Past Lives

I have always wondered, is this our only life to live and does death mean the complete end to our soul or consciousness? Or after death do our souls rise to heaven, or sink into hell or somewhere in between? Or alternatively, are we reincarnated into a new body and continue? And if that's so, have we lived another lifetime before our current life?

Petroglyph ridge, New Mexico

I went to a therapist for Past Life Regression Therapy to get some answers. I had read an article about the emotional causes of PD, and the author suggested that past lives regression therapy could be helpful in reversing the disease. I found through the internet a list of therapists, but only one near me that seemed active. I called her and straight away she told me her fee. Did I still want to proceed?
I did.







After a long drive I arrived in Media, Pennsylvania and the old stone house that is both Carol Bowman's home and office. We climbed two flights of narrow pie stairs that spiraled up to the attic, lit by skylights and a window overlooking a garden shaded by large trees.


Carol interviewed me, taking notes as I answered questions about my current issues and my history from childhood until the present. From her notes she extracted a list of themes. She read them aloud and after several repetitions I narrowed the list to one theme: "They will hurt me."

Then it was time to do the regression. Comfortably settled in a reclining chair, soothing music playing softly, she led me through a guided meditation. Then I was to think of my theme and notice what images came to mind. I had a brief flash of a silhouetted girl's figure running away from the woods. It was very flat and colorless, and no other images. She asked me questions about the girl and I tried to open my mind, but it was guesswork, supposition only, as I expanded on the story. What was she afraid of? A man. Who was the man? Her father. And so on, but it didn't feel true. It wasn't working and finally I stopped and told her so.



We talked for a long while after, she's a lovely woman, and we agreed that I'm a "hard nut to crack."
I knew that before I went. I suspected I might not be a good candidate for regression, hard to hypnotize, hard to open up, resistant. My conscious mind was willing, but something inside keeps me from "cracking."

Sudden Insight, by EH

I am reading Carol Bowman's book now, and I wish I had before I saw her. "Children's Past Lives," is a personal account of her experiences and her study of past life regression. It has convinced me that there is something in us, a soul, spirit that transcends death and can reincarnate in another human form. This is proved by the memories of past lives that can be accessed during trance states. Carol writes that one's past lives are connected to the present, and can have a negative effect on our health. If  there are unresolved issues in the previous life, or one has experienced a sudden or violent death or horrible illness (not uncommon in the history of mankind), they can manifest in different ways in the present. Past life regression therapy is the process of healing present life illnesses, phobias, and other psychological issues by remembering the events that triggered the phobia in a past life, seeing one's death* and aftermath and thereby working through and erasing the negative effects in the current life.





Carol Bowman's own children were the inspiration for her book. Both her son and daughter almost effortlessly recalled past lives and were cured of phobias and even physical conditions after regressions, with no negative consequences. Even though the memories at the time of regression were painful, the children bounced back, happy and carefree.

Remarkable and convincing - what I write may not be, but Carol's book is.

Now what? I meditated this morning and thought of a theme for my problems that might be more appropriate. "I am frozen." Could an event in one or more of my past lives somehow be causing my Parkinson Disease symptoms? Would I be able to find out on my own, without a therapist? I have some exploration ahead of me.

Artist unknown

* People experiencing regressions describe floating above and viewing their own dead body, or seeing a light as do people who have had NDE's, Near Death Experiences.

In the Chi Field

All summer I have continued to practice Wisdom Healing qigong as taught by Mingtong Gu. I practiced on a cruise in Alaska's Glacier Bay, in a cousin's apartment in London, in an inn on Block Island, and at home, in time completing a "100 day Gong." This "gong" meant I practiced every day and if I missed a day, I would have to double the practice time the next day. If I missed two in a row I would have to start over. I finished the 100 days in late August.

Alaska

My resolution or promise for this gong was to do the preliminary practice called "Awaken Vitality," a sequence of exercises. After learning it by heart I could practice it anywhere, hearing Mingtong's voice in my head, and giving it as much attention as I could.

Block Island

Sometimes I rushed through or my mind was elsewhere, sometimes I was focused and had a more deep experience, and sometimes I practiced along with a recording of Mingtong's that slowed me down and challenged me with more repetitions of individual exercises.

London

My goal was to establish this as a habit, and in that I have been successful. At the end of the day I don't feel quite right unless I have practiced.  My long term goal is total healing of my body. To do this Bianca Molle says she did three hours a day of Wisdom Healing practice including movements, meditation and sound healing. I want to continue, to add new practices, and to increase the time I do the practice.





One of Mingong's students who has become a teacher was offering an online course for not much money. I had liked Vivi when she was an assistant teacher at retreat, her guided meditations and incredible energy and stamina impressed me very much. I completed her short class of four three-hour sessions and some coaching sessions. I asked her via computer what she thought I should do next, and she said, meditate on it. I could intuit the best step that was right for me.

So I have started a new gong, added meditation and sound healing, and also a new series of movements called "Lift Chi Up Pour Chi Down." The LCUPCD is a slow, meditative, standing sequence, not as strenuous as the AV practice, but more subtle, fluid and linear. The arms direct chi into "gates" in the body, places where energy enters the body as in the Baihui, the top of the head, or is stored as in the Dantian, the center of the abdomen.

And what results have I seen? Ah, they are subtle. I do think my symptoms have remained stable and not progressed, my medications have been slightly reduced, and I have an increased connection to my body. I can feel sensations in my body from focusing on areas including specific organs like my brain or heart and an overall awareness of energy within and without my body - the subtle energy.

I have a long way to go, but am hopeful. I am working on it, and sticking with it. That's an accomplishment for me. Stick-with-it-ness has not been my strong point always.

Home