#Parallel Lives

[gingerale13]

I literally can't stop making these fading comics

The first one

Also this was inspired by a bit of writing that @aussie-bookworm wrote about the 1850's Mercs!

Sniper and Scout find Nick Bundy's old journal, and Sniper reads the events of the old sniper's life as the same thing happens to him. Parallel lives trope 👍

I believe James (1850s scout) is more in-tune with his assholeish behavior.

[spockvarietyhour]

Star Trek Ongoing "Parallel Lives"

[spacetimesystem]

reminder to anyone who needs it that you're not obligated to remain with someone because of a shared source, kintype, parallel life, etc.

if someone is a toxic influence or has hurt you, you don't need to stick it out for them just because you share a source

your other selves have had their lives, or will continue to do so happily. this life is your own and you deserve better

[jtexplorer]

[enlitment]

Cato the Younger or idk I am yet to read Plutarch properly

@cattus-catos

[aestherians]

Having a parallel life is so weird. Yes I talk about him in 3rd person, but also he is me and I am he. I can't tell if it makes less or more sense to refer to us as 'we', considering we are one single person who just happens to live multiple lives at once. Using 'I' to refer to Poppy and Ben and Ɐwhrayɐ, while using 'we' to refer to one single person who is me.

[pepperstasia-beaverhausen]

Shipping ain't easy

[foreignfuneral]

A third rhetra of Lycurgus is mentioned, which forbids making frequent expeditions against the same enemies, in order not to accustom such enemies to frequent defense of themselves, which would make them warlike. And this was the special grievance which they had against King Agesilaus in later times, namely, that by his continual and frequent incursions and expeditions into Boeotia he rendered the Thebans a match for the Lacedaemonians. And therefore, when Antalcidas saw the king wounded, he said: "This is a fine tuition-fee which thou art getting from the Thebans, for teaching them how to fight, when they did not wish to do it, and did not know how."

Plutarch - Parallel Lives, Life of Lycurgus

[herenowandelsewhere]

The silence was unnerving, as if a hand had stretched down from the heavens and turned the volume of the city down to zero, and yet the downtown lights were laid out before him in all their expressionistic glory, evidence of a rich and vital life.

She made her way across the dimly lit wilderness that divided the road from the identical rows of apartment blocks opposite. In the distance she could see the vast glass palaces of the financial district outlined by an eerie green and silver light, and beyond them the soft urban glitter of Hollywood and Westwood, but this was another universe entirely. She should have been out there celebrating but instead she was here, chasing the past.

[that-dreaming-dragon]

In Dealing with Exomemories, Especially Exotrauma

Cross-posted from my dreamwidth entry. Link directly in the title.

In the time spent in the alterhuman community, in particular to the therian/kin that dealt with exomemories from other lives, I've come to observe something critical--many carried various exotrauma.

My belief is that a part of the reason reincarnation happens is to provide us a chance to seek closure in our other lives or heal the wounds we carry. Perhaps we are tied to this cycle due to unfinished business, whether positive or negative.

I don’t identify as the eastern ocean dragon of my past; thus, it is my kardiatype. However, I have memories, instincts, likes, and dislikes based on that dragon. There are pains I've felt that I'm still trying to determine if they might be connected to that dragon's own loss, but they don’t hurt me as much, as I am able to observe from a distance. However, this comes down to the identification and separation of the part of the self. From the beginning of my realization of being nonhuman, I already identified as who I am: the dream dragon.

Perhaps this can help others as well, in finding that separation and distance. This is also considering that we have people within the community who can interact with their other lives as separate beings. This couples with the Chinese belief in spirits and souls (hun and po)[1] and how transmigration works with each incarnation: you only move on with a part of it, leaving the rest behind. Essentially, one is different from their past or other selves (as time can be seen as non-linear to some).

Another key thing is finding closure. Perhaps the various memories are vying for attention because of unresolved loose ends.

Writing down stories, or making any sort of creation work for each and every one of those lives might help. I believe there is truth and fact in fiction. Many alterhuman that I've observed use writing as a form of interaction with their selves. I do it too, finding temporary joy in worlds where I can be myself, and it serves as an outlet to work through some inner conflicts or other dissent. Memories become somewhat easier to handle once I put them down as something concrete that I can work with. If emotions are causing suffering, mindfulness is a good practice to counter that—acknowledge and accept the emotions, and then learn to lessen their impact on one's being. This deals with more psychological territory, but the same techniques and methods are not restricted to a single subject area. There are numerous resources available, but here's a small excerpt:

Ride out Waves of Emotions--Be Mindful Normalize Emotions Observe Anticipate Emotions will get bigger/intensify Visualize Ride/surf the emotion wave/tide. Ride it out instead of blocking it. Let it flow. Gently let go; it's okay to release the grasp. Shift focus; practice mindfulness; notice the physical surroundings. Be attentive and curious. Be Nonjudgemental Acceptance

Additionally, having something grounding or anchoring is good. Anything, even a stuffed toy, a pet, a place, another sapient being, or even things beyond—that's a bit like speaking of faith, ironic considering I'm discussing grounding in the unseen and forces beyond.

All of these can to be utilized together. Comfort allows room to break down, grounding offers a point to return to should the mind becomes lost in the memories and emotions. While all the other exercises allow confronting the memories, they help in working through emotions by offering a new perspective.

There is also something many East Asians do—they pay homage to their ancestor, a common practice is setting up ancestral tablets or spirit tablets. Offerings and prayers are made to these tablets as a way to connect with and show respect to one's ancestors. For me personally, I have seen this practice extend to one's own other lives.

In the end, the mind is what matter. Manifestation--your will to see your other lives' chapters be closed. I wish everyone all the best in finding that inner peace.

[1]Reninger, Elizabeth. "Hun & Po Ethereal & Corporeal Soul In Taoism." Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/hun-and-po-in-taoism-and-chinese-medicine-3182553.

[oneirosophist]

Something strange that happened to me in meditation recently is these brief—yet quite vivid—flashes of scenes from my dreams from years ago.

Dreams that I had completely forgotten about.

Dreams that don't seem any different from real memories.

Maybe they aren't any different.

They remind me of the concept of parallel lives—lives that our souls live that are concurrent with our present life. Not a past life or a future life, but one lived at the same time.

Maybe some dreams are parallel lives.

[spockvarietyhour]

🖖

[thursdayschild76]

"I'm thinking that it must be love"

"It's not the side-effects of the cocaine I'm thinking that it must be love It's too late (to be late again)"

Religious orientation: David Bowie.

[jtexplorer]

Parallel Lives needs to be required reading for anyone about to write, draw and edit any Spider-Man comic.

[enlitment]

A medieval manuscript of Plutarch's Parallel Lives from Biblioteca Capitolare, Verona

Thought some of my mutuals would appreciate it as much as I did. Look at the flowers aaa (worth the 7 € entrance fee just for that, honestly)

[katriniac]

Randomly recommended podcasts!

I love podcasts, but I don't get to listen to them as frequently as I wish.

There are some really amazing ones out there I learn so much from, and others are very entertaining. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with y'all. Not all of these are current shows. In fact, some haven't added a new episode in over a year. But I myself may have only just recently discovered the show and therefore it's new to me.

I'll break this up into different parts due to Tumblr's photo limitations. I have no idea if these podcasts are available everywhere, but I subscribe to them via Google Podcasts.

Part 1: Creativity, Imagination, Neuroscience

:readmore:

Imagination Radio

Scientific Imagination

Parallel Lives

All in the Mind

Creativity in Captivity

Into the Impossible with Brian Keating

Imagination Desk

Creative Chats Podcast

Creative Pep Talk

Hidden Brain