Past lives

Past-life reading is based on a belief in reincarnation. It offers a symbolic narrative: who you might have been and what you might have kept from it.

It is a matter of personal belief and storytelling, to be read as an aid to reflection.

Where it comes from

The idea that the soul is reborn in other bodies lies at the heart of several major religious traditions of India. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism speak of samsara, the cycle of rebirths, governed by karma, the law that links actions to their consequences. These traditions see it first and foremost as a cycle from which one seeks to be freed.

In ancient Greece, the transmigration of souls, or metempsychosis, is associated with Pythagoras and his school, and Plato mentions it in several dialogues. Christianity and Islam did not adopt it, and the idea remained marginal in the West for centuries. It returned in the 19th century through two currents: the spiritism of Allan Kardec in France, which made reincarnation a pillar of its doctrine, and Theosophy, which spread notions that originated in India.

The search for past lives as a form of consultation developed in the 20th century. In the United States, Edgar Cayce gave “life readings” on the supposed past existences of his clients. Regression under hypnosis, and later guided sessions without hypnosis, then became popular in personal development circles, as did so-called karmic astrology, which reads past lives in the birth chart.

What it is based on

The reading rests on a simple idea: what marked us in earlier existences would leave traces in the present life. According to supporters of this approach, unexplained fears, an attraction to a particular era or intense relationships would be echoes of those lives. The reading seeks to put a narrative to these elements, without any possibility of verification.

Each method has its own reference points. In karmic astrology, the South Node is read as what one brings from the past, and the North Node as the direction to take. Card readings use specific layouts: one card for the era, one for the role, one for the lesson. In a guided session, the images that come to the person's mind form the material of the narrative.

How it is practised

Depending on the practitioner: a card reading, an astrological reading (lunar nodes) or a guided session.

A consultation generally begins with a conversation about what brings you there: a recurring question, a pattern that repeats, or simple curiosity. Depending on the practitioner, what follows takes the form of a card spread, a reading of your birth chart based on your date, time and place of birth, or a guided relaxation session in which you describe aloud the scenes that appear. Allow between one and one and a half hours.

Readings using cards or astrology can easily be done by telephone or video call. Guided regression sessions are better held in person, in a calm setting, and require time at the end to return to the present. Ask the practitioner beforehand about their method and how they support any emotions that may arise.

What to expect

A past-life reading offers above all a symbolic narrative. It can give shape to a vague feeling and open up reflection on your choices or relationships. This narrative is not historical proof: the details cannot be verified, and memory is susceptible to suggestion, especially in a state of deep relaxation, which can produce sincere but constructed memories.

This practice does not replace medical, legal or financial advice, nor psychological support, particularly in cases of trauma or emotional vulnerability. Be cautious of anyone who claims that a past life condemns you, who announces a “karmic debt” to be paid off through costly sessions, or who pushes you to break with your loved ones in the name of an ancient bond.

Glossary

Reincarnation

The belief that the soul, or a principle of consciousness, is reborn in a new body after death. It is central to several religions of India.

Karma

A notion from Indian traditions: actions produce consequences, in this life or in later ones.

Lunar nodes

Points where the Moon's orbit crosses the apparent path of the Sun. Karmic astrology reads the South Node as the legacy of the past and the North Node as a path of growth.

Regression

A session of deep relaxation or hypnosis in which the person is invited to describe scenes that they associate with a past life. These images are open to suggestion and are not verified memories.

Akashic records

A notion popularised by Theosophy: a universal memory in which all existences are said to be recorded.