How to Conduct a Past-Life Regression

The idea that a person might have lived a past life and may still retain memories of that life is controversial. Believers in past life regression cite cases in which a person's recollections of a past life have been investigated and found to be accurate. Skeptics speak of the implantation of false memories, confabulation by hypnotized subjects and instances of deliberate fraud.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Ask yourself if you believe in reincarnation. Those who don't believe they have lived before rarely recall past lives. If a friend or therapist is encouraging you to embark on past-life regression despite your lack of belief, you probably shouldn't bother trying it.
2. Avoid untrained regressors. A person undergoing past-life regression is highly susceptible to suggestion. While in a relaxed state such as when under hypnosis, a subject can be made to believe he or she remembers something that never occurred. Also, when the subject is asked to elaborate on a remembered (or misremembered) experience, he or she tends to invent details in an effort to please the regressor.
3. Find a psychotherapist who practices past-life regression therapy (PLT). These professionals will have undergone many hours of training to lead a client through a past-life regression without implanting false memories or encouraging confabulation. Ask about the therapist's credentials and training.
4. Ask for a recording of the PLT session. Listen or watch the recording to see if the regressor suggested memories to you, claimed that you recalled things you didn't or otherwise behaved in a manner that you consider unprofessional or dishonest.
5. Realize that your past-life regression may or may not actually be the memory of a past life. Memory is more flexible and fallible than most people know. You may have simply remembered a television show or movie you saw as a child or another person's story you read or heard. This tendency is known as cryptomnesia.
6. Work with your memories of a past life as tools to help you understand your present behavior and motivations. Whether people have lived before and can remember past lives is not as important a consideration as whether the experience was a postive and useful one for you.

Tips & Warnings

• In cultures where a belief in reincarnation is the norm, a family may adopt a child they think is the reincarnation of a loved one. As a result, poor families have been known to fake a child's memories of a past life in order to receive financial benefit from the child's connection with a wealthier family.
• Beware of unscrupulous PLT therapists who encourage you to return for many sessions for which they will charge you steep fees.