Past Life Regression: Exploring Your Previous Lives

A Strange Sense of Familiarity

Is there a place that you have never been to that you feel strongly inclined to travel to?
Have you ever had the feeling of knowing a new acquaintance, of having known them for a long time?
Some will want to attribute these strange feelings to the past lives. Allow me to explore the wonderful world of past life regression.

What Is Past Life Regression?

In short, past life regression is a journey that goes back in time to a different version of yourself in some way related to the present.

This technique gives you the opportunity to be in a relaxed state which is half asleep and half awake. In this state, you may be able to recover memories that you think are lost forever in the deepest parts of your mind.

• Not memories of your childhood.

• These are glimpses about what could be described as life before this one.

A therapist or hypnotist, a guide, usually does these sessions and helps the client relax completely.
They will gently challenge you to defend these so-called past memories and, in your dreams, evoke emotions. You will imagine different memories that are believed to be from your past life.

Prior Background of Past Life Regression

These philosophies are ingrained in Buddhism and Hinduism with absolute conviction. It astounds me how some consider them mere possibilities.

The Greeks possessed distinct thoughts as well. In fact, no less famous philosopher Plato referred to the idea that souls are doomed to go through many lifetimes before going back to the starting point.

In the 20th century, some psychiatrists such as Brian Weiss began to record their patients who, under hypnosis, revealed secrets they couldn’t remember and claimed these to be memories.

What Occurs During a Regression Session?

Picture yourself sitting back in one of those comfortable recliners. The setting is a dark quiet room. The regression therapist has a voice smooth as warm honey, suggesting that you relax your jaw and your shoulders and just let your mind drift.

They might say:

“Imagine you are standing at the top of a staircase.”
“With every step downwards, you are descending deeper into relaxation, deeper back into time.”

Before you know it, you will be describing:

• Plowing fields in ancient China

• Walking down cobbled stone streets in Victorian London

Every person’s experience is very different from another:

• Some report vague impressions and feelings

• Others describe very vivid images

A Personal Account

My friend, Jake, carried out a past life regression last year. While they were having their coffee, he told them that he was quite bewildered. He mentioned some tiny village I had never heard of. He said, “I played the role of a blacksmith who was crippled by a limp from an accident he sustained as a kid.” It was astonishing to me.

How Does One Then Explain This With Science?

Most scientists do not embrace the concept of past life regression, but I do find merit in enjoying the peculiar nature of these experiences.

Most psychologists argue your mind is, first and foremost, an excellent storyteller.

• “Memories” are a concoction made from imagination, suggestions, and prior information.

• Dr. Elizabeth Loftus demonstrated that false memories can be implanted with ease.

“Memory doesn’t work like a video recorder. It’s reconstructive and quite prone to suggestion,” said she.

Supporters rebut that some regression accounts contain historically accurate details or languages.

They reference Shanti Devi’s case, an Indian girl in the 1930s who spoke of life in another town, later verified through physical research.

While scientists dispute the claim, they agree some people benefit from past life regression therapy with or without memories of past life.

The Curious Benefits

Even the most skeptical therapists recognize that past life therapy can have unexplained benefits.

• Unexplained anxiety or persistent dreams sometimes find clarity.

• Revisiting “former selves” may bring relief or insight.

Examples:

• A woman with water phobia recalled a “drowning” memory and reduced her anxiety.

• Therapist Maria Gonzalez shared about a client with chronic neck pain who, under regression, saw herself being hanged in the 1600s. After that session, her pain started to dramatically reduce.

Past life regression can also help you see your current affairs from different perspectives. Some people assert that they can spot ‘familiar’ souls, which helps unravel turmoil in their lives.

Self Past Life Regression: Watch Carefully

If you would like to give it a go at home, remember to hit the brakes!

“Guided meditations and self-hypnosis audios are great, but trying to access your subconscious without assistance is like DIY root canals: risky and prone to complications.”

During regression, strong emotions might emerge. Without professional help, unresolved emotions could resurface unexpectedly.

Safer Approach:

• Start with light relaxation guided meditations.

• Focus on calm rather than deep regression.

• If seeking help, ensure your therapist has hypnosis or psychology qualifications.

Ethical Problems and Social Factors

Certain aspects of past life regression can be challenging.

Main Concerns:

• Religious ridicule: Critics turn reincarnation beliefs into jokes.

• Cultural appropriation: Borrowing Hindu and Buddhist ideas without understanding them.

• False memories: “Reliving” traumatic past events can cause psychological harm.

As a Hindu, I find it vexing when people make reincarnation out to be some gimmick. It is part of a sophisticated belief system.

Famous Cases:

1. Bridey Murphy (1950s, USA)

• Ruth Simmons, under hypnosis, described a life as Bridey Murphy in 1800s Ireland.

• Spoke Gaelic and detailed Irish customs which she was not aware of.

2. James Leininger (Modern Case)

• As a toddler, he had nightmares of plane crashes.

• Claimed to be a World War II fighter pilot named James Huston.

• Many details matched real historical records.

“The persuasive nature of the verification James provided was carefully analyzed to come from a genuine source,” said Dr. Tucker.

Final Thoughts

Accessing an actual previous life is an open-ended question in the realm of past life regression. The insights you gain from such therapy for your present self can be very powerful.

Enter with an open mind and healthy skepticism. The key is how you live now, whether or not you were a Roman centurion, a Middle Ages peasant, or it’s your soul’s first journey.