Do you remember a past life?

Have you lived before?

Would you like to be reincarnated?

We cannot be 100% sure that reincarnation exists. It is in some ways comforting to think that after you die, you might come back and get to do some things better than you did before. You might also get the feeling that you really don’t want to do it all again! In any case, you do not get to do the same things exactly as presumably time has moved on.

Reincarnation and Religion

Reincarnation is accepted as part of many Indian and Lebanese religions, including parts of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It is not necessary to be part of these religions to believe in reincarnation. In some belief systems you will have a rebirth which could be into a different realm. There are 3 good realms, god, demigod and human and three evil realms animals, ghosts and hellish. Your acts in this life will determine your rebirth.

Much seems to depend on Karma and reward with a better life for good deeds and punishment for ignorance and selfishness. When a soul has reached the highest evolved level, then it will no longer need to reincarnate but will focus on helping other souls to evolve. This could be in the form of a spirit guide.

How long does it take to reincarnate?

In many Buddhist traditions it is believed that souls reincarnate within 49 days of death. Whereas others will say that it can take years or hundreds of years before a soul returns. There is a theory that due to free will, the soul will decide which new body to occupy.

After death, it may take time to digest the lessons from this life or there may be a need to go back quickly to make amends or to help someone.

Spirit Contact and Reincarnation

This is a puzzle without an easy answer. If we are able to talk to people who are on the other side, can we still talk to them if they have been reincarnated as someone else? Perhaps we can only contact them if they have not yet been reincarnated or perhaps it is possible to get in touch with reincarnated souls who are now living a new life?

In which case someone could be trying to contact you. Think about this, sometimes when you dream, you may be aware of an alternative life. Do you visit familiar places in dreams that you have never visited? Do you have friends in your dreams who you do not know in this life? They could be symbols or in fact people and places from a past life.

If reincarnation is real, then we have all lived before and perhaps we have family members who are trying to get in touch with us. Is it possible that we can have contact with people from our past lives in our dreams?

Memories of Past Lives

The most prominent research on this is being completed at the University of Virginia. At the department of perceptual studies there have been 50 years of research on reincarnation. Many interviews have been conducted with young children and their families who have memories of a past life.

Many of the children are aged between 2 and 7 years old. They will often be playing and see something that reminds them of a past life. The child will talk about where they lived previously, relationships and often how they died. Most of these children had died suddenly or violently in a past life. The child will often have a birthmark at the site of a past life trauma. These children will often recall their names and family relationships which has made it easier to check the truth of these stories. Many children come back to live in the same geographical area usually within one to two years of their previous death.

This is the most compelling evidence of reincarnation. Some scientists have tried to explain this away as false memories, coaching from parents and vivid imaginations. However when times and dates and names are involved this seems unlikely.

Do you have memories of a past life?

Many people will have a past life recollection, it might be of dying or a memory triggered by an object. Museums are great places to trigger past life memories. Did you experience death? It may have been a bit like Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole. Perhaps you remember falling? Did you die in a fire or a did you drown? Sometimes the most traumatic previous life experiences will be recalled. Do you think that you were executed?

When you visit old buildings, do you remember being there before? Perhaps you were in a similar space? Does a walk in the woods trigger a previous life experience? Give yourself some time and space and write down what you remember. You may surprise yourself!

Past Life Regression

It is possible to have a past life regression under hypnosis or meditation. There are many interesting documented cases of this and of course much scepticism. Hypnosis can unlock parts of the unconscious mind and may enable healing of past hurts.

Some years ago, I took part in a past life regression hypnosis. I was taken back through my childhood, through the womb and to a past life as a servant in a large country house. I was a wife to a coal miner and had a daughter that died. It was an interesting experience and I am open minded about the truth of it.

The most remarkable part was being in the womb, it was so cramped and I really felt small. The emotions were real too, I had a terrible feeling when my husband was injured and my daughter died. It was very real, the feeling was of powerlessness. The lesson I learned was that I cannot control death and tragedy as much as I want to protect my family.

Criticism of Past Life Regression

Much criticism is made of past life regression because it is said that people get things wrong when they recount their clothes, the voices do not change to the correct speech of the time or their are historical inaccuracies. I am sure that these things are true but not a reason to discount past life regression.

When under hypnosis or in a trance we are still aware of who we are, often our thinking minds interpret what we are seeing so we do not always report exactly what is being experienced without adding a current life filter. In my past life regression, I felt that I was part of a Jane Austen novel because that was the correct period, so it would be possible for this to interfere with my recollection of what happened under hypnosis.

Your Life’s Purpose

This may seem a strange place to write about this but if you believe in reincarnation then you came back here with a mission. What is your mission? Do you want to help people? Are you a healer or a teacher? Do you want to make the world more beautiful with art or music? Are you called to help the poor or to be an advocate for others?