Past Lives: The home

The way we decorate our homes, as well as our tastes in furniture, pictures and treasured knick-knacks are all full of clues about our favourite past-life homes. If money was no object, what kind of home would you have? Given this choice, surprisingly few would opt for glittering palaces. Our ideal home is more likely to resemble a past-life place where we felt happy, safe or fulfilled – however humble it may have been.

The cottage

One of my clients told me that whenever she feels insecure or worried, she closes her eyes and imagines herself going to visit a cottage on the edge of a wood. ‘It’s always the beginning of autumn – still warm, with the leaves just starting to turn yellow. As I approach the cottage I see smoke coming out of the chimney. There are tall trees behind it. ‘My grandparents live there. Grandpa’s often working in the little vegetable garden at the back. Grandma’s usually cooking nice things in the kitchen. I’m always welcome there. I don’t even talk about my problems – I just go there to soak up their love and support. ‘I’m sure this is a place I knew in a past life. This is probably why I’ve never wanted to live in a flat or even a large house. The home I have now is a lot like that cottage, and I love it.’