November Project: Question #23
These questions come from Naomi on Facebook.
I sense “energy” from inanimate objects sometimes and sometimes feel the presence of “ghosts.” I am not sure if this is all just in my mind.
I feel the same way at times, and it is not so odd to feel these sensations as you go about your day, although it is probably infrequent. But they are not ghosts, at least not in the way we think of that term.
If you are able to see clearly when these sensations occur, you will be able to understand their origins. But this has to do with the flowing movements of living things, and not memories of the dead.
I cannot tell precisely what is happening within you, as it is within you. Just do your best to be open, and observant.
You’ll have to be patient, and when these feelings come up again, as I am sure they will, open up to the sensations without your definitions getting in the way. The names or ideas are insignificant to the nature of the organism anyway, and it is, most likely, a movement of the organism, touching all things at once (it may sound odd, but it is difficult to put into words).
These sensations might not seem so vast to you, but if you have only seen this with the definitions of what it might be, then the vision will always be limited.
I will tell you a few things about myself if you don’t mind, regarding an energy and presence similar to what you mentioned. And please, do not take these words too literally…we need a certain degree of flexibility with words…
When I walk the streets and see the faces of people, I am seeing the faces of all the friends I have ever had. All of the history I have ever had with one person, is a history I share with all human beings. Every face is beauty of the deepest intimacy.
When I see them, I know their entire history. Every thing about them is held out like a timeline, and it is all known in an instant. I feel that I could walk up to any of them, put my hand on their face, and feel all the love I have ever known for any human, to the core of every being. (Of course, we don’t go putting our hands on people’s faces…it is just not that kind of society.) 
Every love, every hate, all the joy, all the suffering is there, and I live it all within a timeless instant.
But let’s not get too invested in the words…we might just say that it is a connection beyond control. It has nothing to do with what we might want. Be open to this possibility for yourself, because you are probably not feeling this energy from your vacuum cleaner.
In the Midst
Do you believe that human souls (whatever that means) can experience past and future lives here on this Earth (whatever that means)?
I know what we have been told about life after death, and I know we hope for something great to happen. But we cannot rely on any of what we’ve been told to be true.
As far as if there are past or future lives, you’ll find the truth of the matter when death is as much of a part of you as life. Really, it is not quite right for me to say there is death and life, as it is all part of the same whole, and cannot be separated.
People do believe in past and future lives, and it is not necessarily wrong. If someone wants to believe it, that is fine. But if someone wants to find the truth of the thing, they might want to prepare themselves…the truth is never as we’ve been told.
The idea of another life is based on what we desire to have in the future. Screw up this life? You’ll have countless others in which to fix it. Or, want a better life? Do good now, and you’ll have a better life later. Want to live eternally in everlasting happiness? Do what we tell you to do, in the precise way we tell you, and you are good to go. This is all based on desire and fear.
I am not condemning anyone or anything, and I am not saying I am right and they are wrong. But you’ll want to explore all of this for yourself, eventually.
It doesn’t shock me that belief of this sort goes on. But it is a bit alarming that people accept it as true without questioning any of it.
I don’t know if any of this is helpful to you, Naomi, but I hope it was at least understandable. 
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After many years of chasing my tail: There IS a G-d ~ IS there a g-d? ~ NO g-d ~ MAYBE?
to finally collapsing and crying out,” I Don’t Know!”
At that moment in my Life I met The Buddha.
I learned I not only did not have to have the answer
I never had to ask the question again.
I knew all my life was leading to this one place
and I was home.
Practicing the Nobles and staying Present in the NOW
I learned that whatever the question, Metta is the answer.
For the first time in my Life I freely choose Metta
with no thought of reward and/or punishment.
No longer do I concern myself with what happens after death
I don’t even think about tomorrow. (laughing)
Such BLISS!
Namaste’
_/|\_
Thank you, Jalus. Very well said, and lovely.
Perhaps it chose you?
“When I see them, I know their entire history. Every thing about them is held out like a timeline, and it is all known in an instant. I feel that I could walk up to any of them, put my hand on their face, and feel all the love I have ever known for any human, to the core of every being. Every love, every hate, all the joy, all the suffering is there, and I live it all within a timeless instant.”
I love these lines. It’s a great ability and gift to truly see people and things like that. I too see them, but in my seeing there are some assumptions also. I guess thee has to be a certain emptiness to truly see.I never know whether the feeling I am gettng is indeed true. By the way Buddha said somethng similar – something about seeing the entire history of total strangers.
Thanks, a.
The feeling is true, we could say, but the name you give to the feeling is questionable.
The feelings that you are speaking of…do they appear already translated? In other words, do these feelings appear as words? Or is it more that you are reacting to a feeling?
What would you say?
I understand your response (and appreciate it), Takuin.
It makes a lot of sense to me now. After reading your response, I think now that I was mistaking the feeling of ‘familiarity’ with the possibility of Ghosts and of past and future lives here on Earth. To explain further, I sometimes get a sense from rocks or of a place (a spot in the woods) or maybe even an old Teddy Bear on the shelf on an antique store, that I know these things or that they are familiar to me in some way for whatever reason. I have also had dreams about people who I don’t even know if they exist on Earth right now, and feel like I know people intimately by just looking at their face. In trying to figure out my connection with these things and people, I attributed it to Sprits/Ghosts and also of the possibility of a past life. The rocks, place in the woods and Teddy Bear examples, I would attribute to Ghosts, and feeling like I know someone even though I don’t I would attribute to having known that person in a past life.
Your response explains both. I will try to open myself more to these experiences, and now will be open to them without the ‘definition block’ of Ghosts or reincarnation
Thank you,
Nomi
Thank you, Nomi…
That is lovely!
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