can be attributed to a poor work ethic at school, drink, some drugs and women.

I would sit down with him and have a conversation with him. If I happened to find out that he was doing better than this me in most ways, I would kill him and take his place in that universe LOL.

reply to post by Xaphan


You are one sadistic mutha. But I love the honesty lol

To me this is the most interesting thing I can possibly think about. What if's? Why is life filled with infinite amounts of them? I think I need a break from deep thinking for a few days lol. I would do SO many things different, but maybe if I did those things different I would just have a different set of problems on my hands opposed to the ones I have on me already? Theres an alternate version of me who has probly done everything PERFECTLY. I want to be him haha, can any human say they are the best possible version of themselves? Even my best me would probly say he could be better. If I could talk to other me's I would just share experiences with them but also trade tips on how is the best way to use our personality in everyday life? What works best for you, ya know? Great thread OP.

I have been aware of shadow-selves.... other me's.

An interesting experience, when I was in my late teens, as meeting a girl who looked like my double. Interesting, because she was a heroin addict (and I was not). Interesting, because (despite the fact that she had dyed her hair dark red) we were both taken by an incredible likeness of features. Interesting also, because she held out her palm to me, saying, "Look, I have three lifelines." (She really did.) It was a chance meeting. I never saw her again.

When I was in my late 20s, I had a glimpse (just a flash of insight, while I was practicing guitar, of all things)... into another self, who had taken a path I did not take. What got me was the surprise of being wrong. At the time, I had spent at least five years trying to convince myself that something I was afraid to let into my life, would not have worked out anyway. Needless to say, I was wrong. An interesting realization, but thankfully, no regrets. I am me and that me is also me. I am happy she exists (existed).

More recently, I have looked actively for a self in an alternate universe, and found it, through meditation, etc. Again, what got me was surprise. If you move around a mountain, the view changes. If you move your thoughts to another universe, the view changes. Some things that prey on your mind 'here' may not even exist 'there'. You may be surprised by what you miss. What you see. And what becomes possible. This is not a physical experience experience, but a 'mind' experience. But at times, I 'feel' what that other self is wearing, what that other self is having for dinner, etc.

I would not necessarily recommend trying to maintain a prolonged connection with another self, but I have my reasons... It possibly makes me dysfunctional in other ways though...

I'm not really sure how to guide anyone on how... I think each path is different and individual... One way is to look for a death (or a miraculous survival) and imagine it going differently, but this is not easy. Will you be able to explore who you would have been if a loved one did not survive that heart attack, that car accident, etc, without being ridden by the guilt of having 'killed' them off? Imagining a move, a job change or a relationship change might be a little easier, but you may discover that it also translates to the loss of a friendship or two or more... Or perhaps by regaining a connection, you lost in this reality... Each gain is matched by a loss (or rather a chain of events or non-events leading in a different direction). Or vice versa. It can be truly fascinating and very revealing about self... Question is, how well does anyone know his/her self?

reply to post by bknapple32


Walking in my concience one day, I came upon myself, or rather two of my selfs.
(which was truly one)

Along the path that I had chosen to walk happenstance led me to a fork.
The fork split the path into two paralleling each other with the difference being
that one was a low path and the other being significantly higher.

At the entrance to each path was an effigy to myself.
One path held a younger version while the other beheld an elder.

Curiously, I asked what is this significance and upon hearing that came the tandem answer;
"We are you - at different ages - and of particular past lives of reincarnation.

Each path represents a life where you explicitly chose to use your eternal wisdom
for either treachery, or morality.
Each path is that of your immortal soul and of that dire decision it chose."

I first addressed the younger version as my ego appealed to the more asthetically pleasing
appearance of apparitions of myself beheld infront of me.

"What is this 'fork' in which you stand upon?" I did ask -

"It is the most of the treacherous;
I that is you have succumbed to the evils of the flesh and chosen to willfully
desecrate and vanquish what has as a gift been bestowed upon me.
I have no use but of my own carnal desire for mankind and mother Earth.
Blatantly I murder, rape and steal all that is infront of me selfishly believing that
my pilaging desire is the only true desire.
My heart is hardened to the cries of infants and my soul is blackened of chastise
to those in desperation of need.
I care not for justice but instead readily feed on those whom I employ my injustices."

Feeling the coldness from standing in the shadow of death, I turned to question
the elder of myselves -

"Upon this 'fork' that you reside and of it's concequences?" my voice uttered -

"Of it, it is the most of justification;
I that is you have chosen to look past that which beckons my darker desires instead
reveling in the solitude of serenity known as servitude to thy fellow human.
Knowingly, choosing to reach out to those in need and desperation all the whilst enjoying
the grace of hidden gifts of nature glorifying the secrets to eternal bliss while sanctifying
relationships with all living species in the vestitudes of a Samaritan lifestyle."

My mind's eye conveyed that the path in which I had set out upon before halting at this fork
was of course a circular journey.

I could see the path that I stood upon did not completely vanish but hazely did indeed
pick up just beyond the fork in which I was visiting my plural selves.

Pointing, "What of that one?" I asked -

"That is the path in which you must transgress.
Many have come before, and many have chosen either side to this fork, but few see the
pure, simple and concise path which lies infront of them.

Your feet have already tread upon which what we already guard and your answer to enlightenment
is the one in whcih you seek but have yet to tread."

reply to post by meridie


I have seen many shadow people and they are dark for a reason and it`s because they are held to that darkness because they are unclean, that realm is for the dark and it`s that realm where these beings reside.