Past lives, Present Purpose~

Past Lives, Present Purpose
By Caroline Reynolds

What is your soul's journey? Who have you come here to be? These are
questions we seldom ask ourselves and yet they underpin so much of our
happiness and fulfillment. It's rare for us to consider our lives in
such a bigger context, yet the only two things we know for sure in
this life reflect the biggest perspective of all. We know that a) we
are born and we die and b) we arrive and leave with only one thing and
that is 'consciousness.' If this is our only given certainty in life,
surely we should pay more attention to developing our consciousness
and contemplating the bigger purpose of why we are here. So where do
we start? Since your soul is the individualized expression of your
consciousness, you can begin by looking at your soul's journey. By
accessing where you have been, you are able to gain a deeper
understanding of why you are here today.

Of course, within our current consciousness, which is at best limited
and at worst ignorant, it's difficult for us to know definitively that
we have lived on earth before. Yet there are times for us all when we
glimpse another dimension of reality, when we feel a deep knowing
about something no matter now improbable or inexplicable it may be.
Whether it's a hunch you have, a gut instinct or just an instant
attraction to someone (or the opposite), you know how it feels to be
guided by some inner calling. My experiences with the phenomenon of
past lives have been very real to me and whether they are memories of
actual earth lives or imagery from deep in my subconscious, I know
that they have enlightened and empowered me in invaluably beneficial
ways. And so I invite you to open yourself to your own past life
memories and their meaning and allow this information to stir in you
the awakenings of your soul's grandest and most expansive
expression.

Connect With Your Soul's Blueprint

Every soul has a unique journey and identity. As it advances through
each lifetime, our soul expands and grows. It learns new lessons and
yet stays true to its essential blueprint. If you look back at your
current lifetime, you'll see your various stages of development
alongside the constant thread of your essential personality.
Similarly, if you look at your soul's evolution through time, you'll
see it also has a fundamental and inviolable essence. For example, are
you someone who always finds themselves caring for others, no matter
what the circumstances? Or are you a natural i.e. 'soul appointed'
leader, teacher or follower? As we locate our personas through the
ages, we also find clues to our present purpose, strengths and gifts.

While I was embarking on my own journey in this lifetime as an author,
speaker and teacher, I underwent a series of past life regressions
where I repeatedly saw myself as some kind of scout. My job was always
to go out by myself, gather information and then bring it back to the
people. Each time I regressed, I would discover more about this
scenario, particularly revisiting one lifetime where I was a Native
American scout. As I put together the pieces of that lifetime, I
gained a deep understanding of my present calling and why, as I
embarked on it, I felt a certain fear. In my previous incarnation I
had been killed while trying to get warning of impending danger to the
tribe and many others had died because of that. In letting go of my
guilt and fear from that experience I was able to move forward with
being a new kind of 'scout' in this lifetime, observing, gathering
experiences and spreading my ideas to a wide audience. It also helped
me gain a much deeper understanding of several current personal
relationships.

Gain A Clearer Sense Of Your Present Life Purpose

During other regressions, I have reconnected not so much with a role
as with a set of values. Even if the details of where I found myself
were sketchy, I was able to experience my motivations at the time.
Within these was I discovered my unique set of gifts, a distinctive
expression of the life force manifesting as me. And so it is for all
of us. We each come here in every lifetime to bring more goodness and
love into the world in our own special way. The degree to which we do
this is the degree to which we feel truly fulfilled and successful. In
my book, 'Spiritual Fitness', I have a saying, "Your unhappiness
equals the size of the lie you are living". The deepest meaning of
this is that wherever you've forgotten who you are and disconnected
from your soul's true purpose, you will experience pain. Pain is
simply your soul's way of trying to get your attention and show you a
higher truth you could be living.

If you're looking for your purpose today there are clues all around
you. What were your childhood dreams? What are your natural talents?
What kind of situations and landscapes do you find yourself
mysteriously drawn to? When I was seeking my own purpose in this
lifetime, I felt powerfully drawn to the Southwest, even though I then
lived in the UK. After spending years visiting Sedona and Monument
Valley, where I now run retreats, I was able to reconnect with the
spirit of the land and reactivate my soul's memory of who I had been.
By linking the past to the present, through past life regression and
present life exploration, I re-aligned with my soul's truth and my
authentic power.

In my years of regressing and counseling others, I've come to see that
our souls evolve just like our personalities. They attract new
situations so that they can expand and become more whole and
integrated. Meanwhile, throughout all this we each have an unchanging
essence, a unique expression of the life force. If you connect with
this essence you will discover not only your purpose but the true
exhilaration and beauty of being alive.

© Caroline Reynolds 2008
Caroline Reynolds is facilitating a "Past Lives, Present Purpose"
retreat in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Aug 29th - 31st. To find out more,
visit www.carolinereynolds.com

Shared with Love and Light, Rosalie xo