Readings in Reincarnation

Articles and Cases on Past Lives and Past Life Regression

Below is a list of articles, cases, and other materials useful to anyone interested in learning more about past life regression therapy, children's past lives, or in exploring related topics of reincarnation.

Some of this material was originally written for the book,Children's Past Lives, by Carol Bowman, but ended up on the cutting room floor, so to speak.  Some is background material that contributed to the ideas in the book.

Some--the articles by Dr. Ian Stevenson, for example--go to the source of objective proof for reincarnation.

Past life regression therapy is new, relative to other therapeutic areas. It's not easy to find the academic foundation for what has become a most valuable addition to the healing arts. We offer here an introductory compendium of practical ideas, method, theory and intellectual discussion.

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Regression Therapy and Adult Past Life Memories

Dr. Roger Woolger Interview: A rare interview with Dr. Woolger that gives a glimpse into his extraordinary methods.

Dr. Roger Woolger: Past Life Therapy, Trauma Release and the Body. A very long article that goes deep into the theory underlying past life therapy. Only Dr. Woolger, with his encyclopedic knowledge of psychology, history, and alternative healing, could have written such an article.

Dr. Roger Woolger: The Secret History of Reincarnation. A relatively short article that delivers what the title promises--revelations about reincarnation through history.

Dr. Roger Woolger: How is it possible to remember Past Lives? A Reply to the Skeptics

Henry Bolduc: Trance, The Magic Self. A personal account from a very experienced past life regression therapist and teacher about the meaning and nature of trance.

Henry Bolduc: Learning from Forty-four Years of Guiding Past-Life Regressions. Henry shares thoughts on the deep personal value of past life regression as a spiritual process.

Nightmares in Western Children: An Alternative Interpretation Suggested by Data in Three Cases by Dr. Antonia Mills.  An academic paper that attempts to document past-life causes of night terrors and nightmares.

Cases of Children's Past Life Memories

Sweet Swarnlata A Case from Dr. Ian Stevenson that shows what incredible detail some children remember from their past lives.

Enthroning a Child The story of the Dalai Lama is possibly the most famous example of children's past life memory. Here is the true story of how the present Dalai Lama was located and positively identified based on his ability, as a very young child, to remember details from his past life.

Titu, A Case of Double Birthmarks An amazing case of a child who remembered the details of his own murder, and had double birthmarks that corresponded to the fatal wounds.

The Case of Shanti Devi, one of the best-documented cases of children's past life memories.

Dream Case: "Vendorswagens" A case (omitted from the book) that shows how past lives can first emerge in recurring dreams.

Dream Case: Cindy Night Eyes A case from Dr. Roger Woolger that shows that childhood nightmares of monsters under the bed sometimes have a literal past life cause.

Christian Light: The Case of Sherry Another Woolger case that demonstrates the profound spiritual awareness that sometimes comes with remembering a past life.

Dr. Ian Stevenson

Note: A special Stevenson page introduces the work of this great man and why his empirical research is so important to the acceptance of reincarnation in the West.

Here are some articles and interviews to study and ponder (the list is repeated on the Stevenson page):

Past Life Sleuth:  How Dr. Stevenson Investigates Cases.  An excerpt from Children's Past Lives that describes how incredibly thorough Dr. Stevenson is when he collects and screens data for his cases.  If you're new to the work of Dr. Stevenson, this is a good place to start. 

A Matter of Death & Life:   Ian Stevenson's Scientific Search for Evidence of Reincarnation    Based on the book by Tom Shroder, this appeared as an article in the Washington Post Magazine in 1999.   Shroder traveled with Stevenson on two of his research trips to Lebanon and India.   He gives a vivid account of how he carries out his research, but also explores the proof issue.

Interview with Dr. Ian Stevenson.  Dr. Stevenson talks about the meaning of his work in this relatively-accessible interview with Venture Inward Magazine.

Omni Magazine Interview with Dr. Ian Stevenson A long and fascinating interview conducted by Omni Magazine in 1988.  Dr. Stevenson comes forth with yet more fascinating and original opinions and insights on the paranormal.

Some of My Journeys in Medicine (Part I). A fascinating lecture in which Dr. Stevenson explains how his dissatisfaction with conventional medicine and psychoanalysis led him to his work. This lecture is a revelation of the breadth and depth of Dr. Stevenson's ideas and erudition, and the logic that led him to challenge some of the basic presumptions of Western medicine. It's long, so we split it into two parts.   Part 2 is here: Journeys in Medicine, Part II

Birthmarks and Birth Defects Corresponding to Wounds on Deceased Persons  Dr. Stevenson's research into the correspondence between birthmarks and past-life wounds is perhaps the most unexpected, shocking part of his work. His last and largest single work (more than 2200 pages) focuses on this physical manifestation of reincarnation. Fortunately he summarized his conclulsions in this relatively readable article. It was first published by Dr. Stevenson in the Journal of Scientific Exploration in 1993.

Sweet Swarnlata.  A summary of one of Dr. Steven's better cases.  It shows what incredible detail some children remember from their past lives.  We included an even shorter form in Children's Past Lives.  Thanks to a friend of the Forum, Carlos Plaza Vegas, we can offer the same case translated into Spanish: Dulce Swarnlata.

Titu, A Case of Double Birthmarks An amazing case of a child who remembered the details of his own murder, and had double birthmarks that corresponded to the fatal wounds.

The Case of Shanti Devi, one of the best-documented cases of children's past life memories--even Gandhi got involved. This case actually pre-dates Stevenson's work in India, but he did do a follow-up investigation. This summary article was written by Dr. K.S. Rawat.

Other Articles

Authorship of the Bible A long article by Jim Blanston that combats the argument that "reincarnation isn't true because it's not in the Bible."

Dogma Bites Man  An excerpt from Children's Past Lives that outlines the history of reincarnation in the early Church.

Review of Children's Past Lives by Winafred Lucas, PhD. in the American Board of Hypnotherapy Journal. Dr. Lucas, a pioneer in the field of past life therapy, discusses the book's importance to professionals in the field.

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Find Much More on the Past Life Forum

To discuss past lives, past life dreams, children's past lives, reincarnation, Dr. Ian Stevenson's work, or any spiritual topic, please join us in the Past Life Forum.