Wednesday, June 24

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

19 comments:

niamh said...

what an intriguing post! i would love to see what past lives i have lived but i'd be a bit scared i think !!

fifi said...

I would LOVE to do that.

I quit smoking using carrots and drinking straws...

persiflage said...

I too tried hypnosis to stop smoking and it worked, but the hypnotist never tried to make me regress. Instead, he advised I should see how long I could go without a cigarette, and if I could wait a bit longer I should do so, and if not, then to have a cigarette. So the gaps between cigarettes became longer, and one day I just chucked the cigarettes away. It took two years before I stopped enjoying the smell, and now I hate it. It was terrific to be free of the addiction.
You evidently tried very hard, and how wonderful that you did succeed after all those efforts. I am not sure about regressions but agree owls are very interesting birds.

Wendy said...

My grandfather finally quit smoking in his mid-40's with the help of the hypnotic suggestion that if he touched another cigarette it would make him vomit. He was terrified of vomiting (a phobia that was passed down to my mother and then to me) and never went near cigarettes again. It didn't stop him from dying of lung cancer 10 years later, or my grandmother 10 years after him, who never touched a cigarette in her life but breathed in all his second-hand smoke. 30 years of heavy smoking obviously did enough damage. Congrats on quitting and never going back!!

Angie said...

Meggie, you have had such an interesting journey so far! I've never been hypnotized but have often thought I would like to be. And unfortunately I still suffer from the cigarette addiction. I've tried many times to quit, but haven't gotten there YET. It is a horrid habit, and I will keep trying to give them up. They are really taking a toll on my lungs and energy at this point in my life. :(

Cathi said...

What a fascinating post! Almost makes me want to try getting hypnotized!
I gave up smoking about 12 years ago -- and boy, it was hard! But so worth it. Now I cannot stand the smell of them!

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

I don't believe in past lives but enjoyed the story all the same.

Thimbleanna said...

Very interesting Meggie! And I think it's amazing that you've never been tempted to start up again.

Catalyst said...

I smoked, heavily, for 33 years but finally quit for good 18 years ago. Like the rest of your commenters who have quit, I now can't stand the smell of them.

Warty Mammal said...

It's horrid of me to snicker, but I'm thinking one would be sorely tempted to take up smoking just to be contrary to that awful GP!

I am impressed at your persevering and kicking the habit. So many people try and can't, or find it extremely difficult. There are things I don't try, like smoking, gambling and drugs, because I fear I'd get hooked. Probably best not to find out.

Mary Johnson said...

Good for you for stopping -- my dad died a very unpleasant death from lung cancer at an early age.

ancient one said...

I never smoked... worked in tobacco... lived for 17 years in a house where both mama and daddy smoked...(second hand smoke is bad too).. I probably would have smoked but I've always had sinus problems and smoke bothers me alot!!! As for the past lives, I don't believe in that... I would have been your "Praising the LORD" friend... that you didn't like... LOL

I love your posts!!

lovelyprism said...

What a fascinating peek into your life (lives)! The longer I read your posts, the more interesting you become, what a wonderful lady you are. I quit smoking once for 6 months and gained 40 pounds. Ugh. So here I sit smoking and wondering why I'm still fat! LOL

molly said...

I would love to know about past lives I may have had......My mother smoked all har life and died of lung cancer. I never even felt tempted to try.

Q said...

I quit smoking 6year 8 months ago!
I could figure the hours....I only miss it when i am around other smokers.
I am very sure of past lives....
cool you had the memories.
Sherry

alby said...

I'm fascinated by the way your mind turns! I think that we do live more than this one life, because I belive that we are souls that have bodies, and not bodies that happen to have a soul. Is that daft?
Mr M and I gave up smoking one Sunday together, because we wanted babies. Cold turkey. We were pregnant 3 months later. I've never gone back - smoking while pregnant or breastfeeding and the smell of smoke around kids just makes me want to puke.. I'm over it now. Mr M however, does regress to smoking when out with the lads.. I keep wondering why he would sabotage his own life like that, and then I remember; oh yeah, I did it too, once!
My Mum and Dad have also give up after many MANY years, but someone should tell Dad that smoking cigars is STILL SMOKING YOU IDIOT.

Ali Honey said...

I'm glad you stopped Meg!
I had about as many smokes as Gom and was never hooked. I was too keen on sport as a teenager and I knew it made one short of breath.

I love owls ( Moreporks ), and black cats but not wolves.

Pan's Island said...

That's so fascinating! I'd love to learn about my past lives. It would be interesting to see what affect they've had on my present life. Great post!

Christine Thresh said...

You are a real story teller.
Congratulations on quitting.