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Across the globe, many cases are reported about memories that are not related to the current life of a person. The past life memory cases involve vivid recollections of names, places, personal relationships, and even traumatic experiences from a purported former life. Following are some intriguing examples of past life memories.
The Reincarnation of James Edward[1] - the Submarine Man- On February 11, 1942, the U.S. Submarine Shark, on which James Edward Johnston was a crew member, was depth-charged and sunk by the Japanese Destroyer Amatsukaze. All hands, including James, drowned.
Kelly had phobias of water, enclosed spaces, and flying, and he underwent hypnosis to explore the roots of these fears. Under hypnosis, he recalled details of Johnston’s life and death, including the names of his shipmates and the date of his death. He also recalled specific memories, like eating the ends of loaves of bread and his birthdate. He found corroborating evidence for his memories, including Johnston’s military records and a photo of him. Some people believe that Kelly’s experiences are evidence of reincarnation and hence it offers proof of the existence of the soul without the body. The soul that occupied James's body appears to have reincarnated again on January 19, 1953, in the body of Bruce Kelly.
In another incident, a little boy named James Leininger. At the tender age of two, he started having strange nightmares and talking about a plane crash. His parents, Bruce and Andrea, were puzzled when James began saying things like "I used to be a pilot" and "I got shot down."
As James grew older, he surprised everyone by recalling more and more details about his supposed past life. He confidently shared the name of his plane, the type of engine it had, and even the name of his squadron. He spoke of a specific mission where he claimed to have been shot down by Japanese artillery. Remarkably, historical records confirmed that a 21-year-old Navy fighter pilot named James Huston had indeed been shot down over the Pacific.
Bruce and Andrea decided to dig deeper, and their research led them to a book about James Huston, a WWII fighter pilot. The book described James Huston's life and death in astonishing detail, perfectly matching the stories James Leininger had been telling.
Eager to validate their son's claims, the Leiningers reached out to James Huston's family. To their amazement, James Leininger knew things about James Huston that only the family could have known. The story became a sensation, featured in books and documentaries, but not without sparking debates about its authenticity.
In another part of the world, there was a boy named Cameron. At the age of four, he began recounting vivid memories of being a WWII pilot named James, shot down over Iwo Jima. Intrigued, his parents, Bruce and Andrea (yes, the same ones), embarked on a quest to find information about a WWII pilot named James.
Just like James Leininger, Cameron showed knowledge beyond his years, accurately describing WWII aircraft and battles. Their search led them to James Huston Jr., a pilot shot down near Iwo Jima. Astonishingly, Cameron's details aligned perfectly with James Huston Jr.'s life.
The two families decided to meet, resulting in an emotional reunion. Cameron, like James Leininger, displayed a deep connection and familiarity with James Huston Jr.'s family. Cameron's case gained attention as a compelling example of a young child sharing memories of a past life that appeared to align with a real historical figure. These captivating stories challenged everyone's understanding of life and what might come after. While some debated the authenticity of these claims, the mysteries surrounding reincarnation remained, making these tales truly extraordinary.
In Hiroshima, Japan, a unique case of a child named Takeharu emerged, challenging the beliefs of his Shinto family that did not subscribe to the idea of reincarnation. Born on May 12, 2012, as the third son of Keisuke and Yuki, a dentist and a high school teacher respectively, Takeharu began expressing memories from a past life at the age of 2.
Despite being raised without exposure to military affairs, Takeharu claimed to have served on the Japanese Navy battleship Yamato during World War II. His parents were initially surprised by his pronouncements and started documenting his behaviours, leading to the eventual contact with the author Masayuki Ohkado
who published a paper in July 2022 in a journal called Explore.
Some key events recorded in Takeharu's journey include:
At age 2, insisting on playing battleships in the bath with his brother and repeatedly saying, "I won't die." At age 3, drawing a picture interpreted by his parents as the Yamato being attacked by US aeroplanes. He started developing a phobia of water, refusing to play in a swimming pool and making statements about a strong battleship, an attack on the left side, an explosion, and his subsequent death by drowning at age 4. At age 5, he started providing detailed accounts of the Yamato's journey to Okinawa, attacks on the left side, and using an abacus inside the ship. At age 7, he was describing vividly the final battle, American attacks, injuries, blood on the deck, and his eventual sinking with the battleship.
Takeharu's access to information about the Yamato was limited until his parents took him to the Yamato Museum when he was almost 5 years old. By the age of 8, when the author interviewed him, his memories were fading, but he mentioned being in charge of guns. During the interview with the Author (of the Paper), Takeharu shared memories of the farewell party, consuming sake, eating rice balls before the battle, getting hurt during the battle, and witnessing the deck filled with blood and crew members' bodies. He expressed a desire to meet his former mother and reassure her of his well-being.
After extensive research, the author identified potential individuals matching Takeharu's stories. In a photo identification process, Takeharu recognized one crew member from the Yamato, responsible for its secondary armament and transmitting station when it sank. Unfortunately, little information was available about this person's identity beyond their role on the Yamato.
Most of the stories of people who had taken part in wars have emerged, this is because these scenarios create an intense memory of an experience. Such sudden, fearful, confusing and painful experiences create a strong impact on a person’s mind which lasts across their lifetimes.
A boy who belongs to the Druze ethnic group in the Golan Heights region near the Syrian and Israeli border has a long, red birthmark on his head and claims that he was murdered with an axe. According to Druze beliefs, birthmarks are related to past-life deaths, and when the boy was old enough to talk, he told his family that he had been killed with an axe blow to his head. The entire story has been documented in German therapist Trutz Hardo's book 'Children Who Have Lived Before Reincarnation Today'.
Virginia Burns Tighe (1923-1995) was a Chicago resident who, under regression hypnosis, offered surprisingly accurate details of life in Ireland in the nineteenth century. The details were published by the regressionist Morey Bernstein in 1956 in a bestselling book, The Search for Bridey Murphy, in which Tighe is referred to as Ruth Simmons. This was the first major reincarnation claim in the West in modern times and the focus of intense media interest and controversy.
There are now over 2,000 reported cases of children expressing past life memories that have been collected over the last 50 years. At the age of three, Jaseem, the Sri Lankan boy began speaking about his past life as a wealthy spice trader named Nimal. He accurately described Nimal's family, home, and even a shop he owned. Researchers verified these details through historical records and interviews with Nimal's surviving family.
Thandi, a Burmese young girl, claimed to remember being a student in a nearby village school in her previous life. She accurately identified the school, her teacher, and even her classmates, who confirmed her memories.
A curious case published in the Psi Journal reported a memory of many past lives. The Reincarnation Odyssey of Will[2] is described as follows.
Will (not real name), a Midwest native born in 1980, embarked on a remarkable journey that challenges conventional notions of life and identity. Raised with a mild Christian background, Will, anatomically female but identifying as male, started recalling memories of past lives at an early age. As a child, Will's inexplicable nightmares and vivid memories perplexed him until the age of eighteen, when he discovered the concept of reincarnation. His memories, emerging even in the waking state, revealed a fascinating tapestry of thirty past lives. Notably, his memories were specific and detailed, often recounting events with remarkable accuracy.
One of Will's most compelling past lives was that of Wilhelm Emmerich, a non-commissioned officer in the SS during World War II. Investigated by reincarnation researcher KM Wehrstein, the details of Emmerich's life aligned remarkably with Will's memories. The memories included vivid recollections of working at Auschwitz-Birkenau and later being transferred to Bergen-Belsen, where he succumbed to typhus. Notably, Will's recall of an incident involving a female prisoner shooting an SS officer matched historical records.
The emotional reunion with Emmerich's family added a layer of authenticity to Will's claims, as he shared intimate details that only the family would know. Will's story, featured in various forums and interviews, sparked both fascination and debate, with some viewing it as a compelling case of reincarnation and others attributing it to a vivid imagination.
In addition to Emmerich, Will delved into another past life as Wilhelm Schmidt, a German soldier in World War I. His memories included intense moments on the battlefield, encounters with Gurkha soldiers, and even participation in the Christmas Truce. Wehrstein's meticulous investigation revealed some discrepancies, but the overall alignment of memories with historical records remained striking.
Will's journey offers a unique perspective on the complexities of reincarnation, with memories surfacing more prominently from certain lives. His detailed recollections, behavioural indicators, and physical signs contribute to a narrative that challenges our understanding of life, death, and the interconnectedness of our past and present selves. Whether viewed as a genuine case of reincarnation or a psychological phenomenon, Will's Odyssey remains a captivating exploration of the mysteries that surround our existence.
Many decades of intensive and extensive research conducted by scientists like Dr Ian Stevenson and other researchers, such as Erlendur Haraldsson (University of Iceland), Antonia Mills (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada), Satwant Pasricha (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences at Bangalore, India), Jürgen Keil (University of Tasmania, Australia), James G. Matlock (Parapsychology Foundation, the US), and Jim B. Tucker (University of Virginia), have collected more than 2,000 cases of children claiming to have past-life memories.
Dr. Ian Stevenson: A renowned psychiatrist, Stevenson dedicated his career to systematically investigating PLM cases. He meticulously documented over 2,000 cases, employing rigorous verification methods and comparative analysis. His work laid the foundation for scientific research into reincarnation.
Dr. Jim Tucker: A psychiatrist and current director of the University of Virginia's Division of Perceptual Studies, Tucker continues Stevenson's legacy. He has conducted extensive research on PLMs, focusing on birthmarks and phobias that seem to carry over from past lives. His book Return to Life offers accounts of very strong American cases of young children who remember previous lives. In this book, Dr. Tucker writes about the now well-known cases of James Leininger, a young boy who had verifiable past-life memories of being a WWII pilot, and Ryan Hammons, who had verifiable memories of being a Hollywood extra and talent agent.
Carol Bowman: A clinical psychologist specialising in PLMs, Bowman has authored several books and articles on the topic. Her work emphasises the therapeutic potential of exploring past lives to understand and heal present-day issues.
Dr. Brian Weiss: a prominent psychiatrist and author renowned for his groundbreaking work in the field of past-life regression therapy. Dr. Weiss's journey took an unexpected turn when he encountered a patient named Catherine during a therapeutic session. Through hypnotic regression, Catherine began recounting vivid details of her past lives, opening a door to a realm beyond conventional psychiatric practices. Intrigued and guided by these unorthodox experiences, Dr. Weiss delved into the exploration of past-life regression therapy, challenging the boundaries of conventional psychology.
Dr. Weiss has authored several influential books that bridge the gap between spirituality and science, bringing the concept of reincarnation into mainstream discourse. His most notable work, "Many Lives, Many Masters," published in 1988, catapulted him into international acclaim. In this seminal work, he shares the profound impact Catherine's revelations had on his understanding of the human psyche and the therapeutic potential of past-life regression.
Dr. Weiss's contributions to the integration of spirituality and psychology have sparked a paradigm shift, encouraging a more holistic approach to mental health. Through his lectures, workshops, and numerous books, he continues to inspire countless individuals to explore the transformative power of past-life experiences, fostering healing and personal growth. Dr. Brian Weiss stands as a pioneering figure who has expanded the horizons of psychiatry, inviting people to consider the timeless and interconnected nature of our souls.
The exploration of past lives is not just about offering definitive proof of reincarnation. It's about opening ourselves to the possibility of a universe where consciousness is not confined to the boundaries of our present lives, "Ghost Inside My Child" was a television series which featured stories of children who claimed to have memories or experiences from past lives. The children with such memories often included details about people, places and events that they would not have had access to in their current lives. The show presented interviews with parents and experts and sometimes even attempted to verify the children's claims through research. The series aimed to explore the idea of reincarnation and past lives through the lens of these children's accounts.
The memories of past life are vivid in infants, but they begin to fade when the impressions of present lives start accumulating. In some cases where the previous impressions are strong, children recount those experiences. Such recollections can also emerge during a psychotherapy technique called "past life regression." Dr Brien Weiss was able to experience past life anecdotes of many of his patients, which are reflected in his books such as Many Lives, Many Masters and Love is Only Real.
The International Journal of Regression Therapy is the annual peer-reviewed Journal published since 1986. All these years, the journal has published articles on the empirical effects and theoretical implications of regression therapy. The Journal aims to further the professional and academic development of regression therapy around the world by following studying and publishing on the developments of the field. Archaeologists dig the Earth for fossils and historical objects. Human minds are storehouses of information and such information can be used to build a picture that can fill the gaps left in historical narrative. The central character Ms Elizabeth in Dr Brian Weiss’s book ‘The Love is Only Real’ could recount many lives in her session and many offered a fascinating view of the world of history such as her lifetime as an Egyptian healer. One can know to what level medical science had progressed if they could fix the major limbs of injured soldiers.
The concept of reincarnation is the fact that consciousness transcends physical death and is reborn in new bodies. These facts speak boldly that there is an essence in us that is unseen and connects us across our lives. This logic is very important because it not only connects human to human lifetimes but also some lifetimes in the animal kingdom. This is empirical evidence of the existence of a soul and, with it, a whole mechanism of metaphysical realms that are described by Sanatan Dharma.
The other modern-age spiritual techniques that also fortify these claims are out-of-body projection, out-of-body experiences and Akashik records.
[1] https://unsolved.com/gallery/submarine-reincarnation/
[2] https://psi-encyclopedia.spr.ac.uk/articles/will-reincarnation-case
