Understanding Past Life Soul Contracts & Vows
Some of the patterns we carry — the fears, the blocks, the strange emotional reactions that don’t quite make sense — didn’t start in this lifetime. They live in the soul, in the in-between spaces, in memories our bodies and spirits never forgot even if our minds did.
This is where soul contracts and past-life vows come in.
I’ve learned through my own healing, through mediumship, and through the work I do with clients that a lot of us are still tangled in agreements our souls made long before we were born. Sometimes these contracts helped us survive or evolve in a previous lifetime… but now?
Now they feel like outdated software running in the background, slowing everything down.
Let’s break it down in a way that feels human and not overly mystical — because this work is powerful and it deserves clarity.
What Are Soul Contracts?
Soul contracts are spiritual agreements your soul made before entering this lifetime.
They’re not punishments or obligations — they’re lessons, experiences, and relationships you chose to explore for your own growth.
There are two main types:
1. Human-to-Human Contracts
These involve people you incarnate with to learn something together.
These show up as:
intense friendships
challenging family dynamics
romantic partners that feel “karmic”
people you only meet briefly but never forget
Some souls come in to teach you love.
Some come in to teach you boundaries.
Some come in to teach you how to choose yourself.
2. Human-to-Spirit Contracts
This is when your soul made agreements with:
guides
ancestors
spiritual beings
(yes) sometimes lower entities in past lifetimes where fear or survival played a role
These contracts often show up as:
feeling “responsible” for others
feeling watched over or heavily guided
feeling spiritually burdened or plugged into energies that don’t feel good
Most of these contracts were made with good intentions…
But intention doesn’t equal alignment forever.
What Are Vows?
Vows are promises your soul made, usually during a past lifetime where you held a specific role: healer, priestess, monk, caretaker, devotee, etc.
These include vows like:
poverty
silence
chastity
suffering
self-denial
obedience
devotion at all costs
In that lifetime, these vows made sense.
But in this lifetime?
They can look like:
feeling guilty spending money
struggling with visibility
feeling undeserving of love
staying small
over-giving
always choosing others before yourself
sabotaging success because “something” feels wrong
These vows don’t just linger emotionally — they imprint your energy.
Why Do We Make These Agreements?
Because your soul is always learning.
Always evolving.
Always trying to understand itself more deeply.
Some contracts help you heal old wounds.
Some help you balance karma.
Some help you open spiritually.
Some help you break generational cycles.
And some…
Some are simply outdated and ready to be released.
The Drawbacks of Old Contracts & Vows
When these agreements stay active in your energy field, they can create patterns that repeat no matter how much mindset work you do.
You may experience:
recurring relationship patterns
unexplained fear or guilt
money blocks that feel “ancestral”
trouble speaking up
chronic self-sacrifice
feeling “tied” to certain people
attracting the same lessons again and again
It can feel like trying to run a new life on old programming.
And the most important thing to know?
These agreements are not stronger than your free will.
Once you remember them, you can release them.
How to Discover Your Soul Contracts & Vows
People uncover them through:
Akashic Records readings
hypnosis
past life regressions
dreams
deep meditation
intuitive journaling
energy healing sessions
Sometimes you simply know — because the moment it’s named, something inside you exhales like, “Finally. That makes sense.”
If you explore this work, always trust yourself.
If something doesn’t resonate — it’s not yours.
How to Release Old Contracts & Vows
Releasing a contract is a conscious choice, not a complicated ritual.
Here’s a simple version you can speak aloud:
“I release any soul contracts or vows from this lifetime or any lifetime that no longer serve my highest good. I cut all energetic cords connected to these agreements. I reclaim my power, my path, and my freedom. It is done.”
You can pair this with:
candle work
cord-cutting
journaling
prayer
your guides or ancestors
energy clearing sessions
The moment you choose release, the energy begins to shift.
After Release: What Happens Next?
Once you dissolve an old agreement, you’ll likely feel:
lighter
clearer
more yourself
less reactive
more empowered
less entangled with certain people or situations
But this is also the time for integration.
A contract release doesn’t magically solve everything — it opens a door.
You still get to choose:
new beliefs
new behaviors
new boundaries
new patterns
a new identity
You get to write the next chapter consciously.
Journal Prompts for Past Life Contracts & Vows
What recurring pattern keeps showing up in my life, no matter how much I try to shift it?
Where do I feel blocked, restricted, or “held back” in ways that don’t make logical sense?
What fears or beliefs feel older than me — like they didn’t start in this lifetime?
Who in my life might be part of an old contract? What do I think we’re here to learn from each other?
Have I ever felt obligated, responsible, or tied to someone beyond reason?
What vow might I have made in a past life that is still affecting me? (poverty, silence, obedience, suffering, sacrifice, devotion, etc.)
If my soul could speak freely, what would it say it’s tired of repeating?
What contract or vow am I ready to release today?
How do I want to feel in this lifetime? What new agreements would support that?
What does “freedom” look like for my soul right now?
I would love to hear your thoughts after you complete this. Please leave a comment or email me Laura @ houseofclovers.com