Past Lives

Okay, this is just what *I* believe and what makes sense to me. If you don't like it or disagree, that's fine, just don't be a dick about it.

I believe in reincarnation. Yup. I said it. I've always suspected that was the way of things, even being raised semi-Christian with the idea of heaven and hell. A recent trip with my father, listening to tapes of Buddhist teachings and people working on "delving into past lives" really cemented it for me.

The biggest thing for me is that it totally explains why I feel like I know some people right when I meet them. After a couple minutes, I feel like I've known them forever or that I really don't like them and I can't explain why.

If reincarnation is true, then I HAVE met them before, either for good or ill. I firmly believe in karma, but not the bumpersticker kind.

I believe that we are inherently good souls who have been placed in an animal body in this world in order to learn about life, relationships and generally the concept of good and evil. We were also given free will, therefore we have to figure these lessons out for ourselves. Whatever we don't learn in one lifetime will be an opportunity to learn in the next.

By doing harm to others you will be placed in a situation where harm is done to you so you can experience both sides of the equation. I never liked the "God is testing you" explanation of why crappy things happen to good people. Makes much more sense to me that the crap is dumped on them as some sort of life lesson, even though we don't fully appreciate it at the time.

A ruthless slave owner will spend a life as a slave, someone who is cruel to animals will spend a life in no position to defend himself as others are cruel to him and so on.

This doesn't excuse cruel acts, and this doesn't mean we sit idly by while cruelty takes place. If we live by the Golden Rule, "Treat others as you wish to be treated yourself," then neither of these options is viable. I would want someone to come to my aide, therefore I will assist someone else.

It's more complicated that that, of course, but I haven't had nearly enough wine to be able to explain it now.

On to past lives, and what I suspect happened in mine.

Now, I have no idea where I lived or when I lived, but I'm pretty damn sure WHO I lived with. There've been some friendships that started off really close really quickly. Why? Maybe we were friends before. There have been other people who I just detest right off the bat. Maybe they did me wrong in a past life. Who knows for sure?

The one thing I am absolutely 100% positive about is that I've known my BF before. After about 3 months, we felt and acted like an old married couple.

Why? I still barely know the guy, we haven't been together *that* long, and I can easy pass off the stirrings of "I love you" as brain chemicals.

Maybe we ARE an old married couple!

What a strange thought, but the more I consider it, the more I feel that is the case. We've known each other forever, and have doubtless lived many lives together somehow. Perhaps we lived as brother and sister too, b/c we've got that vibe going on too sometimes.

As soon as I met him, I just felt comfortable around him. I felt like I was at home. He was home.

Doesn't make sense if I met him a week ago. But it DOES make sense if you believe we've shared this planet before.

I've got female friends like that too. From Day 1 we could talk about anything and I trusted them. Why? I had no idea, but if we were friends before, it makes sense.

The theory is that souls will pick up right where they left off.

Therefore if you were friends or lovers in a past life, you pick up that relationship right where you left it before.

Another reason reincarnation makes sense to me. The 1st law of thermodynamics. You can't create something from nothing.

In western religion, you're born, you live and then you die. Your soul goes to the afterlife and that's the end of that. But where the heck are all those souls coming from and where do they go?

All of nature is a cycle, things don't just end and that's that. From death there is new life, and from life there is death. Doesn't it make sense that our souls are also part of this wheel? Nature does not just start and stop, so why would our soul do that?

It makes far more sense to me that we'd be reborn and build on what we've already been. A fallen tree gives life to many plants and animals, why wouldn't death be a gateway to new life for the soul?

It doesn't matter what you believe, what religion you identify with or if you believe in God or not. The point is to lead a worthwhile life, to somehow, in some tiny way, better yourself and build up good Karma for your soul.

A life replete with love, kindness and compassion for all life is admirable in any faith.

Isn't is rather comforting knowing you've done everything in life before and you'll get the chance to do it again? This is not *it*, this is not the end, this is merely a step on the journey.

I've Found New Things on Teh Interwebz

Lately the BF and I have decided we'd like to get married sometime in the not too distant future. We haven't looked at rings, we haven't made any announcements, but we pretty much decided that we love each other and want to get married some day. Simple as that.

Of course, being a girl, I get secretly (well, maybe not so secretly) excited about shiny things and planning a party. Because what is a wedding if not an awesome party you throw so friends and family can be around you at an awesome moment in your life?

On that note, there's a GAZILLION and one things on the internet about weddings. Some are pretty, some are nifty, and others are downright scary. There is literally no end to the crap you can spend money on surrounding the wedding. The dress! The cake! The flowers! The food! The cake topper shaped like two mermice! The Tears of Joy hankies! Wait... what?

It appears that some women view their wedding as some sort of parade of how much money they (or their family) can flush down the toilet.

I can't even fathom the lengths some people go to. It's a party, how hard can it be? You need a place, some food, guests, wine (no party of mine is ever without wine, thanks, Dad!), some sort of outline for the event and some nifty party clothes. That's it. Anything else is totall superflouous.

I've been to a few weddings, and the only things I remember are if the food was good, the ceremony was short but sweet and if I had fun. Nothing else mattered. Sure, open bar is nice, but beer and wine work too. Sure, little favors are cool, but unless it's something I can use (like mints or M&Ms) I'm probably going to chuck it when I get home. I cannot remember the napkins at ANY wedding, monogrammed or not, and the decorations are a blur too. My cousin's wedding appeared to lack any kind of color scheme, but I only noticed b/c someone pointed it out!

What am I supposed to say, "Your blatant flouting of the Color Scheme Rulz has totally detracted from my enjoyment of the ceremony and I will now go home and cry about what an awful person you are."

I mean really. o_O

So now I have a few awesome sights that I love to read b/c they actually appear to be written by real people, not cracked-out crazies who think their whole life leads up to their wedding day.

This is the coolest site ever and I love almost every post I've read so far. Love the author's ribbon veil. Totally speaks to my crafty, I made it myself isn't it pretty side. A veil made out of ribbon? That's easy to make? And doesn't cost a fortune? And looks really neat? Sign me up!

This site is quite frightening and makes me despair over the future of humanity.

This video, this video and this video made me snort milk out of my nose and onto my cat, but also make me despair over the future of humanity.

It seems like people place so much value on one freaking day of their entire lives. It's a wedding, it's just a party, what about the MARRIAGE that's supposed to come after? In all the planning and making sure the candles match the cake, was there ANY thought that went into what married life would mean to you?

Maybe eloping and getting married by Elvis in LV would indeed be easier. I can already see the appeal and I've barely gotten my tootsies wet in the whole wedding idea.