Past life regression - why to try it and what to expect

Past life regression is often highlighted in the media and, whether you believe in it or not, the subject rarely fails to capture people's attention.

What is past life regression used for?

There are many reasons why someone might feel drawn to looking into their past lives - it could simply be curiosity, and that is as good a reason as any. For some, it may be that there has always been a feeling of connection with another time, place or culture, almost as if we don't quite fit into our current lives, or that modern life just doesn't suit us somehow.

A past life experience can also help guide us in this life because we might identify common themes or traits of behaviour from the past, almost as if we are carrying a karmic influence through different lifetimes. Sometimes these insights can give us clarity on current situations or difficulties.

Chronic health issues with no medical explanation may also be uncovered as being the result of an incident or event in a prior lifetime. Working through these types of problems has been known to bring relief to some people's ailments, as past ties are healed.

In my experience of conducting past life regressions with people, what often strikes me the most is the recall of very ordinary moments alongside moments that amplify the triumph and struggles of each life. It isn't likely that a past life regression will uncover the fact that you were Elvis Presley or Florence Nightingale previously - although somebody had to be! Most often, people have led ordinary lives with the challenges that faced them in those particular eras.

There is always the choice to visit the death scene, too. Some people prefer not to do this but it can be very insightful. If someone has a fear of death, this can be put into perspective; it helps you to consider that death is not the end, it is merely a temporary transition from one lifetime to another.

There may also be people from a past life that you recognise in your current life. This can be very enlightening and explain the dynamics of your personal relationships - interesting if you find out someone you have difficulties with in this lifetime has been a victim or persecutor of yourself in another incarnation.

What does past life regression feel like?

One of the questions I am often asked is what a past life regression feels like - and my answer is that it is different for everybody. Most importantly, it's necessary to suspend any critical thinking during the experience and just allow the information to flow. This means that whatever comes into the mind can be considered valid - it has come from somewhere and, if it wasn't in your mind prior to the session, then the information is new and the details may be relevant.

Don't be concerned that you might just be "making it up" - we need to trust the information that is coming through and get used to working with the part of the brain that isn't logical or rational. Trainee psychics and mediums go through this same uncertainty about the information they receive. My advice is to trust what you get and just let go and get out of your own way.

If someone is highly visual the past life experience may feel very vivid and they can become totally absorbed in that lifetime, reliving the experiences from a first-person perspective. In these instances, there is a wealth of detail that can be explored.

Other people may imagine it from a third-person perspective, which is slightly more detached. This can be as if watching a film of that person's life from a bit of a distance. For others, it can be like reading a book. The words flow into the mind and pictures are constructed in the mind's eye, creating the narrative of that lifetime. 

My advice is to become aware of all of the senses so that whether you are thinking it, feeling it, seeing it, tasting it or hearing it, everything can be included and help you to explore the experience in as much detail as possible. Most importantly, enjoy the process and give yourself permission to relax and let go.