A series of events, some fortunate, some tragic, have brought me to this interesting field of past-life hypnotic regression.  Perhaps I have been led here.

Science has long been a fascination; I must have found its explanations of the world around me comforting during a childhood full of constant change.  Studying and practicing pharmacy seemed an easy fit.  Fortunately, I happened upon yoga while still in pharmacy school and used it as a way to relieve stress.  Through it I gradually awakened to the connection of body, mind, and spirit.  Later I came upon the wisdom teachings of a Twelve-Step program. These have become central to my way of being in this world.  They inspire me to seek humility, open-mindedness and willingness.

The blessings of my family life include the health challenges of my special needs stepson.  Along the way, the two of us met a variety of dedicated healers.  After finding limitations in traditional western allopathic medicine, we included the guidance and care of complementary practitioners. The ways and gifts of these special souls helped my son avoid massive surgury and further opened my mind and my heart. 

Eventually, I discovered investigations of scientists at the nexus of consciousness and healing.  I studied these through meditation, holotropic breath work, shamanic soul retrieval, matrix integration, emotional freedom technique, and more. Today, I continue to study intuition, prayer, dream work and other ancient or developing healing modalities.

          Further seeking and curiosity brought me to past-life research. The concept of past lives has long made sense to me.  Couldn't it explain why some people appear to be born with skills or knowledge like artistic or musical prodigies and why others have phobias or cultural familiarities unexplained by their lives' circumstances?  In this field I found that many traditionally trained physicians, psychologists, and others have bravely blazed trails of discovery to benefit the rest of us.  I found the accounts of their research and exploration into the phenomena of past-live memories and other past-life evidence fascinating.   Surely it can lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and others. 

        Some years ago I read and enjoyed the books of  Dr. Brian Weiss, Dr. Michael Newton, Dr. Roger Wolgar, Dr. Raymond Moody, Dr. Helen Wambach, and others.   I discovered that Dr. Ian Stevenson’s research at the University of Virginia documented corroborating evidence of the spontaneous past-life memories of children.  Other, more recent authors, who expand the understanding of our past lives and the time between are Dr. Linda Backman and Robert Schwartz, who take this fascinating field to another level.

Dr. Newton’s work held particular interest for me.  Amazingly, his hypnosis clients used very different language to describe very similar concepts regarding their past-life and between-life memories. They each, in their own way, referred to their evolving soul and the existence of an active between-life time.  Through transcripts of numerous past-life hypnotic regression sessions, Newton reports the presence of such phenomena as tiers of loving guidance including personal guides, soul groups of peers, and a serious group of advisers sometimes called a 'Council of Elders'.

In November of 2008 I attended a talk in Memphis about between-life regression given by Dr. Linda Backman, an elegant and articulate psychotherapist, teacher, and author.  Though her appointment book had filled before she’d arrived in Memphis, a rare canceled session created an opportunity for me to experience her work.  Linda’s background includes more than thirty years of traditional psychotherapy practice with a special focus on grief.  I was delighted to learn that she had studied and co-taught with Dr. Michael Newton, and previously served at the head of his organization.  Now with her own organization, she recently published one book and is working on two others. She established the Ravenheart Center with her husband, where she teaches both past-life and between-lives soul regression hypnotherapy.

       Immediately drawn to Linda and this soul-regression work,  I was wrestling with my decision whether to formally begin studying with her in late January when my world suddenly, irrevocably, changed.  My youngest son and two friends were in a terrible automobile accident as they were driving back to a university in another state.  One boy died: Max, the son of a dear friend.  He was only nineteen.  My son had a concussion and memory loss but he survived with cuts, bruises and a heavy heart as did Max’s girlfriend.  The ensuing days were filled with unfathomable loss and pain.  But also Grace.  Somehow we were held up, helped to bear witness to the unbearable.  Max was buried on his twentieth birthday.

      Max was a young man who, especially in the last year of his life,  dedicated himself to a life of service and to developing a conscious connection with Spirit.  As Max’s life continues to touch and inform mine, he inspires me to pursue this path that calls me, however unconventional it may seem.  I hope this work of soul regression will bring comfort and understanding about the continuing journeys of our souls, both after we die and before we are born.  I remain in awe as I am blessed each time I witness a client’s experience.