Dr Brian Weiss - Past-life Regression?

[bodhimind]

He's the author of Many Lives, Many Masters, which is an account of hypnosis that regresses back to past-lives of his clients. He describes 'hypnosis' as 'concentration'. He says that by using this psychotherapy, he has allowed people to remove their neuroses and traumas without the use of medicine.

In his history, he used to be a very skeptical, obsessive-compulsive psychiatrist, trained in psychopharmacology, brain chemistry and Alzheimer's. He has since put many patients through his past-life regression therapy.

If you're interested, here's a link of him explaining his work: http://www.eomega.org/miracles-happen

That's what interested me - I understand that the GWV talks about various people such as reiki healers or christian mystics who experience these symptoms. Could this form of 'hypnosis' be a form of meditation that has allowed his client to recall past lives?

[Sam Lim]

One of the fruits of meditation is that one can see the past and future lives. While hypnosis can regress, it' can't see future lives. Perhaps our past lives are coded in our DNA. I don't see how regression can be considered a form of meditation.

[Jhanananda]

Past life regression is something that I have experienced via hypnosis off and on for a 20 year period.  It used to be something that my fellow contemplatives would play with back then.  For me it was always profound; however, I got more out of Past life regression through deep meditation and the OOBE.  If I recall the last time I had a regressed hypnosis session was about 20 years ago.

I agree with gandarloda; while I recognize that there are similarities with meditation, hypnosis is not actually meditation.  Also, so-called guided meditation is hypnosis.  The difference between hypnosis and meditation might be an all too subtle nuance for those who have never learned to meditate deeply; however, there is actually a large golf between the two.

Hypnosis requires a submissive state in which someone else is guiding you through an experience.  That guiding can be all too projective on the part of the hypnotist.  It can also lead to submissiveness to the guide/hypnotist/guru, who can all too easily take advantage of you.

Whereas, deep meditation is a passive state in which the phenomena of deep meditation is allowed to arise on its own.  Here the experience is "guided" by the intuitive faculty, or by the sacred, if you are inclined to see it that way.  So, the choice here is to submit yourself to a human being for upwards of $100/hr, or submit yourself to "God" for free.  You chose.

[bodhimind]

One of the fruits of meditation is that one can see the past and future lives. While hypnosis can regress, it' can't see future lives. Perhaps our past lives are coded in our DNA. I don't see how regression can be considered a form of meditation.

Yes, I definitely see your point there and it was something I've thought about as well. However, I don't agree that the DNA houses our past lives - Maybe Jungian archetypes and instincts, but specific life memories sound quite improbable, because this would mean that one is able to remember his past life as his grandparent or even see the history of his own father/mother. From this, I do believe that there is a non-physical counterpart to this phenomenon.

Past life regression is something that I have experienced via hypnosis off and on for a 20 year period.  It used to be something that my fellow contemplatives would play with back then.  For me it was always profound; however, I got more out of Past life regression through deep meditation and the OOBE.  If I recall the last time I had a regressed hypnosis session was about 20 years ago.

I agree with gandarloda; while I recognize that there are similarities with meditation, hypnosis is not actually meditation.  Also, so-called guided meditation is hypnosis.  The difference between hypnosis and meditation might be an all too subtle nuance for those who have never learned to meditate deeply; however, there is actually a large golf between the two.

Hypnosis requires a submissive state in which someone else is guiding you through an experience.  That guiding can be all too projective on the part of the hypnotist.  It can also lead to submissiveness to the guide/hypnotist/guru, who can all too easily take advantage of you.

Whereas, deep meditation is a passive state in which the phenomena of deep meditation is allowed to arise on its own.  Here the experience is "guided" by the intuitive faculty, or by the sacred, if you are inclined to see it that way.  So, the choice here is to submit yourself to a human being for upwards of $100/hr, or submit yourself to "God" for free.  You chose.

It's great to hear a personal account of having a past-life therapy, since I have never had one, only heard of it. I've never had any form of recall for any of my past lives, unfortunately, since I have not reached that state in meditation so I can only explore it through books. It sounds like it has the potential to completely shatter one's view of this one life being the only "real" one. To me, someone who has never had a past-life memory experience, it sounds more of "hearsay" instead of having personal experience. For example, before experiencing jhana, I always heard of it and knew its concept, but never had unshakeable, perfect faith in it.

I've experimented with self-help hypnosis CDs in the past, just as you have mentioned in one of the GWV recorded talks where proto-contemplatives have had prior experience to these things in the past. I especially remember the white bursts of light when I listened to the Silva Method CDs. The strange thing was that I had experienced the very same thing sitting in the backseat of my dad's car while I contemplated how everyone in the world acted like zombies feeding off desire. The feeling was quite similar.

But as you said, I have also sensed a slight difference between meditation and hypnosis - Hypnosis tended to make me sleepier and sluggish, while meditation would sometimes put me in a slight stupor, but then after that this surge of energy brings me back with more vigor than before and the mind becomes pristinely clear.

Thank you for expressing it in that way because I've never actually noticed that the intuitive faculty guides one through meditation. I always felt as if I was stumbling in the dark, like a blind man shooting at a target. (A little off-topic, but does this mean that just sitting and riding the charisms, it is this intuitive guide always naturally brings you deeper?)

Another thing that seems to make me very curious here is this: If hypnosis is able to drag out these memories from a person in a trance state, it means that words are able to affect one's mind and hence allow these unconscious memories to surface. In other words, it seems like hypnosis gives the trigger, and an individual is in fact, triggering these memories by themselves? Again, I would like to say that i have no experience whatsoever with clinical hypnosis, so I am just passing these statements with mere curiosity...

Also, if everyone was ever able to experience past life memories, wouldn't their world views change? Knowing that this life is impermanent, and that their previous lives were too as well - They would not regard their current life to be so serious that they would attach themselves to neuroses and all kinds of psychological constructs. They wouldn't chase glamour and material things and simply settle for a simple life that allows for one to live the eightfold path. Maybe I'm a little idealistic... but I think while it is not a good method for liberation, it is an excellent gateway for one to seek enlightenment.

I've scanned through his book "Miracles Happen" just to take a look at some of his reported past-life experiences and there were accounts of Roman soldiers, paupers, etc - Endless suffering and pain. One thing that was interesting was that he constantly referred to enlightenment, the God-head, etc - and how all religions were talking about the same thing.

I personally will not spend money on a past-life regression therapy, but I do hope that my meditations can go deeper so that I will have a deeper understanding. Reading those articles really made me feel like living so many lifetimes is pointless.

The trend in the book repeated itself so many times: One lives wrongly, and then their actions, speeches or thoughts form these habits that transfer over to another lifetime as a trauma or a persisting habit/neuroses. If anything, I guess it has inspired me yet even further to be more rigorous in my discipline in following the eightfold path (I apologize how this digressed so much).

[Sam Lim]

Yes, I definitely see your point there and it was something I've thought about as well. However, I don't agree that the DNA houses our past lives - Maybe Jungian archetypes and instincts, but specific life memories sound quite improbable, because this would mean that one is able to remember his past life as his grandparent or even see the history of his own father/mother. From this, I do believe that there is a non-physical counterpart to this phenomenon.

I agree with what you say.

[Jhanananda]

Yes, I definitely see your point there and it was something I've thought about as well. However, I don't agree that the DNA houses our past lives - Maybe Jungian archetypes and instincts, but specific life memories sound quite improbable, because this would mean that one is able to remember his past life as his grandparent or even see the history of his own father/mother. From this, I do believe that there is a non-physical counterpart to this phenomenon.

Yes, it makes no sense to believe that our DNA records past lifetimes, especially when, in my experience, my past lifetimes were not in the same family, nor same culture.

It's great to hear a personal account of having a past-life therapy, since I have never had one, only heard of it. I've never had any form of recall for any of my past lives, unfortunately, since I have not reached that state in meditation so I can only explore it through books. It sounds like it has the potential to completely shatter one's view of this one life being the only "real" one. To me, someone who has never had a past-life memory experience, it sounds more of "hearsay" instead of having personal experience. For example, before experiencing jhana, I always heard of it and knew its concept, but never had unshakeable, perfect faith in it.

There really is no need explore past lifetimes in meditation.  It is best just to focus upon mastering the 4 jhanas.  My experience of past lifetime recollections was mostly spontaneous.

I've experimented with self-help hypnosis CDs in the past, just as you have mentioned in one of the GWV recorded talks where proto-contemplatives have had prior experience to these things in the past. I especially remember the white bursts of light when I listened to the Silva Method CDs.

I would not recommend listening to self-help hypnosis CDs, because they will just turn you into a zombie follower of some Self-help guru.  There is a Buddhist monk who happens to have jhana in his discourses.  He once joined one of my forums, which turned out just a need to acquire followers.  He specialized in guided meditations, which another Buddhist teacher I know does.  Both of them have developed a devoted following of mindless zombies.

The strange thing was that I had experienced the very same thing sitting in the backseat of my dad's car while I contemplated how everyone in the world acted like zombies feeding off desire. The feeling was quite similar.

I would call this the dawn of insight.

but does this mean that just sitting and riding the charisms, it is this intuitive guide always naturally brings you deeper?

That has been my experience.  The problem with humans is they think they have to be doing something, so they try all kinds of meditation techniques, but never get anything out of them, because they simply do not just get out of the way and let the process unfold on its own.

Another thing that seems to make me very curious here is this: If hypnosis is able to drag out these memories from a person in a trance state, it means that words are able to affect one's mind and hence allow these unconscious memories to surface. In other words, it seems like hypnosis gives the trigger, and an individual is in fact, triggering these memories by themselves? Again, I would like to say that i have no experience whatsoever with clinical hypnosis, so I am just passing these statements with mere curiosity...

Yes, it is possible to guide a meditation experience to past lifetimes or deeper meditation states; however, one has to learn these skills on one's own to develop the necessary facility with the processes that lead to depth in meditation, as well as the other superior fruit of attainment.

Also, if everyone was ever able to experience past life memories, wouldn't their world views change? Knowing that this life is impermanent, and that their previous lives were too as well - They would not regard their current life to be so serious that they would attach themselves to neuroses and all kinds of psychological constructs. They wouldn't chase glamour and material things and simply settle for a simple life that allows for one to live the eightfold path. Maybe I'm a little idealistic... but I think while it is not a good method for liberation, it is an excellent gateway for one to seek enlightenment.

One would think recollection of past lives would inspire one to take up a contemplative life, but the New Age movement is full of guided meditations, and past life regressions, but few of these people bother to take up a fruitful contemplative life.  It seems that hypnosis just feeds their ego instead.

I've scanned through his book "Miracles Happen" just to take a look at some of his reported past-life experiences and there were accounts of Roman soldiers, paupers, etc - Endless suffering and pain. One thing that was interesting was that he constantly referred to enlightenment, the God-head, etc - and how all religions were talking about the same thing.

I personally will not spend money on a past-life regression therapy, but I do hope that my meditations can go deeper so that I will have a deeper understanding. Reading those articles really made me feel like living so many lifetimes is pointless.

The trend in the book repeated itself so many times: One lives wrongly, and then their actions, speeches or thoughts form these habits that transfer over to another lifetime as a trauma or a persisting habit/neuroses. If anything, I guess it has inspired me yet even further to be more rigorous in my discipline in following the eightfold path (I apologize how this digressed so much).

It is good that you found inspiration to follow the Noble Eightfold Path; however, the reason why people go from misery to misery is "hope springs eternal."  People always think "it will get better," when it only gets worse.

[bodhimind]

There really is no need explore past lifetimes in meditation.  It is best just to focus upon mastering the 4 jhanas.  My experience of past lifetime recollections was mostly spontaneous.

You're right, I think I have been slightly derailed over here. Now that I think about it, I've been stagnating in my progress of meditation and probably felt the compelled need to search for a validation mechanism through past lives.

I would not recommend listening to self-help hypnosis CDs, because they will just turn you into a zombie follower of some Self-help guru.  There is a Buddhist monk who happens to have jhana in his discourses.  He once joined one of my forums, which turned out just a need to acquire followers.  He specialized in guided meditations, which another Buddhist teacher I know does.  Both of them have developed a devoted following of mindless zombies.

That sounds truly dreadful. Yes, I hardly listen to any self-hypnosis guides as of now.

I would call this the dawn of insight.

Does insight come intermittently? I always had the notion that if one opened the insight stream, he would be able to sustain it all the way. Now that I recall, that was also the time when I started kicking all kinds of addictive behavior (like TV watching and playing games) as a child, I suffered from depression from the 'meaninglessness of life' and started having lucid dreams. However, it seemed to stop somewhere in the middle when in elementary school.

That has been my experience.  The problem with humans is they think they have to be doing something, so they try all kinds of meditation techniques, but never get anything out of them, because they simply do not just get out of the way and let the process unfold on its own.

That is so true. I always feel like I should be doing something, even though I know that I'm simply "witnessing", I'm always thinking, "What's next? What else?" Even when I progressed from first to second jhana, I had to let go of the "what's next" mentality to go deeper.

Could it be that this drive to "do something" actually fuels the continuity of rebirths? There is something about Taoism that always puzzled me. To follow the movement of nature and be "in the flow" is the Tao. But if everything is left to nature, wouldn't everything follow the samsaric cycle?

Yes, it is possible to guide a meditation experience to past lifetimes or deeper meditation states; however, one has to learn these skills on one's own to develop the necessary facility with the processes that lead to depth in meditation, as well as the other superior fruit of attainment.

This reminds me of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, where he talked about how one can develop many other siddhis by contemplating various phenomena.

It is good that you found inspiration to follow the Noble Eightfold Path; however, the reason why people go from misery to misery is "hope springs eternal."  People always think "it will get better," when it only gets worse.

I'm curious, would it be that 'hope' is a bad thing? I feel like it is somewhat fixing one's expectations in the future, is still an attachment of sorts. For example, when I set my hopes on things to happen in future, it warrants the situation to set me in misery when they don't happen. Or that it becomes an exercise of fantasy when unrealistic expectations are set, not based on logic. I feel like hope exists in a background of misery, because without misery, there wouldn't be hope - So they seem to be faces of the same coin. Or can one hope, but just not be attached to it?

[Jhanananda]

Does insight come intermittently? I always had the notion that if one opened the insight stream, he would be able to sustain it all the way. Now that I recall, that was also the time when I started kicking all kinds of addictive behavior (like TV watching and playing games) as a child, I suffered from depression from the 'meaninglessness of life' and started having lucid dreams. However, it seemed to stop somewhere in the middle when in elementary school.

Yes, especially in the beginning it will be unreliable, and random.  However, as you learn to meditate deeply, and rely upon insight more, then you will gain facility with it to the point that you can depend upon it when you need it.

Could it be that this drive to "do something" actually fuels the continuity of rebirths?

Yes.  So, the solution is to let go and let it be.

There is something about Taoism that always puzzled me. To follow the movement of nature and be "in the flow" is the Tao. But if everything is left to nature, wouldn't everything follow the samsaric cycle?

No, when we let it go, then it flows to higher ground, not lower ground, because the natural unfoldment is liberation and enlightenment.

I'm curious, would it be that 'hope' is a bad thing? I feel like it is somewhat fixing one's expectations in the future, is still an attachment of sorts. For example, when I set my hopes on things to happen in future, it warrants the situation to set me in misery when they don't happen. Or that it becomes an exercise of fantasy when unrealistic expectations are set, not based on logic. I feel like hope exists in a background of misery, because without misery, there wouldn't be hope - So they seem to be faces of the same coin. Or can one hope, but just not be attached to it?

Correct.  Just live life with whatever is, in the present moment.