Past-Life Regression

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kfwilson6
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Re: Past-Life Regression

Post by kfwilson6 »

AmySmiles wrote: 13 Jun 2018, 09:01 Definitely fantasy and kind of off putting to me in a way. I prefer books that stick to things that could happen, even if it may not be actually something that did happen. I'm not much for the unrealistic aspects in books.
Your post made me think of books like The Prize, The Broadcast (which I haven't finished yet, and The Martian. There is no cure for Alzheimers yet but the way the author describes the hunt for the cure in The Prize sounds totally realistic to my non-science oriented brain. In The Broadcast a scientist speculates on how the television network is able to obtain videos of past events (murders, world wars, etc.). And in The Martian when Mark Whatney has to survive alone on Mars. Each of those books astounds me with how carefully the author portrays things that haven't happened to make the reader think "well isn't that the answer right there!!" Because the average reader doesn't know enough to know if what is written could be reality, but it's close enough to sound good :)
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Post by Bluecobia »

I do not personally believe in past life regression. It is, however, a useful background for a story. I don't believe in vampires either but I enjoy stories about them. So I can accept and enjoy this story as well.
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Post by KRay93 »

I think that this element of past-life regression reached a point where it practically became totally fantastic, even in the framework of plausibility that the book proposes. The visions of the characters around the paintings that move, the moments in which Angela seemed possessed, and the intervention of the spirits of the passing lives of the protagonists at the end seemed far too exaggerated for my taste.
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Post by bclayton13 »

cristinaro wrote: 04 Jun 2018, 06:55 Well, the past-life interludes were not exactly realistic to me. In many instances, I had the impression Alex treated everything too carelessly and light-heartedly. Besides, he does not seem to have any problem in Angela kissing him during her trance episodes. Did you notice that the action takes place between August 3 and September 15? Let's say they were lovers in other lives and their instant connection is explainable as such. However, there are too many things happening too fast over a very short period of time. I would have liked the past-life episodes to be much more detailed for the story to gain credibility.
I agree completely. I felt that there wasn't enough credibility and they just accepted it. At the very least a little more skepticism would've made the whole situation a little more relatable, or understandable. And her kissing him during the trance episodes bothered me slightly, and I think it should've bothered him. There was a slight question of consent, since she wasn't 'all there'. Sure, they had feelings for each other and to them that made it all right but I felt like that should've been addressed.
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Post by kfwilson6 »

bclayton13 wrote: 23 Jun 2018, 23:38
I agree completely. I felt that there wasn't enough credibility and they just accepted it. At the very least a little more skepticism would've made the whole situation a little more relatable, or understandable. And her kissing him during the trance episodes bothered me slightly, and I think it should've bothered him. There was a slight question of consent, since she wasn't 'all there'. Sure, they had feelings for each other and to them that made it all right but I felt like that should've been addressed.
When Angela said she wished she could remember that kiss as if it were something romantic it really annoyed me. It's not romantic. He kissed her when she was a complete stranger. It's creepy. I don't like when an author's use "well they fell in love in the end" to justify actions of certain characters.
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Post by bclayton13 »

kfwilson6 wrote: 24 Jun 2018, 18:06
bclayton13 wrote: 23 Jun 2018, 23:38
I agree completely. I felt that there wasn't enough credibility and they just accepted it. At the very least a little more skepticism would've made the whole situation a little more relatable, or understandable. And her kissing him during the trance episodes bothered me slightly, and I think it should've bothered him. There was a slight question of consent, since she wasn't 'all there'. Sure, they had feelings for each other and to them that made it all right but I felt like that should've been addressed.
Absolutely! That was a major sticking point for me, and it made it difficult for me to accept their relationship at the end. :snooty:
When Angela said she wished she could remember that kiss as if it were something romantic it really annoyed me. It's not romantic. He kissed her when she was a complete stranger. It's creepy. I don't like when an author's use "well they fell in love in the end" to justify actions of certain characters.
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Post by lindsey_flagg »

I've just started reading the book, but I believe that I've read enough to completely understand the regressive elements that you're talking about. While I highly doubt that the way reincarnation (which is what I consider this book's type of past-life regression to be demonstrating in its own way) is presented in the book is even close to reality, I think there can be some elements of past-life regression occurring in the subconscious mind. I do believe in reincarnation to some degree. I'm honestly still learning about it, but feel very strongly (based on my own experiences) that there's a lot more to human existence than meets the eye and more than traditional religions can explain. In any case, I find this element of the book to be very interesting and entertaining, and it is definitely food for thought.
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Post by Sdejardine »

I thought Alex's response was justified as he experienced some similar experiences with the painting. I feel Angela's boss' reaction was a bit of a leap, however. He viewed her on the security footage watching the painting and talking to it. It was a bit of a stretch to know that she was reliving events of the past or talking to the painting, itself. Overall, I don't think it affected the book. But, it was one of the portions of the book that was the most unrealistic.
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Post by bookowlie »

bclayton13 wrote: 23 Jun 2018, 23:38
cristinaro wrote: 04 Jun 2018, 06:55 Well, the past-life interludes were not exactly realistic to me. In many instances, I had the impression Alex treated everything too carelessly and light-heartedly. Besides, he does not seem to have any problem in Angela kissing him during her trance episodes. Did you notice that the action takes place between August 3 and September 15? Let's say they were lovers in other lives and their instant connection is explainable as such. However, there are too many things happening too fast over a very short period of time. I would have liked the past-life episodes to be much more detailed for the story to gain credibility.
I agree completely. I felt that there wasn't enough credibility and they just accepted it. At the very least a little more skepticism would've made the whole situation a little more relatable, or understandable. And her kissing him during the trance episodes bothered me slightly, and I think it should've bothered him. There was a slight question of consent, since she wasn't 'all there'. Sure, they had feelings for each other and to them that made it all right but I felt like that should've been addressed.
I agree that it was weird that Alex just accepted Angela's strange behavior too easily. As for the question of consent, it was on the high part of the "ewww" scale for me. The first time he saw her (talking to the painting), they were complete strangers so it's not like they had feelings for each other at that point.
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Post by AWANDO OGUTU »

I don't believe in past life regression much the same way I don't believe in reincarnation. I think it's all but fictional.
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Post by bclayton13 »

bookowlie wrote: 25 Jun 2018, 13:07
bclayton13 wrote: 23 Jun 2018, 23:38
cristinaro wrote: 04 Jun 2018, 06:55 Well, the past-life interludes were not exactly realistic to me. In many instances, I had the impression Alex treated everything too carelessly and light-heartedly. Besides, he does not seem to have any problem in Angela kissing him during her trance episodes. Did you notice that the action takes place between August 3 and September 15? Let's say they were lovers in other lives and their instant connection is explainable as such. However, there are too many things happening too fast over a very short period of time. I would have liked the past-life episodes to be much more detailed for the story to gain credibility.
I agree completely. I felt that there wasn't enough credibility and they just accepted it. At the very least a little more skepticism would've made the whole situation a little more relatable, or understandable. And her kissing him during the trance episodes bothered me slightly, and I think it should've bothered him. There was a slight question of consent, since she wasn't 'all there'. Sure, they had feelings for each other and to them that made it all right but I felt like that should've been addressed.
I agree that it was weird that Alex just accepted Angela's strange behavior too easily. As for the question of consent, it was on the high part of the "ewww" scale for me. The first time he saw her (talking to the painting), they were complete strangers so it's not like they had feelings for each other at that point.
You're right! Ugh that makes it even worse. And the book tried so very, very hard to explain it away with "but they're soulmates! They loved each other before, in their past lives!" That didn't quite work for me.
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Post by bookowlie »

Bclayton13, I agree that the subtle "they loved each other in past lives" was a simplistic way of getting the reader to accept the way the two of them acted toward each other. I have a problem in a book when people get too close romantically to people they just met, especially if there are red flags.
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Post by Jacki Mac Iver Hill »

Miriam Molina wrote: 05 Jun 2018, 18:22 Reincarnation and past-life regression go hand in hand. I am Catholic, but I am open to those ideas because of our concept of purgatory as a place for cleansing in preparation for entering heaven. Going through many lives might be the purgatory that we believe in.
I think your being open minded to the ideas of reincarnation and past-life regression is very undogmatic of you, particularly being Catholic.

I happen to believe in reincarnation and therefore tend to believe in regression but I've never seen it in practice. Even if the person doesn't go back to previous lives, maybe regression is helpful in other ways such as issues buried in the subconscious.
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Post by Jkhorner »

I personally strongly disliked the past life regression aspect of the book. One can feel a connection to a character in history without actual trances and visions and ghosts pulling you into their literal past lives. The story was fascinating enough without the supernatural elements; I, too, rolled my eyes at the explanation of reincarnation.
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Post by kfwilson6 »

AWANDO OGUTU wrote: 25 Jun 2018, 13:25 I don't believe in past life regression much the same way I don't believe in reincarnation. I think it's all but fictional.
Sometimes I look at thinks I purely take as fiction from the standpoint of, IF this were real, is the author's explanation plausible. For instance, if past life regressions are triggered by the spirit of one's former self pulling one into a vision, I find that a little ridiculous. The idea of dreaming about past lives seems a little easier to swallow or even having visions triggered by certain similar experiences. I guess I think of it sort of like deja vu. I don't personally believe that deja vu experiences are memories of a former life I led, but that explanation is plausible to me, if I suspend my personal opinion that reincarnation doesn't happen.
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