Advanced Techniques of Past Life Regression Therapy
by David Quigley

Past life regression (henceforth referred to by its commonly-used acronym PLR) is a highly controversial subject in the field of therapy. In one camp are its often fanatical detractors, many of them licensed psychotherapists, who regard PLR as a method used by unscrupulous amateurs to rob and deceive the gullible masses. These therapists are convinced that past lives are at best, mere fantasy.

On the other hand, the "true believers" of PLR have written volumes of data about the subject, in an effort to prove both the existence of past lives and the necessity of "clearing" past life memories from the subconscious mind. Unfortunately, in the frequently heated debate about whether past lives are "real", there is one question that is rarely asked: is PLR as effective in helping people to solve their everyday problems and improve their lives as other short-term interventions? This article will concern itself largely with this critical question, which is perhaps more important in the long run for PLR to become a proven therapeutic system than proving the "reality" of past lives.

Are Past Lives Real?
First, however, I'd like to address the question of whether or not "past lives" are real. In my years of both academic research and experiments with PLR, I have found huge volumes of data that would prove to any legitimate scientist that many "past life" memories are based on real historic people and events. I refer the reader to Helen Wambach's seminal research work (Reliving Past Lives), Marge Rieder's extraordinary and well-researched Mission to Marlboro, and Ian Stevenson's exhaustively scientific 30 Cases Suggestive of Re-incarnation written by a skeptical scientist. It seems to me that books like these (all of which are available from the Association for Past Lives Research and Therapy at 909-784-1570) are sufficient to prove to any objective scientific analyst that past life memories have been documented as accurate for a significant number of test subjects. Those who continue to deny this may present themselves as scientific. In reality, they are trapped in an irrational dogma comparable to the beliefs of those church "scholars" in the 16th Century who maintained their belief in an earth centered solar system in the face of Galileo's telescopes. ("My mind is made up! Don't confuse me with the facts!")Tragically, these hardened dogmatists are in charge of much of the research funding and training of therapists today, just as the Catholic Church had a stranglehold on science in the 16th Century.

In any event, I have no particular desire to "prove" the existence of past life recall to the fanatical skeptic, since I feel the literature on the subject is replete with such proof. However, I will happily grant that most past life memories recalled by client's are essentially unprovable, and may indeed often be figments of the client's subconscious imagination. (Example: the client sees himself as Sir Lancelot approaching Camelot in shining armor and mounted upon a white charger. Historically, King Arthur's knights, if they existed at all, wore leather armor, were incapable of fighting on horseback, and lived in primitive wooden forts circa 600 AD)

Does it Work?
My point, however, is that when therapists inquire into the "reality" of PLR, they are asking the wrong question. The important question in my view is not whether PLR is "real" but whether it works in solving the client's problems. This question, alas, is very difficult to answer. Although some authors focus on the stories of client's who have benefited from PLR, many are still writing about PLR as a kind of therapeutic circus show ("Wow! Wasn't that a fascinating story!") rather than researching the long-term benefits, if any, that the client experienced. A further complication is that most PLR therapists have received very little formal training in the field. Most trainings offer only a few hours of brief and disorganized instruction, without adequate supervised practice, and with little emphasis on the specific therapeutic issues that respond best to PLR. Many other trainings in hypnotherapy and psychotherapy simply dismiss the whole concept of PLR as "unproved" and therefore beneath their need to teach or explain. The results? Even the most enthusiastic of PLR therapists may have a hard time documenting any benefits achieved by PLR. We may compare the relative success or failure of modern PLR therapists to the clumsy chopping of "surgeons" in the 15th century, whose training was completed without any understanding of surgical cleanliness, or even the most basic fundamentals of anatomy. Surely, if we judged "surgery" by the success rate of these practitioners, it would be found to be mere quackery by any modern analysis.

In an effort to standardize both training and research in the field, the Alchemy Institute has designed an extensive 3-day training (25 hours) in archetypal work and past-life regression which is totally focused on the benefits of such therapy for the kinds of issues in which PLR is indicated. Our training includes specific protocols for 5 different kinds of PLR (most trainings only cover one type) in precisely outlined procedures. We also require 3 hours per day of in-class one-to-one supervised practice. Result? Hundreds of our graduates are getting powerful results with PLR therapy. We do not, by the way, require or even encourage our students to believe in the "reality" of past lives. More importantly, we do require them to sample PLR therapy and see that it works for them and their clients.

Healing Past Life Trauma
The most common variety of PLR is returning to a past life trauma which was the source of a clients reccurring emotional or physical problem, i.e.. a phobic reaction, pain or disease. The procedure for accessing these memories is simple, and is often quite effective whether the client believes in past lives or not. The hard part, which requires substantial training, is knowing what to do when the memories emerge.

An example is a client whose life-long fear of water kept her from swimming. The instructions were simple: "Let's go into hypnosis now....back to the time when you first became afraid of the water". While many clients will return to terrifying experiences from childhood, an equal number will, without any previous discussion of "past lives", go back to a past life memory. Frequently, the incident ended in death. We simply review the circumstances of that death, the meaning that death had for the client, and what decision was made by the client after death. To continue my water phobia example: the client goes back to a recent past life where she drowned in a fast-flowing river and lost her 2 young children when the boat she was in capsized. After feeling the terrible pain of this loss (not only of her own life, but her children's!) we move forward to experience her death, and the decision she made at the time: "I'll never go in the water again!" We then have the opportunity to "solve" the situation in one of 4 ways:

1. With the therapists help, she can convince her past life personality (PLP) that this decision is no longer necessary, and help her PLP to change it. (How about simply vowing never to travel on big, dangerous rivers again?)
    
2. We need in some cases to allow the client to express their grief, anger, and or remorse to significant others and allow the others to respond. ("I'm sorry I took this boat and drowned you kids! "sob" Can you forgive me? Yes, they forgive me, I feel such a burden lifted!")
    
3. In some cases, we can even rescue the PLP, and allow that person to live out the remainder of their lives in safety and harmony. This allows them to complete and resolve the feelings of incompleteness that often result from a sudden death. ("Now I'm seeing myself swimming to share with my children. Now I'm seeing how happy we are in our new home on the western frontier. What a happy life...now the kids are leaving home...I'm dying of old age..how complete this feels!") This client chose all of these 3 methods, and was able to swim in deep water and without fear within a few hours of her session.
    
4. In some cases, we can rescue the PLP and bring this person forward to the present life. My favorite example is a client who was blocked by a deep but persistent fear of building a practice as a hypnotherapist. In going back to where she discovered that it was dangerous to be a healer, she returned to an extremely painful experience of being burned as a witch. First, we examined her post-death decision - "I'll never heal anyone again!" Turns out, she was unwilling to change the decision in present time. After all, she had once been a beloved healer in her community, before it turned against her under the influence of the inquisition. Only when we told her about California's free-wheeling culture and invited her former self to join my client in a safe new life as a hypnotherapist in California, did she brighten up, and step up to the 20th century bringing with her those healing abilities from her past. Within 3 months, she had set up a highly successful hypnosis clinic.
   
   Here are two more examples of working with past life trauma.

Contacting Creative Abilities
Another type of PLR is used to contact and integrate creative abilities from past lives. My theory is that if we've been on this planet for several thousand years we must have developed some interesting creative abilities. These might include art, music, dance, writing, healing abilities, business and organizational skills, even relationship and parenting skills. An alternative theory could be that through hypnosis we can access these abilities from some 'universal mind', or even that we simply use the power of hypnotic suggestion to "create" a creative past life. In any case, though, regardless of your chosen theory, the therapeutic outcome is much the same. Clients emerge from trance with new or enhanced abilities in every area of life from art to business.
My favorite story is my own. After spending most of my early life a complete musical idiot, (in the 8th grade I was sadly informed by my piano teacher that I was without any talent) I learned to channel a past life musician, who now plays spectacular romantic piano music to audiences all over America. People who compare my music to Franz Lizt and Ludwig Von Beethoven are always amazed when I explain I can scarcely read a note of music. I also channel a beautiful temple dancer who can weave stories in the air with dance. I've also found a court jester from France who solved my problem of chronic shyness and seriousness and gives my teaching the air of a stand-up comedy performance. Now if I could only find someone that can balance a checkbook! Graduates of my program have used these techniques to increase their healing abilities, achieve business success, even to improve their golf swing. The procedure is a simple one. We go back in hypnosis to a "past life" in which the client had a creative ability. Then we examine the past life in detail, discover and practice the creative ability. Then we bring that personality with the ability forward to present life...You can discover the power of this technique for yourself, by purchasing Tape #3 of the Alchemical Journey tape series "Remembering Past Life Abilities" The key to benefiting from the process? Don't be overly concerned with whether the "past life" you discover is "real" or not. And don't expect instant miracles. Even if you were Ludwig Von Beethoven in a past life you might be a shade out of practice after 200 years!

Past Life Karmic Debts
One of my graduates who is a former bank vice-president describes this technique thus: "I'll help you refinance your karmic debt at today's low interest rates!" This particular technique is designed to help clients who find some specific pain and struggle of their life...their "misfortunes" to be unbearable. There is a specific pattern of negative events which keeps coming up in their lives, leading them to ask "God" and /or every friend that will listen: "Why does this always happen to me!?" The client's experience of chronic victimization by these patterns of events may occur in almost any area of their life, but is especially common around: money, relationships, career, sex, and health.

The methodology of dealing with these Karmic actions is extremely complex. It generally requires the participation of the client's Higher Self, because these karmic lessons can be long and involved. But I have seen enormous benefits for client's who have been willing to work at a deep level with these issues. The process of dealing with karmic acts is long and complex, but may be summarized in these steps:

1. Return in trance to the time the client did something to create this negative pattern in their life.
    
2. The client examines the karmic crime they committed.
    
3. The client apologizes to and seeks forgiveness from the souls of those he has harmed.
    
4. In the event that forgiveness is not immediately available from all the persons you hurt, we obtain an atonement, a real action one can perform in the present, that allows the client to make up to others for the hurt they have caused. Example: One client I worked with was dealing with a series of unfortunate relationship betrayals. When he discovered he had been a rapist/mercenary in a past life, he completed an atonement of working at a rape counseling center for 6 months. This changed his relationship "luck" enormously. Remember that atonement must be a real action in the world, not just a visualization.
    
5. The client may need to do a special self-forgiveness process in order to forgive themselves for their past actions. Example: A client of mine, whom I'll call Bill, was dealing with serious financial challenges in his clothing import business. He went back in trance to the source of his financial problems and discovered a past life as a wealthy industrialist who relentlessly abused his employees. He apologized to his workers, and promised them that in his future life he would uphold decent working conditions for all the employees of his suppliers. Enormous new financial opportunities came to Bill within a few weeks of completing this process.
    

The question might be asked: Could the use of direct hypnotic suggestion or a program of affirmations have achieved the same results? My answer: although large scale double-blind research into "karmic acts" is unavailable, I can speak only from my own broad base of experience. Still, I have seen hundreds of miracles like this occur within weeks of completing karmic acts process...even with clients who had no belief in past lives or karma. If indeed we believe that a Higher Power is capable of answering our prayers, if its true that our sincere and honest amends can help us to erase our karmic guilt, then this process represents a mile-stone in humanity's quest for redemption...and an enormous opportunity for the spiritually-oriented client of hypnotherapy.

Changing Past Life Contracts
According to traditional teachings about re-incarnation, most people on this planet have not only been here for thousands of years, but have spent many lifetimes hanging out with the same souls. In my experience as a PLR therapist I've found it quite common for clients to discover (often to their shock and amazement) that their present husband was a star-crossed lover who died in the war, and before that he was a beloved child, and before that a dear brother. My present beloved and I remember each other distinctly from Egypt, 300 BC. These memories are very valuable at enabling us to understand some of the intense and sometimes inappropriate emotional responses that we have to the people we are close to.

I frequently hear comments like these from my clients and students: "Now I know why I fell in love so totally and instantly...we were happily married before." "I now understand why little Joey is so jealous and angry at his father all the time. He was my husband in a past life and a jealous one at that." "Now I know why I've always been so afraid of her anger. Even though she's never assaulted me or anyone else, she killed me in a past life in a fit of rage."

Sometimes there are even more important reasons to examine the specific details of a relationship which has continued for several lifetimes. There are times when such a relationship is so deeply troubled that we need to re-examine and change the feelings, beliefs, and agreements that underly a relationship that is largely dysfunctional or obsessive. Some examples:

" I can't live with her, but I can't live without her.", "My son keeps treating me as if I'm his servant. It's driving me batty.",

" It's been 30 years since our brief affair, but I still can't forget him."

In such cases, I have found that rapid results can be achieved by altering the conditions of the "contract" that exists between the individuals involved. While the precise protocol for this process is complex and beyond the scope of this article, the procedure can usually be completed within a 2 hour session. It involves examining in detail the specific past-life in which the client became "hooked" into the other person's energy. Then we are shown the history of the relationship. We then ask the client's higher Power if there is any karmic debt that needs to be paid. If the answer is no, we can then cut the mental and emotional cords that tie us to the other person, and "re-negotiate" the relationship based upon the client's present circumstances and needs. Testimonials such as those listed below are quite common:

" After 30 years of obsession, he's finally out of my heart!"

" Our marriage is totally new. I can finally see her for the beautiful woman she is now."

In other words, past life contract work provides far more than just understanding the source of troubles within relationship. It also provides an effective tool for changing the energy of these relationships and the way our lives are impacted by them.

Obviously, not every relationship that is dysfunctional has its roots in a past life contract. That's why it's critical for the therapist to ask certain key questions to determine if PLR is a suitable modality for these issues. Here are the questions:

1. When you first met this person, was there an immediate sense of familiarity about this person, as if you'd known them all your life? Was the initial meeting fraught with a sense of destiny, fulfillment, or, foreboding?
    
2. Do you experience a unique sense of obsession about this person? Or is this particular pattern of relationship, however painful, typical of most of your relationships? (If the relationship is part of an ongoing pattern, then emotional clearing of childhood memories is the therapy of choice, not past life contract)
    
3. Have you done several sessions..or even years... of deep therapy without achieving a significant shift in the underlying dynamics of the relationship?

If you answered yes to two out of three of these questions, I strongly recommend that you see a PLR therapist who has training in past life contracts. There is hope for your problem now.

Examining & Changing the Pre-Conception Contract
Many clients come to my office seeking to find their destiny; wanting to understand why they are on the planet at this time. Others find themselves burdened with chronic illness, poverty, or suffering and want to understand why. Many even wish to change the "deal" they made with their Higher Power before they entered this lifetime. Fortunately, the trained Alchemist can take their clients back to this "pre-conception contract", in which they decided, with the help of their inner guides, the plan for their upcoming incarnation. It is sometimes possible to alter the terms of this contract.

Example: one client who has lived a lifetime of loneliness, discovers in the pre-conception contract, that his life purpose was to be a healer, and that family life was not a priority. After expressing considerable anger and regret to his higher self about this decision, he heard his higher self agree to change the deal. Within a few days, he meets and falls in love with a lovely young woman, and soon achieves a fulfilling marriage.
Caution: this technique is usually suitable only for advanced students of spiritual work. Beginning clients can rarely access this pre-conception program.

Summary
So, in summary, we see that past life regression is not a simple technique. Rather it is a collection of very sophisticated therapeutic procedures which require extensive training and practice. These techniques, although never tested in double-blind scientific fashion, have demonstrated their effectiveness in hundreds of individual sessions that I have supervised or conducted in the last 20 years of my work as a PLR therapist. The training in PLR offered by the Alchemy Institute is the only program of the many I have explored which offers a thorough training in all of these areas of PLR therapy. And while the debate of whether or not past lives are "real" will probably continue into the next millennium, you can take advantage of the very real benefits of PLR therapy by calling our office now for a certified Alchemical Hypnotherapist near you. Or you can order our audio tape, Journey to A Past Life (Alchemical Journey #3) and begin to explore the power of these techniques for yourself.

If you are a PLR therapist who would like to share a PLR story with our readers in exchange for receiving mention on our web site, please e-mail your story to SOULUTIONS. All stories received by soulutions become property of soulutions and may be printed in part or whole at the discretion of our institute staff.

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