Specific Memories of Past Lives: Patti Smith Edition

[Sztar]

Specific Memories of Past Lives

For years I've been plagued by this memory of attending a Patti Smith concert that I have no recollection of actually attending. I've had this sort of dream-like memory, if you will, of being near the center-right a few people deep in the front of the stage at a concert at the Fillmore in San Francisco. I can remember all of the details--the length of her hair (brown shoulder-ish length), the way she moved erratically on stage with the mic, the way she was dressed (a white or light-colored shirt)....

The thing is, I have no actual memory of attending such a concert. It's like something I dreamed about so vividly that over the years I've had to question whether or not I attended one of her concerts. I've gone over it in my mind a number of times... How could I *forget* if I attended a Patti Smith concert? Was I so drunk that I barely remember? Did I go to a concert with a friend in the early 2000s, and I don't have a clear memory of it? (FYI: For as wild as I've been in my life, I have never at any time been a black out drunk. Also, I lived in SF from 2001 to 2012, and I started having this memory around 2003.)

So earlier this week I was googling around looking at books about mediumship after a recent thread about claircognizance, spirits, etc, and I found a book called "On Dragonfly's Wings: A Skeptic's Journey to Mediumship." Then in the Amazon recommendations I noticed a memoir by Patti Smith, which of course, got me thinking about the dream again... But then when I looked up a picture of what she looks like today, I had an epiphany: There is NO WAY that I could remember going to this concert because the Patti Smith in the memory is so much younger than she could possibly have been within the time frame of my life.

After googling around about concert dates that took place at the Fillmore in SF, I came across a recent article about the 40-year anniversary of her pivotal album, "Horses." One of the first places they planned to kick off the anniversary tour in 2015 was, of course, at the Fillmore because it's the location of one of the first shows she played on the original tour... in 1975.

And yet I was born in 1978.

So what I want to know first of all is: Was anyone on AT at that concert in November 1975 and was she wearing a white or light colored shirt?? (j/k--sort of... )

Then what I want to know is: Is it possible that I have a memory of attending a concert that took place 3 years before I was born?

I went back through my journals from 2001 to 2003 and compared them against concert dates, and there's definitely no way that I went to any of those concerts. (For what it's worth, I have over 20 years of journals--some time periods are more detailed than others, but generally I would say I have a pretty good record of my life.)

So what do you think, AT? Does anyone else have a similar "memory"? Do you think it's a past life memory or just a dream I had? As an alternate theory I was thinking it could be someone else's memory. Maybe someone attended the concert, and the memory of it--the feeling of being present at such a pivotal moment in rock and roll history--had such an effect on the person that the memory itself was uploaded into the Universal Consciousness?

What do you think?

 

[Sztar]

No thoughts???

Surely others have similar memories they can't quite place? It feels very real to me--vivid but with a dreamlike quality. Considering my tendency to have meaningful or "psychic" dreams (for lack of a better word), I have to consider the possibility that it's a memory from outside of my own linear existence. Maybe not a past life. Maybe it could be someone else's memory... After reading Rupert Sheldrake's theories, like I mentioned above, I think the existence of morphic fields explains a lot about the world as I've experienced it. I don't have any other memories like this that I am aware of, so it's an anomaly for me.

 

[Padma]

I don't think it is a stretch to call it a past life memory. I think there are many books on this same subject, with people feeling much as you do about their memories, as you do your memory of the concert.

It is hard to find proof, though!

Have you ever thought about going to a hypnotist who does past life regression?

I have some vivid memories from past lives, one in particular involves both my husband and myself in the 1920's, we had a car crash (and died) after a party night in Harlem. And we both remember the few moments before the crash, and what we were wearing. We also both remember we had a Victorian life together. He remembers being a military member, and I remember being his spouse at that time, but no real details other than that. I don't have any other memories of lives with him, but it might be!

 

[Laura Borealis]

That is strange, but what a gift. You got to see a legendary performer onstage, and you didn't even have to be there in your present corporeal form. Imagine the things you could witness if you could do this intentionally.

I don't have an explanation for such things. Past life or someone else's memory? I don't have enough knowledge to have an informed opinion. The only thing I've experienced that is even vaguely similar is something that happened after I was in a bad car accident. The head injury definitely messed with my memory; I don't remember some things that happened right afterward (a couple acquaintances told me they spoke to me at the scene, but I have no memory of it) and also I could not remember my phone number, address, etc. when the paramedics asked. These are normal reactions to head trauma.

What was strange is that I remember it happening a block further on from where it actually happened. It's like I have dual memories: of the actual incident and aftermath, and a phantom one that was spatially misplaced. It was incredibly persistent, too. For years whenever I drove through that intersection, I'd "remember" the accident I didn't have there, with the full range of anxiety reactions.

I never talked to anyone about it. It was just too weird I guess. An inexpiable anomaly. But now I'm wondering if the trauma did something funky to my brain, allowing me to pick up on someone else's car accident. The phantom memory could actually be someone else's.

Intriguing topic!

 

[celticnoodle]

I would be willing to bet it was a past life memory.

I had something somewhat similar. For MANY years, I always had this "dream" vision of a woman in the 1920s, who lived in a big city--like NYC, I think. She was a flapper too. I would always see her singing in a bar/club. I would always see her sitting on a stool and singing and the club was semi-dark and the people clapping and all. I could never get pass this scene though, and always wondered why I would only see this part and no more.

Then, one day, I took a series of Shaman classes with a Shaman in my area and she led all of us back to a past life and I came to this same vision again. This time though, it continued on. The woman, when she was finished singing and the club closed, she was walking home--alone and I remember vividly, climbing the stairs to her apartment, and putting the key into the lock and opening the door and stepping into the apartment, which was dark too. Closed the door and then someone from behind grabbed her/me and sadly--it didn't end well. I came out of this vision gasping and yelling--it was so vividly real.

Without going into too much detail--the woman was killed by strangulation and her throat was also slit, I think. It wasn't pretty.

So, now I know why I couldn't ever get passed the last "safe and fun" part of the scene--it was too frightful. I do still dream of "her" but now, when I dream of it, I don't usually see either scene mentioned above, I'll just see this woman walking, smiling--and happy, sometimes with a light skip in her step. I've also seen her as if she is looking directly at me, and she is always smiling and seemingly happy. Its almost like "she" knows that I now have the full explanation of that past life, maybe.

 

[Sztar]

I don't think it is a stretch to call it a past life memory. I think there are many books on this same subject, with people feeling much as you do about their memories, as you do your memory of the concert.

It is hard to find proof, though!

Have you ever thought about going to a hypnotist who does past life regression?

It never occurred to me to go to a hypnotist. Maybe that would produce something interesting... Funny... A year ago, I would never (and I mean NEVER) have entertained the idea of going to a hypnotist. But really, when I think about it, what's the harm? If it doesn't work, well, then at least I can say I had an interesting experience with a hypnotist, right? It would be, "That time I went to a hypnotist..."

I have some vivid memories from past lives, one in particular involves both my husband and myself in the 1920's, we had a car crash (and died) after a party night in Harlem. And we both remember the few moments before the crash, and what we were wearing. We also both remember we had a Victorian life together. He remembers being a military member, and I remember being his spouse at that time, but no real details other than that. I don't have any other memories of lives with him, but it might be!

Wow! How did you remember these? Did you both spontaneously remember it or did you go to a hypnotist?

 

[Sztar]

That is strange, but what a gift. You got to see a legendary performer onstage, and you didn't even have to be there in your present corporeal form. Imagine the things you could witness if you could do this intentionally.

Yes, think of it! To clarify, I don't have a memory of experiencing the entire concert--just a very vivid snippet.

I don't have an explanation for such things. Past life or someone else's memory? I don't have enough knowledge to have an informed opinion. The only thing I've experienced that is even vaguely similar is something that happened after I was in a bad car accident. The head injury definitely messed with my memory; I don't remember some things that happened right afterward (a couple acquaintances told me they spoke to me at the scene, but I have no memory of it) and also I could not remember my phone number, address, etc. when the paramedics asked. These are normal reactions to head trauma.

What was strange is that I remember it happening a block further on from where it actually happened. It's like I have dual memories: of the actual incident and aftermath, and a phantom one that was spatially misplaced. It was incredibly persistent, too. For years whenever I drove through that intersection, I'd "remember" the accident I didn't have there, with the full range of anxiety reactions.

I never talked to anyone about it. It was just too weird I guess. An inexpiable anomaly. But now I'm wondering if the trauma did something funky to my brain, allowing me to pick up on someone else's car accident. The phantom memory could actually be someone else's.

Intriguing topic!

That *is* strange. I've come to the conclusion that the mind and the memory are very strange animals. Also, with string theory, there might be many simultaneous realities. Therefore, maybe in some other reality, you really *did* have an accident at a different intersection? Who knows...

There are so many things out there that we don't have the scientific language to understand right now, but I don't think it follows that people's personal experiences should be written off as fantasy. I mean, think of it: The universe is INFINITE. And yet we somehow believe that laboratory science has all the answers? It's nonsense when you really think about it.

 

[Sztar]

I would be willing to bet it was a past life memory.

I had something somewhat similar. For MANY years, I always had this "dream" vision of a woman in the 1920s, who lived in a big city--like NYC, I think. She was a flapper too. I would always see her singing in a bar/club. I would always see her sitting on a stool and singing and the club was semi-dark and the people clapping and all. I could never get pass this scene though, and always wondered why I would only see this part and no more.

Then, one day, I took a series of Shaman classes with a Shaman in my area and she led all of us back to a past life and I came to this same vision again. This time though, it continued on. The woman, when she was finished singing and the club closed, she was walking home--alone and I remember vividly, climbing the stairs to her apartment, and putting the key into the lock and opening the door and stepping into the apartment, which was dark too. Closed the door and then someone from behind grabbed her/me and sadly--it didn't end well. I came out of this vision gasping and yelling--it was so vividly real.

Without going into too much detail--the woman was killed by strangulation and her throat was also slit, I think. It wasn't pretty.

So, now I know why I couldn't ever get passed the last "safe and fun" part of the scene--it was too frightful. I do still dream of "her" but now, when I dream of it, I don't usually see either scene mentioned above, I'll just see this woman walking, smiling--and happy, sometimes with a light skip in her step. I've also seen her as if she is looking directly at me, and she is always smiling and seemingly happy. Its almost like "she" knows that I now have the full explanation of that past life, maybe.

Wow, did you ever try to research who it might have been? I would go crazy wanting to look through all the death records. Also, did you experience the memory as if you're looking at her or as if you're viewing the world through her eyes? I was reading somewhere that many of the past life memories that people have are associated with violent deaths. It makes sense when you think of it... The most jarring experiences, the most disturbing... those would be the ones that would stick with you... But then you said that you've seen her looking at you... So maybe it's someone else's memory and you've experienced it through her eyes? Interesting...

 

[celticnoodle]

Wow, did you ever try to research who it might have been?

no, because I'm not sure where *she* was living. I think NYC, but it could've been Chicago, IL or any large city. Also, I didn't have a name or anything either.

I would go crazy wanting to look through all the death records. Also, did you experience the memory as if you're looking at her or as if you're viewing the world through her eyes?

Both actually. At first, I was just watching it occur--while I was sleeping and also a few times during meditation. But I have also been "her"--so this is why I am sure it was my past life. I was seeing what was happening being IN her body.

However, the first time that happened--I wasn't really sure if it stil meant it was me in a past life or a spirit coming to me, because I have often had spirits step into my body and I would experience things they went through while alive, as if it were me. But, I just know now that it was me in a past life.

I was reading somewhere that many of the past life memories that people have are associated with violent deaths. It makes sense when you think of it... The most jarring experiences, the most disturbing... those would be the ones that would stick with you... But then you said that you've seen her looking at you... So maybe it's someone else's memory and you've experienced it through her eyes? Interesting...

Yes, I've heard that as well too, though I also recall reading books on this subject and read some accounts from people who did not pass by a violet death.

The little boy across the street from us is quite the psychic medium himself. For years he would tell his mother and others (even my hubby & I) about his "last life" and he had a brother that was younger then him. He'd even draw his "family" and I can't recall now if he knew his name from them or not. Its been awhile and I think he grew out of it now (he's now 8). But he'd tell the same stories to various people w/o even being encouraged to do so, from the time he was about 3. I think because the story wouldn't change from person to person, he must have truly remembered a past life.

 

[Tanga]

Then what I want to know is: Is it possible that I have a memory of attending a concert that took place 3 years before I was born?

Why not?

Try a hypnotist/past life regression as suggested.


Some years ago when I was at the College of Psychic Studies (in London) and attending lectures about various and sundry - I remember someone presenting recordings of children who remembered their past lives just gone (they forget them as they get older).
Y'know - like a kid says to their Mum - "you're not my Mummy - I used to live in this street with my Mummy and I had an elder sister and a bike..."
Then - they take the child to that street, and meet the sister who says her younger brother died on his bike in an accident - 2 years before the child was born.
Stuff like that.
Fazcinating.


I have 2 vivid past life memories - but their both quite distant past.
In one - I'm a Namibian poison mistress and healer having arrived too late to save a small boy from a scorpion bite. And in the background - I can hear the horrible keening of his mother, whilst I keep thinking to myself over and over "Oh no - I'm too late, I'm too late..."
(this memory makes some sense to me - as my ancestors on my father's side likely migrated
down to E. Africa from Egypt and the Namib).

In the other - I am walking down a valley between high cliffs in the Grand Canyon, where the Pueblo Mesa Indians used to live. And as I pass by each dwelling, I recite to myself who used to live there and remember them.

Weird things to remember.
*shrugs shoulders*