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Spirit Attachments – New Approaches – Andy Tomlinson (Is.25)

by Andy Tomlinson

Abstract:

Andy is an international trainer in regression therapy and shares his thoughts and experiences about “spirit attachments,” something that should be of concern to all past-life and regression therapists. He reviews the current techniques and goes on to explain how to deal with high energy spirit attachments which he calls “dark energy” that require a new approach and techniques.

 Introduction

There is still a debate in regression and past-life therapy about the reality of spirit attachments. Michael Newton, who introduced the amazing spiritual world between lives in his book Journey of Souls (1994), takes the position that spirit attachments do not exist. This was based on the accounts of thousands of clients who, in their life between lives, never mentioned they had a spirit attachment removed. Indeed, I witnessed many debates between his graduates on the internet on this very subject. Some followed Newton’s reasoning and others found the amazing reduction in client symptoms after releasing what appeared to be spirit attachments. This controversy extends in other areas of our profession and a number of past-life schools don’t teach the subject, taking the view that professional acceptance of our work is threatened by merely mentioning this name. Hollywood seems to be playing its part to terrify people with their horror films on the subject so it is perhaps understandable the need to be careful when this subject is discussed.

Can We Establish An Ethical and Scientific Basis for Regression Work? – Jan Erik Sigdell (Is.23)

by Jan Erik Sigdell

Abstract

In a European group much controversy recently arose about questions of ethical and scientific aspects of regression and even “elitist” claims in that respect. The discussion about this concerns everyone everywhere who works with regressions and needs to be taken to a public level in the professional community. I herewith wish to give answers to criticism and outline a basis for our work.

  What are souls?

One point of criticism is that everyone speaks about souls and even soul fractions and yet no one seems to be able to define them.

If there is no self that survives the death of the body, there is no reincarnation and past-life regression is nonsense. The only valid form of regression is the attempt to go back into memories from the childhood and, at most, the prenatal state in the womb.

But what is a soul? Since we do work with regression under the hypothesis or theory of reincarnation, it is obvious that we deal with souls. For us, a simplistic and pragmatic definition is quite sufficient: the soul is your self in a state that can exist without a body. Various doctrines, religions, and philosophies talk about divisions of this self in at least two parts: soul and spirit and up to five and more parts like various sheaths (Sanskrit: kosha) or levels which constitute a kind of “anatomy” of that self. It is of little or no value to be concerned with that in the practical work with regression. For practical purposes we may simply regard the soul to be all of that together.

 

My Thoughts on Rescripting – Thomas G. Shafer (Is.17)

by Thomas G. Shafer, M.D.

Dr. Cunningham has given us an excellent clinical example illustrating the problems with rescripting and some excellent arguments.

I have ethical concerns here. There is a vast power differential between the therapist and the client as an innate part of the process. Allowing therapists to rewrite history and change the fabric of time itself raises their power to the point of being God-like. I think God has enough trouble being God without humans, even those with a Masters, a Ph.D., or a M.D. taking over some of the job.

The False “False Memory Syndrome” Syndrome – Hans TenDam (Is.17)

by Hans TenDam

Dr. Hans TenDam shares his thoughts and experiences about the so-called “false memory syndrome,” something of concern to all past-life therapists and, in fact, to all who use altered states in their work. Dr. TenDam grounds his theories in what he has actually seen with clients.

 The False Memory Syndrome is a bogeyman hindering the acceptance of our profession. It has been discovered that clients who graphically “relived” sexual abuse by a parent when they were very young, had often “remembered” something that did not happen. It has led to court cases and negative publicity. It sometimes leads also to extra work for us as therapists. I have had several clients utterly shaken because of the false accusations of a daughter. The therapist or psychiatrist involved had worsened things further by prohibiting the daughter from having any contact with her denying parents anymore. Yet upon investigation, the daughter’s claims proved to be totally unfounded.

This is not to say that sexual abuse of children does not occur. Sadly, it does occur, and sometimes the accusations are found to be true. But as we all know, it is possible for a therapist to lead a troubled client into so-called “memories” of childhood abuse through the misuse of hypnosis and repeated “leading” suggestions over many sessions.

What’s in a Word? – Henry Leo Bolduc (Is.16)

Henry Leo Bolduc

Henry Leo Bolduc returns to the Journal’s pages with some wise advice about the uses of language in hypnosis. Although he focuses his remarks on hypnosis, his special field, all that he says can be applied to working with any altered state of consciousness, no matter what it may be called.

 We, as hypnotherapists, are involved in a unique profession with vast opportunities. However, some of the terms used in the field of hypnosis itself might be misinterpreted by the public. How do we maximize our field’s therapeutic strengths while minimizing memories of the vaudeville era?

Our professional language is in dire need of renovation. Many words and phrases employed by hypnotists in past decades are now outdated, and often misleading. Some of our new terms are just as ambiguous—and just as misleading.

As simplicity is considered the cornerstone of honesty, we should arrive at straightforward terms that have precise meanings and develop a language that can be understood by all, one that is inclusive. By this process we will eliminate those terms that seem exclusive, power-oriented or elitist, specifically avoiding smug and silly code words and insider language.

Where Hard and Soft Sciences Meet: The Meeting of Science and Metaphysics – Paul James (Is.15)

Paul James

This author examines, from an essentialist perspective, what must be involved if we are to have a “theory of everything.” This would include a meeting of the hard and soft sciences, or as Willis Harman put it, “the meeting of science and metaphysics.” James quotes Jared Diamond: “As to the relative importance of hard and soft science for humanity’s future, there can be no comparison…Our survival depends on whether we progress with understanding how people behave” (Diamond, 1987).

 This article is dedicated to the late Willis Harman for his outstanding contributions and incomparable leadership during his 19 years as President of The Institute of Noetic Sciences.

“A theory of everything”! No theory could strike a more all-inclusive arc. The questions, then, become: Where and when will a theory be found that includes the unification of the hard and soft sciences? Or, as Wilber (1996) asks, “How close are we to what David Chalmers has called ‘a theory of everything’ – that is, a theory that would unite the hard realities of empirical science with the soft …realities of the interior and conscious domain?” That is the question this brief piece attempts to answer from a bare-bones, essentialist perspective.

 

The Client, the Therapist, and the Ethical Use of Language – Tibor Magyar (Is.15)

Tibor Magyar, Ph.D.

In this article, the author calls to the therapist/reader’s attention the importance of language in the therapeutic process and presents the reader with a series of timely suggestions, caveats and admonishments for the practice of past-life therapy.

 There is a magic in words. Language has power. Every word has at least three meanings: connotative, denotative, and stipulative. Beyond the dictionary definition, each word is also defined by current usage and the experience/value system/understanding of the user and the receiver. To add further complexity, it is not only what is said, but how it is said. Ultimately, it is also what has not been said. According to Davis (1994) these are the three vital dimensions of any verbal message.

As therapists we are often fond of referring to the so-called medical model. It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss whether or not the medical model is the only appropriate framework within which the practice of past-life therapy should take place, but we can still draw from its wisdom. The first responsibility charged to physicians in their oath is to “do no harm.” This is a wise and appropriate tenet which we would be well-advised to heed.

The Influence of the Therapist in Past-life Therapy – Rabia Lynn Clark (Is.14)

by Rabia Lynn Clark, Ph.D.

Rabia Clark recommends that past-life therapists question some of their fondest assumptions about past-life therapy. Like David Ritchey in this issue of the Journal, she discusses the “false memory syndrome” controversy as it may relate to our methods of practice. Clark suggests self-examination and a further dialogue on the subject.

The “false memory syndrome” is a controversial issue right now, and one very relevant to us, as past-life therapists may encounter serious repercussions if they create false memories in their clients. Perhaps they should re-examine their techniques to avoid being thought unethical.