The Reincarnation of James – The Submarine Man – Rick Brown (Is.9)
by Rick Brown, Hypnotherapist Those who would challenge the validity of PLT often point to the lack of information which can be empirically validated. Their cry is, “Give us data! Give us names, dates, places!” For this reason, this contribution, in which a careful and methodical follow-up was conducted to validate the data obtained during the regression, is an important study. We would be interested in hearing from other PLT practitioners who have done similar studies and validations. On February 11, 1942, the U.S. Submarine Shark, on which James Edward Johnston was a crew member, was depth charged and sunk by the Japanese Destroyer Amatsukaze. All hands including James drowned. The spirit that occupied the body of James appears to have reincarnated again on January 19, 1953 in the body of Bruce Kelly. In hypnosis, Kelly has a clear and vivid recall of a past life as James. Past-life regressionists
Resolving Sexual Karma: A Case Study – Vivian J. Frazier (Is.9)
by Vivian J. Frazier, L.C.S.W. The continuing influence of a past-life experience upon the present one is a phenomenon well-known to those who practice PLT. This case study illustrates an important but often overlooked point that carry-over may not be from one life time but rather from several. Sexual karma may sometimes be the most powerful kind of karma people can create for themselves. This would not be surprising, considering the primal nature of sex and the deep emotions it can engender in people. Because of the crucial role sex can play in a person’s life, if the expression of sexuality is seriously thwarted for some reason, feelings of self worth and sense of identity can sometimes be greatly affected. As a result, powerful emotions of guilt, resentment, and self hate can develop. Andrea came to my office about a year ago, in much distress over inexplicable feelings of guilt
Treating Children’s Nightmares with Past-Life Report Therapy: A Case and a Discussion – Thelma B. Freedman (Is.9)
by Thelma B. Freedman, M.A. Case studies are an important method which professionals in many disciplines use to share and illustrate information and techniques. In this one, the author suggests the use of past-life reports as a technique which she found helpful in dealing with a recurrent nightmare-apparition. Evelyn Fuqua, in her article in Volume IV, 1, of the Journal, suggests the use of past-life report therapy with children’s recurrent nightmares. She discusses her young client Ben, who suffered from a recurrent nightmare of being shot by Germans during World War II. Ben had realized at the age of nine that his recurrent nightmare might have a basis in a past life and requested appropriate therapy. Fuqua tells us that Ben was already familiar with the concept of past lives; thus, the association between a past life and his recurrent nightmare was a natural one for him to make. To
The Child Is Innocent: Identify and Resolve Child Abuse by Going into Past Lives: Part II – Alice Givens (Is.9)
by Alice Givens, Ph.D. This is a second part of a two-part paper by the author. Part I appeared in the Spring, 1989 issue of the Journal. Dr. Givens is one of those PLT practitioners who believes that releasement from present life trauma occurs by re-experiencing (and through the process, understanding) the trauma of past lives. To illustrate this approach, she cites three examples from her practice. The source of our current problems is often hidden and obscure. All that we know is that we are filled with fear, anger, despair, and hopelessness. These feelings originate in childhood. However, the experiences are so painful that the memory is blocked, and even in hypnosis and regression into childhood, the events are often inaccessible to conscious awareness. The purpose of this paper is to show how to locate and resolve child abuse through the use of past lives. A past life often
Channeling Past Lives – Alan Vaughan (Is.9)
by Alan Vaughan This article introduces the concept of channeling, or receiving paranormal information, as a model for past-life recall. Past-life “memories,” says the author, can be channeled for others as easily as for oneself, as demonstrated by a group of past-life therapists. Contrary to Ian Stevenson’s assertion, he finds that the efficacy of past-life therapy does not depend on the beliefs of therapist or client. An interview with the late Helen Wambach gives an overview of her research finding that 98 percent of people are able to have “controlled daydreams” of their past lives. It is suggested that channeling past lives for others is an equally common capacity. Past-life therapy is viewed by many psychologists and psychiatrists as a memory phenomenon under hypnosis. I view it as channeling, since the personalities that come through are spiritual entities. As the subjects do not normally remember past-life events, we can classify
RESEARCH. Past-Life Therapy with the Homeless – Carlos Gris (Is.9)
by Carlos Gris, M.A., C.Ht. This article reviews some applications of past-life regression as an adjunct to traditional therapy with homeless people. The author presents two case histories illustrating the application of this method, one successful and one unsuccessful. He also identifies four dangers in the use of clinical depossession with any population. His candor in discussing failures as well as successes is laudable. I would like to share with readers my experiences using past-life therapy with homeless people in San Francisco. At the time of writing, I have been working with Healthcare for the Homeless, one of 18 government-funded programs set up to develop models for delivering service to this population. We provide medical, mental health and social work services in each of five major shelters, as well as in a centrally located clinic and in hotels that serve as temporary shelters to many. What this means is that
Regression From a Huna Perspective: A Paradigm Shift – Kay McClure (Is.9)
by Kay McClure, C.Ht. There are many schools of thought which serve as theoretical foundations for practitioners of PLT. One which is perhaps less well-known in Western societies is the ancient Polynesian tradition of Huna. The author has found within its principles important guidelines which she has incorporated into her practice. A paradigm shift is a major change in the way a person or a group views their reality. Once that shift point is established, nothing is the same, and a whole new range of possibilities exist. Many such shifts have occurred; some by the work of a single person, some by an event or an emerging philosophy and others by the arising of the collective unconscious of man. Einstein created such a shift, Freud and Jung another, and the Renaissance was yet a further example. Each of us individually will experience shifts that drastically change the quality as well
Treating the Core Issue – Trisha Caetano (Is.9)
by Trisha Caetano Core issues underlie behavior, says this author. When using past-life regression therapy (PLRT), she advises, it is important to address the client’s case from an overview position, using the client’s response to a theme to focus the session on a search for the core of a behavior pattern instead of the surface presenting problem. The purpose of PLRT then is to remove the subconscious reactive part of a traumatic past-life experience, putting the individual in present time in a position of conscious choice instead of reactive programming. A core issue may be defined as a viewpoint or feeling that motivates behavior. A core-issue incident is an experience that causes an individual to form a viewpoint, feeling or emotion that originates a pattern of behavior. Primary core issues are: anger, fear, control, worth/worthlessness, good/bad, power/helplessness, trust/betrayal, loss, guilt, etc. There may be one primary core issue active in
The Message of the Mystery Schools – Karl Schlotterbeck (Is.9)
by Karl Schlotterbeck, M.A., C.A.S. This article describes the psychological power of mystery schools, with examples of how their practices and beliefs affect intrapsychic dynamics, interpersonal relationships, and spiritual development in later lives. Their ideal of integrated and holistic schooling is contrasted with the observed dysfunctional effects when some of their principles are carried over unconsciously and indiscriminately — into broader social contexts in subsequent incarnations. I know of few things that can excite the imagination as much as the mystery schools of bygone times. The very thought of them evokes images of robed candidates and initiates in their cells or courtyards or libraries, preparing for initiation or seeking illumination. If you could image yourself as one of these postulants, you might well be awed by the revelations that must be kept from the profane. You might also be apprehensive about the trials that will test your readiness and worthiness
Spirit World Of The Native American – Lewis E. Mehl (Is.8)
by Lewis E. Mehl, M.D., Ph.D. The Native American, says this author, does not hold to a linear, wheel-of-karma, reincarnational logic. Rather, he (or she) embraces the concept of a free-roaming spirit that can cross time and space boundaries, mingle with other spirits and enter other lives. His world view is as direct and simple as that of the child whose imaginary playmates are still real. For the culturally intact Native American of today, spirit communication is a practical, everyday experience. Dr. Mehl offers a detailed account of a ceremony in which a woman of mainstream culture experiences and incorporates the Native American way of perceiving. The Native American world, though sparse in developed theory, is rich in experience, stories, and lore. Theory is implicit within its teaching tales and ceremonies and its rituals reinforce the implicit theory without requiring explicit statement. Through my upbringing and participation in the Native
Two Cases Of Spontaneous Regression – Barbara Lamb (Is.8)
by Barbara Lamb Editor’s note: Spontaneous recall of past-life experiences has been well documented. The memories may surface readily in childhood, in dreams, in meditation, or during activities that facilitate a hypnotic state. Dr. Marshall Gilula (Journal of Regression Therapy, Vol. 1, No. 2) has described his experience of reliving past lives while running. The author of the two reports that follow demonstrates that such recall is also possible when visiting geographical sites where one has had important experiences in former incarnations. Learning Trust in the Forbidden City I had heard of people in extreme distress turning themselves over to an unseen power, but the thought had never occurred to me that I might one day do that myself. It took a dire emergency to bring this about—and it marked a significant growth in my life. In May 1987, I traveled to the Peoples’ Republic of China with a group
Life Before Birth: The Impact of Prenatal Experience – Milton Waldman (Is.8)
by Milton Waldman, M.A. In this article, the author presents his views on the nature of life within the womb and its psychological impact upon the preborn infant. Two case studies are offered in illustration, one of them showing how the energies of a past-life death experience can affect an individual’s birth experience and subsequent emotional development. The entrance into the prenatal period constitutes a remarkable transition. The soul moves from a nonphysical condition and infuses itself into a body, which then becomes a vehicle for the soul’s growth in the physical realm. The experiences that follow are generated by the life purpose of the reincarnating soul and extend the learning developed in other lives. The conditions encountered within the womb resonate with, and often evoke, the previously developed emotional constitution and karmic predisposition of that soul. Moreover, experiences in the womb are significant, if not critical, in shaping the
The Fallen Angel – Eileen Bennet (Is.8)
by Eileen Bennet, Ph.D. Editor’s Note: This charming allegory at first glance looks deceptively like a fairy tale for children—hardly the type of material to appear in a professional journal. But on further acquaintance, it becomes so fraught with meaning that we cannot resist bringing it to our readers. Dr. Bennet tells us that it grew out of some past-life therapy work she had been doing with Dr. Hazel Denning, APRT’s executive director emeritus. “This session,” Dr. Bennet says, “was motivated by feelings of deep grief, which had been a core issue for me. In the session, Hazel directed me back to the original cause of these feelings. Since that time, I have experienced a shift in my consciousness that has not included those once familiar feelings of deep grief.” The content of the regression is fictionalized in this allegorical story. Danielle was a beautiful blue angel with blond hair
The Old Question: Is It Allegory or Reality? – C. Norman Shealy (Is. 8)
by C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. Although one can never be certain that the “past-life” images perceived in a state of reverie or light hypnosis portray events that actually happened, this author says that they are often of great use in mirroring, and thus helping patients understand their current dilemmas. He continues to use PLT as a technique for encouraging his patients to resolve longstanding conflicts. This article illustrates his point of view with a few brief case histories. Since most patients do not present adequate evidence to document their reports of past-life events, and most do not express themselves in a foreign language, we must consider the possibility that their imagery speaks in allegorical metaphors for their current dilemmas. This paper presents a few brief descriptions of past-life therapy reports and compares them with the patient’s current-life situations. Case 1 A 42-year-old veterinarian presented with a complaint of intractable
Treating A Past-Life Hangover – Hans Ten Dam (Is.8)
by Hans Ten Dam, M.A. While regressing to the causes of psychological and psychosomatic problems, says this author, we sometimes find chronic adverse conditions, rather than specific traumas. In his own practice, he has found that these cases call for a somewhat different treatment—that instructions to relive the adverse conditions can actually worsen the symptoms. This article differentiates “hangovers” from “traumas,” presenting some general insights into hangovers and a method of dealing with them. A case history is offered in illustration. In regression therapy we look for the unassimilated experiences whose repercussions have carried over into present life. These are usually called “traumas.” But that label does not fit a whole range of repercussive conditions I have seen in my practice—obsessions, pseudo-obsessions, alienation, character postulates (rigid programs, often belief systems, usually expressed in key sentences) and what I term “hangovers”—each of which calls for a different treatment. Here I want
“Your Problem May Come From Your Future”: A Case Study – Bruce Goldberg (Is.8)
by Bruce Goldberg, D.D.S., M.S. The concept of progression hypnotherapy is discussed. Theoretical and clinical foundations are presented to illustrate the validity of guiding patients into future lifetimes through hypnosis to resolve self-defeating sequences. Jung theorized that there are periods in which the past, present, and future merge in a kind of timeless state. He termed this phenomenon synchronicity. Ego analysts see the ability to relate past, present, and future appropriately as a function of the ego, termed integration (Pressman, 1969). It seems logical that some tasks necessitate clear separation of the time dimensions such as remembering (past), attending (present), and anticipating (future). Other tasks necessitate the binding of all three dimensions, such as planning or organizing; in these two processes the modes are seen as separate but interrelated. In a third group of experiences, such as mystical or peak states, past, present, and future are fused. John Gribbin, in
Two Cases of Depossession To Dissolve Anger – Hazel Denning (Is.8)
by Hazel M. Denning, Ph.D. Two decades ago Dr. Denning, along with two gifted psychics, went to the assistance of some people who believed they were harassed by entities—an idea that was then totally unacceptable. While she seldom encounters this phenomenon in her present clientele, she does meet with it occasionally and believes it is much more prevalent than is generally realized. She notes that depossession is now common practice for many therapists. She has selected two cases which illustrate how rage can affect an individual’s lives over long periods of time, yet can be quickly resolved with PLT. Over 20 years ago I worked with two very talented psychics investigating haunted houses and cases of so-called possession. But because such research was considered by my colleagues and friends to be unfounded nonsense, I filed my findings away and turned my attention to less controversial subjects. However, the evidence I
Healing The Past-Life Personality – George Schwimmer (Is.8)
by George Schwimmer, Ph.D. Recollections of events, which shocked or traumatized an individual in a past life, very often re-traumatize the present personality during regression, this author finds. He advocates visualization healing and other techniques to relieve a client of such traumas, which are usually symbols of the client’s core issue. The principal dictum—both spoken and unspoken—of many past-life therapists is, “To relive is to relieve.” In my own experience as a therapist in this field, reliving is just one part of the PLT process, and in some instances merely reliving a past life can be deleterious—it usually shocks the present personality’s emotional body, the nervous system, the glandular systems, and the electromagnetic systems, replaying the entire inner tape of the past-life trauma. The client’s emotions and energy body are consequently left in a very vulnerable condition—one that must be dealt with. If it does seem necessary to have a
Past-Life Therapy in the Netherlands – Rob Bontenbal (Is.7)
by Rob Bontenbal, M.A. Ten years ago past-life therapy was still an almost unknown form of therapy in the Netherlands. Books by past-life therapists such as Thorwald Dethlefsen, Morris Netherton, Edith Fiore, and Denys Kelsey had become available, and hypnotherapy had grown increasingly accepted, bringing many hypnotists into contact with past-life material, but in general few members of either the public or the professions had yet become aware of the potentials of PLT for solving mental, emotional, and physical problems. This situation existed in part because most hypnotherapists did not know how to work with past-life material. Whenever a client revealed experiences he could not relate to this life, the therapist either neglected the material or worked with the stories as if they were fantasies and used only flooding techniques to deal with the emotions involved. Very few professionals dared to reveal their interest in this new approach. Hans Ten
I Am an Honest Child, I Do Not Lie: It Happened. Regressions to Early Childhood Abuse – Atticus Fleury (Is.7)
by Atticus Fleury* (Editor’s Note: This actor, writer, and poet was regressed to a period of childhood abuse following a year of therapeutic work with Dr. Afton Blake. His three regressions illustrate the importance of establishing an atmosphere of trust before retrieving such painful memories. They also make clear the necessity of ongoing work to deepen, transform, and integrate the material recovered, a process which in this patient is not yet complete. Work with childhood abuse cannot be hurried. We thank this author for his candid and courageous sharing). Forgiveness will reign as the clouds Will rain, and the tears of my sorrow will Water this patch of earth, and I shall play In the spray, in the deep muddy puddles play Laughing, crying from the sheer release. And the flash and crack kabooms of thunder Are the cries…are the cries of a child Who never made a sound, but