In the time of Kaliyug, when the need of the hour is to spiritualise society, the role of the householder seeker is a crucial one. Juggling career, family, multiple relationships and traffic jams, the householder must bloom like the proverbial lotus in the muck of everyday life More>>
The system of Past Life Therapy (PLT) or Past Life Regression
(PLR) necessarily entails a belief in the theory of reincarnation.
The therapy works on the premise that the cause of a patient's
physical and/or psychological ailments might result from a trauma
that a patient had experienced in an earlier existence, or at
any rate, by some sort of personal ordeal buried deep within the
subconscious.
Practitioners of PLT use methods ranging from hypnosis
to acupuncture
for inducing patients to regress to their past lives and identify
the root of their present problems. This is the first phase (the
'realistic-cathartic' stage according to Jungian psychotherapist,
Roger J. Woolger). The next step ('symbolic-archetypal') is for
the patient to project the present self onto a past personality.
The third step is to come to terms with what has been relived
through regression in this 'integral-mystical' stage. The therapy
proves to be beneficial only when the patient is able to accept
the past trauma and is ready to progress beyond that.
Schools of thought dealing with PLT vary according to their degree of leaning
towards the theory of reincarnation. The concept of regression is as old as Patanjali's
Yoga Darshan, which was written around the 4th century BC. In his treatise
Patanjali, the ancient Indian Yoga philosopher, talks about the soul (chitta)
being burdened with the accumulation of impressions (samskara) of karmas
from previous existence. He advocates the practice of yoga meditation for alleviating
the soul from such interminable encumbrances. The Buddhist concept of Nirvana
works along similar lines.
Madame H.P. Blavatsky,
cofounder of the Theosophical
Society, and her particular brand of theosophy were together
responsible for introducing the idea of reincarnation to the Western
world. But much before the theosophical school, Spiritism—the
French branch of spiritualism in the 19th century—under the
leadership of Allan Kardec, was to have a brush with past lives.
In his book, The Book of the Spirits (1857), Kardec writes
about "spirits" who spoke through mesmerized patients about reincarnation
and karma. But the first person to use regression as a therapy
was probably Dr Denys Kelsey. Co-authored with Joan Grant, Kelsey's
Many Lifetimes (1967) is the first book on PLT, which focuses
more on the therapeutic aspect of the technique than on stories
of relived experiences. In some ways the book triggered off tussles
between a predominantly spiritual and a growing scientific/clinical
attitude towards the system of PLT.
Transpersonal psychology, the branch of psychology which recognizes
the spiritual aspect of the mind, explains the therapeutic basis
of PLT with the help of parapsychology, altered states of consciousness
and brain anatomy.
Even though the theory of reincarnation forms the substratum of
this alternative therapy, a lot of PLT practitioners focus on
treating the behavioral problems of patients rather than dwelling
on spiritual aspects of life. However, nearly all schools of thought
affiliated with PLT invest in the basic belief of karma and cycles
of rebirth. Some—like Dick Sutphen, the past life therapist
responsible for popularizing PLT in the West—even believe
in the non-linearity of time and the multilevel existence of souls.
But most of these differing views finally all come down to Patanjali's
theory of the chitta (soul) being burdened by samskaras
(impressions) from past existence and weighing down on our present
lives. And therefore the need to cleanse the soul of all its excess
burden by identifying the source of all suffering and uprooting
it right from its origin.
Brazil Godoy, Herminia
Prado, M.A.
Center of Scientific and
Technological Diffusion
R. Aurea, 226,
Vila Mariana,
Sao Paulo, Brazil
CEP: 04015-070.
Tel/Fax: 55-5740510
Email: www.centrodedifusao.cjb.net
Canada Carr, Catherine Marie
Stoney Creek,
Ontario, Canada.
Tel: 1-905-643-3153
Dubuc, Pierre, Ph.D.
St. Sauveur
des Monts, Quebec
(40 miles
north of Montreal).
Tel: 450-227-4210
Email: pdubuc@qc.aira.com
Korea Ki Moon Seol, ED.D.
Professor of
Counseling Psychology
Ki Moon Seol, Ed.D.
Dept. of Education
Dong-A University
Pusan, Korea .
Tel: 051-200-7084
Email: kmseol@webcrew.co.kr
Netherlands Tendam, Dr. Hans Balkerweg 83,
7739 PT Ommen,
The Netherlands.
Tel: 31-523-649415
Fax: 31-523-649412
USA Armentrout,
David P., Ph.D. 1390, South
Winchester Blvd. - B3
San Jose, CA -95128.
Tel: 408- 378-7799
Fax: 408- 871-0999
Email: darmentrout@changework.com Association for
Pastlife Research
and Therapists: P.O. Box-20151
Riverside, CA 92516-0151.
Tel: 909-784-1570
Baldwin,
Dr. William J. Center for Human
Relations
P.O.Box: 4061,
Eterprise
Florida-32725.
E-mail:
doctorbill@aol.com
Past Life Therapy
contains articles dealing with the concept of reincarnation, what Past
Life Therapy is and the kinds of experience an individual goes through
in Past Life Regression.
International Association of Past Life Therapists
gives you the listings of workshops, therapy programs, clinics and practitioners
of past life therapy.
The Journal of Regression
Therapy
comprises of the online version of the weekly journal of the same name.
Includes useful material on the subject, in addition to books, chat boards
and training materials.
Edgar Cayce and Reincarnation
provides the biography of Edgar Cayce and his research findings on regression
and reincarnation.The site comprises of a journal, articles and message
boards.
Past Forward
provides a unique holistic counseling on past life therapy, a comprehensive
past life healing exercises and much more about the topic.
Kadmon Academy
of Human Potential has extensive information on methods of past life therapy, counseling
on personal problem and self development. List of therapists across the
countries.
Brian
Weiss MD has written many books on past life therapy. The site comprises
of real life experiences, a questionnaire, and reviews of his books
and videos.
Regressions
and Progressions Overviews the past life regressions with useful
resources to articles, tapes, and music.
Adventures
in Reincarnation Covers lectures and videos of Bryan Jameison, a
Q & A section, and notes on past life regression.
The
way of immunity.org Features an online documentary and short notes
on past life regression.
Center
for Extraordinary Explorations gives you details about of the body
and near death experiences in daily life and reincarnation. Research and study
of alien contacts is another interesting aspect of the site.
Past
Life readings Provides with substantial information on past life.
Includes interview excerpts of the author, resources like paintings, book reviews,
poems, and few articles.
Dr.
Bruce Goldberg the Hypnotherapist
Tells you about the past life regression therapy or what he calls future
progression.Through numerous interesting articles and music cassettes
he informs about Astral Voyaging ,Ascension Training and much more about
dream therapy.
Joyfire Healing Pages
Informs about psychic, past life matters and emotional healing. It also
contains writings and poems of the related subjects.
Past
Life Regression Therapy Information on past life regression and how it can help one in understanding
oneself better. Includes quotes and thoughts on karma and reincarnation.
There are many ways to induce past life regression. However, if you are
doing it with a group of friends, be sure that you feel comfortable with
them.
Sound Simulation Play soft and monotonous music and face a wall in a dimly lit room.
Single notes played by a woodwind are effective, as is soft meditation
music. These sound frequencies transport you into an altered state of
consciousness.
Mirror Method In a dimly lit room, focus on your reflection in a mirror held by
you. Soon, the reflection would change and you might come face to face
with your personality from a past life.
Historical References Here, a person mentions a particular country or time in history and
all others are asked to concentrate for five or ten minutes to see if
they feel any connection to it. This is repeated.
Focused Reading
Each group member makes some intuitive comment about the past life of
the participants. It often reveals surprisingly similar responses.
Resonance Method
Do you feel a special affinity for any country or culture? Are your tastes
specific to any period? See if you can find a pattern in your behavior.
In fact, one of the many indicators of your past life is also the kind
of climate you're comfortable with. Even your body structure, especially
your eyes, often bear a close resemblance to your past persona.
Caution: Make sure that there is at least one healer
or therapist in your group.
