# What were you in your "past life" ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178 "2003-01-12T19:47:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/1 "2003-01-12T19:47:33Z")
Not that we necessarily believe in such things, but belief isn’t necessary for this poll. And explanations are optional. I was a nautical person, most likely a navigator. And you were…? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/2 "2003-01-12T20:02:13Z")
I was a swimmer, a good, strong swimmer. Then I met my woman side. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/3 "2003-01-12T20:35:05Z")
I have an ex girlfriend who’s aunt does past life regression (or whatever it’s called). She did that to me one time and in virtually every life I’ve been in the military in some capacity, noone famous, but one time I ranked as high as a general. One time I was an armorer with two wives and a pile of kids (both of the wives and all kids lived with me). I think that was the most recent life…other than the one I’m involved in now of course. I’m not saying I necessarily believe in it myself (not saying I don’t mind you), just thought it was kinda neat. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/4 "2003-01-12T20:59:17Z")
A friend of mine claims she was a man in 4 former lives, but she always died tragically, so that’s why she’s a woman now. ummmm, sure, whatever. In my past life, I was awkward, self-conscious, shy, insecure… no, wait, that was my teen years. :o ---
**Author:** ![Slainte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Slainte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slainte)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/5 "2003-01-12T21:06:30Z")
A flapper from the 1920s. 😉 The speakeasies & jazz appeal to me greatly. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/6 "2003-01-12T21:27:21Z")
I think I was royalty from some time long ago. I never quite let go of that little girl “I want to be a princess!” fantasy, and love clothes slightly reminiscent of ages past. ---
**Author:** ![JayElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@JayElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JayElle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/7 "2003-01-12T21:44:31Z")
I’ve had a “past Llife” reading on two occasions. One guy said I was a geisha in Hiroshima during WWII. My hands were disintegrated in the bombing. Uh huh. The second dude said I was a aristocratic deaf girl in the time of Louis XIV. I prefer to believe that I was Cleopatra or Semiramis. ---
**Author:** ![cadolphin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@cadolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cadolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/8 "2003-01-12T21:47:04Z")
a dolphin. oh, wait, that’s what i want to be in my next life:D ---
**Author:** ![mandielise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@mandielise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandielise)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/9 "2003-01-12T23:04:36Z")
Well, my boyfriend believes strongly in reincarnation. He’s got me thinking about it, but I’m not sure what I believe. Anyway, one time I was on Salvia (a LEGAL drug much like pot… but more of a headf\*ck) and I saw myself dying. I was a soldier - I don’t know what war or whose side I was on - and I saw in slow motion over and over as the bullet ran into my side and I fell. So weird. My bf says that was probably a past life of mine - who knows? ---
**Author:** ![agentfroot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@agentfroot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agentfroot)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/10 "2003-01-13T00:18:05Z")
i’m pretty sure i was an american soldier from sometime between the civil war to vietnam. i figured it out when i was 8 (when i first heard of reincarnation, thanks to my hindu best friend). it would really explain my aversion to war and battle. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/11 "2003-01-13T00:47:19Z")
I don’t really know, though I think it would be interesting to do a past life regression. Just for curiousities sake of course. ---
**Author:** ![Mephisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@Mephisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mephisto)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/12 "2003-01-13T01:20:37Z")
I was an evil man who sold used cars . . . my recurrent car troubles in this life are my reward. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/13 "2003-01-13T01:28:26Z")
Housecat. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/14 "2003-01-13T02:26:51Z")
I must have been an asshole boss in my last life, because I can’t think of any other explanation for the fact that nobody will so much as interview me for any kind of job (OTOH, It means I don’t have to remember any of those interview tips I was given in school). Either that, or I was a mobster. This would explain why I like: Guns and Mobster movies, and am a fairly good pasta cook. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/15 "2003-01-13T02:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mayberrydan \* > \*\*but one time I ranked as high as a general. > \*\* I would hope not Gen. Custer. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/16 "2003-01-13T02:51:38Z")
Farmers, farmers, farmers. Not very exciting but I bet I’m really good with a scythe. Watch out. ---
**Author:** ![Ave\_Minerva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@Ave\_Minerva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ave_Minerva)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/17 "2003-01-13T02:54:53Z")
I’ve had 2 dreams that seem like they be could glimpses of past lives. I had the 1st dream when I was about 4 years old and I still remember it vividly (I’m 45 now). I’m being carried to a Roman or Greek temple set on a hillside in a forest on a litter by women dressed like vestal virgins. The women are chanting something that sounds like “jahn a rock”. I don’t believe I had seen any Hercules movies or Sparticus at that point in my life so I don’t know where the imagry came from. I sure as heck had never seen a picture of a vestal virgin. I woke up before we actually went into the temple. I remember the dream giving me a sense of well being. The 2nd dream occured in 96 when I was touring England and spending the night in Carlisle. In that dream I was a Roman soldier stationed at Hadrian’s wall. I’m in a battle and having a sword fight with a Pict. The Pict and I are pretty evenly matched and I’m getting tired. The Pict starts to turn around and I think “phew, here’s my chance”. But, when he turns around I see that he has a dwarf strapped to his back, and the dwarf also has a sword. I think “what the hell???” and then woke up. And no, I hadn’t smoked anything before bed. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/18 "2003-01-13T03:10:06Z")
I have this unusual fear of fire, and I’ve always imagined that I died in a horrible fire in a past life. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/19 "2003-01-13T03:32:38Z")
a ballerina at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg – possibly French speaking Just a hunch… ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178/20 "2003-01-13T03:43:43Z")
A resident of Pompeii. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-in-your-past-life/148178.md?page=2)