Have you ever met someone who, within a few minutes of conversation, felt like a long-lost friend? Or, conversely, been introduced to someone described as a “really great person” and yet you cannot get away from this individual fast enough? To not trust someone you have just met is every bit as illogical as feeling an almost instant connection to a complete stranger. And in matters of the heart, I can tell you that in many of my tarot/palm readings I have sat across from men and women who have described in great detail meeting a person at a soul level – a very rare encounter with another which leaves an indelible mark on their heart, mind and palm – for the rest of this life and lifetimes to follow.
I believe these meetings reflect past-life experiences, all part of what is known as reincarnation. In brief, this is the premise that one is born into a physical body, lives and dies, then is reborn into another physical form. This is a core belief in both Hinduism and Buddhism; and is quickly being embraced by many in Western society as well. Most pagan religions accept reincarnation as truth – however, there may be some reason to believe that even the Christian Bible speaks of this as well. In the Book of Matthew, an intimation is made to Jesus as the returning prophet Elijah. Also Exodus 20:4 and Psalms 90:3 make mention of this concept as well. Leaders of the early Christian Church removed several books from the Bible in the hope of eliminating references to reincarnation at the council of Nicaea, 325 C.E. By eliminating the idea of birth to rebirth from their doctrine and replacing it with the idea of only one lifetime per person followed by either eternal hell or heaven, their beliefs created a greater need for the Christian Church as an institution for salvation from death. As individuals seek truth in their spiritual journey, they may find that they can break with some aspects of their religion but retain the core faith/worship. In fact, the majority of Talisman’s patronage comes from what are called ”Mystic Christians” - those who follow the path of Christ but are open to exploring new-age concepts such as reincarnation, spirit guides, shammanic ritual, energy healing, etc.
Along with reincarnation comes the concept of “cell memory” - that we take along with us, as we are reborn into new bodies, a cellular memory of past lives. This can explain many phobias, i.e., why someone has a deathly fear of water (say) for no logical reason … that they may have drowned in a past life and the fear of water/drowning is carried into their current reality.
Two conditions can affect the cycle of life and death in reincarnation - karma and dharma. “Karma” refers to the good and bad actions taken by someone during a lifetime which will sometimes determine that person’s destiny in a present incarnation. An example of this is the belief that if you are suffering hardship and trouble in this life it is because of your actions from a past incarnation – such as someone who (in a past life) intentionally suffocated another being afflicted with chronic asthma in this life. Recognizing the karmic debt and then changing your behavior results in the release of this debt – because you have “learned your lesson”. Suffering in this lifetime helps achieve balance, but karmic debt is not paid until full realization followed by self-forgiveness is completed. Dharma is the opposite of karma as it solely involves good thoughts and actions. Karmic debt can be eliminated in a very short time when you help or serve others unselfishly, with pure motives. Once karma is addressed, those energies driving it are neutralized and balanced. This does not mean forgotten, for the soul always seeks to use all experiences in its journey towards perfection and reunion with its Creator.
A past life regression, when conducted responsibly through either a guided meditation or hypnotherapy, can assist in physical and emotional healing as well as the release of fears and phobias. When past life issues are remembered and brought to the surface of the conscious mind and analyzed, it can result in the release of feelings/behaviors or lessen their impact. The process of past life recall can help heal relationship problems by allowing recognition of negative patterns and understanding of where love/hate relationships originate. In some situations, gifts and attributes can also be “remembered” and knowledge gained in previous lives’ can be reawakened.
Why bother to ponder or entertain these ideas and concepts? Because the knowledge that you are eternal and are the composite of all your lifetimes allows you to understand who you truly are, why you are here, and where you are going after experiencing this realm of existence.
Blessed Be! Laura
