Who Were You Before You Were You?

When I discuss the variety of modalities that I use with clients, the tool that raises the most questions is Past Live Regression (PLR).

It is a controversial protocol and concept. It is also typically not the first modality I will use with a client. It is important to me to help my clients resolve their issues as quickly as possible. We'll discuss the schedule of sessions, the tools used in each and then choose the path for them to move forward with hypnotherapy.

One of my favorite stories of reincarnation is that of James Leininger, a two-year old boy who had experiences of a WWII pilot. His story is told in the book Soul Survivor.

Here's a brief video of his story.

At the heart of the PLR concept are a variety of questions, including:

1. Are you open to the idea of reincarnation, that you lived a previous life?
2. Did you live a life before this one?
3. What lessons were you to learn in that lifetime?
4. Are you currently living out patterns based on issues from that lifetime?
5. Can you release these past issues and find peaceful harmony in this present life?

My intention for this series of articles is to discuss the protocol and the ideas behind it. I will leave the judgment of the reality of this concept to my readers as individuals.

As a client-centered hypnotherapist, I work within the framework of my client's beliefs. If they are not open to the idea of past lives, this protocol has no efficacy. Those clients who show interest in the process have seen benefits from increased awareness of the negative patterns which they find themselves repeating over and over in this life.
Once we have brought the pattern to light and given it a story, then we can move forward in changing that story to benefit the client, essentially lightening the burden of the issue or freeing them from it entirely.

So, I can hear you asking, “Is it real?” I can't answer that question for you. I can only reply with another question: “Are you open to it being real?”

As we create this world with our imaginations, so too can we define our lives through the power of story and imagination. Reality is subjective and defined by our personal perceptions. I will address this concept in the next article.

What story would empower you to become your best, to achieve your goals for yourself in (this) life? If you discovered that you had negative beliefs that were diminishing your ability to achieve your vision for your life, what tools would you use to change them?

Western science looks for proof on the physical level. I get that. I respect it. Quantifiable and verifiable are good things when measuring for growth.

Unfortunately, when it comes to faith, science is not necessarily a useful tool in proving spiritual concepts.

As seen in this article from Science Based Medicine, the author disapproves of PLR due to his assertion that it cannot be verified.

In trying to prove his point, he also makes incomplete or fallacious assertions, such as this sentence under the heading, “Could it be Harmful?”:

“Even if it seems to help some patients, it is known to have harmed others. The recovered memories can be very frightening. They can cause anxiety: one inquirer on the IBRT website was worried that he would become stuck in a memory and turn into a different person.”

Look carefully at that sentence. An inquirer to the website was worried that he would become stuck in amemory. HE WAS NOT STUCK IN A MEMORY, as the author'spremise ofharm seems to indicate.

The questioner was fearful of something occurring, he was not indicating that he was harmed because something had actually occurred.

Another note, since the author asserts it: Yes, some memories can be frightening. So are nightmares, which are also constructs of the subconscious. It is the responsibility of the hypnotherapist to facilitate the client through these frightening memories (if they occur at all) and help them to learn from them.

The author of this article seems to treat the “recovered memories” as manufactured, attacking thoughts outside of the control of the individual. There is nothing further from the truth. The subconscious mind of the individual client will not bring up any memory that the client cannot handle. They may face intense emotional reactions, but they will be able to work through those issues with proper guidance.

Another assertion in the article is that “The past life “memories” are evoked by hypnosis and strong suggestions by the therapist.”

My issue with this sentence is the use of the terms “evoked” and “suggested.” They imply that the hypnotherapist, like a phony medium, is leading the client to conclusions that the hypnotherapist wants the client to reach.

This, at least in my method of PLR, is blatantly false. The only question that I use while working with a PLR client is, “OK, what happens next?” There is no leading of the memory, such as, “OK.  You are standing outside of a house. What happened when you walked in the door?” This is disingenuous to the healing of the individual. They must be allowed to experience the memory for themselves and construct the reality of the life for themselves. This is where healing occurs, hence the “therapy” portion of the word hypnotherapy.

If you are stuck in a negative pattern loop in your life, here are some questions to ask yourself to see if PLR is a possible modality for you to use to change your life.

1. Do you believe in the concept of past lives? Do you think it is possible that you lived another life prior to this one?
2. Are you willing to take responsibility for what you learn while in the regression?

If you answered “No” to either of these questions, then you are not likely to be a good candidate for PLR.

If you answered “Yes” to both questions, and are ready to rid yourself of negative patterns, contact me to schedule a session. You can reach me here.