Genealogy Chat

Far out question for a Saturday night but just wondered if you can inherit memories through dreams etc.... in the same way you inhererit faulty genes that cause illnesses.

Alison We had a lengthy discussion about this on another site, and I believe that yes, you can inherit your ancestors memories through your genes. There are various random markers on our genes called alleles and most of these have no known purpose or function. Who is to say that they don't carry some inherited race memory, or some memory more specific to YOUR ancestors. OC

When the question of 'regression' comes up in our family, I've always said that IF it exists, it is more likely to be inherited memory rather than that the person has lived before, as I don't see why if we can inherit eye and hair colour and mannerisms that we can't inherit memory. My family think I'm crazy. Kath. x

I would never discount this theory at all. Sometimes when I have been intensely researching a direct ancestor and trying to imagine why they made certain choices, I quite often experience a strange intuitive feeling that gives me the answer to my question. Is that me being fanciful or something else? I once visited Needham Market (where two direct ancestors lived). While walking around I saw a lorry that bore my ancestors surname! I looked the name of the company up on the internet. Wrote letter to chap who owned the company, who turned out to be related to me and imparted loads of family info. What an exciting way to discover stuff about your relatives! Far more exciting than messages on GR and I've often wondered whether 'someone' or 'something' 'arranged' for that lorry to be where it was on that day - I've never seen the lorry since though I've been back to Needham Market lots of times. There's lots in this world that we don't fully understand - yet. Cheers, Horatia

Well this is what we think. I'm very open minded about this subject as well. My grandma's cousin brought up the subject the other week and explained that she had had a few dreams in sequence that had various ladies in full length clothing and the dreams were in sepia. Possibly Edwardian ladies clothing. She didnt recognise the people in the dream but they were very familiar with her. Could they have been friends of her grandparents etc?

Well, as O.C. knows Ive had just too many 'coincidences' in my research to think there is any doubt that we do inherit memories. I guess depending on our own make up/personalities each of us is more or less likely to be aware of these memories. Certainly Ive no doubt.

Im also very open minded on this subject Horatia I get a gut feeling when Ive found someone I believe to be an ancestor and after investigation find I was right....the ones that don't feel right prove to be the wrong ones. Sheila

Sheila I agree about the gut instinct thing, although it isnt a very scientific way to conduct one's research! Some people just feel 'right'. I am in the process of trying to prove/disprove one of these at the moment, but I am convinced I am right - he is 'speaking' to me, lol. OC

i have to agree with sheila .. and i havent been wrong yet! maybe it's a gut instinct or not ... but the people in my tree i have found have never been mentioned when i was growing up, .. maybe i just got lucky?

I suppose in a way this could account for somebody having a good ability at languages or mathematics for instance. By studying books you could be refreshing data that has already been imprinted in your memory somehow!?!

Yes I knew things from dreams at an early age. I was born in a town that was blitzed ,but not born until mid 60s but had dreams of bomds dropping from a very early age.

OC oh yes I would never trust my gut reactions completely I have to research it through but isn't it a wonderful feeling when it is right after all. I also believe that some don't want to be found because they feel it's none of our business....just as they would have been in life. I remember when I asked my grandmother what her real name was (I was about 7 at the time) she glared at me and shouted 'what do you want to know that for'!!

Sheila Again I agree with you - some of them just don't want to be found, because it's none of our business! Like my 2 x GGF, who I have been searching for for nearly 35 years. He left me two tiny clues, and I have finally put the two bits together. He was of course, illegitimate, and didnt want me to know! OC

Also had a brother I never knew die when I was 3 and knew the details. Yes I may have heard a lot of it but heard him approach the house for years afterwords.

just found an interesting website (rootsweb based) written by a gentleman named Lester J Hartrick who believes in the theory of simple and complex inherited recollections. Very interesting stuff!

OC Ive just about given up trying to find out who my G Grandfather was. My G Grandmother had such a hard time when she had my Grandfather in 1895 that she lost her hair and it never grew back. She later married a pig of a man and paid the price for the rest of her life ..taking the secret to her grave. I fully understand why she wouldn't want me to find out but I really wish I could explain how life has changed for single mothers. Sheila

Ok I believe I know things I should not. But I belong to an open circle.

I find it strange that only one of my messages has bee added. Even though I have said I will not do readings onn his site. M

I don't understand Donegal Girl ? ...and I'd love to know if it's helped your research??

sheila sounds like your g grandmother was one hell of a women who put her kids first ... god bless her!