Age regression and past life journeys are  growing as an accepted field and is being successfully used for many difficulties including physical, psychological and spiritual healing. Age regression is based on the idea that problems and conflicts that are within may have origins in past experiences, traumas, or memories, past material that is stuck in the unconscious mind. This would be particularly true of the birth and death experiences, as they are very powerful transitional times. Using regression techniques, the subject can access the memories that are within, examining and learning from the past. Regression guides the subject back along their own time line into past events and memories that have connections or associations with the current situation. It uses age, dates, and events, emotions and, even bodily sensations to move along the subject's personal time line in order to bring the source or origins of the issue at hand into conscious awareness.

Age regression can help improve the quality of life, in terms of daily experiences, and on a larger scale, in terms of the obstacles and challenges each individual must face. With proper guidance and support, the client can focus on the positive and release the negative, and seek a future with integrity and balance.

Past life regression moves beyond the current life awareness and guides the journey into a previous lifetime, a different time and place.  If we take the concept of regression and allow that there is more to us than our current physical bodies, the possibility of pre-existence opens up. Using the regression techniques to release and heal from the past, no matter where that past may appear to be, allows the change in perspective that brings healing and growth. Some may object to this method because their own private belief systems do not allow for the possibility for past lives. However, past life regression does not need to be viewed as a literal process in order for it to be effective. In other words, one does not need to hold particular belief systems or cultural backgrounds for past life regression to be as effective as any other therapeutic method. One only needs to maintain an open mind and allow for the possibility of the mind and body being part of a greater whole. The product of regression may be seen as a psychological metaphor, archetypal or genetic memories or simply a carefully created fantasy. Regardless of how one views the material uncovered, the fact remains that it is the individual's unconscious mind that is working to heal itself and this method has been shown to be as valid, therapeutically, as any other. At no time is past life regression meant to be used as evidence of the reality of past lives or for any historical research or documentation.

Past life regression has a relatively recent history. By the 1980's the Association for Past-Life Therapy and Research was founded, in response to the need of the rising number of professionals who use the methods and techniques in their therapy work. In 1999 it was changed to the International Association for Regression Research and Therapy (IARRT). Regression is a rapidly evolving and dynamic field of therapy and research, including traditional as well as nontraditional modalities of helping and healing.

To find out more about past life regression you can go to the website for IARRT - www.iarrt.org; The International Board for Regression Therapy - IBRT - www.ibrt.org; To find out how you can experience this kind of work for your own growth and enlightenment, go to my website - www.GateKeeperGuidance.com.  Or contact me at gatkepr@dreamscape.com or 315-243-1828.

The process of past life regression is another important aspect of the mechanics of understanding it as a healing tool. What effect does emotional trauma have on memory, and how does past life regression use these recalled memories and emotional energy charges to help the clients? It is the emotions created by a situation or experience that create and hold the memories within the subconscious mind. Thus these unresolved memories and emotional trauma create the blocks and barriers that cause conflicts and difficulties, fears and grief in our current lives.  When they are brought to the surface of the conscious mind they can be examined and understood, integrated and resolved. It isn't what people know about themselves that hurts them, it is what they do not know that causes the greatest suffering. It is by bringing out into the light of consciousness these emotions and memories that the most significant work is done.

There are several ways of moving into an altered state of consciousness other than the conventional and most commonly used hypnosis. Some examples would be self-hypnosis, dreams, spontaneous recall, physical sensations including pain, and meditation. Past life exploration and regression begins in a state of altered consciousness, meditation, deep relaxation or hypnosis. This allows the distractions of every day life to fall away so that the unconscious experiences of the past can work with the conscious mind of the present. This holds a great potential for healing and spiritual exploration by providing access to the subconscious mind and the many experiences of each lifetime. The journey begins with the act of moving to the other side, crossing the bridge, going back to another time and place in order to find the memories that would bring benefit to the current life, healing, and growth. When the experiences from the previous lifetimes are integrated with the present, healing and understanding, as well as enlightenment, can begin.

The journey usually begins before the client moves into the awareness of the past personality, with the subconscious or higher mind or self. Our subconscious mind is our best friend. It is a guide and guardian.  It will always tell us the truth, even if we don’t understand it. It will always keep us safe and never allow us to go anywhere we cannot handle. Sometimes it does happen that the higher mind is not willing to allow the work to continue, and there is always has a good reason. Perhaps the material that is below the surface is too much for the current personality to cope with, at that time. Or, maybe there is more important work to be done in the present before any time traveling should be tried. The higher mind is always the best judge for what the client needs. It can often be a good starting place, too, in terms of where to begin the search and exploration. It is always a good idea to get permission and support from the higher mind before moving forward (or backwards).

Once the client has crossed over the boundaries and gone to the other side, the next step to this process is to enter into the awareness of the previous existence, to become aware of the personality from another time and place, to re-experience the thoughts and feelings, as the previous personality.

Sometimes this is experienced as self, seen and lived as if everything were in the first person.  I am going through this, I am thinking this, etc. Other times it might come as if the client were watching a story or movie unfold in front of them, a little more detached and distant. Or it may be simply flashes of images as stills, like a photo album.  The client may get more information from trusting what they sense and feel rather than what they see or hear. They may also have a combination of any and all of the above. The information comes as it comes. I always instruct them to go with whatever comes, be open to it and let it be, even if it feels as if they were making it up, see where it takes us on the journey.

This means the client will move into that 'lifetime', opening up to the thoughts and feelings, images and experiences of the other personality, experiencing it as self. This includes the death aspect of the lifetime, which is very important for the purposes of closure. The client is first instructed to remain calm and comfortable at all times, and at any time they can distance themselves from the memories and images, if they need to. But, it is always important to include this part of the experience. Not only does it provide the necessary closure that the client may need to release the emotional trauma, it often contains its own traumatic material that has been brought forward into the current lifetime, causing phobias, conflicts, fears and even physical difficulties.

According to Buddhism, birth and death are two aspects of the same thing. Every birth is at the same time a death, every death at the same time a birth. A birth is part of the same cycle as a death, in both cases, we leave one existence in order to transfer to another.

Once the client has moved beyond the death experience, some of the most important work begins, the integration of the lifetime they have just left. This is the process of releasing and forgiving, looking at the lessons, the purpose, the joys and sorrows, assessing the life and death of the personality they have just relived. This is also the time for examining the connections between that life and the current lifetime, and the various relationships that were significant at the time. Here some very necessary examination and assessment takes place regarding the relationships that were part of the lifetime, including releasing and forgiveness on all sides. Thus the healing takes place. This part of the process also helps the client review and reexamine the material that was drawn out, thereby helping them to understand motivations, actions and choices, which is also part of the healing process.

Coming out of the altered state is next. This is an important step because it reconnects the clients with their waking identity. Depending on the induction method and how deep the trance state was, if the coming out is too abrupt or ill-prepared, it can be difficult ranging from awkward to painful and frightening.

Next is integration and psychological intervention. If any intervention is called for, this is the time and place for any forms of intervention and addresses issues and difficulties that may remain.  This can occur directly coming out of the experience, it can be part of another session in necessary, and it can take the form of writing in a journal, recording dreams, research in terms of choices and actions, sometimes reading and studying, or even bringing about necessary changes in the client's current life.

There are no hard and fast rules about the order of these stages, but for the most part they are followed as I have presented them. That is why it is important that the hypnotist have the appropriate training and skills for this kind of work. A client may need to focus on one aspect of the process, returning to a specific area several times before the rest of the healing can be accomplished. This would be particularly true if some kind of emotional block or barrier were causing interference. The kind of support and level of guidance that is received upon returning to the current time and place is very important to the whole experience. 

Every session is taped. I always encourage clients to listen to their tapes later, to keep their journals near to hand for the next few weeks and keep close watch on their dreams as more and more insight and information will flow to the surface over time.  Once you have opened the doors, it is easy to allow more to come forward when you are ready.

If you have a medical health condition or issue, please be sure to consult your own professional health practitioners and follow their guidance.  Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment.