THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REGRESSION THERAPY

Journal Archives

Home/JRT Article

Anomalous Sensitivity: The HISS of the ASP – David Ritchey (Is.16)

David Ritchey, Ph.D.

David Ritchey is continuing his exploration of Anomalous Cerebral Dominance, which he now calls “Anomalous Cerebral Laterality (ACL),” that he began in his Journal article of 1993. “The role of neurological differences in facilitating past-life experiences.” In the paper below he presents the concept of the “Anomalously Sensitive Person (ASP).” Ritchey has developed a questionnaire, the “Holistic Inventory of Stimulus Sensitivities (HISS),” to identify the characteristics of “ASPs.” The HISS is now in its fourth and final round of testing, with over 500 participants. Here he shares with us his preliminary results from the 66 participants in the third round of testing.

 Introduction

In an article that appeared in Volume VII, No. 1 of The Journal of Regression Therapy (Ritchey, 1993), I proposed the theory that certain neurological differences played a role in facilitating past-life experiences. This present article is an update of that theory and provides some preliminary statistical evidence to support its validity.

The 1993 article suggested the following:

1) “Anomalous Cerebral Dominance,” which involves an enlargement of the right cerebral hemisphere relative to the left, facilitates accessing of altered states of consciousness.

2) Altered states of consciousness organize the mind holographically and set the stage for holographic perception of a (quantum mechanical based) holographic reality.

3) The “implicate order,” an aspect of (holographically organized) quantum reality postulated by physicist David Bohm (1980), is beyond both space and time. Within it, all aspects of existence are intimately and meaningfully connected with each other and with the whole.

4) A holographically organized mind exploring the implicate order has access to all possible “alternate realities.”

5) Alternate realities are the matrix out of which arise all transpersonal experiences, including the experience of other lives.

 

Bridges to the Unconscious Living Images: A Case Study – Zelda G. Knight (Is.16)

Zelda G. Knight, Ph.D.

In 1995, Dr. David Edwards presented an article in the Journal in which he discussed the case of “Marian” and her processes of healing and growth through spiritual emergence (Edwards, 1995a). From the perspective of transpersonal psychology, Dr. Edwards’ colleague, Dr. Zelda Knight, now adds to our knowledge of “Marian,” focusing on two of her past lives that involved traumatic sacred initiation rites and the effect they have had on her insights and growth. On page 99 of this issue of the Journal, Dr. Janet Cunningham discusses similar difficult initiation rites, those of the ancient Egyptians.

 Introduction

Transpersonal psychology has developed a particular approach to psychotherapy – transpersonal psychotherapy – which seeks to incorporate and expand upon the assumptions and methods of traditional mainstream psychotherapy. Its principle assertion is that the experiences of non-ordinary states of consciousness – transpersonal experiences – have healing potential. Collectively, such experiences inspire an inner process Grof (1980, 1985, 1988) termed “spiritual emergence.” Spiritual emergence is an intensive process of psychospiritual transformation in which individuals experience a dramatic shift from an identity based solely on the personal self to an identity based on a spiritual and expanded sense of self. Under optimal conditions this may constitute a form of healing.

There are various types or varieties of spiritual emergence; one is past-life experience. This is the central concern of this article. Past-life experience is often interpreted as evidence for or against the concept of reincarnation. However, research and the experience of hundreds of past-life therapists has shown us that a belief in reincarnation is not a necessary prerequisite for the occurrence of a past-life story since this experience may often occur in psychotherapy despite the disbelief or doubt of both client and therapist (Knight, 1995, 1997a; Woolger, 1987, 1993).