Reincarnated from a Foreign Country/City ? (home, find a job, living)

[ejlorge]

Have you ever had the impression that you lived a past life in a foreign country or city?

For example, you have had a strong affinity for a certain culture, you then go to visit the country or city and you feel very comfortable there and have the distinct feeling you have lived there before (?)


NOTE: This thread is NOT meant for discussing the validity or invalidity of reincarnation.

[danilsk]

I have an affinity to Belorussian culture. When I visitted Minsk for the first time it appeared out it is the same podunk my native city in Russia is. It really felt like I lived there before.

[ejlorge]

Okay, since Danilsk is the only brave one, I will tell my story:

I have had this experience a few times. But most recently, I visited Strasbourg, France last year and felt really comfortable there, in fact I have been trying to find a job so I can move there. I was, and still am, totally into the Alsacian culture, landscape, architecture, etc.

(I am American and I live in Lille, France by the way).

Anyhow, so my mother just emailed me a few days ago to say that her brother was doing their family tree and it turns out that BOTH of my mother's grandmothers were from Alsace. This was completely out of the blue.

So, I imagine it is possible I have either either DNA memory or past life memory of this region.

But I a more interested in YOUR story, dear reader...

[kerouac2]

The French half of my origin is from Lorraine, and I find that I feel very much at home in any part of northeastern France, southern Belgium or in Luxembourg. The people look like "my people" for some reason, even when they are immigrants from other parts of the world. Maybe it is their clothes, maybe it is the expression on their faces or their tone of voice. But whether I am in Lille, Strasbourg, Liège, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Nancy, Metz, Strasbourg, Valenciennes or Dunkerque (among others), it all seems like home to me.

[LibertysFate]

Yes. I've always been drawn to Celtic lore, myth and history, but I'm especially drawn to Scotland.
I've been wanting to go there since I was a child but haven't had a chance yet. I'm working on making it there in 2010 if I can, if not I'll try 2011.

[ejlorge]

Originally Posted by kerouac2

But whether I am in Lille, Strasbourg, Liège, Charleroi, Luxembourg, Nancy, Metz, Strasbourg, Valenciennes or Dunkerque (among others), it all seems like home to me.

Thats funny because I don't really consider Lille, Valenciennes or Dunkerque the Northeast... just, le Nord.

Those cities are for me, Flemish, while Lorraine-Alsace feels Germanic. The Flemish vibe is much different in my opinion.

[ABQConvict]

I believe such affinities are based on subtle enculturation. That is, one is exposed to dribs and drabs of the cultural ephemera of a place, these 'culturelets' are appreciated but not necessarily connected, and then one day when one is exposed to the culture in more grand way, such as visiting said country, one feels a sense of belonging.

For many people in America, this is the place of their ancestors because cultural traditions from their ancestral homeland that have persisted in their family's practices are brought to the surface when said persons start 'exploring the world'. For many Europeans the 'adopted' culture is one held by the ancestors of immigrants in their community.

I think that it is more common in people who react negatively to their own culture (or lack any cultural identity which is becoming more common in our consumerist, multicultural society).

I also believe this phenomenon is mainly Western since Western culture places a high value on xenophilia. I think it is rare for a Japanese person to say 'I must really be French!' or for a Kenyan to say, 'I believe I must have been Hindu in a previous life!'


ABQConvict

[ejlorge]

That is an interesting way to look at it, as a Western phenomena.

However, I imagine there are a lot of Asian people that visit the West and feel more comfortable here, than at home. I know one Japanese woman, who doesn't feel Japanese at all, in fact she feels more Italian and lived in FLorence for a while. In any case, reincarnation is no more engrained in the culture than in the East, so I am not sure that theory holds water..

Secondly, I am sure there is an element of cultural identification, perhaps, as I said, even a biological identification in the mix.

However, in my opinion, that is looking at it the wrong way. A person's affinity for a foreign culture is not proof of reincarnation, rather it is a possibility. There is always a chance I lived in a country in a past life, yet, for which I have zero interest in now.

In other words, the two phenomena are not mutually exclusive.

As for the reality of reincarnation, there is loads of documented evidence.

It is important to note that Reincarnation in the West was made illegal by Emperor Justinian and the Nicene Creed in the 4th century for reasons of control, otherwise it might have been a accepted concept in the West and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

[fuready]

Visited Guadaljara, Mexico for the first time in 2005 and I instinctively knew that this was where I should be living. Quit my job and relocated. Three years later....no regrets.

[BRAZILIAN]

I think this is very funny. It's same thing "past lifes therapy".
Why does everyone feel that this "experience" always think they have lived in Europe or another good place.
I never heard anyone to say that feels lived in Ethiopia, Somalia or any other very poor country?? Why is it??