What is reincarnation?

[Anthony Forwood]

It is hard for me to believe these Akashic records knows what a piece of chocolate tastes like, or how my mother smelt when I was a child, or why I hate spiders.


They are all physical which requires physical emotion and feelings to re experience those memories. Without physical involvement there is no real memory

Like anything else, tastes and smells are only physical in the moment that they're happening, and beyond that they're purely subjective impressions, stored in whatever manner they are for later access. Since memory appears to exist separate to the brain, it has been suggested that they might be stored in the energy fields surrounding the body. This is entirely plausible, since energy is capable of retaining an infinite amount of information, and very compactly, to the point that a single atomic particle can conceivably contain a coded 3D holographic representaion of the entire history of the universe in panoramic color and dolby sound. There is that much energy compacted into a particle, and particles collapse out of a wave state that is everywhere at once, so why not? All that might be needed is the knowledge of how to extract the information we want from that hologram that is encoded in every particle.

 

[John Tat]

Anthony.. You cannot split memory into different category's to suit your beliefs If what you said is right then a piece of chocolate is very relevant to what memory is all about. Memory is memory in the point you are making We are talking about memory you and I and everyone else has in the physical world. If you want to talk about spiritual memory then nobody is an expert. So in the context of all of this describe what a piece of chocolate tastes like? Can you do that with complete accuracy.


If you cannot then the only explanation can be is, the chocolate itself is the memory and when you eat another piece you say to yourself yes that is chocolate. Memory is not floating around is some mysterious way


We are surrounded by our physical memories, we see them every day. We often say to ourselves when we see something.. that's right I remember that now. The object was our memory. What is a shopping list we take to the supermarket? All of these things of course are not the only source of our memories but it is an important part of our memory

 

[Anthony Forwood]

Anthony.. You cannot split memory into different category's to suit your beliefs If what you said is right then a piece of chocolate is very relevant to what memory is all about. Memory is memory in the point you are making We are talking about memory you and I and everyone else has in the physical world. If you want to talk about spiritual memory then nobody is an expert. So in the context of all of this describe what a piece of chocolate tastes like? Can you do that with complete accuracy.
If you cannot then the only explanation can be is, the chocolate itself is the memory and when you eat another piece you say to yourself yes that is chocolate. Memory is not floating around is some mysterious way


We are surrounded by our physical memories, we see them every day. We often say to ourselves when we see something.. that's right I remember that now. The object was our memory. What is a shopping list we take to the supermarket? All of these things of course are not the only source of our memories but it is an important part of our memory

Let me ask you this, so I can understand you better... When you remember the taste of chocolate, what do you think is going on?

 

[John Tat]

I cannot remember what chocolate tastes like, so I don't know what is going on. What I remember is I like chocolate and caramel and when I eat another piece of it the memory of the taste and why I like the taste comes back to me while I'm eating the chocolate. In other words the memories of the taste of the chocolate is the chocolate itself and if I never ate another piece of caramel chocolate I would have no memories of what it tasted like. These things are all about repetitive memory which is a very significant and a major part of our memories. Where we were born, our family, our jobs, our friends, how to drive to work, almost everything we do is all about our repetitive memory, what we do and see all the time. Ask some one what they were doing on this day three months ago and unless it was something specific they could not remember

 

[Anthony Forwood]

So you have no memories of any taste sensations at all? It's not that unusual for people to have a hard time rememering tastes, since it's the least depended on sense we have, and memories are recorded by paying attention to what we experience. If you gobble chocolate cake like a pig, you'll never experience its falvor.


Most people are oriented to remembering visual or audio sensations, while the other sensory stimuli generally gets less attention and is more likely to not be emgrained in memory so well.


I'm certain you probably do rememer tastes and are just confused with what you should expect as a recall. I'll bet that if you were really hungry and saw a piece of chocolate cake, you would immediately have some memories of what chocolate cake tastes like. Otherwise, there's something wrong with your ability to recall tastes, because this reaction will happen to just about anybody with taste buds who's ever delighted in eating chocolate cake before, if they're hungry enough. Perhaps you expect a memory that's as strong as a visual memory is for you, instead of the vague wisps of flavor that are recalled to consciousness when seeing the cake. The full memories don't necessarily just rise up on their own, You sometimes have to think aout the past experiences enough to recall the finer sutleties of the experience. If you never paid attention to them before, they won't be easily recalled from memory.


Repetitive memory is another name for habitual memory, and habits are nothing more than automated brain processes that are triggered by a particular stimulus. This isn't the same type of memory that is used to recall experiences. Habits are coded into the neural network of the brain. They react to experiences automatically without the need for conscious attention. Anything that occurs through habit will normally bypass experiential memory. Experiential memory is only recorded as far as we pay attention to what's going on.


Memories of taste are not habitual memories. Putting the fork to your mouth is governed by habitual memories, but taste is an experiential memory.

 

[tanguerra]

Memory is a complicated thing. That's for sure. There is 'muscle memory' where you can train your fingers to play the guitar, for example, with long practice until you can do it without thinking. There is a type of person who is very good at remembering lots of facts and figures - quiz champions for instance. There are those who can remember a tune precisely once they've heard it. You were talking above about remembering sensations - touch, smell and taste. These are all types of memory.


The memories that people seem to remember most clearly, from one life to the next (and even in the present life) on the whole, are emotional memories. They remember things that felt important at the time. The pivotal, fateful, emotionally charged or dramatic moments usually stand out most strongly. Other things are also recalled of course - some facts and figures, some 'sensation' memories, like the feeling of wearing a long robe, or a kimono, the smell of home, the touch of a sweetheart. Some people have retained 'muscle memory' and talk about the first time they picked up a musical instrument or a bow and arrow and had a powerful feeling of deja vu. I felt that way the first time I sat on a horse as a small child. I just knew I had done this many times before.


So - what is going on there? Obviously, either all these people are imagining things, or memory(s) are perfectly able to exist outside of the physical body. Memories are indeed, immortal. We can only assume therefore that they are stored by the 'soul'. Indeed, maybe they are what the soul is 'made of'. In some ways you could say memories are the soul and the soul is memory.

 

[Anthony Forwood]

Hi tanguerra, thanks for the input. I think you're very right about emotional memories being a vital connection to PL memories, if such things exist.

Indeed, maybe they are what the soul is 'made of'. In some ways you could say memories are the soul and the soul is memory.

That's a very interesting way of looking at it. In fact, it parallels my understanding of reality quite well.

 

[John Tat]

Anthony


What is your understanding based on and why? How did you come to such an understanding? Was it science or faith in the spiritual which I have said, and you have criticised. Are you now saying I was right in saying what I did, by claiming you have an understanding about exactly the same thing I do?


This is a site is about reincarnation which makes it basically a spiritual site. People come here to talk about there spiritual experiences and spiritual self and reincarnation We all have basically the same beliefs as you have properly noticed. By your comments about me on various threads shows you must also believe most of us are delusional, lack understanding and out of touch with reality... well that's up to you. By the way you said I think I'm special... well in fact I 'am.. Most on this site believe they are.. Most believe what we have with the spiritual is special ... That's how much you understand about us.. Does anything make you special?

 

[Anthony Forwood]

Anthony
What is your understanding based on and why? How did you come to such an understanding? Was it science or faith in the spiritual which I have said, and you have criticised.

I come to my understanding the way most intelligent people do. That's more than I owe you for an answer, since you're side-stepping my questions to you.


And I'm not criticizing anything that doesn't deserve some criticism. It's up to you how you want to deal with it. But you don't really expect that people here wouldn't see the value in a challenge to claims such as yours, do you? And what about yourself? Don't you see the value of putting your beliefs up to the light of reason?

Are you now saying I was right in saying what I did, by claiming you have an understanding about exactly the same thing I do?

Huh? I have no idea what you're saying! Please don't put words in my mouth or misread me. Try quoting for better communication.

This is a site is about reincarnation which makes it basically a spiritual site.

Basically this is a spirituaql site? Do you mean to say that science and logic have no place here? Is that what everyone else here agrees to as well?

People come here to talk about there spiritual experiences and spiritual self and reincarnation We all have basically the same beliefs as you have properly noticed.

Actually, I would expect there to be a divergence of beliefs based on the usual differences in levels of knowledge about relevant subjects. That everyone is basically the same in their beliefs can only be true at a very superficial level. Go deeper and you'll certainly find that we're all different in what we believe, and not everyone can be right, so is it so wrong to find out which are the more accurate beliefs to go by?


I'm far more interested in the truth about reincarnation than I am in bolsdtering someone's fantasies about themselves. If that poses a threat to your fragile sensitivities, then maybe you're here for the wrong reasons, and not me.

By your comments about me on various threads shows you must also believe most of us are delusional, lack understanding and out of touch with reality... well that's up to you. By the way you said I think I'm special... well in fact I 'am.. Most on this site believe they are.. Most believe what we have with the spiritual is special ... That's how much you understand about us.. Does anything make you special?

I understand what this site is for. I keep coming across your comments in just about every thread I start reading, and they stand out as very intentionally provocative in comparison to all the others, so excuse me for being drawn to them so easily. They beg to be countered with more reasonable


As for everybody else, I have nothing against them or their beliefs. I have my own beliefs, I have my own 'higher self' that I have my own personal understanding of, I have my own experiences that may or may not reflect past lives, etc., so I'm no different than anyone else here. But I don't think anyone here is special, nor is having an awareness of your higher spirit or whatever you want to call it special, because we all have one, so get over yourself. That particular point about you is what bothers me, if you need to have it spelled out so clearly.


You started this thread by asking the following...

If reincarnation is not fully understood then what is real about reincarnation and what is not real about reincarnation?

I'm merely taking the bait and responding. I would think that you would want to really try to discover an answer to that question. Why did you ask it if you can't deal with anything but your own answers?


I've asked you several questions already in an attempt to better understand some of your statements, but you ignore them. How about going back to the one about the smells? How about explaining to me how you differentiate between the subjective world and the objective world, which is what was confusing me in the first place?

 

[John Tat]

As you would now my subjective world is unique to me and therefore different to yours and everyone else's


So comparing my subjective world to the objective world is also unique to me


The objective world is a philosophical concept which amongst other things is, what is right and wrong defined by others not me


So how do I differentiate between them? Well, that's not easy for me. How do I separate what I believe and someone else believes who could be just as right or wrong as me? But by saying that I'm also very interested in finding the truth. I hope that makes some sense


Going back to smells. If I have no memories of what something smells and tastes like unless I experience them again well I suppose I'm stuck in my subjective world some of the time


I think I'm the same as most. In my subjective world are my core belief's. If they are challenged by the objective world then I will defend them

 

[Anthony Forwood]

So now you're saying that the objective world is just a philosophical concept?


In message #6 you said that memory is physical:

Those memories in my opinion are physical memories in the brain. Now we get to reparative memory That in my opinion is also in the physical brain

You have things completely backwards, John!

 

[John Tat]

Yes that is exactly what it is what it is It is nothing more than a concept created by those who think they know The only question that really matters is what is right and what is wrong


Can't you understand that?

 

[Anthony Forwood]

Yes that is exactly what it is what it is It is nothing more than a concept created by those who think they know The only question that really matters is what is right and what is wrong
Can't you understand that?

Sure.

 

[tanguerra]

Yes that is exactly what it is what it is It is nothing more than a concept created by those who think they know The only question that really matters is what is right and what is wrong.

There is not always a 'true' or 'false' answer to everything, or any such thing as 'right' or 'wrong'. People are all a bit different. Their thought processes are a bit different, the way they process experiences (such as smells, or emotions, or ideas) are all different.


There is little point in saying 'my way or the highway' when it comes to the way other people see and interpret the world. It's like saying everyone must look the same and dress the same. Why? No reason.


So, John sees the world a certain way. He understands things work a certain way. He has experiences where he gains understandings from his 'source' or 'higher being'. He works out how he interprets or describes this information for the interest of others. That's all fine.


In this forum people are free to discuss their ideas and describe their experiences, without being told they are 'wrong' or in any other way bad. It is one of the few safe places where people can discuss these kinds of things. That's one of the many things I like about it.