Student from a Past-Life???

The photo above is of psychologist, Brendan C. Engen, Ph.D., who introduced himself to me, via e-mail last summer while I was traveling in Spain. This encounter opened up a fascinating new chapter in the story of my inner healing advisor (Lucius Annaeus Seneca), about which I have blogged previously. Below, I will quote directly from Brendan's e-mail (with links added). But, before I do so, let me hasten to say that I, personally, regard our encounter as an example of "archetypal synchronistic resonance" -- and not necessarily reincarnation.
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From: "Brendan Engen" Subject: Message from Brendan Engen

Hello Dr. Mishlove,

I'm a great fan of your work in the psychospiritual practices, parapsychology, and personal development, as well as your program, THINKING ALLOWED, which I've seen from time to time on the Wisdom Channel.  I've always enjoyed your thoughtful interviews as well as your commentaries and ideas.

I've decided to write you because of a "past life reading" I recently had, graciously purchased for me by my wife, with Kevin Ryerson.  I'm not sure if you're familiar with Mr. Ryerson's work or his trance-channel readings, but they are very interesting and certainly warrant reflection.  I happened to find much of the information he gave me to be eerily accurate and was frankly amazed (I've always been skeptical of such things), since he knew details about my early life experiences he couldn't have possibly known through mundane means.  During this reading last Saturday morning, Kevin channeled an entity named Athun-Re, who told me some rather startling things, some of which directly involve you - which is why I'm writing.

Throughout my life, I've been a great fan of the ancient Stoic philosophers, like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.  I have a background in philosophy and have always been attracted to some of the practical-wisdom philosophies, like Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Skepticism, from ancient Greece and Rome.  To be sure, I regard much of their thinking to be relevant to my work now as a psychologist; and I think a great deal of current psychotherapy research bears out some of their foundational ideas about the nature of happiness, inner freedom, and emotional and spiritual resilience.  During various transitional times in my life, one Stoic in particular - Lucius Annaeus Seneca - has been a wonderful source of strength, wisdom, and spiritual counsel, and I credit him for helping me navigate reasonably well through some very trying and complicated straits.  The sentiments, insights, and values expressed in his intimate published letters are strangely prescient, even two thousand years after their composition, and are pertinent to many of the issues that we face today in America, politically, ethically, and spiritually.  Reading them as a late-modern Westerner, one cannot help but feel as though they were written directly to him or her; at least that has always been my own impression and feeling.  These letters of counsel and guidance cut to the essence of the issue - elegantly and with complete awareness.

Anyway, part of what Athun-Re (via Kevin Ryerson) disclosed about my past lives was that I was a Roman 2000 years ago and also student of Seneca.  He also said (and I understand that this must sound strange) that you were Seneca.  According to Athun-Re, Seneca was killed (mandated suicide) by the Emperor Nero, along with several of his students, during the Pisonian Conspiracy.  Other of his students (among whom I was counted, allegedly) were sent into exile throughout various parts of the Empire.  According to Athun-Re, I was sent into exile into Athens, and there I spent my remaining days copying and preserving Seneca's works, saving them from Nero's campaign to have them burned.  (Interestingly, I learned on the Internet that many of Seneca's writings were indeed lost or destroyed probably during the years immediately following his death.)  What was especially compelling for me, with respect to this channeled information about my supposed past life as a student of Seneca, was that I did not give Kevin (or Athun-Re) any mention of my strong, several-years-long interest in Seneca's philosophical writings and plays.

Athun-Re maintained that in this life I would resurrect my interest in Stoicism and attempt to re-present it to the world in a new light - in a "de-militarized" form, according to Athun-Re.  I've been inspired by this news and would indeed like to a book or article (perhaps a psychologically related article) some day on Stoicism or Neo-Stoicism as a viable spiritual practice for the present age as well as a practical philosophy of group process - one which I think could profitably be used to resolve interpersonal and social conflict.  Of course, if I do end up writing such an article, I will highlight the beneficial effects that Seneca's philosophy of serenity has had on my own life.  It seems to me a worthy project.

I understand that this e-mail must seem very strange, and I certainly that hope it does not come as an intrusion.  Please do not feel obligated to respond to it.  I just felt for some reason that I should drop you a line, in light of Kevin's recent reading.

And if you were in fact Seneca, as my reading claimed, then I also want to thank you for the wisdom and light you've contributed to my life (or lives?)!

Best regards,

Brendan Engen

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I replied to Brendan that I was aware that Athun Re (and one other psychic) had told me that I had been Seneca in a past-lifetime. But, that I preferred to think of this as some sort of "synchronistic resonance" rather than reincarnation. And, the very fact that Brendan's e-mail arrived just as I was about to embark upon a visit to Cordoba, Spain, the birthplace of Seneca, struck me as a significant synchronicity itself -- one that served to confirm my Jungian interpretation.

To my further delight and surprise, Brendan then replied with further details he had received about his ostensible past-life, plus another synchronicity of his own:
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Unfortunately, Atun-Re didn't provide me with a name during my reading, and at the time I didn't even think to ask.  However, while I was recently re-reading some of Seneca's letters (published in Moses Hadas's elegant translation), one of the names referenced in those letters -- Lucilius -- struck a responsive and familiar chord in me.  I've since wondered whether or not I was Lucilius; apparently that was one of the many friends and pupils who sought counsel and guidance from Seneca through his epistolary therapy.  I've not yet found any substantive information about this person so far, but I'm continuing my research.

Atun-Re asserted that I was a young man, 25 years old, when Seneca died.  He said that due to my association with Seneca, whom Nero believed to have been involved in a plot to assassinate him (I believe that this is called "the Pisonian conspiracy" in history books), I was given two options following Seneca's death:  either end my life, as my mentor had done, or be exiled permanently from the capital city Rome, which I loved dearly.  Apparently and understandably, I chose exile.  Additionally, Atun-Re said that I spent my remaining years in Athens, my place of exile, and tried to save Seneca's writings from Nero's purges.  Atun-Re said that I never fully forgave myself for choosing exile over suicide in my remaining years of that lifetime and that I was tormented with imaginary crimes of betrayal (of my mentor's Stoic teachings) and of cowardice.  Of course, whether or not these events actually happened, I do not know at this point in my investigations, but it has certainly inspired in me a great deal of self-reflection and existential exploration.... 

Best,

Brendan

P.S.  I need to tell you about another interesting synchronicity.  This happened the day after you sent me your first reply e-mail!  My wife and I were in a bookshop in Walnut Creek, CA -- a place called Bonanza Books, I believe.  While looking through the philosophy/religions section of used books, I found an interesting book entitled THE LOOKING GLASS GOD by Nahum Stiskin.  I thought the book looked really fascinating (it draws upon Taoism and Shintoism and integrates these with Western philosophy) and so bought it.  Later that afternoon, while opening the book, I found the following inscription on the title page:  "Jeffrey Mishlove -- MIND'S EAR -- received 5-12-73."  Apparently, the book had been yours some thirty odd years ago!  That was a very weird moment.  I felt like the Universe was tapping me on the shoulder, as it were, or at least having fun with me!
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There is much more to say about the synchronicity concerning The Looking Glass God, a book that I had once owned. (I interviewed the author for my Mind's Ear radio series on KPFA-FM in Berkeley, California.) One hint, for now, is that the book is related to my rainbow yinyang icon and logo. But, I will save that for another blog.



Do you think Brendan Engen looks a bit like me?