Phil T
New Member
Hello...I’m new to the forum, and this is my first post. I’m very impressed with your answers on this subject and hope that you can give me some insight and thoughts on what I’m experiencing. Sorry for the lengthy post. I’ve tried to limit the details as much as possible….
The time period of the Civil War has always held more than just a passing interest for me. I remember many years ago standing in the village of Appomattox Court House late one Spring night. As I stood by the McLean house looking out over the quiet moonlit fields, roads, and buildings, I could feel a strong sense of the men who once occupied this area on a similar Spring day in April of 1865. Since that night, I’ve been privileged to walk many of the battlefields where so much fighting and suffering occurred, but I’ve never experienced the strong and emotionally powerful feelings that surrounded me on one cool dark October night at Devil’s Den on the Gettysburg Battlefield. What made these experiences extra special was the fact that a few months prior to this trip, I was told, by a psychic in Lily Dale NY, that in a previous life I had been a Civil War soldier. She said that I should visit the battlefield in Gettysburg where I would reconnect with places that I would feel very familiar with. As we toured the battlefield, I found that I was almost immediately drawn to only one area, Devil’s Den. Not only could I sense a strong presence of the spirits that remained, but I had the strongest feelings that I too had been here once before, on a hot humid day in July of 1863. I hardly took notice of, or had any interest in the rest of the battlefield.
It was as if I had returned to a place that held so many memories for me. On the way home from Gettysburg, we stopped and toured the Antietam Battlefield. Again I was immediately drawn to one particular spot, Burnside’s Bridge. After returning home, I started to have memories of a time, just prior to the battle of Gettysburg. On one occasion, I saw myself in the upstairs bedroom of a house or hotel. I was standing in front of a marble topped dresser with a large oval mirror adjusting my Confederate uniform. I held the rank of Captain and I had just received orders to proceed to Gettysburg. As I focused more intently on the details, it was if I was there once again. The second floor room was very nice and simply furnished to satisfy the needs of a weary traveler. Two windows with white lace curtains overlooked the dirt street below. I could open the door to my room and look down the hall toward the top of the stairway. Later glimpses into the past revealed to me that my wife’s name was Sarah. She had brownish blonde hair and we had two young daughters who were a beautiful image of their mother. The oldest was Katie and the youngest, Maggie. I can easily picture them in my mind and recall having to leave them to go to war. They were dressed in matching light blue dresses as they stood on the porch watching me ride off into the distance. I remember how my heart was breaking as I said goodbye to my wife and children that I loved so dearly, not knowing when or if I was ever to return to them. Just this past week, before going to sleep, I had a memory of being in uniform with Sarah and the children in church.
The memory was so real that I was able to remember the exact words of the minister. They seemed to be imprinted in my mind as I got out of bed and wrote them down…. “And as ye go, go in peace and be not afraid, for God is with thee and will watch over thee all the days of thy life.” Those words seem very appropriate for a time of war. These memories were very vivid and detailed. Almost a year later, I started researching the battles at Devil’s Den and Burnside’s Bridge. What I found amazed me. The 2nd, 15th, 17th, and 20th Georgia Infantry fought at both of these locations and surrendered at Appomattox.
I have so many questions, but I will just ask these; How do I tell if the memories I’m experiencing are actually real, rather than imagined? When someone asked me about the names of my “past life family,” I was able to answer with confidence and almost immediately. How is that possible? Finally, and most importantly… In the past few weeks, the memories of my “past life family” have become so intense that I become almost emotional when I think about them. It’s as if I’m reliving the pain of losing them, and I can’t separate the past from the present. I have this overpowering need and desire to be with them again. Is such a strong emotion normal when experiencing past life memories?
Thank You……..
The time period of the Civil War has always held more than just a passing interest for me. I remember many years ago standing in the village of Appomattox Court House late one Spring night. As I stood by the McLean house looking out over the quiet moonlit fields, roads, and buildings, I could feel a strong sense of the men who once occupied this area on a similar Spring day in April of 1865. Since that night, I’ve been privileged to walk many of the battlefields where so much fighting and suffering occurred, but I’ve never experienced the strong and emotionally powerful feelings that surrounded me on one cool dark October night at Devil’s Den on the Gettysburg Battlefield. What made these experiences extra special was the fact that a few months prior to this trip, I was told, by a psychic in Lily Dale NY, that in a previous life I had been a Civil War soldier. She said that I should visit the battlefield in Gettysburg where I would reconnect with places that I would feel very familiar with. As we toured the battlefield, I found that I was almost immediately drawn to only one area, Devil’s Den. Not only could I sense a strong presence of the spirits that remained, but I had the strongest feelings that I too had been here once before, on a hot humid day in July of 1863. I hardly took notice of, or had any interest in the rest of the battlefield.
It was as if I had returned to a place that held so many memories for me. On the way home from Gettysburg, we stopped and toured the Antietam Battlefield. Again I was immediately drawn to one particular spot, Burnside’s Bridge. After returning home, I started to have memories of a time, just prior to the battle of Gettysburg. On one occasion, I saw myself in the upstairs bedroom of a house or hotel. I was standing in front of a marble topped dresser with a large oval mirror adjusting my Confederate uniform. I held the rank of Captain and I had just received orders to proceed to Gettysburg. As I focused more intently on the details, it was if I was there once again. The second floor room was very nice and simply furnished to satisfy the needs of a weary traveler. Two windows with white lace curtains overlooked the dirt street below. I could open the door to my room and look down the hall toward the top of the stairway. Later glimpses into the past revealed to me that my wife’s name was Sarah. She had brownish blonde hair and we had two young daughters who were a beautiful image of their mother. The oldest was Katie and the youngest, Maggie. I can easily picture them in my mind and recall having to leave them to go to war. They were dressed in matching light blue dresses as they stood on the porch watching me ride off into the distance. I remember how my heart was breaking as I said goodbye to my wife and children that I loved so dearly, not knowing when or if I was ever to return to them. Just this past week, before going to sleep, I had a memory of being in uniform with Sarah and the children in church.
The memory was so real that I was able to remember the exact words of the minister. They seemed to be imprinted in my mind as I got out of bed and wrote them down…. “And as ye go, go in peace and be not afraid, for God is with thee and will watch over thee all the days of thy life.” Those words seem very appropriate for a time of war. These memories were very vivid and detailed. Almost a year later, I started researching the battles at Devil’s Den and Burnside’s Bridge. What I found amazed me. The 2nd, 15th, 17th, and 20th Georgia Infantry fought at both of these locations and surrendered at Appomattox.
I have so many questions, but I will just ask these; How do I tell if the memories I’m experiencing are actually real, rather than imagined? When someone asked me about the names of my “past life family,” I was able to answer with confidence and almost immediately. How is that possible? Finally, and most importantly… In the past few weeks, the memories of my “past life family” have become so intense that I become almost emotional when I think about them. It’s as if I’m reliving the pain of losing them, and I can’t separate the past from the present. I have this overpowering need and desire to be with them again. Is such a strong emotion normal when experiencing past life memories?
Thank You……..