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Returning From the Light, by Brad Steiger.

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Reviewed by Wade P. Bettis, Jr., J.D.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume Χ, No. 1, Fall 1996)

LightIn Returning From the Light, Brad Steiger brings us his many years of writing and research as well as the personal experiences of himself and of those that he interviewed. Steiger discusses and demonstrates the many benefits of using past lives to understand and heal our present lifetime challenges of all kinds.

Steiger starts the book by discussing his own thirty-six year phobia for flying, a serious phobia which had no apparent cause and greatly interfered with his need to fly to promote his books. It was only after a spontaneous past-life recall one night in 1972, when he experienced himself as a German pilot in World War I who was killed in aerial combat, that he was able to start to heal his unexplained and overwhelming fear of flying.

Steiger has never been afraid to deal with the unusual and controversial: In this book he discusses situations where more than one person claims to be a famous historical person, such as Mark Twain or Joan of Arc. He also deals with apparent memories from other worlds and dimensions, including people who claim to have memories of past lives as extraterrestrials, refugee aliens from other worlds, pure energy essences, or reptilian humanoids.

Echoes from the Battlefield, by Barbara Lane

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Reviewed by Wade P. Bettis, Jr., J.D.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume Χ, No. 1, Fall 1996)

EchoesLane, a clinical hypnotherapist, tells of her experiences in visiting American Civil War reenactment battlefields and camps. Her interest was stimulated by the deep commitment of the men and women who reenact these battles: “One Confederate reenactor…said he was fighting for state’s rights and that the Supreme Court had never ruled on the right to secede from the Union. I was impressed by the level of his historical knowledge…Beyond his words, however, his fervor swept over me like a wave. He was clearly impassioned about what he was doing.”

By their own admission, many of the reenactors are obsessed with their roles as Civil War soldiers. It was this emotional involvement that piqued Lane’s interest as she sought out volunteers to explore their past lives with the help of hypnosis. The book is about eleven men and one woman volunteer, all Civil War reenactors, who relive with accurate clarity their past lives as Civil War soldiers. We visit first hand, through the eyes of these people, their lives and experiences as they participated in the greatest internal conflict that this nation has ever experienced.

From Ashes to Healing: Mystical Encounters with the Holocaust, by Rabbi Yonassan Gershom

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Reviewed by Amy Shapiro, M.Ed.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume Χ, No. 1, Fall 1996)

Rabbi2From Ashes to Healing, Rabbi Gershom’s sequel to Beyond the Ashes, follows fifteen individuals whose past-life memories of Holocaust experiences led to inner peace, strength and healing through their spiritual journeys. The remarkable and multi-dimensional stories in From Ashes to Healing exude a most satisfying sense of spiritual intimacy, as if touching the very threads out of which the cloth of soul is woven.

Recounted, among other fascinating cases, are the experiences of a Canadian goat farmer who located a clock from past-life flashbacks and a Swedish woman whose memories were confirmed when she visited the site of Buchenwald. Also discussed is the concept of the “ethnic soul,” the possible after-life fate of Hitler, and Edgar Cayce’s prophecies concerning Jews and World War II, interpreted with great insight.

It is curious that Rabbi Gershom’s From Ashes to Healing coincides with the publication of Hitler’s Willing Executioners, by Daniel Goldhagen, which is stirring a controversial pot both here and in Europe. From Ashes to Healing provides a critical balance to the otherwise traumatic and ongoing recycling of gloom surrounding the Holocaust. While no sane person could find joy in the subject, Rabbi Gershom injects a note of hope into a dark chorus of pained voices, in desperate need of a process of arriving at karmic closure to these traumatic events.

True Hauntings: Spirits with a Purpose, by Hazel M. Denning, Ph.D.

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Reviewed by Thelma B. Freedman, M.A.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume Χ, No. 1, Fall 1996)

HazelHazel Denning, for decades a well-known parapsychologist and the true Founding Mother of APRT, has done something truly original: She has organized haunting entities into surprisingly common-sense categories. In doing so, she shows us the many different meanings of the word “haunting” and makes it clear that these are situations that can be dealt with humanely. The sub-title indicates her basic finding: These haunting entities have some purpose, something they hope to accomplish. Denning devotes separate chapters to entities who are guilt-ridden, malevolent, benevolent, bound by love, or restless; some entities seem to be here to help, but others need help themselves from the living; still others are here for revenge, or are just plain stuck. All need to be released, and Dr. Denning describes the gentle techniques that she has used successfully.

For over thirty years, with the help of a few good psychics, Denning has responded to those who need her help, and she seems to have learned from every case. Her book is the story of a long and brave adventure into unexplored realms. It is full of descriptions of her cases, illustrating the various kinds of entities she has encountered; she also gives us some historical cases that support her ideas.

The Boy Who Saw True, Anonymous.

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Reviewed by Rabia L. Clark, Ph.D.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume Χ, No. 1, Fall 1996)

boyWhat a treat it is to find a book that is so fascinating, enlightening, and educational that it can’t be put down until it is all read! The Boy Who Saw True is such a book. It was first printed in 1953, and is now in its 11th printing. The author preferred to remain anonymous.

It is the story of a boy who started his diary of psychic experiences as soon as he could write. He lived in the Victorian era in England, when psychic phenomena were discounted. His parents thought him odd, and never encouraged him, but he had a tutor who was open-minded. The boy was visited by various members of his family who had died, and was given messages to communicate to the family.

Eventually he was able to get many spirits to tell him what Heaven is like, how it feels to not have a body, about souls who hang around and are confused about dying. He had what could be called angelic visitors, who explained things to him, and guided him. He also had spontaneous past-life memories.

Loving Mozart by Mary Montano

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Reviewed by Chrisanthe E. Nicholaou, M.B.A., C.M.T., C.C.Ht., Reiki Master.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume IΧ, No. 1, Fall 1995)

MozartLoving Mozart is not just another biography of the musical genius, composer of over 600 of the world’s greatest works. It is the author’s very personal past-life experience as Austrian composer Franz Xavier Sussmayr, the friend of Mozart. Much of what we think we know as history is challenged by Montano’s sensitive narrative of her past-life memories.

The story spans four centuries and four lives. There is an intricate interweaving of the 18th century relationship of Mozart and Sussmayr with the 20th century relationship of American pianist William Kappel and the author. Montano tells the story well, in narrative sequences that move us deftly from century to century. She balances the stories, giving each of the principles a chance to be presented and explored, beginning with a glimpse into their early childhoods and a shared experience with light. The childhood memories are brief and serve to show the bonds that music has on this one soul who was once Mozart, in two of its incarnations.

The book centers on Mozart’s last years, beginning with the meeting in Vienna of a mature Mozart, then 32, and Sussmayr, a young and impressionable 22. Sussmayr approached Mozart in hopes of being accepted as a student, but he soon became the friend, supporter, and final companion to the troubled and frustrated genius, giving up his own work to become Mozart’s copyist. It was a surrender to his inner awareness that his life was bound with Mozart’s; he must be with him, share with him, help him. But Mozart had already begun his descent into ill-health and poverty.

Life Patterns, Soul Lessons, and Forgiveness by Henry Leo Bolduc

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Reviewed by Rabia L. Clark, Ph.D.

 (as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume IΧ, No. 1, Fall 1995)

henry2Henry Leo Bolduc has been researching hypnosis and regression therapy for over thirty years. He has been a frequent speaker at APRT conferences, and travels extensively as a motivational speaker. His earlier books are Self-Hypnosis: Creating Your Own Destiny and The Journey Within. His new book covers an area which is not covered as thoroughly in any other book as far as I know. It deals with life patterns, learning their lessons, and through this insight and forgiveness, going on to a happier future.

There is an interesting chapter on how to make self-hypnosis tapes to help focus on ideals, objectives, the inner child, and remembering past lives; it includes scripts the reader can tape. There is a chapter on soul lessons, including an introduction to Edgar Cayce and his important work in this area. Edgar and Gertrude Cayce’s strong influence on Bolduc is described.

Three case studies are used to illustrate the connections between past and present lives. The third, Enrique, is unusual because he kept a diary of thirty years’ remembrances from sessions. His diaries are briefly outlined to show the lessons learned in each life, and how they have reappeared in other lives, including the present one. What was gained by living each life, and what might have been lost when the life was a tragic one, are also examined. The idea that past lives influence the present life permeates the whole book, and seems to be a basic premise. This, of course, presupposes that the past lives that appear in regressions are true, which many past-life therapists believe, but which has not and may never be proven.

The Spiritual Dance of Life: Where Two Worlds Meet by Teri Daunter

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Reviewed by Hazel M. Denning, Ph.D.

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume IΧ, No. 1, Fall 1995)

TeriDr. Daunter’s sub-title, “Where Two World Meet,” says it all in one succinct phrase. This book is an exploration, done with unusual clarity, of the spiritual nature of human beings and how this spirituality manifests in a physical world.

The central statement of the book is well expressed in the Foreword: “…The cause of any mental and physical malfunction is derived from previous lives lived by the individual,” and “…all disease is a reflection of one’s mental attitude, which, as a result, creates the distress that is experienced in one’s present life.”

With a major emphasis on love as the greatest power available to us as human beings, Dr. Daunter addresses the many common everyday issues we all face, including physical and emotional well-being or illness, difficult relationships, and choices of spiritual philosophies.

Throughout the book, Dr. Daunter examines the question “Who am I and why am I here?” in such a definitive way that it is like reading a collection of the wisdom of the great minds throughout centuries of accumulated knowledge. Yet it is presented with a straightforward clarity that any serious reader can follow. It is extensive in scope, examining the intricacies of humankind and our place in the universe.

Remote Depossession by Irene Hickman, D.O.

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Reviewed by Russell Davis, Ph.D.

 (as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume IΧ, No. 1, Fall 1995)

HickmanAlthough the concept of entity attachment/releasement per se is by no means universally accepted by all past-life therapists, it is becoming a topic of growing interest. Increasingly, when working with clients, past-life therapists are exploring the possibility that a person may be a host to one or more entities that have taken up residence in his or her body. As this concept gathers credibility among therapists, there is a growing desire on the part of therapists to be trained in the techniques appropriate to discovering the existence of entity attachments and releasing them.

This book is Dr. Hickman’s latest publication, and it is sure to stir up controversy, even among those past-life therapists who may already be practicing (or considering practicing) entity releasement. What is so controversial about Dr. Hickman’s proposal as outlined in this book is that releasement, which she terms “dispossession,” may be accomplished without having to work directly with the person in whose body the entity(ies) resides. (This is a concept similar to that of Ireland-Frey (Journal, VIII, 1994) in which Dr. Ireland-Frey describes one case in which she worked with an absent client through a channeller.)

Past-Life Therapy: The State of the Art by Rabia Lynn Clark, Ph.D.

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Reviewed by Chet B. Snow, Ph.D

(as included in the The Journal of Regression Therapy Volume IΧ, No. 1, Fall 1995)

RabbiaDr. Rabia Lynn Clark, a counselor in Texas and a former Board member and Secretary of APRT, has filled a much-needed gap in the growing body of literature on reincarnation and regression therapies. And she has done so with an easy-to-read style and a painstaking attention to detail that should prove highly valuable to researchers and therapists alike. Past-Life Therapy: The State of the Art belongs in the library of anyone concerned with the ongoing evolution of the therapeutic arts and sciences as we end this second Western Millennium.

Originally published as her Ph.D. Dissertation at the Fielding Institute, the book is divided into three parts. The first section deals with the twin questions “What is past-life therapy as it is practiced today?” and “Is past-life therapy a new and unique therapy, or merely a re-working of other, more traditional, psychotherapeutic techniques?” Along with a very thorough review of literature on past-life therapy, she discusses its relationship to other transpersonal fields such as age-regression, hypnosis, and subpersonalities work.