In 1997, I went for a future life progression. I thought I ‘d try something new, something different, considering you usually only hear about regressions—at least for myself, I had never heard of a progression—checking out for possible future lives. What happened next took me totally by surprise. One could say (as I did during the whole experience…) I was making it all up…but, it’s still a fascinating tale, and one I’ve incorporated into my supernatural murder mystery I’m considering publishing through Amazon’s CreateSpace.
Note (November 20, 2013): I have since released the above “consideration” as The Uninvited. It’s available both as an e-book and a paperback! This event has been incorporated into the novel.
Well, you decide. Below is the largely unedited (I kept it as I originally wrote it) account of my possible ronin existence (“Karen” was the hypnotherapist):
April 28, 1997
Note (5:57 p.m.): Had my session with Karen just now (4-5:30 p.m.)–and she tricked me! Well, it was very interesting. She allowed me to go where I wanted, or needed, to go and I did my normal meditation thing of shapes and colors, and saw the image of a “lying down” oriental structure. So we went with that. Now, I didn’t always “see” anything, but more felt things. I had visual images without the images, is the only way to describe it, though sometimes I did see images. And I got the session on tape. Apparently, and this is news to me, I do have a life in Oriental culture, as much as I’ve not been interested in it now (well, that may change…). Remember that as I describe lots of this stuff, its not like I’m actually there, like I am, writing this, it was more of images and feelings. Visual-but-nonvisual senses. The entire time, I felt like I was making it up. Here’s what I got: we started off with this person, a warrior-philosopher, enjoying a sunrise. He (me!) stood on a cliff that overlooked/had a view to Mount Fuji (?!), on a coastline. It was a beautiful sunrise, and I felt so at one with myself and life. Felt calm and powerful. The age of 33 came to mind, but when she asked me what year, I was totally unconcerned (the year was a nonissue to me; I was there to do something, and that’s all), though later 1715 or so came to mind. 1700? 1735? I had told her I don’t care what year it is, that it doesn’t matter to me. I wore a heavy, stiff (kinda felt the stiffness) overgarment over white undergarments. Karen asked for more details but I told her it didn’t really matter to me. The color was something like red or brown–or a combination of the two. On the upper portions of the garment was a gold swath of some width–a sash?–across the upper shoulders, and the entire outfit was ornate, the gold embroidered. Wore sandals of leather–and/or wood? Had my sword. My hair was black, and ponytailed in some fashion–two ponytails? Didn’t feel like it was too long, but shoulder length or so. I’m powerful and confident, a good fighter, but don’t like the fighting. It’s a means to an end. I’m really a philosopher-teacher. I became a warrior out of “necessity.” I felt I had much to teach (but also to learn) and had I publicly came out with my views I would have been killed. So I became a warrior and took to solitude and travel. I was very good at being a warrior. The name that came to mind immediately was something like: Kioshu/Kiashu/Kiushu? I seem to lean toward the first spelling though. In looking up in the dictionary, I find that there’s an island in SW Japan called Kyushu, or Kiushu. So am I picking up on a name or the island? I feel it’s actually the name I had gotten, because when Karen asked for my name that was the immediate thing that came to my mind, I mean I didn’t even have time to doubt or think “gee, now I have to come up with a name!”. Fucking incredible. I consider myself journeying–that wherever I am I’m just visiting–philosophically as well as physically–journeying through life, and this is but a stop for me. I seem to live alone, in a low, squat, meager dwelling of light-brown wood. Behind the dwelling (where I stand) are colorful flowers and vegetation against the building. There’s a dirt/stone? path leading back to the house. Karen asked if I ate breakfast, and I got something about fish and vegetables–carrots? And something like “rice wine” to drink. As I stand with my back to the cliff, and face the house, off to my right is an incline into the lush and heavily vegetated mountains, which I find so beautiful. There is no real path. In the distance are high mountains with low cloud cover. I love it here. I take to this incline and walk, with only the clothes on me and my sword, and maybe a small pouch to my left front. Money? I feel it is my mission in life to help those that seek me out–but also for me to learn. I just go off in journey and take what comes or is attracted. I’m very knowledgeable and intelligent (Karen brought this up; she said I seem to be intelligent in this personality). Eventually, I come to an ancient temple hidden along this path (and feel this is one of the reason I’ve come to live here; it’s extremely secluded and hidden). The temple is tall, but narrow. Abandoned. I stand before it and smile. Amused. I think: good effort [for children]. I understand why the temple was built. I feel that those that had built this, as do all peoples, make the best attempts at understanding life, so, though however misguided, it is the intent toward understanding and bettering life that counts. I do not agree with the belief systems of the time and area, and feel it is my chosen “task” to help others understand, and that my being a warrior is a “necessary compromise” to further my purposes. I continue on. Along this path I had images of conflict and battle, but did not engage in any. I am a teacher, to teach whoever’ll listen and needs help–I teach whatever they come to learn–it’s different with each person. I also learn. Karen asked what lesson did/do I learn in Kioshu’s life, and I said there was more than one, but a sanctity of life was one. That, as I stated, “agreements” to kill had been made so my “greater good” could come across. I also mentioned something about liking the feel of physical objects, like my sword–not in using it to kill, but in its inherent feel, its use in practice. There’s just a certain feel of steel and sword. I draw a metaphor between the sword and life: that life and the sword are double-edged. It is the intent of the wielder that makes life–or the sword–what it is.
Karen then has me jump ahead in time to the next point of significant interest in my life. I am now 35. I am in the middle of battling two bandits/warriors. I seem to be protecting peasants in the field behind me. I have conflicting emotions (and actually felt this as I talked to Karen; felt emotion well up within me): I feel emotional about helping the peasants, feel love for them–but also for those I will have to kill. I am frustrated that these men are doing what they are doing–don’t they understand they need not do this? There is no need for anger and greed! There is a third man behind them, on a (large?) horse, with a bow and arrow–he seems to also be dressed like me. He watches us. I also feel anger against these warriors, and with an utter sense of confidence and cockiness, feel, fine, if you’re gonna fuck with me, then you’re gonna die, and I kill them (during this fight, there was a bright, intense “splotch” that brought me out of the trance, and I opened my eyes, but Karen had me go back under. I found the images were still there, and continued:). Before I killed the attackers, there was never any doubt I’d win–me dying never entered my mind. But as I stand there, I look to the horseman, and he looks back. I sense that he wants to fire at me–but for some reason… doesn’t. He says nothing. All he does is calmly turn his horse away, and walk the beast away from us without turning to look back. I am greatly saddened. These people–including those I have killed (for a short time, anyway)–will only see the exterior actions and not realize that I have not really killed any one. Will not understand the philosophical ramifications. I want to tell the peasants what has really gone on here, but am frustrated because I know they will not understand–and I am a teacher, dammit, it’s my job, my passion, to teach. I grow weary with the killing, but still choose to continue my way because I feel I still have things to do before I “go.” Don’t know why I choose not to fight–except that “greater good” argument.
As I wondered if I made it all up or it was real, one thing kept nagging at me: it emotionally and intuitively feels like me.
Sept 3, 1999
Note (10:30 p.m.): Just had a weird thing happen. Was watching a couple-year-old rerun of Sightings, and they were talking about a Japanese lake monster called Ishii, in Lake Akida (couldn’t find this spelling, also from the TV, but found “Ikeda,” and it does talk about a lake monster…), on the island of Kyushu, which is about 1000 miles from Tokyo. They showed this scene, from above the lake, on a cliff, and in the distance was a mountain (Fuji?)–and it looked exactly like what I’d seen in my warrior vision. I may look into this a little more! Reference April 28, 1997 dream entry, “Note” for 5:57 p.m.
May 23, 2001
I noticed many months ago, while doing research and talking with a martial arts instructor that he had the term “Kyoshi” before his name. I wonder if that’s what I picked up on, in terms of a “name”….
January 18, 2006
As I wrote out an e-mail to a friend of mine about my meeting with another hypnotherapist, “Sydney,” (January 17, 2006, 11 a.m. to noon), it occurred to me that when I went in for that life progression session with Karen, and got the past life regression, instead, it might also give more fuel for me that this is my last physical incarnation, hence there was nothing in the future for me! And yesterday I thought that perhaps all my 3D-motion issues might actually stem from my perceived WWII crash-and-burn life. Sydney asked what I thought might have been my previous life, and I told her I’d had thoughts that I might have lived and died during WWII, as a bomber aircrew member, perhaps a tail gunner. Additionally, I told her I’d had images of being pulled apart by horses in some “court,” which I’d been thinking might be related to this or another Japanese life death, when it also dawned on me that perhaps…it might have been a Mongolian life. Ever since researching Genghis Khan’s life, I’ve found pictures of the area of upper Mongolia very comforting and familiar. And that particular death does seem more in keeping with that life. Perhaps my soul really does like elements of drama, given my perceived lives and their deaths….
So…had I made this all up? Was it a past life that I’d been ignoring that had finally leaked through into my consciousness? All I can tell you is that it all seemed pretty damned real at the time.
Samurai Links
The Samurai Archives Japanese History Page
Related Links
- The Uninvited (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)
- The Uninvited—Deleted WTC Scene (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)
- Crazy Ants Invade! (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)
- Music of The Uninvited (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)
- KA_BAR and The Uninvited—Not For The Squeamish (fpdorchak.wordpress.com)
Innerestin’ hmmm.
Yeah, this was definitely “hmmm….”
Ah yes. I remember this. Fascinating. It would be pretty cool if things are confirmed that you couldn’t have been exposed to in this life. Then… yes… there are so many cool things about these experiences…especially when you sense it is right. The ideas of simultaneous/future/past lives bleeding into each other and affecting each other and teaching lessons for each other… wow.
I haven’t had much to “do” with this life anymore…no more synchronicities and all that. But I do think about it a fair amount. It was a fascinating experience that “came out of nowhere” and blew me away! Like my tail gunner, Civil War, and Titanic experiences. I feel…that these things happen when a personality is ready for them…but we’re not meant to focus on them. We’d already lived those lives and are currently living a different one, so we all need to focus on our current lives with all their challenges and joy and present-moment focus! But realizing you’ve lived another life should give you a “sense of soul”…of continuation. Perhaps explain why or why not certain happened or didn’t happen in your current life. It should enrich your sense of self….and give you a better appreciation of everyone else around you! If you’ve experienced something like this, so have others…and maybe those others have dismissed their own similar experiences as fantasy…but I’m trying to show that others do experience this kind of thing, and things like this should not be patently dismissed! Not every thought is going to be a past or future life, but certain inclinations, certain musings or considerations have a certain gravitas to them and should—at the very least—be *acknowledged*. “Yeah, okay, I had that. Saw that. It MIGHT be real. I’ll give it consideration, because it feels like me or I’ve experienced certain things in my life along these very lines….”
Now, as to whether or not aspects of these kinds of experiences can be proven, while neat and amazing, that should not really be the concern (though I do believe if one experiences something like this, yes, certain aspects of those lives WILL make themselves known to individuals exactly like they did to me here and in my tail gunner, Civil War, and Titanic lives). It’s the fact that someone experiences a *powerful* reincarnational existence/event and *acknowledges* that experience. In doing so, this will open up individuals to even more neat experiences of a similar nature…and will most likely allow the “proofs” that you talk about, Karen, to actually manifest in a person’s life. But one should not go into these things expecting all kinds of proof, is what I’m saying (and you probably do not mean that…just that it would be cool to find proof on something this, I’m assuming?). Does that make sense? It’s a subtle shift of perspective. Don’t go in to things like this expecting all kinds of proof or you won’t believe it: go into these kinds of things *acknowledging* the experiences, and if they are real—and not fantasies—you will end up experiences further corroborations as the experiences continue to unfold in their own way. In my more powerful reincarnational life-memories, this is exactly what happened. All the follow-up “events” unfolded in their own unique ways…like you see here for my ronin life…in my tail gunner life (https://fpdorchak.wordpress.com/2015/11/27/tail-gunner-2/), my CIvil War life (0https://fpdorchakrealitycheck.wordpress.com/2014/10/06/my-civil-war-life/), and my Titanic life (https://fpdorchakrealitycheck.wordpress.com/2016/01/01/the-reincarnation-of-f-p-dorchak/), though I haven’t detailed that out as thoroughly (yet) as the others, and I’ve actually met another in *this* life who also feels they’ve been on the Titanic.
And, finally, given that Time in-and-of-itself is an illusion…as evidenced (if you’re open to the evidence as presented here) in this case by reexperiencing other lives-lived, then is it really that far of a leap to assume that our thoughts and actions can affect each other in other times, other lives? I’m not saying that we understand HOW this happens, but if the very mechanism is “open” enough to allow us to glimpse into other lives, than c/wouldn’t that same energy also allow for other “intrusions” into those other lives? Out thoughts, for instance? It’s all energy…everything is…and we don’t fully understand all that that energy is and how it permeates the universe. So if you believe in even just a tiny fraction of any of this, I don’t feel it’s that much of a leap to think that all time is simultaneous and that each life CAN affect each other life. Just allow it that consideration…and see if that allows similar experiences into your lives….
I hope someday we’ll know. Speculation is fun, but true understanding is delicious.
I hear and understand what you’re saying—and I mean no disrespect or “getting up in your grill,” Karen, I hope you truly know this!—but until you have a similar experience (think about the total weirdness of that “box in the attic” we talked about, now THAT is hard to believe, but I do believe it happened of who told me it happened! :-] ) that is so similarly detailed (and this is one of THE most detailed experiences I have ever had of this nature) and as powerful as I had, it is difficult to fathom…to BELIEVE. And I get that. Before I’d had this experience, I was highly suspect of other people’s similar experiences. But these were not just fanciful, daydreaming images—I was THERE. I FELT the surroundings, the EMOTION. The FRUSTRATION. The clothing. I do not doubt that this experience was real for one moment. And that’s the thing, it was my experience not anyone else’s, and I don’t need anyone else to corroborate it for me, or for some other “factual knowing thing” to show me whether or not it was “real.” I’ve already done that, and that’s what’s important about it. It came at a time in which I was [finally!] ready for it…and it came in the best delivery method possible. This ronin flew under the radar, there isn’t going to be record of him! And of course that further fuels the fires of the skeptics, and that doesn’t bother me. This isn’t about the skeptics—it’s about me. I mean, how else is something like this supposed to manifest that would have someone believe it to be true (providing you believe in something like this in the first place, because otherwise, yeah, you don’t believe in reincarnation, this IS all a pile of hooey!)? There will always be those out there who question, and that is how it should be. I questioned it…but after analyzing everything, having the follow-on synchronicities—I have no more doubt. I know what I know…and I finally DO truly understand this experience and why it made itself known to me, as we discussed this week. :-] I’m not being defensive or belligerent, here, I hope you truly understand that, I’m just trying to get across the incredible realness of it all in and of itself. Trying to expand the concept of “knowing” something to be true. And, yes, we can get into all kinds of discussion about all the others out there knowing their “things” are “true and known,” even though they contradict other individuals’ “true and known.” That certainly is another discussion we should have and I’ll look forward to having! But the short answer is that to each individual those ARE the truths. To THOSE individuals. So…does that dilute the concept of a “truth”?
I think that will make for great conversation next time we get together! With great respect and love, Karen, thank you for taking time to read and comment! I hope I haven’t put you off in any way, and humbly apologize in advance if I have!
You didn’t “put me off” at all since I was basically stating that you have the deliciously of knowing… whereas most of us can only speculate. And all of us can only speculate on HOW it all works… regardless of knowing it works. It’s just plain cool to me that we are sophisticated enough creatures to even have a discussion like this, let alone experience it. Though sometimes I envy the animals their blissful naiveté that affords them peace. I believe… though I’m not sure I’d call it my truth. It is my experience. My truth is yet to be determined… I’m open to different interpretations of my experience. Was the box there? Did I just want it to be there? A fanciful imagination? Was there a trick of light? Was there something that snatched it away? What was that? Had someone else planted it there? Did I push it away without realizing my strength? And why didn’t I explore it further? Did I not want to know? I don’t know the truth of it for myself. I only know what my experience was. And that it will be truly delicious to eventually find out the truth of it… or the why of it.
Okay, glad to hear! :-] Yes, it is cool that not only can we have these experiences, but that we can also discuss them! I even (on occasion) envy the animals their “casual” perspectives! But only for short times…I really like my human perspective!
As to your box…yeah, been thinking about that one since I left Tuesday! It truly is wild…but some mysteries may forever remain so until we go to the other side…FREAKY!
I thought you believed in sideways not the other side. 🙂
Whether real or made up, this experience certainly makes for an interesting read!
Arigato. The hope that we are more than we are lives in us all. Fun topic, indeed.
Not sure how I missed this blog post the first time around, but it’s fascinating, especially since I just finished “The Uninvited”! I kid you not, I was thinking about trying to find a hypnotherapist to do this very thing (well, the past life part) within the last few weeks, but I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. This makes me want to start the search again!
You really must! Don’t know if I can help, but you can check out this link, for starters: http://www.iarrt.org/members/profmembers.html. And record if you can. I recorded mine on video…if I can FIND it….
Hello fpdorchak,
From what you described, I do think you experienced a past life for sure. The way you describe how you ‘knew’ things, but did not necessarily see them… that is often how it happens. It does feel made up, but when you have emotion and strong emotion come through, it is definitely coming from a past life remembrance. I have remembered several past lives (many of them, so I could write my book on on soul and their journey through lives). It is doubly cool that you were able to verify some of the things that you saw during the regression. Thank you for sharing your experience!
You could try to do a future life progression again another time?
Your lifetime in Japan needed to come through for you in some way that most likely was/is relevant in your life now. Your subconscious knows when you are ready for something to come through.
Namaste,
Karen
That’s good to know, because I’ve never found myself a good hypnotic subject—for others. On my own, I’m able to do *some*….
And, yes, for all else described, the emotional aspect of that experience was POWERFUL. Tangible. Unnerving, even. The more I’ve thought about it over the years, the more I’ve finally come to believe I had NOT made it up. It was far too real.
I used to have an interest in—and studied—martial arts, and I often thought [since the ronin experience] that that interest must have also been tied to the marital arts interest. It’s since waned, and especially since having the ronin experience—which would also seem “par for the course,” once confronting a long-denied event, some other related current-life “cravings” might move on, kinda thing. But, all in all, it just all FELT RIGHT…the whole ronin thing. As I’d mentioned, it just felt like “me.”
As to the life PROgression, perhaps, also mentioned above, there is no “pro” to go beyond my current incarnation. This is “it” for my physical expression. That even feels right to me. but to me, all Time is now, so it’s a moot consideration! :-] But I do think it was time to address that long-denied aspect of my existence, and has helped put to rest all the concerns I’d had about any “lack of interest” in visiting that part of the world. I do, now, actually have in interest in visiting Japan and Mongolia. Funny, how that works, huh?
Thanks for stopping by, Karen, and commenting! And, as always thanks for sharing YOUR experiences!