I am one of those people who suffer from severe insomnia, however over the years I have come to accept the condition and I enjoy the tranquility of the night. I often find myself considering my life, my past, and what things mean to me. Recently I contemplated a question and I am wondering how people might answer it. Supposing you were to die and find out that there was an afterlife. In this afterlife you met a spirit version of yourself who was profoundly wise. They revealed to you that you had lived a great many previous lives and each life was a lesson to lead you to an ultimately enlightened state. What would your lesson for this life?
This is meant to be hypothetical, assuming that this was what happened and not a question about religious beliefs.

hiya Ali

As a fellow non sleeping sister as you well know, the No1 lesson has got to be dont shy away from your inner feelings because their going to surface, and your going to regret not having the belief in your self to act on them.

catch you in the room 2ish usually........... soon

x sabini xoxo

You need to live each day as if it were your last.

Hugs,
Marsha

Excellent question. And yes, I am one of those who never can seem to fall asleep. I think my lesson would be something about overcoming fear and loving my fellow human beings.

Z

Alison,
Sorry, I have been lurking lately, My wife has been very sick, did some traveling when she could.

Now back to the theme of this post.

In this life I would like to have accomplished a compassion, and acceptance for people for whom they are, not for what I wish them to be.
Tammy

BTW, Ditto to the sleep problem, I wonder if insomnia is more prevalent in our community than in the general populous.

Try and accept others for what they are, not your expectations of what they should be.

I'm also an insomniac. I can't see that it's ever done me any harm, I just don't sleep much.
I love sitting at night with something good to read, some music and a large whisky.
So peaceful.

Interesting, I am another person who can't sleep at night and find myself up usually between 1pm and 3 pm each morning.

As far as the question goes, the lesson I have learned is to just be yourself, don't worry what others thing, and do what makes you happy.

Wow, some of the answers on here have been really deep and edifying to read. I think my own lesson would be that having the power to avenge is not really strength. Having the ability to hit back harder or get your own back because you are now bigger or stronger or cleverer, yet choosing forgiveness, compassion, kindness to those who have hurt us in the past makes us stronger than we can ever imagine. Interesting how many of us also have insomnia... I am thinking perhaps another thread on the subject might be good.

I hope to have learned that sometimes other people are a better judge of my acheivements than I am, I always mark my self low and am usually mistaken.

Tara

Alison,

What would your lesson for this life?
The lesson from this life is...DON'T grow a set of "TESTICLES"!!!!
LOL
LOL
LOL

Donna


too late this time, maybe next time round I'll be more fortunate (again?)

hugs

Tara

Alison,

I think my lesson for this life would be to love, accept, understand and see all as individuals. Additionally, we need to cherish life as it is to short and enjoy the people we meet as they are in our lives for a reason.

Great question and try to get some sleep

Bob

My lessons would be many because I learn something every time I screw up. Probably the most important thing I learned is "do not listen to a person's enemies, don't let them be the ones to define or describe him". I have made so many bad decisions because of this. It goes for institutions as well as individuals including politics... which I can't bear to listen to for this reason.

And I sleep like a baby. I have scads of wonderful and exciting dreams. I wake up feeling brand new and ready for another beating from the world. I feel like I don't quite fit in here!

I think my lesson would be to be brave and true to myself always.

When I am brave and follow my heart things go well for me and people are happy for me. When I have spent to much time worrying about what others think of me I haven't enjoyed myself and people tend think less of me anyway.

Trust your own judgement. I have had the thought when I have had too much time on my hands that I am the only person in existence. Now let me explain myself. I am the only person who I can prove exists as I am the only person whose mind I know, who I experience 24/7. Everyone else comes and goes. Some are gone for ever and some come back. I think the lesson I am trying to learn is the only expectations I have to live up to in the end is my own.

The up side of this I have found is when you live authentically to your values people tend respect and like you more as well.... especially yourself.

Hi Marsha,

If I did that I'd wake up in a tent in north Africa with a terrible hangover, two camels, a new extended family of 428 and a Fatwā from the local Mufti for unspeakable crimes. Better to look just a bit further into the future, IMHO.

Best,
Melody

To be who I am without fear of what others would feel about it.