In Another Life...

For some forgotten foolish reason, I began smoking cigarettes, in my teenage years.

It is said you only need one cigarette to become hooked. I don't know if that is true, but I began smoking only occasionally, when I first began to work, then, once I went nursing, I smoked a lot more, since many of my friends also smoked.

Ridiculous when you think about it.

When I was around 20 I began to get increasingly bad bouts of tonsillitis. An old affliction which I had duly 'grown out of', as the family Doctor of the day, had suggested I would.

When it began recurring, I was very ill ~ as indeed I had been, as a child. After a collapse at work one day, I was advised it would be best to have my tonsils removed. I duly went to have them removed at a private hospital. This was no picnic, & though I am sure it is not a picnic for children either, I am told it is much worse, the older you get.

Upon my recovery the GP who saw me began nagging me to give up cigarettes. He insisted they damaged the lungs- this was just beginning to be talked about, & of course the cigarette companies were just as adamant this was a lie.

I won't elaborate about the ludicrous lengths to which this GP was prepared to go to, to 'save' me. I wont dwell on his dingbat , Godbothering daughter that he tried to sool on me. I wont tell of the awful, ghastly night she finally nagged me into going out with her. Suffice to say, I changed Doctors, to avoid ever having to associate with this "Praise the Lord"-ing, "Hallelooya"-ing, giggling, tittering twit of a girl, ever ever again. With her hairy legs & armpits.

Here I am, digressing again....did you notice?

Back to the dreaded cigarettes.

I began to try to quit.

I found this a terrible long ordeal, involving years.

It really is a dreadful addiction. I would be determined to beat it, but time & again, I returned to smoke.

Gom never smoked a cigarette, seriously, in his life. He would occasionally smoke one at a party for a gag, & at times he would have a cigar. But he never caught addiction, & never had any desire to be a smoker. Extraordinary, when his parents both smoked, as did his one sibling.

During this long drawn out process of me trying various methods of kicking the demon habit, I resorted to many methods, all of which were purported & reported to be successful.

I have previously blogged about some of these methods. Acupuncture was a very interesting one, which I tried around four times, from four different acupuncturists. None of them proved lasting.

In desperation, I consulted some hypnotherapists. The first had some limited success, as I quit for 2 whole days.

The second suggested that I should try Past Lives Regression, to see if she could uncover the underlying reason. I was rather intrigued with this idea, & though somewhat sceptical, I agreed to try this method.

At the time I suffered from a severe pain in the side of my temple, the cause of which had never been found, on investigation by the medical profession.

So off I go to the first session of Regression.

It was the most curious sensation I have ever had. I seemed to be shot through the side of my temple, & the feeling was so sharp, & so real, I was really shaken. I think the hypnotist had a bit of alarm over that, & she quickly brought me out of hypnosis & told me we would try another day.

Of course, this did nothing to stop the smoking, but the mysterious pain in my temple disappeared. Coincidence? Maybe.

My next session was even more curious. It was much longer, & much more vivid. It seemed I was living in some very small old English Village. I was a young woman, & it had been decided, by the village elders, that I was to marry an aging priest of some description. I did not wish this union at all, & was determined to defy the command.

It seemed I healed, using herbs & medicinal potions I made myself, from local plants. I was considered to be somewhat of a witch, because of these healing powers.

Owls did not flee at my approach.

I kept a black cat for company in my small cottage.

The Villagers decided they could not tolerate this disobedience, & it was decreed I was to be put to death, using a stake to the base of my skull.

I was dressed in a rough coarse white linen kaftan like garment, & marched to the village green, I suppose it was. There a stake was driven into the base of my skull & I died.

It was a very real feeling experience, & strangely, though it was painful, I felt very glad I had kept my own counsel, & had refused the order of marriage to a priest figure I felt to be a fraud, & a dirty old man to boot.

You can decide for yourselves what to think. Even after all these years I still love owls & have a collection of them.

I am also fascinated with wolves, which are said to be allied to witchcraft.

As to the smoking, the hypnosis sessions did nothing to stop me. I 're lived' several very interesting lives & 're died' the deaths, in each case.

I am still sceptical, but all I can say is, the feelings were so intense & real it is hard to describe. The fact that I could recall them so vividly is interesting too.

And no, in case you are wondering, I was never Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth First, even anyone remotely famous, or important. I was various ages, & both male & female in different 'lives'.

I eventually stopped smoking 21 years ago, with the aid of gum & patches & sheer determination. I would never say it was easy, but I have never been tempted to begin again, & am always glad I stopped.

Seals & Crofts, We May Never Pass This Way Again