BOOK READ: 'Journey of Souls' by Michael Newton PhD

Welcome to the group read of 'Journey of Souls', by Michael Newton PhD.

A group read is an opportunity to discuss a book as a group. This group read will take place in this forum in this Book Read thread. The Discussion Schedule is shown below. Everyone is free to join in the discussion.

To participate, simply read the suggested chapters before the date posted for discussion of that section, and then start posting.


Important guideline to bear in mind during a group read:

Please post only about the chapters scheduled to be discussed. To do otherwise constitute "spoilers", a practice which may "spoil" the read for first-timers by talking about information that they have not yet read. Also, adhering to the schedule focuses us on "the now", which may offer insights not to be found if we are continually running ahead.


Discussion Schedule:

March 27-April 2      Introduction and Chapters 1-4
April 3-April 9         Chapters 5-8
April 10-April 16      Chapters 9-12
April 17-April 23      Chapters 13-15 and Conclusion
April 24-April 30      Wrap-up


There is a separate post in this thread for each of the five weeks in the discussion schedule shown above. Please post your discussions for each section under the appropriate post for the week.


IMPORTANT NOTE: I've included a post entitled 'Miscellaneous Comments/Questions' so that you have a place to post questions or comments that are unrelated to the specific section of the book that we're reading. Please post any questions that you have under this post so that we can keep the format of this thread clean so that it's easy to follow. Additionally, we recommend that you periodically examine this section to determine if there's any information that's being communicated to the entire group.


Finally, thanks to cassiepriam for suggesting that we do a group read.

Please use this section to post any questions or comments that are unrelated to the specific section of the book that we're reading.

You have done a great job organizing this.

I wish us all great success.

The Journey of Souls
Dr. Michael Newton's research conclusions

When Dr. Michael Newton, a certified Master Hypnotherapist, began regressing his clients back in time to access their memories of former lives, he stumbled onto a discovery of enormous proportions: that it is possible to see into the spirit world through the mind's eye of subjects who are in a hypnotized or superconscious state; and that clients in this altered state were able to tell him what their soul was doing between lives on earth. His book, Journey of Souls, presents ten years of his research and insights to help people understand the purpose behind their life choices, and how and why our soul - and the souls of those we love - lives eternally.

and recently, I come to see, Mathews latest explanation was close to what I envision from Newton's books.
When every one has read the sections I'll chime in.

:hi:

And yes JOS is a great book.

structure, sort of his conclusion.

He also published another book, for hypnotherapists, who are training in his method.

Like Barnes & Noble? Or, should I check with the local metaphysical book store?
Thanks.

Call them first if you wish to make sure they have it in your region.
Good Luck!

Please post discussions about the above-referenced section of the book.

As I was reading the first part of this book, I wondered if there were people in this group who might actually have some memories of this time. If so, is your experience similar to how he's described it?

I personally don't have any memories, but I do resonate with how his patients have described the experience.

The specific parts of the book that resonate with you may be illuminating.

When I first read this book, I experienced intense emotional reactions when I came to certain parts of it. This is before I believed in any of this stuff :)

Actually this book is what forced me to make a big shift in my thinking, that and Brian Weiss's Many Lives Many Masters. But Newton's JOS is what did it for me. It was a mini kundalini :)

I was so enthralled with Newton's work, I found a regression therapist trained by him, and had an LBL all day session with her. It was very interesting. I am willing to share that experience if any one is interested, but thought I would wait until every one has read at least part of the book, or it may not make sense.

My experience was similar but different, which is not unusual. Some things that I said surprised the therapist, but overall it was consistent with Newton's findings.

in hearing about your personal experience with this, cassiepriam.

I'd love to share experiences with you. After reading the book, mine was a little different than I expected beforehand. For instance my original soul group seems to have broken-up and I'm part of about 20 "experimental" soul groups with different "types" of souls. The souls actually looked different. Mine had about 12 souls or so. Two were very big and cream colored, others small dark blue tear shaped, and I was medium light blue and medium sized. The mix was not working well because the large white souls were aggressive and over-powering the dark blue souls - even though there were only two white and about 8-10 dark blue. That was so weird - I wonder if it is true. Under hypnosis, I said they were trying out different combinations - the way you try out different recipes.

Do you have more of a sense of what the purpose of the mixing was all about? What was it that was trying to be accomplished?

I do know I was angry about the mixing and yelled "this is NOT working!" - angry in "heaven" - which seemed weird to me. I actually said out loud in the session that they are trying out "recipes" of different types of energy. I had a protective view of the small dark blue souls who seemed very timid and an antagonistic view of the large white souls (one of whom was an aunt I don't particularly like in this life.) I didn't meet my original soul group, so I didn't feel the overwhelming love everyone talks about except when I met my guide - then I wanted to kiss him! I liked him a lot. I also went to the council of elders and was a little miffed at them and somewhat argumentative - which seemed weird to me. They were mad about my lack of confidence and liked me better in my last life - when I thought I was vain and self-centered in that life. I remember saying "But I am a much better person than she was." The council also thought I was a "brown nose" who tried to not make mistakes in life (nun, nurse in WWI) and therefore was missing out on some lessons. Very odd. I got the feeling I would not advance any further unless I started taking more chances and possibly falling on my face but learning to deal with it. Not exactly what I expected from the books - especially the soul group mixing.

My own memories are beautiful. I remember vividly how well LOVED I was, adored may be a better word. I also remember similar experiences to those the book describes.

In regression, I accidentally came to a between life lifetime or odd astral plane. I wasn't allowed to stay long as the regressionist didn't like what I was describing. He asked me to look at my feet and describe my shoes or what I saw. I had no feet and some Genghis Kahn looking person was telling me to obey him as he started giving me directions. I was laughing and telling this person that - that wasn't the way it worked for me and he should move along. I wasn't frightened, only amused. I figured it was just an odd occurrence. I did not feel afraid or upset in the least about it.

I hesitated telling about this one but then thought it was important for others to know that no one has the right to force you to do anything and in reality are powerless to try and make you anyway.

Even in delta waves the subject has complete free will, cannot be made to do anything unacceptable. When I did the regression, I was aware of everything that was being said, had memory of it all. And could talk to the therapist and stop things if I wanted, or disagree, etc.

My higher Self when I was in Delta waves even got into a little argument with the therapist. (I was a bit embarrassed by it later, I felt sorry for the therapist, but it all worked out just fine. Just a bump in the road to heaven so to speak :))

... But I will talk about that later as we move into the book more if that is OK....

She also would have a different take on things than I did and I didn't feel like correcting her. For instance, in my notes she put that I had spent time on another planet - when I didn't get that at all. The large white souls in my group were from a different planet - and maybe the dark blue ones as well - but I felt that I'd been on earth only. She also asked if the large white souls looked like reptiles - and they did not at all - we all looked like misty tear shaped forms, but the white souls were large on top and hunched over like a cobra or something, the dark blue were large on the bottom with a tiny tip on the top.

My aunt had a session at the same time and she felt the therapist was spending time with discussions when she wanted to do other things.

The therapist went in directions that I did not want to go in.
And she did not seem to understand some of what I was trying to tell her, but like you, I tended not to correct her, but just go with the flow.

I think the LBL therapists have a certain protocol they follow and it may be for good reason. As you read Newton's book you can see that he is completely in control of the session. And in some ways he has to be, or the Higher Self goes off on tangents. Actually my soul arguing with the therapist was about the fact I went off a a big tangent and the therapist made me get back on task. Which was very good.

Also Newton makes the point that people travel from great distances to see him, appts are hard to get with him and he wants to make sure he does what he is supposed to do and not waste time.

From a clinical standpoint it is a difficult job the LBL therapist is doing and it takes a great deal of skill and good judgment. (I have some training in hypnotherapy and so was able to appreciate the work they do). And they do not really have to understand out experience. Our spirit guides are talking to us, so we must be the ones to get it!

Actually in hindsight, I did not even realize everything I was seeing at the time. It is only as the years go by that I begin to make more sense of it all.

As a matter of fact I am having some difficulty reading JOS at this time, I keep flashing back to my LBL regression in vivid detail and things are making more sense to me....

I would like to start the group read by first discussing JOS introduction. I really like Newton’s style. He doesn't seem to be proselytizing, that is, trying to convert anyone to his way of thinking. He is simply reporting his experiences as a hypnotherapist and letting the reader come to his or her own conclusions.

I particularly appreciate his left brain approach to the spirit world. His systematic and careful examination and investigation is intriguing.

His model of mind consciousness is very interesting. The three concentric circle model he describes on p. 3. First layer is conscious mind, second layer is the subconscious mind, the third is the superconscious mind which may be the highest Self, or even the soul itself. These are beta, alpha, and delta brain waves respectively.

I thought the accounts in Chapter One of how a soul leaves a body of interest. And then in Chapter Two the gateway into the spirit world. The process seems to be a fairly standard one. The sense one gets is that the spirit world is highly organized and efficient.

As always I am a skeptic about everything I read and I was looking for any evidence that Newton is leading his subjects and suggesting what they are to say next. On the contrary I was struck through out his book with the fact that often the subjects will disagree with him, refusing to go in the direction that Newton is leading them.

I am wondering what ideas or responses other people had? I am also interested in any criticisms of Newton’s work, weak areas, etc.

My dad came to see me right after he died last year. He held my face in his hands (yes I literally felt it) and said very excitedly, I haven't felt this good in such a long time. It will be alright, I promise.

This and when my grandmother died, two people came to "get" her. There was a vortex that appeared as little tornado's that I thought the nurses in the room could see as well. Also as she was dying she told me she loved me and I told her I loved her. Her voice literally sounded far away, it was her last breath and last words.

Taking into account my own experiences this book described it very similarly.

Before I even knew about the spirit world, about 10 years ago, my sister died suddenly, in a very horrific way. She was only 39 yrs old.

After her death I kept seeing her in a small holding cube of some sort, and sensed that she was in sleep mode or in some sort of afterlife rehab. This is when I totally did not believe in any of this kind of thing. (I had had these type experiences forever but just chalked it up to my vivid imagination, and wishful thinking.)

Then when I read the chapter in Newton's book about damaged souls and how they were repaired, I flipped out. It was exactly as I had seen my sister in my head.

This is the kind of thing that kept happening to me as I read JOS. I knew then that what I had been experiencing for so many years was real. The visits from discarnate beings were not my imagination. A number of my husband's relatives had also come to me and told me things that I had no way of knowing. My husband and I tried to explain it away as lucky guesses, but we were both rattled.

So much of Newton's book seems right on. But again, I would like to hear from anyone with a different opinion!

He is talking about this almost scientifically in the beginning, which probably keeps some skeptics from putting the book down in the beginning. I was also struck by the concentric circle model in his description...I thought it one of the best ways to describe it I have heard.

In chapter one, he mentions that we are capable of feeling the presence of our lost loved ones during or right after a funerals. I had this experience with my husband's grandfather, who I only knew for 5 years in this lifetime, but I had a wonderful, loving soul connection with him. After his funeral, all the family was at his son's house, where we always had our family celebrations, and I went to the basement family room to get away from everyone. I was very sad, and I was looking out into the yard and the swimming pool and thinking Gramps wouldn't be there anymore, and as soon as I gave form to that thought, Gramps said, "No, I'm here, Faye." It was as if he spoke aloud, and I felt his presence, and it was wonderful.

The other thing that really resonated with me was in chapter 3, Case 9, and his description of traveling alone, flowing with the light. And this sentence, "I'm on a line, like a homing beacon of sound and light...and it's part of my tonal pattern - my frequency." That absolutely describes it just the way I remember it.

I also think reading about displaced souls in Chapter 4 was very good for me. I need to have more compassion for the misguided souls who are influencing our country and our planet now, and that was helpful in reminding me of that. I don't need angry impeding my soul's progress.

I think the book is fabulous. I am a past-life regressionist, (currently not practicing) and I can't imagine why I haven't read him before. I am just glad I became aware of him now.

Hi Everyone!!

I'm new to posting here, but I would really like to join this discussion. I had to go to three different book stores to find this book, but I finally found it! I'm so excited about this, I've never participated in a group book read before!

I went ahead and read the Intro and first 2 chapters last night. I have been interested in this stuff my whole life (I'm 23) and I believe very deeply in it. I've never really been clairvoyant or had any psychic abilities, but I did have a very emotional reaction to the first two chapters (especially the first). I really was overcome with emotion - I haven't cried that hard in a while. I definitely feel it resonated with me and I had a sense of like "I been through that before", but the biggest thing for me is that I'm still grieving my mother's death. It happened very suddenly about two and a half years ago. I was living with her (just me and her), and I came home from work one night, went into her bedroom to talk to her, and she was gone. I know that she must have gone peacefully in her sleep, but she was only 46 years old. The autopsy revealed nothing. We had always talked about this stuff - spirituality, past lives, etc. and we both had come to the conclusion that we were soul mates (not like romantic soul mates, but souls that have had many lives together). She had told me that her whole life that she never had as deep a connection with anyone as she had with me, and I'm young but I feel the same. I know some of that has to do with the mother/daughter connection, but I'm hoping that it really is more. After she passed away, I begged and pleaded for a sign that she was okay - I'm still waiting. Or maybe it was too subtle. Or maybe like in Chapter One of this book, I was (am) in such a deep state of grief to sense anything. I have kind of repressed all this stuff, as it's so hard for me to even think about existing in this life without her. When I read the part of the book where Dr. Newton says that when we die, after the emotional shock of death, our biggest concern is the loved ones that were leaving behind, I could almost feel that pain again. Anyway, I am very much looking forward to the rest of the book, and I apologize if some of this is too off topic.

Melissa

We are so glad to have you. I hope the book brings you comfort, I know it has for me on many levels.

Soul mates can take many forms, not just romantic, they can be parent child, siblings, friends etc.

And I think your comments were right on topic!
Thank you for the post!

different authors about the afterlife. Here's the website of one of the people that reading his books or books about him helped me alot. And that started my journey of looking into more of this information.

I always had sort of a "sixth sense" about some things and now I'm more open to finding out why. What's really interesting is that I was raised in a traditional Catholic family which would have frowned on this, but I actually now sometimes feel like my parents (I have since lost my Mom also) are leading me to more information and things to read. I've learned to just "go with the flow" but I can't really discuss this with my siblings because most are still very Catholic.

http://www.georgeanderson.com/page1.htm

I'm sure that reading this is complicated for you right now. I think that what you said was very on-topic.

I hope that you are able to come away from this book read with more understanding and that this brings you comfort.

:hug:

Dr Newton has a PhD in psychology so you can see how he brings that approach to his work. Always thinking on a rational logical way, always trying to understand what he is hearing and fit it into a cohesive whole. And bringing in his understanding pf psychology and human functioning.

He admits that he finally had to believe in the afterlife after doing this kind of work.

BTW past life regression is a standard part of a Lives Between Lives regression. The past lives sessions are done first and then the LBL part. And if anyone is interested there are LBL forums and email lists. I belonged to some for a while and it as very interesting, mostly made up of LBL therapists.

If you wouldn't mind giving links etc. :hug:

I also do love the skeptical approach that Dr. Newton has taken. I tend to be very skeptical too, as there is just so much bad information out there. And it is so refreshing that he himself is not trying to convince us of anything - he wants to let the cases speak for themselves. One thing that convinced me in the introduction was when Dr. Newton says the critics of hypnosis believe that people are just making stuff up. How is it that so many people can just fabricate these very detailed stories (and as he said many of the LBL cases corroborate each other), especially when in a hypnotic state? I mean the critics would basically be calling every hypnosis patient a liar on some level. Not everyone has a vivid imagination and can just make things up out of thin air. So common sense tells me that it is not possible for every hypnosis patient to just be making stuff up.

That is the point that Newton and Brian Weiss (the psychiatrist who does past lives regression therapy) are making.

How can so many patients be making up exactly the same delusional or psychotic material? And the people have absolutely no other sign of mental illness. From a medical standpoint it does not make any sense. That is why they both had to consider a spiritual explanation. And you can see their own journey as they write their books. From total skeptics to believers.

That darn day job :))

Just a few sites to look at. Googling Lives Between Lives, and past life therapy will bring up many more sites!

http://www.spiritualregression.org/ Michael Newton, PhD website

http://ravenheartcenter.com/ LBL training and workshops, newsletter

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pastlifetherapy/ Description
This past life regression therapy email list is open to anyone who is interested in the phenomenon of reincarnation,past lives and past life regression therapy, whether practitioner or lay person. It is for the sharing of ideas, interesting cases, problem solutions, new techniques, questions/answers, or anything else of interest to the group. (this group also discusses LBL issues)

:thumbsup: :hi:

in our lives are able to greet us even if they're already living another life in a new body. Additionally, he mentioned that souls are able to divide their essence so that they can be in more than one body at a time on Earth. It's going to be discussed in more detail in later chapters according to Dr. Newton, but I just love the thought of this. (I've heard this before, but, every time I hear it, it makes me excited to think about it.)

I just read the part about important people greeting us even if they are living a life in another body. I had to read over it a couple of times to make sure that I was reading it right because I've never heard that before! How interesting!

It makes me wonder...am I off greeting people while I'm asleep?

This concept is fascinating. I think that inhabiting two bodies at one time however is not common? Also later in the book he talks about how we chose how much energy to bring with us into our bodies.

if left untreated, inhibit soul development, and that those of us who have experienced unresolved personal trauma in our lives carry the seeds of our own destruction. (pg. 47)

I wonder if this means that unless we resolve these issues, we're going to have to deal with them in later lives. I always knew that relationship issues would be carried over into later lives, but I never really thought about not dealing with traumatic events.

For example, if a woman is raped and never deals with the emotional issues that are inevitable, what does that mean to her soul's growth as well as future lives?

I think it is standard thinking that the effects of trauma are often carried forward from past lives, but to varying degrees.

That is the basis for a good deal of the past life regression work. If you read Dr Brain Weiss's books, that is how he got started. Patients came in with seemingly unresolvable neurotic traits, and he used standard hypnosis to resolve the problem. He would ask his patients go to source of the problem, and to his shock, patients would go back to past lives! He had assumed the problems arose in infancy or in pre memory toddler stage.

For example, the patient who is water phobic may have drowned in a past life, the patient with unrelenting back pain may have been shot in the back, etc. The interesting thing is once the patient discovers the source of the problem, the problem goes away.

And the trauma brought forward is not always major or significant. For example my husband has a tendency to over shop at the grocery store, and he always has to have our cupboards full of food. (Drives me a bit crazy since I can never find anything with so much stuff crammed in.) When we moved a couple of years ago, one of things he loved about the new house is that it was very near his favorite grocery store. And he stops there a couple of times a week just to get some special bread or fruit etc. (I on the other hand could care less about food, I am a beverage person, tea, soda, water, coffee, etc. Food is too much trouble to fix and eat!)

I never thought much about my husband's food buying thing but in my own past life work with a psychic, it turns out my husband had spent many lives starving (the psychic did not know at all about my husband's grocery shopping habits, so it was so interesting that she mentioned it).

Then everything made sense. I came home and talked to my husband about it, and he didn't say anything, but I noticed that over the next weeks my cupboards were thinning out and I can actually see what I have in there now!

Also I am always cold, which the psychic did not know, and apparently I spent a recent life as a Buddhist now always bundling up and trying to be warm, hate the cold. Also an other odd thing is that whenever it rains or snows, I have this feeling of contentment that I am in a nice snug warm house, not living outside. And this comes from many lives in pre-historic times spent in caves or out in the open.

I thought that this was an interesting point. Newton says: Most of us are still far from perfect in the spirit world. The essential purpose of reincarnation is self-improvement.

So even when we pass over to the other side, we are still not perfect, we are still evolving.

Dr. Newton goes on to say that the psychological ramifications of our development, both in and out of the spirit world, is the foundation of his work.

I think that this is an important chapter in that the concept of wrongdoing is discussed and the consequences a soul will face in the afterlife.

Those who have harmed others have set themselves up as future victims in a karmic cycle of justice. The may also have to undergo extensive counseling and energy remolding before hey are allowed to reincarnate on earth.

I think another interesting point on p. 51 at the bottom of the page: The key to growth is understanding that we are given the ability to make mid course corrections in our life and having the courage to make necessary changes when what we are doing is not working for us. By conquering fears and taking risks, our karmic patterns adjusts to the effects of the new changes.

I don't necessarily think that all 'displaced souls' are of 'evil intent'.

Rather than re-type it all, here's discussion thread I was a part of several months ago:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=245&topic_id=6869#6891

I truly believe that sometimes when people cross unexpectedly, or suddenly/violently, they can get discombobulated and/or have a harder time crossing completely over; and are trying to 'come back to whats familiar in order to find some clarity. In my dream experiences with my friend, I never ever once felt threatened in any way, there was never a vibe of 'bad intent' ...

Although I'm sure there are some malevolent types who come back with less-than-honorable motives.


O8)

I think that this is an interesting point too.
If you notice throughout the book, there is metaphor of earth as somewhat of a hell hole, a war, a battle zone.

I feel so weak and ineffective sometimes, and I wonder why I make things so difficult. I guess that it really is difficult here (I'm not just making it difficult) when we try to do it without help from Spirit. That's the key.

pages 52, 53
These are two pages that refer to Earth as a battlefield, and a war zone. One interesting comment that one soul makes is that "souls will be assigned to Earth for the duration of the war." (meaning that Earth is considered a war zone)

This is an very important point I think, and I have read similar kinds of things in other writings, that Earth is considered the hell hole of the galaxy and that it is a tough graduate school.

So it is supposed to be difficult and arduous, that is the nature of this planet. But it is known to produce tough, resilient, savvy souls. That is why the souls are supposed to be lined up waiting to get in. (Maybe they would like my spot!)

Please post discussions about the above-referenced section of the book.

On page 58, it says that those who excape from chronic physical pain or almost total incapacity on Earth by killing themselves feel no remorse as souls. Additionally, their guides and friends also have a more accepting view towards the motivation for suicide.

It's interesting to see that the Universe is reasonable. This fits in line with the way I've always viewed suicide.

A co-worker's son killed himself last Thursday. I've been thinking about what he's going through right now.

Yes I found this very interesting as well, for the same reasons you did. The Universe is reasonable, flexible and full of common sense. It is not dogmatic and rigid like many man made religions.

I am so sorry to hear about your co-worker's son. It of course depends upon the circumstances of course, but he may have some questions to answer in the afterlife.

Of course if he was mentally ill or compromised in some way there are allowances for that. And if he was in really bad shape there will be a period of rest and rehab.

they're always ready to work with us as long as we continue to try. I wonder if things are easy and gentle for us if we're trying. Maybe the 2x4 comes when we're not trying.

Also a lot may depend upon karmic issues too...

had that it can never get away from altogether. I found this really interesting. I also liked the shower of healing description. I'm reading something by the Ascended Masters right now which discusses the Violet Flame of Transmutation, which made me think of it:



http://www.mastersinthemaking.com/articles/violetflame.shtml

I wonder if it's something similar to this. If so, we have access to this right here, right now. What a gift!

and the body changes the soul. It is bi-directional influence.

I love St Germain's violet flame meditation!

Thanks for the link! :hi:

available on the Internet. It's one of the good things about the time in which we live today.

:hi:

I had my Lives between Lives regression several years ago, when I was still pretty skeptical and somewhat naive about spiritual matters. I had hoped to have a really nice homecoming in the spirit world while I was under hypnosis. I wanted to see departed loved ones, my soul mates and soul group, soul name, and soul aura color, the whole nine yards. However none of that materialized. I had read JOS only once, so I did not fully understand that different souls have different experiences of the homecoming. (BTW, my LBL therapist was trained by Michael Newton.)

My visit to the spirit world was very business like and with no fan fare at all. When you do lives between lives regression, you have to go back to your last life, and how and when you died. I saw my death in the last life; my soul just slipped out of the body, I was not at all upset about the death, barely paid any attention to my grieving widow, saying that she would be fine. (I was a man in my last life who died prematurely in a car accident, it was my fault. I had had an argument with my wife and angrily hopped in the car and drove recklessly.) I then zipped up to heaven with spirit guide at my side (first had a bit of an argument with the regression therapist, will talk about that in another post).

But once in heaven I dropped my spirit guide off at the gate, and made a beeline towards the left, going somewhere fast! I had no idea where I was going, but I seemed to know the way. I gradually began to see little sparkly lights and I was hoping it was my soul group. Instead to my surprise they were little blotches of light, young souls. They all ran up to greet me and hugged me. I told my therapist that these were my charges, I was responsible for them. I worked with them in some capacity. My therapist was surprised, this was not typical and she wondered if I worked in the soul nursery (Newton will talk about that later in his book). I said no, these are not infants, these are young souls, more like older toddlers, and I do something here called “character shaping”. The name is not quite right, we do not have a word to describe what I felt. Somehow I am supposed to help the younger souls have moral character, or help them learn to shape their energy in a better way, to learn to do the right things. Something like that, I still do not understand fully what this means. I am still trying to make sense of that piece. It implies that souls are not born perfect, and need help before they incarnate. But seems like I was a combination of priest, teacher, and psychologist. Something like that if I am making any sense. The regression therapist had not heard of this before and was going to add it to her list of spiritual occupations.

From a personal standpoint I was really taken aback, as I am not a person who likes the idea of a big group of children all that much. I can deal with them one on one or occasionally, but a whole classroom of them would drive me insane (I think teachers deserve a spot in heaven for sure). So this did not really fit for me, but that is what I saw very clearly. And all the little souls clutching onto my skirts (I was an energy being, but had a transparent type long dress with a handkerchief hem, and the little souls grabbing my knees and hugging on to me for dear life.) Quite the touching scene. Was all love, they were so happy to see me. I loved them very much, and missed them a great deal, that was why I suppose I made a beeline to go see them first thing. Then I had to go, they understood I had other work to do. And off I went. (The feeling I had is that it was understood that I did this job, but was also coming back to earth to do some specialized training of some sort, learning some things I needed to learn, like graduate school, a way to advance.) At the time none of this made any sense to me.

My therapist then asked me to do my life review and I told her that my spirit guide and I had already taken care of that, no need to go over it again. I then landed right in my karmic review board meeting. I was a man for this scene, and dressed in a business suit. I got the feeling that the clothes were just a way to give me clues about the feeling and meaning of the scene, not literal of course. My spirit guide and I sat at a table in front of the higher beings. My therapist was surprised that we were not standing and that my spirit guide sat next to me instead of the normal behind position. But that is what I saw.

It was not a bad meeting. I knew I had made some mistakes in my past life, and I was frustrated with myself for them. I was a good man, but my anger got in the way of realizing my soul purpose and I had died needlessly. I insisted in my next life I was going to do better and outlined some things I was going to work on. (I do not know the details of that) But the higher beings and my spirit guide were arguing with me about my plans and there was some dialog about that. Somehow it got all resolved and then it was all over. I was done.

(This fits, I do have a temper that I have worked hard to overcome. It can get me into trouble. I have mars in scorpio square jupiter in aries, so that for sure I am working on that in this life. At the time I had not studied astrology, since then it is clear that I did bite off a lot of karma in this life, and I wonder if that is what the discussion was about, they were telling me not to put so much on my plate.)

I refused to go see my soul group, or soul mates, names, colors etc. was too busy taking care of business and tying up loose ends. The therapist kept trying to get me to do those things, but I would not do it. It was strange because I was expecting that she would really be suggesting most everything and I would just play along to some extent, but I was really clear and stubborn about what I was going to do and not do. I in no way felt led or coerced by her, in fact I was pretty adamant with her about what was going to happen while I was in the delta trance, it was surprising. I am usually very cooperative and complaint in this kind of setting. But once in the higher Self mode I got quite clear and determined.

you as being a spiritual teacher in your life between lives. It made me laugh to hear how much in control you were of the situation that you were viewing. Again, this doesn't surprise me. :)

Someday I'm going to do this too. I've only tried to be hypnotized once, and I felt as though I was making the stuff up. I didn't get any visions; probably all of that earth energy was holding me back. ;)

Thank you for sharing this with us!

At least I do not have to worry about runny noses, poo and pee accidents in the spirit world. :) Thank God for that.

Yes leave it to me to argue with my regression therapist. Geesh.

Frankly I left the session feeling like I had made up the whole thing.
It was not until later that I realized how right on everything was, and how pertinent the messages were. I spent half the day with the therapist doing past life regressions and these were right on in terms of current issues I was facing at the time.

And btw, it doesn't matter if you "make it up" or not. I believe, with many others, that it is all helpful information, whether it is coming from your lower subconscious self or your higher Self.

Somehow I am not surprised at ALL. "But once in the higher Self mode I got quite clear and determined". Although, I see you as quite gentle this makes me laugh heartily. (in a good way) I haven't had that in-depth of a past life reading but I do have memories that are similar to what Newton describes. I will say though that I was attached to a group of very loving and attentive beings between lives. We had more fun than he describes and we laughed about everything, even the mess ups. For some reason my memories are full of experimenting with flowers and hard belly laughs. I'm sure we must have gotten something accomplished but the place I recall was true bliss.

I also remember sitting at a table but I was at the same table, facing the same types (in appearance) of people. They held my hands and told me nice things about what was needed to be accomplished next, I never felt like the mistakes were terrible only learning experiences that were normal and also productive. It wasn't even like a review just a reminder.

I have Mars in Scorpio square Jupiter in Aries. Watch out folks!
I can be quite formidable. Thank God I have a rock solid moral compass or I would be like Rove, Machiavellian to the max. In this life I am meant to balance all that powerful energy, not blow myself up with it, and use it for good.

And in terms of the life review, yes no one was mad at me, I was mad at myself for blowing the last life prematurely. And I had no bliss in between lives, was all business, except for the young souls greeting me, that was bliss.

My elders liked me better in my last life than in my current life because I had more confidence. I told them "But I'm a much better person in this life." I couldn't believe they would like the vain, self-centered woman I was in the last life. I was completely self-centered and obsessed with my looks and getting male attention - horrible IMO. Yet they LOVED me in that life and when I came back for my review I was very proud of how I handled that life. Then they told me to be more like that now and I was horrified. I HATED that girl - would never want to be like that!!! Evidently I have problems with confidence they are trying to correct. But I was amazed at how I disagreed with the elders and the review was more two-way than I would have imagined from reading the books. I was a little embarrassed that I wasn't more docile in "heaven".

I also didn't have any negative feelings about dying - and I didn't think twice about who would be hurt - don't even know who my parents were in that life - I was about 20. I drowned and I actually enjoyed bobbing underwater - not traumatic at all. What's weird is in this life I LOVE swimming and scuba-diving and letting my body go limp under water and getting that same sensation. You would think if I had drowned in my last life I'd be scared of water.

I also felt like I was making it up and I still wonder if any of it is true. The past lives REALLY felt made-up - more than the LBL.

Thanks so much for sharing your LBL regression with us! This is all so fascinating for me!

I've been bogged down with projects from school and work so I haven't been able to keep up with the reading, but I'm hoping to play catch up this weekend!

Please post discussions about the above-referenced section of the book.

physical lives at the same time. In fact, one soul may even be capable of living in different dimensions during the same relative time, according to the book. It even said that we could be a guide to other incarnated people while we're incarnated. I took this to mean that we could be a spirit guide while we're also incarnated. Is this everyone else's understanding of this?

I've wondered about this in the past mostly because I'm always so tired regardless of how much sleep I get. It's not a physical fatigue but rather a soul tiredness. I never feel energetic. It probably has nothing to do with living multiple lives, but it's interesting to consider it as being possible. If not that, I wonder if I incarnated without enough time in between my lives. :shrug: (I guess that I could also blame all the earth energy in my astrological chart.)

Apparently souls can split off their energy and be several places at one time. And we chose how much energy to bring back to each incarnation.
Duh, I wish I had brought more energy to this lifetime! I am tired all the time too!

I think it has more to do with how much energy we bring back, and then the fact you have so much earth in your chart, you may feel heavy and bogged down.

I have the strong sense that I am working hard in the spirit world, just like I am on earth. I keep seeing several pictures of myself in the spirit world. One is the female spiritual teacher of young souls, gentle, kind, intuitive. And then there is an older masculine curmudgeon type who is higher level bureaucratic type in the spirit world. He is more hardened, jaded, analytical, powerful. One of the goals of this incarnation is to balance those two energies somehow. I think it is an impossible task!

aren't that, but actually, 'travels', so to speak? Maybe my lucid dreaming isn't that at all?

The form, the movement, as described by so many in the book...I just nod my head and understand it, but it's through my dreams, not anything from hypnosis...

n/t

Not all of them, but many. I can manifest a lot in my dreams, including objects I may need, people or getting myself in or out of situations (controlling the 'storyline').

Some are incredibly powerful sensory dreams...like the one I had where I was in a market in Arabia (I got the sense it was 15th century, but I have no idea of the history of the region)...the sky...the smells of the market (especially the spices), touching and seeing the textiles...it was a magnificent dream (interestingly, I first got there by going over a wall). My sister, who's a reiki master, thought I might be astral travelling in some, like the one I just described.

Some dreams I am in spirit form...I have the ability to morph, or travel at will...

Some are so incredibly powerful...there is a very detailed storyline, even the characters are, especially in regards to language (I recall one where some chap said he was going to rape me, and didn't because he, as he put it, "he couldn't get his tent up" :rofl: I've never heard that saying used before. I didn't feel threatened in the dream, strangely enough). These ones tend to be incredibly emotional (in one I was a woman who couldn't prevent her lover from committing suicide, and another I was a woman with a brilliant mind having a nervous breakdown).

My dreams are far more interesting than my waking life! :hi:

of our energy are doing via dream state.

though that is supposed to be uncommon.
And then we leave some energy in the spirit world.

I never understood why some discarnate spirits would visit me
when I knew that they most likely would have already incarnated again.
But Newton's work explains why this would be possible.

be suspicious towards the motives of others on both a conscious and subconscious level. They demonsrate a forward-looking attitude of faith & confidence for the future of humanity, which encourages those around them.

I liked this.

time mentally concentrating on helping those on Earth (& on other physical worlds) whom they have known and cared about. Souls ride on their thought waves to specific people and places in an attempt to comfort and effect change.

This surprised me. I guess I never considered that the souls of those who are no longer incarnated might be actively working with us to improve our lives.

So many guides, helpers trying to assist us. We may feel alone but we aren't!

maybe I am trying too hard.

That is the way to connect to your higher Self.

Also clearing your mind of negativity and worry.

And prayer, service are important as well.

:)

The first type is those who have not been incarnating very long, and the second type is those that have been incarnating for a long time but still remain immature.

I wonder if they need to be handled differently in our lives and whether we can tell which is which. If we could somehow figure out which is which, would it help us to deal with beginner souls better?

I think you pose an interesting question. How do we tell the difference between young souls and older souls who just cannot get it right?

Bush is supposed to be in the later category, but he sure acts like a baby soul. Maybe we cannot really tell the difference?

With souls are varying degrees of evolution.
Most of us on this planet are beginning and intermediate level souls.
Advanced souls do not really need to come back to earth much any more.

I thought it was interesting that Newton's work indicated that spirit guides go thru careful training. First they are assistants to other spirit guides, then they work their way up the ladder until they are full fledged guides.
And our spirit guides change according to our needs and levels of growth.

This also explains the reason why I am told by clairvoyants that I have many guides and they are changed from time to time. I has assumed that any guide who worked with me for a while filed for early retirement as soon as possible :)

One of the reasons I like Newton's work so much is that it answered many of my questions, and things I sensed finally became clear to me.

Please post discussions about the above-referenced section of the book.

and the location for the next incarnation. My understanding based upon what I read is that the soul makes a decision as to which life it wants to live based upon what was shown to it by the beings who coordinate the selection of the soul's next life. After this is done, it is decided which roles individual members of the soul's "soul group" will take in this upcoming life. I know that I'm stuck in Earth's time/space continuum paradigm in reference to my thinking, but I'm wondering how someone can choose to incarnate as a person's parent when the person's getting ready to be born. The parent would already have to have been born many Earth years before.

I know that everything is happening at one "time" in true reality (i.e., there's no such thing as time), but I wish that I could understand better how this particular thing works.

and sometimes are living 2 lives...and one part of the soul stays also behind. But you are right, it is hard to perceive time as non-existent "there" since we can only measure linear time "here".

It is also interesting that many times parents are not from the same (primary) soul group. It is possible that the parent could be more advanced or even less advanced. Considering this we can see many family relationships in a different light.

On earth and in the spirit world.

Yes I thought that was interesting about parents not usually being a part of the soul group. That seems to contradict other reports that we tend to reincarnate with parent figures over and over. But as is indicated it is possible that our parents are connected to other soul groups that we work with.

But yes I also was thinking that our parents, sibs can be at different levels of evolution from their child.

to earth is like a Merry Go Round in terms of time, you can jump in
at any spot, time wise.

We decide what moment in time best fits our goals and then hop in so to speak.

Also there is some thought that we do not live our lives in linear time. But we go back in forth in time to meet our needs. Can do a Roman life, then a 29th century life, etc.

Linear time is only invented by humans since we live in a limited dimension.

essentially volunteer in advance for bodies who will have sudden fatal illnesses, are to be killed by someone, or come to an abrupt end of life with many others from a catastrophic event. Souls who become involved in these tragedies are not caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with a capricious God looking the other way. Every soul has a motive for the events in which it chooses to participate."

I've always suspected this, but it's comforting to find that this is what he has concluded from his research.

person trying to cope with physical disablement that he or she has an opportunity to advance at a faster rate than those of us with healthy bodies and minds. This knowledge must come through self-discovery. The case histories of my clients convince me that the effort necessary to overcome a body impediment does accelerate advancement. Those of us whom society deems less-than-perfect suffer discrimination which makes the burden even heavier. Overcoming the obstacles of physical ailments and hurt makes us stronger for the ordeal."

Additionally, it states "Living in a damaged body does not necessarily involve a karmic debt we are paying off because of past life responsibility for an injury to someone else."

I've had intense discussions with people about the latter issue. Many people feel that karma's always involved in such things. This has never felt true to me.

The four major levels:

Individual
Family/Group
Collective
Cosmic

Then there are many types, about 30:
Some of these are retributive,redemptive, recompensate, merit, symbolic,vocational, relationship, pacts and promises.

Also not everyone who is ill or injured is operating with a karmic debt, some people have merely chosen to learn some specific lessons for one reason or an other. Others may have chosen to burn off some karma for someone else as well.

The natal chart can give you some indications what the underlying situation is.

real lessons of life are learned by recognizing and coming to terms with being human. Even as victims, we are beneficiaries because it is how we stand up to failure and duress which really marks our progress in life. Sometimes one of the most important lessons is to learn to just let go of the past."

I forgot to look to see what pages this was on as well and come to think of it I hope it's in this book. If it isn't please just correct me.

I read DU at work and have been thinking about the way the book describes the soul coming into the fetus. The descriptions set me off a bit. I thought it was worrisome that the baby reacted to the soul and felt irritated. How can a body have consciousness without a soul? Can a body react without it's soul? It upset me a little because it made me think there were two entities living in one body. The body has consciousness but then in the end it dies so what happens to it's consciousness. I'm perplexed a bit. Does anyone have some insight into this?

It discusses that it takes some time for the fetus' brain to "meld" with the soul that has been assigned to it. The soul in case 29 said that there's an emptiness before the soul's arrival which the soul fills to make the child whole. Dr. Newton asked this soul whether there's any conflict within the fetus against the soul, and the soul said that there's a slight resistance until there is familiarization. The soul said that the soul unifies with undeveloped mind so that the soul isn't viewed as an alien entity; the fetus recognizes the soul as a friend, a twin, who is going to be part of him/her, and that it's as if the fetus was waiting for the soul to come to him/her.

It does say that when a soul decides to enter a baby, apparently that child has no free choice in accepting or rejecting the soul.

As I was reading this, I wondered if there was ever a glitch where someone is born without a soul. If so, what would that person be like? I seem to remember a passage in the book (but it may be something else that I'm currently reading) that said that the human would be more like an animal if it didn't have a soul. I'll try to find that passage, and if it's in the other book, I'll give you the information from it also.

In reference to the human's non-soul consciousness, maybe it's the same as what happens to animals' consciousness. I don't know if animals have souls per se; however, I have definitely heard that they live on and are waiting for us on the other side when we "cross over". This would be an interesting discussion.

a soul. I can't remember where and what Newton book it was in.
More animalistic and totally sensory, that is living for body
pleasures and input. (You know, like Repugs :)).

It seems that if for some reason the soul cannot make it in the body
or is having trouble melding with the body, then the body dies. I have not heard about cases where there is no soul in a living body, but I think theoretically it should be possible? I do not know, an interesting question.....

is the way Newton sees it.

Newton's description is that the earth was populated by barely human ape like creatures when the spirit world deemed this planet ready for soul colonization, that is ready for souls to inhabit physical bodies. Once the souls started entering the host bodies they became human, no longer animal.

And yes many find this an uncomfortable way to put it. Newton is describing things in a more clinical realistic way without all the typical romanticism and flowery language. But in essence that is what is happening, a soul comes into our body which is merely a host for the soul. Humans have not requested this, the souls do it without our permission, if you think about it.

And in terms of your question, yes just a body can have a reaction, think of brain dead comatose patients whose pupils still react to light, or may jerk at a pin prick, but the brain is not really functioning. Just a purely physiological reflexive reaction.

And to have a soul enter a host body has to be a bit disconcerting, think of it. Even if Buddha himself came into your body it would have to feel odd and uncomfortable at first.

And yes it is a strange way for Newton to put this, sounds more like a takeover by aliens. But he has a point to ponder.

somewhat related. On page 228, it discusses the fact that, had that particular soul not chosen that particular person, that person would not have been severely permanently injured. There was another life possibility for that person if another soul had chosen to incarnate through her.

I find it interesting that the souls often got defensive when they were questioned about negative impacts on the host body.

For me the diffiuclty is the concept of separation of the biological mind and the soul. Maybe the soul feels like an intruder perhaps in a case like the girl, and therefore there is some apprehension?

I would have thought of our bodies and brains to have a little more respect. :) and I would be curious if there ever is a body without a soul occupant?

It is not discussed by Dr.Newton, but I am curious as to whether there is a designed and planned benefit to the bodies, such as "advancing" also in some sort of fashion. Since every element is so carefully crafted, with compassion to every element, I can envision some kind of change for the better for our biological bodies, too. Maybe that is an experiment only known to the highly advanced souls, who do no longer reincarnate.

But it does makes sense when a souls says, he has to quiet down the human mind before he can communicate. Is that not what we all try when we meditate?

The spirit world causes the subtle evolutionary changes in this world
and in man. Without souls we still would be ape men according to Newtons findings. It is covered in some of his other books. And yes only the very advanced souls are allowed to do the big stuff, younger souls can try minor things.

I guess if a body and brain are going to be inhabited by a foreign entity, then the way it is done in utero at about 4 months is the best way, with the least amount of disruption and impact. Any later and it would be much more intrusive. And I guess the way it is done is fairly gentle considering how rough an invasion could really be if done badly.

Yes that is a good point, about quieting the human mind. This allows us to get in touch with the soul inhabiting our body. It is the body that gets in the way!

I loaned out book 2, I don't remember even to whom.

While I do check certain sections of a book to refresh my memory, this was a really great opportunity to re-read some of it again in it's entirety. And it resonnates with me even stronger, with all the other information we accumulate over the years.

I was wondering and now know certain things Dr. Newton said, must have been in book 2. I was thinking of just getting book 2 again, rather than tracking down my book.

Do you remember about the chamber of crystals? and a soul who is in charge of animals? I was trying to remember the details....
But as I recall the chamber of crystals was also a place of energy healing or reflection, aside from the "shower of healing". I immediately had this vision of this room.

Reading of your LBL session and reading the book again, I am seriously thinking whether we should try a session, especially my daughter.

The crystal cleansing room and shower?

The spirit team in charge of animals...I liked that, one of the first things I would like to do when over on the other side, get in touch with a beloved pet.

What age is your daughter? Newton does not advocate young people doing the regression, they just do not get as much as older folks for some reason.

Also I believe that there chakras are not as open to the experience, etc.

has a lot of trauma, anger - one of the chapter's was exactly her

She was under traditional therapy for many years, but it has not done much. She has always read right through the therapists since age 4.

We did a Four Winds Society healing session once, but I really think LBL will do much more for her.

Of course you would have to consult with the regression therapist, who may or may not take someone that young. It would be interesting to hear what a therapist says. I would try and get one trained by Newton if at all possible. If you go to his website, there is a list of those trained by him.

I do not know your daughter's emotional condition at this point, but is she strong enough to hear what one can hear in these kind of sessions? With her background she may not have the inner strength and maturity to hear about such things? That is one of the reasons Newton does not do young people.

Another reason is there is some thought that we do not really awaken spiritually until later in life, this is due to the maturation of our chakra system. Before a certain age we are just not able to put it all together spiritually.

So two things, it is possible that the reading may rattle your child more than we would like, and/or it will not be as productive as it would be later on. I am in no way trying to be discouraging, just realistic going in, so no one is disappointed or hurt.

Maybe, as a parent I am trying to push recovery down her throat prematurely. I am currently concerned about her now dangerous weight problem which is rooted in the emotional trauma. She dismisses all healthcare professionals and does in fact not trust or respect anyone enough to follow guidance, and yet she is longing for guidance.

During her early teens, (when she was totally out of control) I did come to a decision, that I can not interfere with her own evolution and learning process, but deep inside, it may be, that in truth, I wish to guide her towards self-recovery and give her options.

On the outside she is strong and pushy - a tyrant, but it is all a cover-up- inside she is very fragile.
It is probably worth observing her to see when the timing manifests itself to make a suggestion. I am a strong believer that a person has to want it (whatever it is) themselves.

tough one :(

It is so hard to see someone you love flounder and struggle, and most times there is not much we can do. It is such a helpless feeling.

But you are right, each person has his or her own journey in life, and we have to allow them to evolve or not, and on their own time line. That is hard lesson.

Trauma based obesity is quite common in women and very difficult to treat for a number of reasons. Probably going to be very difficult to address the weight issue with her for many reasons, but one thing you might try is to get her to be more active, and set a good role model on exercise, maybe she will do something with you.

Regressing any adolescent is quite questionable even under normal circumstances, but in the case of a fragile teen, possible PTSD and mood disorder, etc. with trauma history, hypnosis is strongly contraindicated,that is not recommended.

I want to add that the LBL regression is not a cake walk, it is many hours of deep hypnosis, and can be fairly unsettling even for a mature stable person.

One thing you might want to do is get some sort of regression or reading for yourself and see if you can get any info about your daughter that may be of help. You would be the much better candidate for such a reading and perhaps glean some info about your child.

Excerise wise she starts and stops. At the moment, she is excersising again. She can not do too much, it is a damned if you do damned if you don't type situation. Her weight is affecting her joints (knees).
She is one of those people, the more you tell her, the more she does the opposite.
I know she knows what she has to do, and I hope she will continue this time.

I may try the LBL. Thanks

Start off small. And make it pleasant. I walk with my child, and I try to keep it fun and light so she will like to do it. I avoid giving her the many life lectures during the walk that I think she needs :)

Again the LBL is not for everyone, I do not want to seem like I am pushing it.
It was only a piece of my growth, and it is not an easy experience.
It is somewhat grueling, especially since I did it all in one day. And it is pricey.

We have some upslope and downslope in the area, and she always complained about walking. But she has started to go to the gym with her boyfriend. :) He even signed up at the same gym for her. Who knows, what we could not accomplish, he may. So I currently observe, and I pray her relationsip remains a good one, because he is her only true friend at this time. (Her choice, not others, she just does not get close to anyone)

You are not pushing at all, I was curious from several years back, when I first read the book. I have been through quite a lot in my life so far, which actually feels like I died and started over already several times. Some experiences in my past (this lifetime) feel as if it happened in another lifetime. I also had real close calls already before birth. I am pretty hardy, especially mentally.
A Feng Shui and Chinese astrologer master was so surprised, when he did my reading for the first time and said he is amazed, as another person would probably have taken his/her life. OMG, that reminds me, when I was in my late teens, I was so devasted with a relationship that just did not want to go away. I had to go to the supermarket, and there was a guy who had set up a table outside. As I came out of the store he stopped me and started talking to me, and he just would not let me go. He was a Japanese reader, at the moment, I forgot what method it was, what it is called - I don't know what he saw on me, but ultimately he did in fact stop me from spiralling into something worse. I doubt he still alive.

So, I guess I must have opted to go through the wringer, or I missed my cues that were given to me, and chose the wrong path.
I wonder if I had chosen to take the job at the UN in Vienna almost 30 years ago...a very different life would have unfolded, but in principle my core remains the same. I think I took a detour for about 10 years. In hindsight I must have lived a life that was never true to myself, and I did supress my connections that I always had. I notice that I get into trouble when I do not heed my instinct, gut feeling or first impression. It took another 10 years to recover. BTW my daughter also saw appartitions when she was small.

I am at peace though, I may have taken the dirt road :) now I have to make sure I don't end up at the outhouse. (even though it may be a good place to contemplate)

As per native traditions, as I understand it, shamans do go through the life/death cycle numerous times during their vision quests. I shall endure anything, too.

I am looking forward to the first chance I have to do an LBL.

Thanks, cassiepriam

I can harp at my little girl about something and it doesn't sink in, but
then one word from her BFFE (slang for Best Friend For Ever) and she is a believer......So I have learned to just some things go and let the peer group deal with it!

And in the case of an older teen a love interest is going to have a lot of influence. I am glad she has him.

And yes I always wonder too about the paths not taken in our lives, but the theory is that we will learn our lessons what ever path we choose, just in different ways.

Also death and rebirth is such a karmic thing, and we must do it in each life as well. Isn't that how we evolve in each life, a little bit of death and rebirth? And relationships are where we really do that I think. Some of us do it more than others in a single life.

Some lives are just about coasting and taking it easy, we have had a rough series of lives and we need to rest. Some lives are really hard work lives.
YOu have one that sounds like that. If you look at your natal chart, you might want to see if you have a Scorpio moon, or lunar aspects to Pluto, or Pluto in the 12house. That might tell you want you more about the death and rebirth business, that is a strong theme for Pluto. Also 8th house.

I would be interested to hear how your LBL session goes if you care to share anything about it!

Pluto in Leo in the Twelfth House 
Moon is in Libra
Sun in Aries in the Eighth House 

I am rather very new to astrology, that is trying to understand the workings of the planets. Inspired to check into this only when I started being in this forum.
There are so many different schools it seems...

Yes, I also believe we do evolve whatever route we take. As for relashionships, I think I am done, this lifetime, as far as a partner goes. Not only is it my gut feeling, but I have absolutely no planets in 5th 6th and 7th house and I believe Chrion is somehwere in there, too.
I don't mind it all, though.

By the way, my daughter is a Scorpio :)

I will definitely report when I get my LBL session

and thanks for your help

She is a Scorpio moon, Leo sun.

Lots of intensity, drama, emotionality.

And it looks like you have Pluto in aspect to your moon.
And Pluto in the 12th... yes lots of karmic issues.

No planets in a house does not signify that a person does not have good or bad karma in that house, or does not have work to do in that house! The clues will be in the sign on the house cusp, and the ruler of that house and sign!

Also Chiron in a house means we are supposed to work on the issues in that house! Not avoid them. We came back in this life with the intent of healing a long time wound. So we are meant to work on that wound, release the pain, heal the dynamic, so we don't have to keep wrestling with it over and over. Once we move forward Chiron will heal us, he is called the Wounded Healer.

Hope this helps Rumpel

I have to check on the house cusp and the ruler.

Interesting on Chiron

Now I have to look at the chart again...to see

Scorpio daughters, oh yes, intense for sure. :)

btw, The other day I was thinking whether astrology and it's interpretations are a part of the reminder "sign posts" Newton writes about. Since all types of energies assist in the development of the souls, it would not surprise me if the timing of one's birth in conjunction with planetary moves are indicators of your lessons.

You wrote:

Since all types of energies assist in the development of the souls, it would not surprise me if the timing of one's birth in conjunction with planetary moves are indicators of your lessons.

The natal chart is your life soul plan, it is the chart you set up in between lives to guide you and help you achieve your goals. You chose the specific planetary energy needed to accomplish certain lessons. And yes the moment and place of birth are no accident.

guidance and assistance we receive, isn't it.

it is even more humbling than I envisioned

certainly gratefully feel the interconnectedness to all energies here, too
:grouphug:

and extensive. God sends us our treatment plan, so to speak, in our natal chart. An ingenious way to do it.

And yes it is so humbling, and awe inspiring. Every time I look at someone's natal chart I feel that way.

Like driving a car, and admits that it has to smash up the car sometimes to learn. And then gets defensive about it?

Interesting isn't it.....?

Newton describes three levels of soul development. He classifies them as Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

He believes that most of those incarnating on Earth are in the first two levels, a very small percentage are in the advanced soul level. Those at the last level have little need to come back to Earth.

I think this is interesting and coincides with the Vedic soul level model which I outlined a few days ago in another thread. (Yhe Green Model and it has 4 levels of soul development.)

Another interesting point is that there are many ways for a soul to advance but Earth is one of the quickest, certainly not the easiest, but one of the quickest ways to evolve. Also Newton mentioned that he believes those who suffered abusive or neglectful childhoods here on earth have the opportunity to progress even faster.

relevant to what we've been reading.

It's sometimes difficult to believe that we chose to get on this karmic wheel. Is it your understanding from the book that we can get off of this karmic wheel at any point if we want to do so? I don't recall this being specifically addressed in the book. In my Ascended Masters readings, I seem to recall that, once we choose to start incarnating, we can't turn back. Is it your understanding from the book that we chose from the very beginning to incarnate? (I regret to say that the two different things that I've recently been reading are merging into one in my head, so I can't keep them straight.)

On page 247, it discusses the fact that we can't make judgments on a soul's maturity based solely on behavioral traits because it's possible for part of the soul's energy to be held in reserve in some lives or for a negative trait to be selected by an otherwise developed soul so that it could be experienced in that particular body. Just think, someone like Bush might actually be an evolved soul. :(

It sounded so good in the spirit world I am sure, and we just knew
it would be a piece of cake. Agh, did we find out different.

From everything I have read, we have free will. We do not have to come back again if we do not want to. This is our choice. But Earth is supposed to be an excellent school and many want to come here to learn the lessons that can only be learned here. This is a hard physical and mental world and is supposed to produce tough, resilient, independent souls. We can evolve elsewhere but it takes a lot more time. And if we want to obtain certain levels or positions in the spirit world we need good training.

And I think that spirit guides strongly encourage us to continue with our training and evolution but we are not forced to do so.

And no I do not think Bush is an advanced soul. He is an old soul, he has been around for many many lifetimes, but he is one that just cannot get it right. He and his father and brothers were supposed to be the leaders who blew up Atlantis, and I don't think he has made much progress since then.

And while I agree that trying to guess a soul's level is tricky I think it can be done in some general terms using the Green model.

Atlantis. I was also told by our mutual source, as I'm sure you were, that both he and his father were supposed to incarnate this time to become president and do good to make up for screwing up Atlantis. Therefore, they both must have within them the potential to do much good. It's extremely difficult to believe this though given what they've done to our world. :(

In reference to how to tell how evolved a soul is, on pg. 248, Dr. Newton says that a person may be highly intelligent but have a closed attitude about adjusting to new situations, with little curiosity about the world, and that this indicates a beginner soul to him. However, if he encounters someone with an evenness of mood, whose interests and abilities are solidly focused and directed towards helping human progress, he suspects that the soul is an advanced soul. However, as I mentioned previously, according to him, advanced souls would appear to be less evolved than they actually are if they chose to hold some of their energy in reserve or if they decided to take on a negative trait just to experience it.

But he has failed in this life, and will most likely be given a GO TO JAIL CARD by his spirit guide in the afterlife, back to the beginning of the karmic wheel for him.

But also keep in mind, the American people are dealing with karmic issues as well, and they have failed too. Lessons are being learned on many levels.

The whole issue of soul level is fascinating and there is really not much info on this topic. I think the categories are much more complex than either of the two models we have looked at would suggest.

Most karmic experts say that one cannot determine soul level by looking at the natal chart, it would have to be done by behavioral observation and interview. But some do say that perhaps there are a few indicators of soul level, such as Pisces sun sign, Pluto and or North Node in the 12th house, etc.

But again we are not going to see many advanced souls on this planet, at least that is what the consensus seems to be among experts.

and he was a very dark blue color - said he hated this experience (life) and this was his last time. He said it was like being electrocuted. He was supposedly a very old soul. I thought that was very odd because my brother doesn't really work, is a wanna-be musician who I support, (he writes and plays pretty, new-age instrumentals). He has a heart of gold but is the most pessimistic, and really fearful person I know. His perfect life would be in a cave somewhere with a dog and no contact with other people. I'm stunned that someone who seems almost emotionally handicapped, could be such a very old, dark blue soul. My guide said that old souls are very sensitive, so sensitive that life is very difficult for them. She thought this made perfect sense but I was very sceptically.

BTW - I have two brothers - this is not the one with the drug problem that I mentioned in other threads. The one with the drug problem was a younger - light aqua-blue color and seemed very disappointed with his performance in this life. The "old soul" brother also had a cocaine problem for about a year when he was younger, but stopped one day without any kind of AA, NA, rehab or anything else. Maybe because he is an old soul he was able to just quit on a dime while my other brother really struggles with addiction?????

(Edit to spell check!)

a person has evolved. Bush is a very old soul but has not evolved much, he just cannot get it right.

Also your brother sounds more like the souls who have come to earth from other planets, they just never adjust to life here. They may be very advanced from other planes of existence but life here is a no go for them, they never fit in and are unhappy. Newton talks about these folks in one of his later books. And yes the fact he could just stop the drug habit cold sounds more evolved.

volunteered to have him finally do things right? It would be funny, because, even with all the demonstrations and inside circle objections he still does not get it. It takes an entire population & a t least half of the planet to disapprove of him, and he still does not evolve. Will he be given another chance, probably so.

But as for Cheney & Co. I wonder, whether their actions warrant a complete reprogramming of the soul, or if it is still not sinister enough to surpass that threshold.

books by Dr. Newton?

soul rehabilitation and in extreme cases the soul is just
melted down and re done (that is not the way they say it but you get the drift). The soul gets re-cycled somehow.

Some souls are not allowed to come back to Earth.

Must all be in Destiny of Souls.

I have read everything Newton wrote, so it all blends together...

Some of us have karmic debts to pay, we have abused power in the past and we must learn some very hard lessons about it. Some of us may have issues around greed. The list goes on and on about the lessons we can learn right now.

Others are beginning souls and have not yet learned to be independent thinkers, they still blindly follow the dictates of power. They have some very hard lessons to learn about becoming an independent soul.

Others of us have volunteered to come back to help out.

I have been reading Edgar Cayce, and he says that Atlantis blew up because the leaders became very powerful, abused that power, used brute force to make others do their will, and became very greedy. Their vices became their god. The also became spiritually bankrupt. kept using their gifts but giving nothing back, etc etc. Sounds familiar doesn't it.

He also said that many Atlantians would be returning to the earth again to try and work thru all of that bad karma. This was written at about the time of WWII. And that with Atlantians they tend to be on either extreme, very good or very bad. Very interesting reading.

I too have wondered at what point do these souls just get tossed in the re programming bin. Certainly one would think the Repus are good candidates for it. But again I keep saying it is not just them, it is the American people who are responsible for what has happened, these crooks did not take power in a vacuum and in many ways represent the american people quite will. The repugs are walking projections of the american psyche in some ways.

My hypnotist said he completely fits the picture of an old/advanced soul. She directed me to the Michael teachings which go into this more deeply than Newton does (and I've read all of his books.) Here is a link : http://www.michaelteachings.com/soul_ages.html



Before I knew about all of this I just thought he was a typical artist because he does art as well as music. I had a friend who dated an artist and we would laugh at her stories of how he couldn't handle grocery stores because of the lights/crowds. Her boyfriend was actually friends with David Byrne of the Talking Heads and she said he was just as socially inept.

I also don't think being an old/advanced soul is any better than being a young soul. On this page http://www.michaelteachings.com/older_not_better.html the Michael teachings say this:

And yes, soul evolution is just that, evolution, and not meant to
be seen with ego. Some of us are in kindergarten, some are in grad school. It is what it is.....We will all get there in the end.

And when we are finished with Earth incarnations, we start all over in in the spirit world, learning, growing and evolving.

And yes, according to Newton you can be very advanced from another planet or dimension, and just want to try an earth incarnation, this is not usual, does not usually work out very well, but some try it.

Spirit guides usually discourage this but we have free will to do what we want.

I am curious...

She told me to buy these books - but I don't know - I kinda felt like I'd gone as far as my interest took me. So I didn't look into the Michael stuff very much. When I first read the Newton books I was so jazzed - it was the first thing that made sense to me. So different from my Catholic upbringing - and it really rang true! But - I don't want to be too preoccupied with the spirit world - I want to try to get more out of this life. In my hypnosis they seemed pretty disappointed that I wasn't happy or self-confident and I wasn't achieving as much as I should because of that. Really made me think I needed to change my head around. Kinda of a wake up call for me!! They spelled out for me in hypnosis - you will not advance further until you do this and that. They also seemed to think I should have a better career than I do - which seemed weird to me? I do think though that we all grow in different ways - so I have problems that someone else may not have even though they may be a younger soul. And an older soul may still be struggling to overcome problems that I got past long ago. It seems like how some people are better at Math or English - souls have strengths and weaknesses too. And I think we can get better with some things - but also pick up bad traits along the way. Which seems to make sense along with the Newton books too.

On edit - It was actually my "old soul" brother who told me he thought we should care about Earth while we're on Earth and when we get to the Spirit world - then we can care about that. Still - I'm so glad I read the Newton Books - don't you think they make you a better person? I do - more empathetic - less rigid and judgmental - just thinking - this is (my/his/her) path. Realizing that there are no "hard rules" to follow to get to heaven.

the way. I'm a firm believer in the slippery slope concept, so I always try to not even get bad traits started. (I have enough already; I don't need more.)

Interesting that you're more focused on the outside world now. That's probably a very good thing. I'm sure that you also realize the importance of taking care of your spirit/soul. (You come to this group after all.)

I don't know what I'd do if I was told that my guides and the beings that work with me were disappointed in me. Is it possible to cry while you're "up" there? If so, I certainly would because I'm trying so hard, as I'm sure that you were and still are.

after reading Newton's book. Not just because of his book, but it was the one that jumped started me into a period of extensive reading and study. Actually the changes are too profound for me to put in writing!

But suffice it to say that many things about me finally fell into place, I allowed myself to be the real me. I have developed a whole new life in many ways, on the surface everything looks the same, career, family, house, etc. But underneath I finally found a niche that felt like home to me. I finally found people and a belief system that matched the way I was hard wired.

I obtained several psychic readings from reputable psychics, learned astrology, and found out what I am meant to do with the rest of my life. And why I was the way I was, in many ways different from others. (For example I came to recognize that I am in a lucid dreaming state most of the time! And that I was not crazy because of my psychic experiences.)

Interesting your comments about the Earth plane. I agree that we are meant to work on the Earth plane and in a human body for a reason. But in this life I am to merge with God, become a mystic (I didn't even know what one was several years ago!). But I must use those talents and skills in a practical spirituality here on Earth, this is a critical piece. I must do both, merge with the spirit world while being of service, and merging right and left brain. Actually I have so many things I wanted to do in this life, my natal chart looks like the biggest mess of aspects anyone has ever seen.

Most of my friends are now spiritual, psychic, astrologers, etc. I may even do a career switch, have several opportunities to mull over.

It is the best thing that ever happened to me.

trained, cassiepriam. I haven't spoken with the person yet, but there's one very close to the town where my mother lives. If I can, I'm going to try to set it up around Memorial Day when I'll be visiting her. I've only been hypnotized once, and I felt as though I was just making things up when I was asked to describe what I was "getting". I hope that it seems more "real" this time.

This book has really opened my eyes also. I doubt that its impact on me will be as extreme as it was on you (given what you said in your post above), but I feel like a new reality is available to me now, and I feel as though I now have the keys to unlock some doors that have been impeding my spiritual growth.

but the book and all the other books it lead me to. The regression was just one piece of it all.

Actually my regression left me feeling a bit flat afterwards. One of he drawbacks of readings and regressions is that usually there is no opportunity to process the information. We typically are given very intense information and then sent on our way.

I admit that when I got my regression I did not really understand what it meant. It is only later that I began to put it all together.

And I too always feel like I am making everything up. But when I do past life regression work it is odd, the scenes from my past lives come up in my mind like a little movie reel, one of those old fashioned ones, like the silent movies that flicker, characters have jerky movements, and there is no sound. It is the strangest thing. I see it clear as day like a little movie theater in my head.

Even when I was doing the past life part of the LBL regression I was sure I wouldn't be able to do it. I kept thinking this is a waste of my time and money, I will never be able to come up with a past life. The therapist told me on the count of three I want you to see a significant past life. And even while she was counting "one, two", I was thinking, Gee can I get my money back if this is a bust :), why did I take a day off work just to waste my time etc. Then amazingly on the count of three, this little movie starts running in my head, clear as day. But then I figured I made it all up. And it kept happening this way the whole session, at least for the past lives. The LBL was a bit different.

But I will say that the movies that came up in my head were very significant information for me.

the spirit world is wrong - just that I had had MY fill of some of this stuff. Especially the Michael things my hypnotist directed me to. I think that was my own personal reaction - but you're right - I still come to this forum so I'm not completely secular and I still go to psychics - so I think I overstated the fact. If what I said came off as some sort of judgment - I was wrong. However - FOR ME - I think I need to learn to trust my own judgment more and rely less on tarot cards and psychics - because I think those things may be too much of a crutch FOR ME. For years I have had problems with unhappiness and I think I need to live in the "here and now" more to maybe address that. That's the thing that is weird about the meeting with the council of elders - it was very specific to my situation. (And surprising what they wanted from me!) They wanted me to be a little more self-centered - which to me is immoral. It was definitely a wake-up call.

I also think when you're under hypnosis they show you what you need to know to help you. I think by showing me that the brother I support was an "old soul" was designed to make me more understanding of him. Also, when I told him he wanted this to be his last life - he seemed more determined to get the most out of it. At the time I was very angry at my other brother who has the drug problem. His spirit said to me - "Don't hate me - I'm really am a nice person." (At the time I was thinking he wasn't a good person - drug addict behavior can be pretty dark!) And I was having problems with my career. I always get too involved in workplace drama by sticking up for the guy/girl about to be fired. They HATED that! They told me "you always put yourself in the line of fire so you sabotage your career." My hypnotist said I was almost certainly a server soul (from the Michael teachings) and she said these types of problems are common for server souls. So their message to me was more about being happy here on Earth. They also thought I was trying too hard to win "brownie" points in heaven which kept me from having many experiences I should be having in my lives. They hated that too - seemed to be telling me to let loose and live a little. Again - that's a message that is specific to me. And I cried throughout the session - but in "heaven" I was actually almost angry because I didn't agree with their values. Very strange!! They also showed me my book of lives and I was only 1/2 way through - and I remember being crushed to think I was only 1/2 done!!! I think I am "stalled" in my growth and they were upset about that.

were saying, thanks for the clarification. Maybe I worded my response poorly!

And yes I agree with you 100% that many of us get too involved in spiritual crutches and go off on tangents. These crutches are only tools, not an end in themselves! And yes, it is all about living on earth while we are here. So your points are well taken!

"less rigid and judgmental" -
I think so, too.

will be used in harmful or pejorative ways.

For example, many have decried the use of IQ tests for the same reasons.

Psychologists measure IQ in hopes of aiding, helping, understanding the specific academic needs of a child, but sometimes the info is used badly.

My "old soul" brother is OBSESSED with UFOs - TiVos all kinds of TV shows about them. Cattle mutilations and crop circles fascinate him!! (He claims he can tell the "fake" crop circles from the "real" ones.) He is obsessed with fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio. Thinks "true" art uses the golden ratio. He thinks the "sign of the devil" 666 should actually be 618. He thinks 0.618 represents the underworld, 1.618 represents Earth and 2.618 (golden ratio) represents Heaven. (Unlike most new-age people - He believes in a Devil and/or Evil and says people who don't are vulnerable.) He actually believes in pyramid power!! He is also an amateur astronomer and is interested in astrology. He is also obsessed with using magnets to heal, create free electricity and also to power automobiles and planes, etc. He has all kinds of powerful magnets everywhere. He also is very interested in astral-projection and he is convinced he could train himself to leave his body during sleep and even meet-up with other people???? He also talks about "ascending to the fourth dimension" a lot. I usually tune him out because he sounds so nutty. (I don't want to make him sound all knowing - he was convinced for a while that the poles would shift and wreck havoc on May 5th 2000 - so he IS nutty!!) It is hard to carry on a "normal" conversation with him because he really only gets excited about this "weird" stuff.

What you said didn't "click" with me at first - but after letting it sink in - I think you might be right about him spending most of his lives on another planet. Thanks for the insight!!! This might actually help me get along with him better!!!

I'd love to discuss these things with him. Would you mind telling me what his astrological sun sign is?

In reference to the May 5, 2000, pole shift issue, I don't know anything about it, but it's always possible that the possibility was there that this would happen and that work was done by those on our planet and outside of our planet to make it not happen. It's sort of like the Y2K issue. If we hadn't done all of the work that was done to avoid that (billions of dollars were spent to get the world's computer programs changed over so that they were able to recognize the year 2000 and beyond), we could have had an extremely bad and dangerous situation on our hands.

Pluto almost exactly on the Ascendant. His 12/30/1960 - 9:55 p.m. in Lafayette, IN. He's not a blogger - I don't think he's ever posted on a web-site.

his would be really interesting, given what you've said about him. (I'd like to know whether his chart shows what you've said about him.)

Can indicate an obsessive, intense person with a possibility of psychiatric illness. Can also indicate a great deal of past life karma that he is wanting to tackle in this life.....

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Weird - but NOT mentally ill. Now I wish I had kept my mouth shut - I should have never opened up in this forum!!! I feel terrible having portrayed him in such a terrible light. He is an awesome - extremely nice person who is not even close to mentally ill. My other brother - who seems VERY normal and EVERYONE loves (and does not suspect has a drug problem) is more suspect of mental illness than this brother. I think anyone of us could be portrayed in a light that makes us sound mentally ill. All of us are "weird" in our own way. I happen to like an entire person - and often people's odd traits endearing, sxo I focus on those - and maybe they seem worse than they are because I focus on them. I've got to tell you I'm pretty angry at your comment. I wonder about your motivation! That's fine - maybe it is mentally ill for me to type personal things into a keyboard and post them to the entire world to read!!! You have gotten my celtic temper going I've got to tell you. WHO ARE YOU to call someone you have never met psychotic??? That is beyond bad - IMO!!! I won't be back!!!

intent at all. I was just responding to your comments that others thought he might have some problems. Again I am very sorry to have hurt and offended you. I will ask the mods to delete my post asap as I do not want to cause you any pain.

As far as I know no one thinks he is mentally ill - just odd - odd in his interests - not really his behavior. I feel like my irish ancestry and 4 planets in Gemini made me tell the story in a way that was unfair to him. I didn't really exaggerate - but by focusing on some things more than others I feel I portrayed him as something he is not. I can't believe I gave the impression he was psychotic!! I'm not sure blogs are for me!!!

I thought your brother would be an interesting person to meet. I don't think you presented him in a negative or unhealthy light at all.

and I have asked the mods to delete my post.

Not sure when they will do it, hopefully soon!

I would love to have a brother like yours.

I would love to have a brother who I could talk to about that kind of stuff. Personally, I love speculating about all kinds of things like crop circles, pole shifts, you name it! I devour books on these topics.

He sounds like an awesome person. The world needs its rare flowers, amidst the weeds.

the book and are catching up.

the book and want to catch up....

long as this thread has posts added to it.

:)

One thing I have been meaning to comment on is the clear message that the spirit world is full of humor, laughter and fun. Granted the younger souls seem to be a bit silly and goofy, but that is OK.

I guess this a relief to me. I have a sarcastic, irreverent humor and do not intend to lose it. And start being stuffy and dry. I also question everything and do not want to lose that part of me.

A good friend of mine is very clairvoyant and in contact with the ascended masters, I am always teasing her guides and the AM's as I call them. I give them a hard time in fun. So far they have not struck me with a bolt of lightening. :)

I should say that one of her guides is a real drill sargent, I tend to steer of him :(

Geez did this chapter hit me between the eyes!

When I was 14/15, I was in the lunchroom at school when I saw this young man and I recall saying, "That's HIM". I had always wondered why those words escaped my lips. He became my first love...young love was grand, but then a friend interfered and broke us up. I held a torch for him for years....still do. The odd thing is I don't think of him in a lustful or sexual manner...just that I was happy being in his presence.

Then back in 1994, I changed real estate companies (I am a Realtor) and was checking out their listing book to see what they had available in case I received a floor call. This was not something I had ever done when going to a new company. I really had no reason. Oddly, my eye was drawn to a picture of this one house in the book and for some strange reason, I looked down to see who the owner was. To my shock, it was the same name as my first love, so I went to the listing agent and asked her about him. Now greying evidently, I could not tell if it was him from her description. So she asked him if he knew me. He told her I was his first love and that I was a great lady. I almost broke down hearing that.

The listing agent invited me over for the home inspection since the seller, my old flame, was not going to be there. To me, it was almost sacred ground.

Then I found out he was engaged. I did not want to interfere with his happiness, so I moved on down to North Carolina.

I celebrate his birthday every year (April 25th), and there is hardly a day that goes by when I do not think about him. I have never loved any other man.

So, I think I have my answer now as to what I meant when I said, "that's him".
I don't consciously know if any lessons were realized or if there was a missed opportunity.
My feeling has always been that we would meet again in the afterlife, and it was something to look forward to.

Thank you for recommending this book!

that shaped you towards who you are today. Maybe that was all that you both intended in this life time? But then again, having found him again is probably also not random.

Sounds like someone from your closest soul group.

How nice to be able to recognize him :)

Please post discussions about the issue above.

brief overview of what the focus is of his other material? I'm thinking that I might continue with this reading on my own.

Thanks!

Destiny of Souls: New Case Studies of Life Between Lives (2000)
More case studies and introduces some new material about the
spirit world.

Life Between Lives (2004)
This one was written primarily for therapists, but it is still interesting for the lay person.

I would probably get DOS if I were only going to get one more, you can also go to Amazon and read the reader ratings and see which one you prefer.

Happy Reading!

FYI, at the publisher's site are links to a radio broadcast of an interview
this comes in 3 segments and he talks about his 3 books as a trilogy. I think this is a rather new addition as I have not noticed it there before.
He tells about how he came about writing the book.

http://www.llewellyn.com/bookstore/author.php?id=23225

I thought, the second book continues with more cases and ultimately gives a complete picture what he has found out about LBL.

The third book, yes, is addressed to therapists, and also gives a glimpse of what to expect as a potential patient.
He explains his approach of questions to solicit answers, but at the same time, I was able to see that unlike common perception of hypnotherapy, he absolutely avoids any leading questions.
I also find it quite interesting that naturally there will be blocking of information from the guides and how he works also with the guides including his own.

Overall, after having read all three books, just as cassiepriam said in a previous thread they all blend together.

on edit: I would love to continue discussing his 2nd book, too if any others are interested :)

it out!

:hi:

Yes I thought it was interesting how he works with the guides....

and yes I noticed he does not lead the clients....

One criticism that Newton admits to however, is that most people who come to him have read his books, so in essence that is leading the client before he or she even gets to his office. Newton says however he was getting the same kind of material over and over again from clients long before he had written any of his books.

I loaned it out - never to see it again, I don't even remember whom I loaned it to. :) But that is ok. I hope it is helping -

..and to me, I had the impression that Newton tries to solicit more new information about LBL from each client to get even a more in-depth picture and/or validation in uncertain areas from previous information, and his quest for additional info appear to continue also.

It has been awhile since I read it, but it will be fun to re read it.

Funny, I keep reading that Newton has retired, on his ranch I think out west. But then I keep seeing him doing more training sessions, more public appearances. Either the demand for him is so high he cannot resist, or he is bored in retirement!

:)

I think, he lives somewhere in N. CA. near Shasta. Beautiful place.

must keep begging him do more training and talking.

work in reference to how we set up the group read for this book. If we decide to do another book read at some point in the future, I'd like to think that we could improve things based upon this feedback.

For me, it was difficult to have everything in one thread. However, it was also nice to have things in one thread. Would having each week have a separate thread work better?

I found it difficult for everything to be in one thread.

I'll chime in for your latter suggestion, I Have A Dream. :-)

In one big thread, it was nice to be able to go back and see what had already been discussed, but it got very difficult to see where we were at any given week since there were so many posts!

I think it may have to be broken down some how into smaller segments?
So we don't get lost when trying to read or post......

It is somewhat difficult to see. But then again, a new thread would require going back and forth, and it may become difficult to find after a few weeks.
My browser retains the posts I read in a different color, even days later, so that is kind of helpful, too.

So, maybe one thread is still good with me.

I had the most uplifting dream. The only thing I remember is that I was conversing with beings-it was like a bunch of yellowish glowing (like the warm glow of bare light bulb) orbs in an almost cave like setting, and that I had a great time. Cave-like only, because I can not define the enclosure. And I was blending in, too. As I woke up from that scene, I have never felt so refreshed and so at peace. I was thinking then, that it felt like I was back home.

I wonder if that was my soul group, and I cheated and went back when I was asleep. :)

It has been a lot of fun, and informative!

book. Thanks, cassie!

It was my pleasure to set things up.

I checked over at Amazon and there are a couple reviews posted:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567184855/qid=1143008057/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-5212222-1408822?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

These reviews are very good.




Cher

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=245&topic_id=18181&mesg_id=18181

and then this post in the same thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=245&topic_id=18181&mesg_id=18181

Guess I'll have to come in on the discussion a bit late....

So I'm interested in the topic but won't be going in the discussion for a little while.

of you who do not yet have the book.

x(

It looks like a fascinating read.

as anyone wants to talk about the book.

I'm not reading the book so I'm sorry to intrude. I'm currently trying to finish up Thom Hartmann's Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. Maybe after that. I did however, read a book very similar years ago called Past Lives, Future Lives. I've always wanted to be regressed but, in the past, I've had problems being hypnotized and I am worried that I'd just be wasting a lot of money. This is more disturbing because I've read that most intelligent people CAN be hypnotized. :(

I have a couple of concerns. You guys mention bringing trauma with you. I'm recently divorced and have been suffering from depression for 2 years now. I'm on meds and doing OK but when I'm off them I suffer terribly. I suppose that is what my soul is REALLY experiencing. If I don't break out of my depression will I carry this depression into the next world? I've seen a psychic who told me I was dealing with this now to teach my soul flexability. I'm not sure if I believe that or if I'm simply dealing with the karmic effects of not being an attentive enough husband.

Thanks for any responses.

I do think you can be hypnotized. I have found that for some people they actually are hypnotized but they don't feel like they are. Also, you may just have trouble being relaxed and trusting the hypnotist. That can be overcome though. To me being under feels like my imagination is just taking over so I had to get past the expectations of what I thought it should be like.

I also think that you are grieving over your loss. Divorce usually is a tremendous loss in which we find it difficult to find closure, especially if we feel betrayed or guilty. It is such a deeply personal situation. The very first step is always forgiveness. Can you forgive yourself and your ex? I honestly believe that if we can forgive ourselves and persevere we can find ways to forgive everyone who we feel may have harmed us. We then find ourselves moving on. I've been through a divorce and it is not easy, We can add you to the April meditation and prayer threads if you would like.

The book you are referring to is similar to this book however, this book is far more detailed and somehow more clinical. Newton keeps his feet as firmly planted on the ground as anyone I've ever read on this subject.

In the meantime hang in there and talk to as many people who will listen until you feel you've been heard. Your job is to take care of yourself and listen to what your emotions are trying to tell you. Be VERY kind to yourself and ask for help if you need it. I am sorry for your loss and your pain. Every single one of us knows pain intimately, so just know you are not alone.:grouphug:

Thank you. May God be with you.

that we have to work with. It's my belief that the Universe doesn't expect any more of us than that. If you're doing your best to try to deal with your issues (rather than just letting them fester), then I think that the Universe will be more understanding and may be more inclined to be more gentle with you in reference to anything that ou carry forward. (If it will even require it.) I'm assuming that you've already asked the Universe to help you with this situation. If so, keep doing it in earnest.

Right now, I'm reading some information about the Ascended Masters. One of the things that might be helpful for you is the violet flame of transmutation. I mention it in the post that I think you are referencing. In my opinion, this would probably help you a great deal.

In reference to the hypnosis comment, I've only tried once to be hypnotized, and I felt as though I was making things up in my head. We're both in the same boat! (I'm still going to try it again.)

Please don't worry -- just do your best and keep searching. :hug:

I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about and reflecting on your post. You raise quite a few complicated issues on a number of different levels. I will try to respond when it all comes together for me.

and the trauma of my own divorce.

I do not know the circumstances of your divorce, but this is how I analyzed my own.
For several years I tried to conform and become someone I was not, just because I was attracted to this person who is completely the opposite of me. As years passed, the increasing mental abuse inflicted to take total control over me, first drove me into apathy. I watched the wrongs he was committing without remorse to other people, until one day I realized I do not wish to be part of any of this.

I was not depressed, I think, but I was numb and paralyzed with undetermined fear.
In the three years it took to get a conclusion to the divorce, I slowly started seeing how I was changed; my confidence in "being" was completely trashed.
While there were many related additional trauma, which I will not go into, I had to accept what was, what is and what I had to do as a result.

Now, this is someone who really has to deal with some negative karmic effects someday. You say, being an "inattentive husband", I hear remorse, I hear self doubt, but more than anything: expectations and unanswered wishes. This does not sound of ill-intent, and therefore it may not be a severe karmic effect, at least not from that. Is it not also possible that there were lessons to be learned on her side?

I think, we deal with life shattering events, particularly those that make us question ourselves as a result, are making us descend into confusion, hopelessness and depression. The very integrity and dignity of our being is threatened. We all react differently, but I believe until we deal with these questions in it's brutal honesty and identify the source of confusion in our being, it will linger on.

To your question of the "next world", if you mean your next lifetime, I believe it is up to your soul to decide whether you want an experience in a similar or alternate way to experience the issue you want to learn from. If Mr. Newton is right with his research in the book we are discussing, it appears we are all given our many chances to chose from many outcomes for this lifetime.

I personally have a tremendous fear of mind altering medication and would not touch it with a 10ft pole, but who am I to judge whether it is good or not. But I tend to think in general terms, that these types of medications will not heal your wounds it only covers them, unless the doctor thinks there are genuine serious chemical imbalances of a biological nature that needs to be addressed and kept under control. _ Just a thought.

Please be strong, there are, and will be many people who genuinely will support you, in whatever capacity they can, and they come and go as needed, as you advance in self discovery and recovery.

..and a quote:
When you are aware of your pain and suffering, it helps you to develop your capacity for empathy, the capacity which allows you to relate to other people's feelings and sufferings. This enhances your capacity for compassion towards others.

~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama
from The Pocket Dalai Lama, edited by Mary Craig, 2002

Dr Newton points out in a later book, that patients often come with a pre-conceived notion of what hypnosis should be like and that a practitioner has the responsibility to explain to the patient what it is not. I never heard it has anything to do with intelligence. I have never tried hypnosis myself but am certainly curious, too. But perhaps you need to find a therapist, who will resonate with you?
If regression and LBL is your interest, you may want to check Dr Newtons' referrals out:

http://www.spiritualregression.org/certified.html

Hang in there. :hi:

First, I have not seen any literature that links intelligence and ability to go into trance. It is possible that you are more able to go into trance than you realize, you might want to start meditating.

Second, if you feel much better on the antidepressant medication why go off of it? We are not meant to suffer needlessly in this life. Clinical depression is most usually due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, the SSRIs just give you the serotonin that your brain cannot make on your own. It is not addictive, it is like insulin for a diabetic. We do not say that diabetics are bad for taking insulin, why should we say that depressed people are bad for taking their meds?

I do not think we get extra karmic points for suffering needlessly, if there is a cure for what ails us, we are meant to take advantage of that.

That said, if you have psych issues related to your divorce, please get into therapy to work it out.

The best way to release negative karma is to learn the lessons we are meant to learn. We all all human, and make many mistakes in this life. That is why we are here, to learn and grow, and experience a wide variety of situations and feelings. The bottom line is do we learn from our errors? Do we evolve and face the problems with courage, integrity, wisdom?

If you need to get into therapy and take medication then do it, and if you have guilt about the marriage find out what you may have done wrong and work on it the best you can.

We when learn what we are meant to learn, then the karma is released and need not follow us into the next life.

:bounce: and am trying to play catch up.

I, for one, do not mind bouncing around with it....

compare with the universe as Matthew describes it...for those of you who have read his site?

my opinion at that point. (I'm just letting you know that I plan to answer your question after I have more information.)

Here's one link:

http://www.matthewbooks.com/samplematthew.htm

in my opinion, this information fits in quite well with what was described in Journey of Souls. It went into more detail than what was discussed in Journey of Souls, but nothing hit me as inconsistent. (It was from the point of view of the being handling the incoming soul rather than from the point of view of the incoming soul.)

I was thinking of some description of the nature of the universe but I can't find it. I've contacted Matthew's mother for help.

I'm in on this. I'm currently on the chapter about guides. Good book so far. I just keep praying "God please let me be advanced". I do not want to have to come back here.

about not wanting to come back. I know that I'm not going to be done this lifetime, so I can only hope that things will work as Matthew says and that we'll be in a higher realm once the Earth ascends. Maybe thinking about that will help you as well.

:hug:

so that is why we do it. It is also supposed to produce some of the sharpest, most resilient and flexible souls. So it is a highly sought after training ground, in fact there is supposed to be a waiting list to come here. And if we got chosen to incarnate on earth it means we have some good credentials! Not everyone gets in!

A number of reliable sources have indicated that I can be off the karmic wheel in this lifetime or the next one if I so chose. It depends on how I finish up this life. And if I want to make some more advances in my karmic journey. Part of me wants to be done with it all, but my next life could be really nice in terms of finally getting to do the kind of karmic astrology I would really like to do. My next life I will have the opportunity to teach, write and practice in a way that will make me very happy. It could be a unique combination of eastern and western traditions.

I would like to do that kind of work now, but it is proving difficult. Everyone seems so polarized, eastern vs western astrology, and then traditional vs alternative systems of healing and spirituality. I want do do something that combines it all in one system. Takes the best from each. But now most people just seems to fight and get mad when I try to do that.

All the systems are all so compatible, and work so well in a complementary way, I wish everyone could see that. It has all been so splintered that it is high time to put it all back together. So it is very temping but frankly part of me wants to drop kick earth incarnations to the curb, I am tired of fighting the system!

it's not really funny, but I had to laugh because I used to say this as well.

I have reconciled myself to the idea that I will most definitely have to come back for another round here on earth.
In my youth I yearned to get to the point where it wouldn't be necessary, I even did years of psychotherapy with this goal in the back of my mind!

Unfortunately, I haven't been able so far to resolve all of my conflicts and problems deep within, and will need another shot, I'm afraid.
I only hope that I dealt with enough stuff to not have to experience quite so much anguish next time! :D

I'm sorry I didn't have time now to read this book and join this dicussion, but I'll bookmark this for when I do have the time.

:hi:

DemEx

but I tell the Universe that I'd rather come back again than try to deal with all of my remaining karma in this lifetime. I have a friend who is a highly-evolved person who has had so much happen in his lifetime. (For example, he was in a freak auto accident where he was in a coma, lost much of his ability to walk, has difficulty keeping his train of thought, etc.) He previously had said that many of his difficulties were because he chose to complete the karmic wheel during this lifetime. If that's what it takes, I'm willing to go for balance and do it over a few more lives. :scared:

(I know that it doesn't always have to be this way, but I figure that if I can spread my remaining karma out over however many more lifetimes it takes to do it in a balanced way and not generate too much more bad karma in the process, I'd prefer it this way.)

Our guides give us advice but it is always our choice.

And about every 6 or 7 lives we usually do an easy life.
But we can change that too....

on one level I do understand this, and understand now why I picked my parents, family, friends, partner, etc., but OTOH, in intensive therapy where in one session I had a regression to before conception, I felt most strongly that I was being forced to incarnate, kicking and screaming, by 2 dark, but benevolent figures. Maybe I had decided to try again and face the music, but got cold feet the moments before I had to go? :-)

By the way, in my childhood I also had many instances of being overcome with a blind panic at the edge of big change, or having to do things I did not really want to do.
These were perhaps still rather fresh 'memories' of this protest/fear to incarnate. (?)

As with all of these types of things, I am not totally certain this is what I experienced, but somehow it feels right/true that this is what I re-lived in this therapy session.

DemEx