Animals and Universal Consciousness
More often than I like to admit, I’m forced to realize that some people are simply a lot smarter than I am – doggone it. At other times, I catch myself in one of those moments of spontaneous prideful arrogance, thinking how much smarter I am than somebody else.
It’s easy for me to see that there are lots of people smarter than I am, and maybe a few who aren’t. I think, therefore I think I know what intelligence is – but that intelligence has let me down many times in the past, as it has for even “the greatest minds of their times” – former members of The Flat Earth Society and all.
For much of my life I thought that, at least, I was smarter than an animal – an assumption taken for granted in our modern, technological culture. Now, I think that assumption was wrong. I think animals are smarter than all of us, and it all has to do with the arrogant, typically human way I think about what intelligence is.
My intelligence seems to be a function of how well my senses and capabilities work, especially in terms of feeling “successful” about my life; but what if I could hear, see, or smell, thousands of times better than I can? What kind of world would I perceive, and how much more would I know about it? What if I didn’t have to worry about wearing clothes (believe me, I do), or whether I had a roof over my head? What if the supermarket were closed, or I was dropped in the middle of the ocean or the woods – could I feed myself, or would I end up becoming somebody’s dinner? Suddenly, I don’t sound much like ‘the top of the food chain.’
“Stay calm. Share your bananas.”—Koko the Gorilla
Profound Consciousness in Animals
One of the most difficult barriers for people to break is the one that prevents us from perceiving the profound levels of consciousness alive in our animal relatives. This kind of prison of the human ego that demands we place ourselves above all other creatures is possibly the most soul-depleting (and destructive) obstacle to human spiritual evolution there is, forcing us to live life through the limited filter of human sensory experience, generally misinterpreted by our collective and personal ego, and the delusions of “intellect.” As a result, we tend to destroy our home and hurt those from whom we could learn the most.
Science Demonstrates Animals Are Self-Aware
Cetaceans
Let’s consider a couple of different realities about animal intelligence that science is demonstrating with increasing regularity; the first reality being what we’re most familiar with – the intelligence described by language, cognition, and problem-solving abilities.
Recent studies indicate that dolphins, and other cetaceans, display so much of this type of intelligence, in so many ways, that they should be considered as “non-human persons.”
“Science has shown that individuality – consciousness, self-awareness – is no longer a unique human property.”
– Ethics Professor Tom White, Loyola Marymount University of Los Angeles, in BBC News
Cetaceans efficiently adapt rational processes to overcome problems and take part in team efforts – even between species. They clearly possess complex language skills, so much so, in fact, that even whale songs which originate in one area of the earth’s oceans can become popular, and migrate to other parts of the world, like hit songs. Cetaceans also demonstrate compassion and are unquestionably self-aware.
“These are ancient, sentient Earth residents, with tremendous intelligence and enormous life force. Not someone to kill, but someone to learn from.”
Dr. John C. Lilly, on his research with dolphins
Crows
Crows possess human-like intelligence that includes problem-solving on a level greater than most six-year-old human children. They also exhibit an elaborate and nuanced language, as well as self-awareness, superb personal recognition, character determination, personal attachments, and cooperative, community-oriented behavior. These are all characteristics also shared by elephants, whose infra-sonic speech (which they can hear up to six miles away) when speeded up, sounds remarkably articulate, like talking.
Dogs
Even man’s best friend, the good ol’ family dog, has been shown through the science of MRI brain-scan analysis to demonstrate neurological activity very similar to that of humans. In addition, dogs, cats, and other animals demonstrate cognitive, and even what we may consider ‘extra-sensory’ skills that relate to another, more profound kind of intelligence – one that may add credence to the assertion that the wholeness of animal intelligence is, in some very critical ways, superior to our own.
Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D., in his direct, video-documented experiments on dog telepathy and his book, Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home, has demonstrated how dogs are aware of when their distant owners (partners) even start to think about returning home. His experiments, although roundly dismissed as unscientific, feature dog owners returning home after absences of different durations, and the video-documented simultaneous responses of the dogs, back at home, clearly indicate an awareness of their owners’ intentions and actions from afar.
Animals and Telepathy
It’s long been known that many animals demonstrate a reliably ‘telepathic’ awareness of oncoming earthquakes, tsunamis, and other catastrophic phenomena; and dogs, with their largely unexplained ESP, can read emotional states more reliably than a lie detector and are currently employed working to sense and warn of oncoming seizures in epileptics, as well as detecting cancer in hospital patients – well before standard medical tests can.
All of us can psychically connect with animals. Learn how with James Van Praagh in Spirit Talk{.inline-media .inline-video}.
All of this relates to what Dr. Sheldrake refers to as “morphic resonance,” the existence of invisible connecting fields of energetic coherence, of sorts, essentially described by the larger concept of a shared field of consciousness, where the material world is imbued with the energy of intelligence, the physical realization of spiritual life. It’s the spiritual life of the planet and all of its occupants, a reality known for millennia by the indigenous peoples of every continent, but mostly denied by “modern” man. Here we know it as Gaia.
Learn more about source field and universal consciousness{.inline-media .inline-video} in this inaugural episode of Wisdom Teachings.
Animals, unlike humans, simply live their being. Their consciousness is joined with that Source intention, so they attain purity of conscious, highly developed multi-sensory experience that humans never realize mostly due to the interference of our intellect.
Unburdened by superficial, egoic thought, animals’ senses allow them to participate in an infinitely richer world, directly joined to what we may refer to as the Divine field of being.
They are highly sentient, extraordinarily conscious, and deeply intelligent, in a very real way. In a world that is, in fact, much more real than common human sensory perception and thought ever allows.
Animals Enhance Our Spiritual Evolution
Alex, an African Gray parrot, became a practically conversational research associate of Dr. Irene Pepperburg of Brandeis, after more than thirty years of working together on a daily basis; and, by her testimony, he was her best friend. His final words said to her as she left the laboratory the night before his death were: “You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you.”
I like to think that I’m smart, that I know good from bad, and right from wrong. I’ve guess I’ve eaten that mythological forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That’s what got us humans kicked out of The Garden, wasn’t it? As it is, we’ve been struggling with what our real role is here ever since, and still insist on imposing our self-entitled destruction on all the Divine life that we remain ignorant about – on all the Divine life that I like to think I’m smarter than.
“I do not see a delegation for the four-footed. I see no seat for the eagles. We forget and we consider ourselves superior, but we are, after all, a mere part of the Creation…the elements and the animals, and the birds, they live in a state of grace. They are absolute. They can do no wrong. It is only we, the two-leggeds, that can do this. And when we do this to our brothers, then we do the worst in the eyes of the Creator.”
Oren Lyons, to the United Nations, 1977
Learn more about the unique connection we share with animals as evidenced by the findings of Cleve Backster and other scientists in Intelligent Communication in Nature
About the Author
How to Remember Your Past Lives: 3 Ways to Access Past Life Memories
Sometimes life feels familiar in ways that are hard to explain. You meet someone and feel you’ve known them forever. Or you travel somewhere new and something deep inside stirs, like a memory you can’t quite place. Maybe these are traces of memories of past lives, or maybe they’re just intuition. Either way, they’re worth paying attention to.
Patterns often repeat themselves. Unexplained fears. Sudden talents. Relationships that circle back to the same lessons. These moments might be echoes from a previous life still influencing your present life.
Exploring past life experiences is not only about curiosity. It can be about understanding how your soul’s history continues to shape who you are. You might not find clear answers at first. Insights rarely arrive as complete stories. They show up in fragments, symbols, and emotions. Sometimes they make sense only later.
Table of Contents
- Can You Access Past Life Memories?
- How Past Lives Might Shape Your Present Life
- Signs You Might Have Lived Before
- Three Ways to Explore Past Life Memories
- Making Sense of What You Find
- The Story of Matías De Stefano
- Living With Past Life Insights
Can You Access Past Life Memories?
The idea of reincarnation suggests that human beings live more than one lifetime, each one leaving behind energetic and emotional imprints. Most people don’t consciously recall memories of previous lives, but certain practices can help open the door to them. Techniques like deep meditation, past life regression, or exploring the Akashic Records can reveal glimpses that feel older than this lifetime.
For some, these insights appear as flashbacks, vivid dreams, or waves of emotion. For others, it’s just a subtle pull toward a person, a place, or even a time period. In my experience, it’s unpredictable. You can’t force it, and that’s often what makes it meaningful.
The process takes patience. Sometimes fragments come together slowly, piece by piece. You might feel a sensation before you see an image, or recognize a lesson before you know its origin.
How Past Lives Might Shape Your Present Life
Emotional patterns often carry forward from former lives. Dr. Ian Stevenson, a psychiatrist who studied young children recalling memories of past lives, documented cases where birthmarks matched fatal injuries described in these memories. Whether you see this as scientific or spiritual, it’s hard to ignore the consistency of such reports.
These imprints may not prove anything, but they do suggest continuity between lives. A certain fear, gift, or attraction could reflect something unresolved or unfinished from a previous life. Recognizing these connections can bring clarity and healing in current life.
I once worked with someone who had a deep fear of the ocean. Through past life regression therapy, guided by a trained hypnotist, she recalled a drowning incident from what felt like another lifetime. The memory came in pieces, more feeling than image. Still, acknowledging that connection helped her let go of the fear over time. Experiences like this show how understanding past life experiences can release something held deep in the subconscious.
Signs You Might Have Lived Before
Even if you never access vivid memories, signs of former lives can appear in subtle ways:
- A powerful connection with someone you’ve just met
- Fascination with a specific era or culture
- Unexplained fears or emotional triggers
- Skills or talents that seem to come naturally
- Dreams or visions that feel oddly specific
Most people notice just one or two of these patterns. Others find the signs everywhere once they start paying attention. Sometimes a single clue opens a path toward remembering more.
In my experience, recognizing a familiar emotion or attraction can be just as revealing as a full flashback. It’s less about proving a past and more about noticing what the soul is trying to show you now.
Three Ways to Explore Past Life Memories
1. Deep Meditation
Deep meditation is one of the simplest ways to open the mind to memories of past lives. The key is to relax and observe whatever comes up without judgment. Images, sensations, or feelings may surface. Some might seem random. Others might carry a weight that feels ancient.
Before beginning, it can help to set a quiet intention, such as:
“I’m open to seeing what my soul wants me to understand.”
Then you simply allow the experience. Don’t chase it or analyze too soon. In my experience, the most authentic insights from former lives come gently, not dramatically. Even a fleeting moment of recognition can hold meaning.
2. Past Life Regression Therapy
Past life regression therapy uses relaxation and visualization to uncover memories of previous lives stored in the subconscious. A trained hypnotist guides you into a meditative state, helping you move beyond surface thoughts. Some people experience vivid scenes or sensations that feel like a flashback to another existence.
Whether these experiences are literal or symbolic, they often reveal emotional truths. They can explain patterns that don’t make sense in your present life or help resolve fears that seem to have no origin.
I once met someone who had always struggled to speak publicly. During past life regression, she recalled a lifetime where her voice had been silenced by strict authority. That realization gave her the courage to use her voice more freely in her current life. Even if symbolic, the experience carried emotional truth.
3. Exploring the Akashic Records
The Akashic Records are said to contain every thought, action, and experience the soul has ever had. Accessing them, either independently or through a reader, allows you to explore lessons across past lives and recurring patterns of growth.
When people tap into these records, they often describe sensations of recognition more than visual imagery. Insights come as feelings, intuitive words, or brief impressions. You might discover why certain people or challenges keep reappearing, or how your soul’s history is guiding your spiritual awakening.
Even a few minutes of connection can shift how you see your current life. These insights don’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful.
Integrating What You Discover
Exploring past life memories is not about getting lost in the past. It’s about using what you find to better understand your choices now. A glimpse into a previous life might explain an ongoing struggle or illuminate a hidden strength.
In some cases, the lesson might be an emotional release. In others, it could be creative inspiration or reconciliation. What matters most is how the experience influences your perspective in the present life.
It helps to write down what you recall after meditation or regression. Don’t try to label everything as fact or fiction. Treat it as information from your inner world, something your soul is offering for reflection.
The Story of Matías De Stefano
Spiritual teacher Matías De Stefano has captivated audiences with his extraordinary ability to recall multiple past lives since childhood. Unlike those who access memories through regression, Matías’ recollections emerged naturally and in vivid detail, spanning ancient civilizations, planetary histories, and metaphysical dimensions.
Through his Gaia podcast and original series The Journey of Remembering, Matías shares how his memories shaped his understanding of the universe and his role in the collective spiritual awakening. His story offers profound insight into how connecting with the memories of past lives can guide us toward purpose, unity, and a deeper remembrance of who we truly are.
Just as with Matías’s experience, remembering past lives invites us to explore the continuity of consciousness and to see life as an unfolding journey rather than a single chapter. Whether through meditation, past life regression, or the Akashic Records, these methods can open the door to self-discovery and healing.
Ultimately, the value of these experiences lies not in proving their accuracy but in how they help us grow, evolve, and live our present life with peace, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Living With Past Life Awareness
Understanding past life experiences and exploring the soul’s history is not about proof or persuasion. It’s about awareness. Insights from past lives can explain repeating patterns, clarify emotional attachments, or simply remind you that growth is continuous.
Whether through deep meditation, past life regression, or the Akashic Records, each method opens a doorway to reflection. Sometimes that reflection is subtle, almost imperceptible. Other times it feels profound, as if you’ve remembered something essential about who you are.
Ultimately, remembering past lives isn’t about living in the past. It’s about carrying forward what matters most into the present life. Each glimpse, each small understanding, becomes part of how you live more consciously now.
