Hypnosis and Past Life Regression (PLR)
I have known about past life regression (PLR) in a meaningful way for about 40 years. I heard about a famous Welsh hypnotherapist called Arnall Bloxham in 1976 when I became a lecturer in psychology and sociology in a college in Wales.
He had successfully conducted past life sessions that made the national press because they could be authenticated. What really made his name was a case study of a woman who experienced a very vivid session in which she was chased by soldiers into the crypt (cellar) of a church somewhere in the north of England. She was murdered by the soldiers in the crypt.
This regression was carried out in the 1960s, centuries after the occurrence itself. The church was traced, but no crypt was found. However, the researchers were more thorough than usual and suggested excavation work to see what was below ground level. The crypt was found, and it did fit the description given.
Even supposing that some of this is made up, the basic fact that the church crypt was seen in the regression and then confirmed in this way is impressive evidence in itself.
Hypnosis and Past Life Regression (PLR)
I have known about past life regression (PLR) in a meaningful way for about 40 years. I heard about a famous Welsh hypnotherapist called Arnall Bloxham in 1976 when I became a lecturer in psychology and sociology in a college in Wales.
He had successfully conducted past life sessions that made the national press because they could be authenticated. What really made his name was a case study of a woman who experienced a very vivid session in which she was chased by soldiers into the crypt (cellar) of a church somewhere in the north of England. She was murdered by the soldiers in the crypt.
This regression was carried out in the 1960s, centuries after the occurrence itself. The church was traced, but no crypt was found. However, the researchers were more thorough than usual and suggested excavation work to see what was below ground level. The crypt was found, and it did fit the description given.
Even supposing that some of this is made up, the basic fact that the church crypt was seen in the regression and then confirmed in this way is impressive evidence in itself.
Raymond Moody’s Method of Past Life Regression
Another formative experience for me was discovering Raymond Moody’s book Coming Back: A Psychiatrist Explores Past-Life Journeys in 1993. I bought it second-hand in New York City just before a 30-hour Amtrak journey to Florida to visit family. I finished the book during the journey and thoroughly enjoyed it.
His technique for inducing past life regression is described at the back of the book, and I have since used a modified version of this method with most of the clients I have regressed.
The method involves seeing yourself in a beautiful place and then rising several hundred feet above yourself. As this happens, the subconscious selects a life that has relevance to the present. As you drift downward, you come down into a different place — a past life.
If things are not clear initially, the person is encouraged to allow the scene to focus. People differ in how they respond. Some drift sideways or upwards rather than down, especially if the past life is set in mountainous terrain. Others do not touch the ground at all.
I have experienced being under the sea in two PLRs done on me, as explained below.
Personal Experiences of Past Life Regression
I have had this technique done a number of times, and on two occasions I entered a scene in which I appeared to be a dolphin. This took time to understand, as I did not initially consider regression into an animal existence rather than a human one.
However, the comfort I felt in the water, looking up at the surface in a pod of dolphins, made this a likely conclusion. It was a very real experience.
After the second regression, I experienced a feeling of great peace and calm for the entire day. The regression itself lasted only a few minutes, yet I remember it clearly to this day.
People who swim with dolphins often report similar calming effects, and such experiences have even been used for healing. I experienced similar effects purely through the power of my own mind, without physically being with dolphins.
Raymond Moody himself described being regressed to an apelike protohuman. He recounts being high in the trees, eating a fruit he did not recognise. The experience was so vivid that he felt the juice running down his chin.
This suggests that regression can involve animal as well as human forms.
Guided Imagery Techniques in Past Life Regression
I also use a guided imagery technique. The person imagines a large mansion with wings on either side and enters one of the wings.
Some people walk upstairs and find a corridor, others walk straight ahead. Along the corridor are doors marked with the years of their life. They walk past each door, noting the numbers, until reaching a final door that leads to a past life.
One client surprised me by seeing years rather than ages on the doors, moving backwards from 01, 00, 99, 98, and so on. After initial confusion, I understood what was happening — a reminder that hypnotherapists must stay alert and adaptable.
Regression through this life
Another, less frequently used method involves regressing through this life by following a feeling or recurring problem.
This involves regressing from the present age to young adulthood, adolescence, childhood, infancy, and the foetal stage. From there, the suggestion is made that regression into a previous life is possible.
I have personally found it difficult to go beyond the foetal stage, and many others experience the same difficulty. For this reason, I rely primarily on the first two methods, which work for around 80% of people.
Can Past Life Regression Help With Healing?
There is a theory that PLR should only be used for healing. This belief is based on accounts of people experiencing healing through past life experiences.
One example involves a severe fear of fire. The person could not light a match without becoming hysterical. Even the word fire triggered fear.
Under hypnosis, she regressed to a past life in which she was tied to a stake and burned. The experience was vivid — the flames, the choking smoke, the pain. Though unpleasant, this experience helped her mind associate the fear with a past life rather than the present.
Afterwards, she was able to light matches, enjoy candlelit dinners, and relax by a fire.
While there is ample evidence that PLR can be used for healing, I do not believe this should be its only use. Curiosity is central to scientific exploration, and PLR offers a way to explore the capabilities of the human mind without unnecessary restriction.
Exploring the Subconscious Mind Through Regression
Two main issues are covered here.
First, it is important to keep an open mind about PLR. While its healing potential is significant, it is also valuable from a research perspective. Much about the mind and brain remains unknown, and PLR offers insight into how they function.
Second, PLR can be a deeply pleasant and meaningful experience. It should be recognised as a legitimate way for people to explore the fascinating ways in which the mind works.