Past Life Recall – North Sea in 1703
Past Life Recall …
The gentle rocking of the ship had lulled the boys to sleep. I was grateful for this peace for the boys clung to me most of the time they were awake – or rather I clung to them. I adored them and loved my darlings so much. Nurse was asleep in her bed with the baby safely tucked in next to the wall. My husband was on deck, he was the Captain, thus we were safely ensconced in his quarters at the stern of the ship. Two double beds had been installed for this journey, one for Nurse and the baby, and one for my little sons who were three and five years old. Both boys were blonde with blue eyes.
The cabin was beautifully appointed with dark wood furniture, the floor and walls were also of very dark wood. Curtains, upholstered chairs and bed coverlets were a deep red. It would have been a very dark place if not for the large seven windows at the back, and two windows on each side of the stern. My husband’s desk faced the windows and that is where I stood, gazing out to the sea and the gentle rolling waves.
It was in the early 1700s. We had departed from England and were sailing down the North Sea which would take us out to the Atlantic Ocean. We were sailing to America, where our new home awaited us. My husband would stay with us in America. He was being transferred from his post as captain of the HMS ship to a new post in the colonies. I knew our destination and purpose for leaving England and remembered our life there, bits of it. I knew the era because of the type ship and the way people were dressed. Everything, every detail of the cabin, my children and Nurse bundled up and sleeping was very vivid. What I was seeing, all I just described, was a past life recall.
I was actually re-living a time in a past life, not dreaming. I was in between awake and asleep and my mind had transported me back to another time, a life of wealth, happiness and filled with love of my family. Foremost in my mind and heart was the deep love my husband and I shared. When I was not near him I ached for him, when I was with him all was bliss, perfection, the epitome of love and wholeness. I was a small woman, blessed with a well-proportioned and attractive body. I had thick wavy hair, which was very long and black. I preferred to wear it unencumbered and free, to let it flow down my back to my waist. My husband was a big, strong man. He had golden hair and blue eyes. I compared him to the gods of ancient times who were perfectly formed, powerful, and beautiful. When he held me I felt so safe and snuggled into him till we felt like one body.
As I stood there gazing out to sea, smiling, longing for my beloved, I saw something dark that rose up from I know not where and it was coming towards the ship. I was horrified, frozen in fear. The sun had faded away and the day turned to night within seconds. The sea had turned into massive waves, the ship began to shake.
I ran to the beds and shook Nurse and the boys awake. I made them all huddle on the floor in a corner and threw a coverlet over them. I told Nurse what I saw and that I was going up deck to see my husband, to find out what was happening. I put on my long black hooded cloak and looked out the windows again. The churning waves were still a good distance from us.
The boys started screaming and ran to me, clinging to me. Nurse looked so scared and hugged the baby tightly. The boys would not let go of me, so I grabbed the thin rope from a wall hook, tied it around my waist and then each end around my boy’s waists. This was a strict rule my husband had when we had to go up deck. Holding their hands the boys and I ran to the stairs. I opened the door at top and closed it behind me, ran down a short hall and opened the door to the deck.
I looked around in a panic for my husband. He was standing on the platform by the ship’s wheel, shouting orders to the hands on deck. He saw us and motioned to hurry. By the time we reached him the waves were hitting the ship and the stern raised up far above us. My husband grabbed me, tucked the boys inside my cloak and wrapped one arm around a post, the other around me. The sea had churned up and was spraying us like a torrential downpour. I had a boy wrapped tightly around each leg and clung to my husband as he held me tightly.
The stern kept rising, dropped, and started rising again. Men were tossed overboard by waves hitting us hard. Those who had tried to lower all sails gave up, it was too late. We were going down as the stern rose so high the entire ship flipped over forward. The last thing I was conscious of was my husband letting go of the post and wrapping both arms around me as I hugged his waist.
~
I awoke, gasping for air and shaking uncontrollably as my past life recall ended. For years after that experience I could recall every detail of the past life recall and how we all drowned at sea. I have, all this life, had a tremendous fear of deep water. The thought of going on a ship terrified me. I was once invited to go on a cruise ship with my brother to the Caribbeans and I flat out refused. I just could not do it.
I never did any research to look for an indication that I could have proof of what happened until about ten years after I had those visions and re-lived that past life. I told a few people about it and they all thought maybe I had seen a movie or read a book about a similar story. But, I knew in my heart and soul, and still do, it was definitely a past life. I can understand why most people would not believe my encounter with a past life. One has to firmly believe, in fact know, that reincarnation is a fact, not a fantasy. I have had many past lives and wrote them all down in a journal. Some are in detail, like the one above, most are just short recalls or visions.
When I finally conducted a research on my past life as a ship captain’s wife, I found some startling facts. The time period and location of that past life was in the early 1700s in England. The ship was of the HMS line of the Royal Navy. It was on a non-combative sailing journey to America, yet fully prepared and armed in case of attack from Spain. It looked much like the St. Andrew. This information I instinctively knew in my past life recall.
From my Research
The ship we were on was like the HMS Royal Anne, first rate of 100 guns. It was previously named HMS St. Andrew, which first launched in 1670. Here is an oil on canvas image of the St. Andrew, painted by Willem van de Velde the Younger. It was renamed the Royal Anne in 1703.
Further Research on Past Life
On 26 November 1703 central and southern England was struck by ‘The Great Storm of 1703’, a destructive cyclone. (1703, the time frame of my past life death).
Ships were blown hundreds of miles off-course, and over 1,000 seamen died on the Goodwin Sands alone (Goodwin Sands is in the North Sea where my past life ship went down). Ships sunk in the North Sea during the Great Storm of 1703:
HMS Restoration
HMS Mary
HMS Stirling Castle
HMS Northumberland
Was one of these ships the one my family and I were on in that past life? I believe it is most likely one was my husband’s ship. Is all this just a coincidence? I do not think so.
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© 2018 Phyllis Doyle Burns
I have always liked to write.It is important to me that writing comes from my heart and soul. When writing poetry, if I do not feel a spiritual connection to what I am writing on, I will discard it and go on to something I can connect with on a spiritual level. I live in the moment, I write from the past or beyond the veil. When writing fiction I go with whatever inspires me at the moment - it could be funny, sorrowful, romantic or sometimes done with the use of colloquial language from mountain folk or other cultural regions.
I began writing content online in 2007, starting with BellaOnline - A Voice For Women, where I was the Native American Editor, Folklore & Mythology Editor, and the Appalachian Editor. I also wrote articles forThe Examiner, Daily Two Cents, and Yahoo. I am currently an author on HubPages.
Most of what I write takes a lot of research and I love it. Even if it is a fictional story, I will research for accuracy in whatever it takes to make my characters, their era, their location, etc. become realistic to the reader.
I hope you enjoy my works. Thank you for visiting.
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Fascinating Phyllis, and so well rendered in memory and researched in possibility and time. Very much enjoyed.
I am pleased you enjoyed this work, Tony, and so appreciate your comment. The memory of that recall remains vividly sharp after so many years. Thank you so much. Take care.
Amazingly written my dear friend Phyllis..how wonderful is it that you can remember so much of your past life..I found this personal piece written from your memories to be so touching..thank you so much for sharing..
You are most welcome, Anjana. I am very happy you enjoyed this work and appreciate your kind words. Take care dear friend.
Very enjoyable. Very realistic. You had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. I do not know if past lives in actuality exist. But, you have made me a possible believer. Excellent!
Thank you, Donald. I am glad you enjoyed it. My research confirmed some things for me in regards to the North Sea and English Channel, plus The Great Storm of 1703. As for any colors I mentioned, I remembered them even though the recall visions were in dark and light only. Thanks again for your visit, I appreciate it.
Phyllis, I love your story. I believe in reincarnation, too. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Oh my gosh, Susan! I am so happy to hear from you and so pleased you like my story. You are most welcome and I thank you for the visit and comment. I hope you will consider becoming a TCE member and write for us. Our category options have expanded and there are more genres to choose from. It would be great to have you here in our warm, friendly community. Thanks again for visiting.