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How To Remember Your Past Lives

The question crying out for an answer is, "If we have lived before, why don't we remember it?" The answer is both simple and complex.

The simple answer is, "Because we have not lived before."

This is not completely true, but it is relatively true because the "you" and "I" that we consider to be ourselves have not lived before. We think of ourselves as composed of personality (which includes the conscious mind) and body. The current conscious mind, personality, and body are new; they have not been alive before. Nor have they reincarnated in the true sense of the word. However, our souls have been alive before - this is the distinction - and they have reincarnated. The memories are those of our souls' - not our own conscious memories.

Expert psychics, such as Edgar Cayce, use their higher selves to perceive theirs and another soul's story as written in the "Universal Consciousness", also known in Christianity as the "Book of Life", and known by eastern religions as the "Akashic records." Every action, thought or word we speak makes an impression on the Universal Consciousness. During a near-death experience, a person's entire life is reviewed using the impression made on this Universal Consciousness. However, you do not have to be an expert psychic or have a near-death experience to remember your past lives. Some of the major techniques for making contact with our past-life memories are: hypnotic age-regression, reverie, guided imagery, bodywork, psychic readings, and self-realization. Self- realization includes such things as dejavu, intuitive perception, spontaneous realization, dreams, visions, and many other awakenings that arise from within the individual.

Regression, Reverie, Guided Imagery, Bodywork

Regression, reverie, guided imagery, and various forms of bodywork all begin by getting the conscious self into a passive, relaxed condition, allowing access to the deeper consciousness; or some might say that it is allowing the deeper consciousness to rise closer to the surface. However we look at it, these techniques seek to subdue the normal outer self and access the inner self.

Reverie, guided imagery, and bodywork do not set up a time-space reality as clearly as regression. In regression the outer self is given a time reality to work within. The subject begins going back along the time continuum of his or her current life until the time of birth. At this point, the suggestion is given to continue beyond and describe scenes that occurred before birth. This is actually how some heretofore traditional psychotherapists stumbled unknowingly into the very realm of past-life memory.

In reverie and guided imagery, the conscious self is simply encouraged to view images from the subconscious, anticipating that the subconscious will speak to issues of importance to this soul. Or the outer self can be guided to images related to a specific issue. Past-life memories are not the primary focus of reverie, imagery, and bodywork, although "cluster" memories, as they relate to present issues (specific relationships, phobias, emotional pain, etc.), are usually forthcoming.

Where imagination ends and true past-life recall begins is difficult to say. There is no sure way to know whether the past life is imagined or true. In hypnotic cases, we know that the subconscious is so amenable to suggestion that even the slightest variation in the tone of the hypnotist's voice can give away his or her inclination and thereby prejudice the subject's subconscious to respond in kind. In reveries and guided imagery sessions, the conscious mind is encouraged to imagine, making it very difficult to know when one is imagining or having genuine past-life recall.

Another way to protect ourselves from excessive or confusing fantasy is to select hypnotists or guides with great care. Our outer selves seem to have a built-in barrier protecting us from the direct impact of our souls' past experiences, especially those that are harmful or so unpleasant as to ruin any chance of correcting those mistakes in the present. This should be kept in mind when attempting to discover our own soul's past. Some of the memories are hidden for a very good reason. Bringing them to the surface by force could prove disastrous, crushing the outer person under a burden that even his or her own soul would not have sanctioned. The past does need to be investigated and awakened, but the outer ego personalities involved in these investigations (e.g. hypnotists, guides, and even the subjects) must not assume they know what's best. The inner soul must be allowed to reveal its secrets in a manner that suits its purposes and timing. The only way we can be sure that such imaginings are past-life recall is to be as honest about our reactions to the recall experience as possible. If there is simply no identification with the scenario, perhaps it is of no significance.

Before leaving these techniques for past-life recall, let's briefly look at body memory.

All is really one. The physical body may appear to have a distinctly separate reality from that of the soul, but, in truth, it is a manifestation of the soul and therefore contains within it the soul's memories. If we create the right atmosphere and perform certain manipulations, the body can connect with these memory "pockets" and release them.

Many times in the Cayce readings, people were given past-life or even soul-sensitive reasons for present bodily marks, scars, and mannerisms. An example includes the eldest son of Edgar Cayce who was told in a reading that the scar that appeared on his hand every time he lost his temper was the soul's memory of losing that thumb in an angry past-life fight during the Crusades. There was also the case of a newborn baby who was jaundiced and when the nurses put him under the special lights to heal, the tattoo of an anchor appeared; when they removed him from the lights, the tattoo disappeared.

There are various techniques for releasing body memory. Begin with relaxing the body and mind, carrying it away with music, smells, lights, or other stimuli, then massaging or pressing the body. Usually the practitioners are looking for the telltale sign that gives away the location of a memory - emotion! When an emotional reaction to touching a certain place on the body occurs, the practitioner begins to "work" that area; as he or she does, the participant begins to experience feelings, images, smells, or sounds. There may be only an emotional feeling, such as grief, joy, love, etc., without any clear storyline, or there may be a most detailed story accompanying the release. Usually the recall, or release, begins with fragments and as the sessions continue, the story and meaning develop.

Dreams

Two other sources for past-life recall are dreams and self- realization. Unfortunately, these are two of the least appreciated methods used today. Our dreams and self-realizations have an added bonus in that they not only provide us with past-life information, but they do so in a way that builds a closer relationship between our outer and inner selves, integrating the two separate parts of our being. Building this bridge between our two islands of consciousness is vital to eternal life.

However, dreams and self-realization are certainly more difficult, long-term methods for discovering our past lives and the past lives of those who share our lives. The eventual friendship that develops from this reintegration of our conscious with our subconscious, our body with our spirit, and our personality with our soul is worth all the effort involved.

Sleep brings our consciousness to the door of the subconscious. In this way, dreams are the conscious mind's recollection of the subconscious's activities during the deepest phases of sleep. If the conscious level recalls the dream, records it, studies it, discerns a meaning, and finally uses the knowledge in its life, then the whole individual begins to reunite and life takes on new dimensions. Since the deeper levels are not confined to the dimension of time and space, the past, even the distant past, is not difficult to know. Here the soul's story can be found.

Most past-life dreams reveal only fragments of a past life. Usually the fragment is an image, smell, or sound that has left a lasting impression on the soul's mind. For example, a college professor frequently awoke from a nightmare in which he was choking on sand. The dreams were so real that he would actually be choking when he awoke. This professor was a white man who specialized in black studies. He had always found black culture and history to be of great interest to him. One day he was listening to a lecture by Alex Haley in which Mr. Haley told of how Africans, kidnapped by the slave traders, bound and left on the beaches waiting to board slave ships, would commit suicide by deliberately swallowing sand. The professor was stunned. He knew immediately what his dream was about. He was recalling the most powerful image in his mind, as he had committed suicide on the beaches of Africa in a previous life. A traumatic death experience from a past life is often recalled because of the profound impression it leaves on the soul's mind. Such was the case with this professor, the image and sensation staying with him in the form of a recurring dream.

Again, the only way we can distinguish between a true life recall and an imagined one is to objectively see how well it fits with our present character and life. In the case of the professor, his present interests and career supported the dream and the subsequent realization that he had lived a past life as a black African man who had committed suicide by swallowing sand.

Self-Realization

Self-realization can be thought of as a catch-all for intuitive perceptions, dejavu, sensations, spontaneous revelations, repetitive mental images, "gut feelings", and all the other forms of personal insight into one's deeper memories. If we open up to the possibility of reincarnation, we will begin to see many hints of our soul's past. Our natural talents; our taste in food, clothing, and stories; our innate characteristics; our primary interests - all indicate our soul's past experiences.

Psychic Readings

Psychic readings are perhaps the least reliable of any method of getting past-life memories. You can get a past-life reading from three different psychics and you'll end up with different past lives. Often they will overlap in time, making it very hard to accept that they are correct. The psychics will give several reasons for these inconsistencies, but the fact remains that psychics rarely give the same lives to the same soul.

Edgar Cayce was one of a kind. Even he recommended that we seek within ourselves for the answers and avoid outside sources. Some people are sensitive enough to "read" the Akashic records, giving us some helpful insights into our past and its effects on the present. But you'll have to judge the results with care and common sense.

Seek within yourself. In the long run it will yield more than memories.

www.thebigview.com/pastlife

Using Regression for Past Life Recall

By June Kaminski, MSN PhD(c)

Past life regression is the induction of a hypnotic reverie where you relive pieces of relevant past lives. Usually regression is done with a trained hypnotist, savvy in the process of reviewing past lives for clearing, awareness and healing.

There are two main ways for discovering your past lives: the first is spontaneous self recall - you remember in snippets and transitory images during meditation and reverie or even during your daily activities. The second is past life regression, the induction of a hypnotic reverie where you relive pieces of relevant past lives. Usually regression is done with a trained hypnotist, savvy in the process of reviewing past lives for mental and emotional clearing and even physical awareness and healing. There are also ways that you can learn to participate in self directed regression, though this does pose some potential risk if very traumatic memories surface. It helps to have a guide there with you in case you need help in processing what you remember.

The Process of Regression

Practitioners of past life regression often use an individualized approach to the session. However, certain principles and practices are common to all regressions. The initial preparation is focused on making you comfortable to facilitate a peaceful and pleasant experience. First, the therapist will discuss your goals and thoughts about what you would like to get out of your session. Then, you will be encouraged to close your eyes and relax. Often guided imagery is used to help you to relax and sink into a deep alpha or delta brain wave state. This allows you to be more open to the images that come from your subconscious mind - the place where your past life memories are stored. Your subconscious holds millions and millions of memories, but only a select few can be of much use to you now. The trick is to access the ones that relate to your current life. This relaxation phase is achieved by gently guiding you using a relaxed evenly modulated voice. Once you are totally relaxed, your guide will begin to lead you into past life exploration. During this phase, you will be led to experience yourself in another time and place. You will be led through the various key incidents of that lifetime, focusing on unresolved emotions, problems and conflicts. This process takes up about half the session: the remainder is devoted to healing the effects of the negative thought-patterns, emotions and physical traumas that may have arisen during that life. Most regression sessions last from 90 minutes to two hours.

What will I experience?

Past life regression often elicits feelings of re-experience in people. You may actually feel like you are the person you were in a past life, during your session. You may feel that you have that body again or are with the people you knew in that lifetime. You may also see images in your mind - like movie pictures of your own past life. Some people receive other sensory sensations such as familiar odors, sounds, tastes and environmental sensations such as textures, weather, social situations. The sensations you receive may be quite subtle or very vivid. Since the lives that do come to the surface are very pertinent to the challenges, talents, situations, companions and such that you have in this life, it is worthwhile to really pay attention to your experience. Usually, people do not lose touch with their current self during these sessions. You will more than likely still know you are you, undergoing a past life session. But this will be mingled with the feeling that you are another you, in another place and time as well.

Sometimes people re-experience trauma and pain from their past life. If this comes when you regress, try to relax and just go with it. If you become agitated or traumatized from it, the experience of recall will not fulfill it's purpose. If a trauma does come into your consciousness, it is significant to your life now. Believers of reincarnation know that we have all died many many times. You are not going to remember every death your soul has experienced. But you may experience one that is very important to you now. The role of the regression therapist is to help you remember the important situations and then process what you remember. Often, the simple process of recall is a big step forward to healing ailments, emotional scars and challenges that plague you in this life. We tend to repeat what we do not process.

What are the Benefits?

People elect to explore their past lives for a number of reasons. The most common is our need for self discovery and understanding. Regression therapists have successfully helped people regress and come to terms with several areas of themselves. Regression can help you become aware of:

Your present life purpose and plan

Your connection to your parents, siblings and other important relationships

The cause of your fears, feelings of guilt, anger, phobias

Past life memories that may be affecting your health

Past life talents, knowledge and abilities

Past life trauma and death experiences

Your between lives experiences

Connecting to your spiritual guides and deceased loved ones

Healing grief and loss

Understanding your attraction to certain lands, people, interests

http://www.reincarnationcentral.com/