{"id":118164,"date":"2021-09-15T16:41:41","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T23:41:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=118164"},"modified":"2021-09-15T16:41:41","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T23:41:41","slug":"regression-reincarnation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/09\/15\/regression-reincarnation\/","title":{"rendered":"Regression & Reincarnation"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Reincarnation means a ‘soul’ moving from one and taking birth in another\nhuman body after death. Hypnosis uses to identify memories of past life.\nBuddhists and Hindus have a shared belief over incarnations. In Western\ncountries ‘past-life practitioners’<\/em> use hypnosis, which has become more\nor less a business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Regression<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A session with a hypnotist can last up to forty minutes and it is\nexpensive. Clinical psychiatrists and psychologists widely reject Regression. A\n2006 survey found that most of the samples studied by mental health\nprofessionals rated \u2018Past Lives therapy\u2019<\/em> as a treatment for \u2018mental\ndisorders<\/em>.\u2019 Those who are in search of a \u2018spiritual experience\u2019<\/em> may\nconsider it favourably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The technique used by hypnotists involves the subject having to answer a\nset of questions, and the hypnotised reveals his events of ‘ allegedly’<\/em>\non one’s past life! Scientists say it misrepresents as a realistic recording of\nprevious events rather than a factual set of recollections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientists maintain that hypnosis and suggestive questions leave the\nsubject particularly likely to hold distorted memories. \u2018Created memories can become\nindistinguishable from memories based on events that occurred during the\nsubject’s life.\u2019 They\nbelieve it combines experiences, knowledge, imagination, and suggestion or how\nthe hypnotist guides the hypnotised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religious view<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In the 2nd century BC, Hindu scholar Patanjali in his Yoga\nscriptures discussed the idea of a person’s soul becoming burdened with an\naccumulation of impressions (karma)<\/em> from previous lives, and he called\nit ‘regression.’<\/em> The Chinese deity Meng Po (\u2018Lady of Forgetfulness\u2019<\/em>)\nbelieved to prevent souls from remembering their past lives by giving people \u2018a bittersweet drink to\nerase all memories before climbing the reincarnation wheel.\u2019 The\nSeven truths of Jainism’ deal with the soul and its attachment to karma. It\nreveals that karma can stick to one’s soul and to be free from the cycle of\nrebirth and death, one must separate karma from the soul! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychiatrists & Psychologists<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Clinical Psychiatrists and psychologists widely reject past life\nregression. A 2006 survey of mental health professionals rated \u2018Past Lives\u2019<\/em>\ntherapy as a \u2018discredited\u2019<\/em> treatment for mental disorders. They say that\n\u2018memories\nrecovered by hypnosis result from narratives created by the subconscious mind\nusing imagination, forgotten information and suggestions by the therapist.\u2019 Such memories created\nunder hypnosis can be indistinguishable memories from actual memories. Those\nwho believe in reincarnation are more likely to report such memories than those\nwho refuse to believe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examinations of three individuals’ apparent past life regression ( Bridey<\/em>,<\/em>\nMurphy, Jane Evans<\/em>) on the Internet reveal their memories were ‘superficially’<\/em>\nconvincing. However, upon investigation by experts in languages who used\nhistorical periods revealed flaws in all three individuals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moviemakers used the evidence was found the pattern in each speech\nduring the 16th century to convey the impressions of English speech, rather\nthan actual rebirth memories<\/em>\u201d! The date, too, was completely inaccurate!\nBut at the same time, it was recognised as ‘printing errors in historical\npamphlets! ‘ The reported topic was historically accurate from the Roman era,\nbut identical information found simultaneously was in a 1947 novel set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study on Regression. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study in 1976 found that forty per cent of hypnotisable subjects\ndescribed new identities and used different names when suggested to regress\ntheir past birth memories. In the 1990s, a series of experiments undertaken by\nNicholas Spanos examined the nature of the alleged past-life memory\ndescriptions elaborately with vivid details. It, however, was not indicative of\nthe validity of the therapeutic method. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Human\nmemory involves the ability to both preserve and recover information one has\nexperienced. Memories experienced in past lives can be vivid based on one’s\npresent life, and it is impossible to differentiate from real memories of\nactual events; any damage could be difficult to undo\u2019 experts\nsay. Past life regression is exhausted on the premise of reincarnation\naccording to many accredited organisations of the APA (American Psychological\nAssociation). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have begun to refute this method as unethical! Scientists consider\npast life regression is immoral because it lacks evidence to support such\nclaims! \u2018The hypnotic responsiveness justifies past life regression and\nplaces the participant in a vulnerable position to establish false memories.\nSuch false memories may be harmful,<\/em>\u2019 says Gabriel Andrade, Assistant\nProfessor, College of Medicine, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates. He\npoints out that past life regression violates the principle of ‘not harm process’,\nwhich is part of the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors. (Treat the ill to\nthe best of<\/em> one’s ability<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal experience of the author <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter Kalu, the author of the book: ‘Plan your next birth’<\/em> has\ngone through the experience of regression after the writer published a review\non his book. He has written his experiences of regression, which the writer\nchose to describe in detail as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 ” Peter Kalu says, Dr. Azard\nUduman (the\nhypnotist) came on ‘zoom’ ( Internet) and first wanted to know why I needed to\ninvolve in Regression? I told him that it was out of curiosity!\u201d Dr. Azard\nUduman then hypnotised me. I am tolerant with hypnosis. Within few minutes, I\nwas in a hypnotic state and kept on listening to Dr. Uduman. “He took\nme through a flight of steps, doors and corridors in a building, until I\nentered a park. I sat on a beautiful bench in the park.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/em>He kept\non chatting continuously and indicated there was a white screen in front of me.\nAfter a few seconds<\/em>,<\/em> I\ncould see a large screen and I stared interestingly at the screen . Dr. Uduman\nkept on guiding me in my hypnotised position. Next, I saw a wall with pictures\nannexed to it with various deities. I kept on gazing at a particular deity,\nwhich I could recognise as Lord Ganesh<\/strong> ( the elephant god! in Hinduism).\nDr. Azard guided me to keep looking at Lord Ganesh. The next moment the\nelephant moved and his trunk wanted to touch me. At that moment, I could hear\nDr. Uduman say: ‘Let the elephant touch you with his trunk.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/em> I\nalso heard Dr. Uduman say that the ‘elephant god’ ( the deity) wished to\ncommunicate with me! Seconds later, I saw a person dressed in immaculate white\ncarrying some garlands \u2013 he wore jewellery around his neck. Many devotees\naccompanied the man. Next I saw everyone in the large gathering worshipping the\nman clad in white.The man performed ‘ a Hindu’ service. After the pooja was\nover,<\/em> <\/em>the\nelephant deity re-appeared.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/em><\/em>Next, I\nmounted the elephant as it was about to move forward. I realised the man clad\nin white was the chief priest of the Hindu temple. Meanwhile, a Buddhist monk\nappeared on the scene.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/em><\/em>Suddenly,\nit dawned on me that I was posing as the Hindu Priest in the Hindu Devale<\/strong>.\nNext moment when I set my eyes on the Buddhist monk, I immediately dismounted\nfrom the elephant and walked up to the Buddhist priest.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/em>He\nwelcomed me adoringly. The Buddhist monk became quite affectionate, and we\nstarted chattering like two old friends. When our conversation ended, still\nwalking forward, we both ( <\/em>the Buddhist priest and self) came to a\nferryboat near a waterway. There were approximately fifty people on the\nferryboat. The ferryboat started to move slowly, and finally we landed on an\nisland not very far from where we began the journey.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/em>The\nBuddhist priest guided me towards a temple on the island and introduced me to\nthe Chief Prelate of the temple. I could see myself sitting in front of the\nhead of the temple and listening to the chief priest’s sermon (Bana<\/strong>).\nAfter listening to the discourse, I became a Buddhist. I was curious about the\nHindu, Priest, Kovil, and Hindu followers and my appearance as the Kovil\nPoosari. Still, Dr. Uduman consoled me stating that what I did was a noble act!\nFinally, I chose to live in the temple as a Buddhist till I eventually died.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 I\nsaw my dead body cremated with honour. After the funeral, I distinctly saw my\nparents, as a young couple, both with receding hair. It was supposed to be the\nbeginning of my birth in Sri Lanka as a Buddhist.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All such details coincide with the scientific proofs mentioned\nabove. One wonders whether Peter Kalu, being a devout Buddhist, memories\ncreated under hypnosis was indistinguishable information stored in his\nretention and reflected as previous life’s data more vividly! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all, at the end of the exercise, he lost \u00a340 (approx. Rs 12,000)\nas the fee for the hypnotist. One wonders whether is it is worth going through\nRegression and for what purpose? It’s food for thought!! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

tlakfernando@gmail.com <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando Reincarnation means a ‘soul’ moving from one and taking birth in another human body after death. Hypnosis uses to identify memories of past life. Buddhists and Hindus have a shared belief over incarnations. In Western countries ‘past-life practitioners’ use hypnosis, which has become more or less a business.  A session […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-by-drtilak-s-fernando"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118164\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}