Past Lives: What Regression Involves

The idea of having already lived before birth is both appealing and puzzling. It rests on very old beliefs, and it has given rise to a modern practice: past life regression. This article describes its origin, how it unfolds and the precautions worth knowing, without taking a side on the reality of past lives.

An old and plural belief

Reincarnation, the idea that part of a person is reborn after death, is present in many traditions. It is found in Hinduism and Buddhism, which place it at the heart of their worldview, but also in some currents of ancient Greece. In the West, it spread in the 19th century, notably thanks to spiritism and Allan Kardec, whose The Spirits' Book appeared in 1857.

These traditions do not share the same conception of rebirth. In the Eastern religions, it is a cycle one seeks to be freed from. In more recent Western currents, it is seen rather as personal progress. It would be wrong to present them as a single doctrine.

What is a regression

Regression is a technique, which appeared in the 20th century, that uses relaxation or hypnosis to bring back to awareness images, sensations or scenes said to belong to a past existence. In practice, a session unfolds in several stages:

• a preliminary conversation to set the framework and the intention;
• a phase of guided relaxation, sometimes called induction;
• gentle questioning to describe what comes up (place, era, people);
• a gradual return to the present, then a discussion.

The person remains conscious throughout the session. They describe what they see or feel, often with details they had not expected.

What research says

Researchers in psychology agree on one point: the imagery produced under hypnosis is very sensitive to suggestion. A leading question can bring up false memories, which the person nonetheless experiences as authentic. Cryptomnesia has also been described, which consists of unknowingly bringing back elements read or seen long ago. For these reasons, no regression has been validated as proof of a past life.

This takes nothing away from the lived experience. Many people describe it as a moment of relaxation, creativity or reflection on their fears and attachments. Everyone gives it the status they wish: symbolic story, guided imagination or real memory.

Caution before getting started

Hypnotic regression is not a medical act and does not replace psychotherapy. Several precautions are called for:

• never stop a treatment or medical follow-up as a result of a session;
• be wary of any promise of a cure, especially for a physical or mental illness;
• stay careful if you are going through a fragile period, bereavement or strong anxiety, and speak first to a healthcare professional;
• find out about the practitioner's training and methods, and refuse any pressure to continue sessions;
• keep in mind that the images evoked can be disturbing and that a striking account proves nothing.

A serious practitioner promises neither certainty nor results, and accepts that you keep your own judgement.

Finally, a fundamental question remains open: what are people looking for in these sessions? Many see in them a way to understand a character trait, a fear with no apparent origin or an attraction to a particular era. This need for meaning is very real, whatever explanation is adopted. If a persistent difficulty concerns you, a doctor or psychologist remains the right person to deal with it.

Going further

Find the details of this approach on the Past lives page. Readers curious about symbolic readings of personality can also look at numerology, which works from the name and date of birth.

Past lives are a matter of belief and entertainment. They do not replace medical, legal or financial advice.