Past Lives

Timber embroidery hoop, white cotton fabric, embroidery floss

12 in x 12 in

2018

The idea of reincarnation has been around virtually forever; it’s a part of a number of religions and belief systems dating back to ancient times — and it can be pretty wild to read about some of the most infamous stories of alleged past life experiences from history. Clearly there’s something about these stories that draws us in; indeed, although both past life regression and reincarnation are frequently regarded as pseudoscience. That’s not an insignificant number; it demonstrates that the idea resonates strongly for many, although I’d imagine the reasons why can vary greatly from person to person. Past lives can appear in dreams, in experiences of déjà vu. They may be nothing more than a snapshot, a glimpse of a scene. It is not necessarily the events of a lifetime that heal the person remembering it: some regressions are powerful not for the concrete details they provide but for the deeply transcendent emotions they generate.

I became consumed with the idea that I have lived different lives than the one I am currently in. I began having vivid, detailed dreams of myself in different places and times, constantly feeling the sensation of déjà vu. I began questioning certain aspects of my life: why do I feel a strong connection to this person/place/thing? What do I feel like I have done this before? Why is this task, that I have never done before, come so naturally to me? Our past lives pass down attributes to our current life: our characteristics, likes/dislikes, even appearances.