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New Clothes for Old Souls

Book:
A detailed study of the subject of metempsychosis, or the transmigration of souls, and the memories some souls return with to the living world. Cases from different countries and communities are examined, and others relating to the Druze community in Lebanon and elsewhere are considered in a special appendix.

New Clothes for Old Souls: Worldwide Evidence for Reincarnation presents a thorough investigation of the fascinating subject of reincarnation and the memories some souls return with. Guy Lyon Playfair draws on an in-depth range of research and brings to the attention of the reader the work of other leaders in the field, notably the late Hernani Guimarمes Andrade in Brazil, and Erlendur Haraldsson, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Iceland, who has also contributed the Appendix to this work. The book examines cases from several countries and communities where there is a belief in reincarnation, and also relates the histories of some cases that emerged where such a belief may be held privately but is not usually openly discussed or acknowledged.

The research and investigations into each possible reincarnation case are thorough and objective, yet retain a no nonsense common sense approach.

Another scholar, Ian Stevenson, spent a life time investigating subjects who claimed they were cases of reincarnation.  He, especially, spent a lot of time in Lebanon.

Book Review 20 Cases Suggestive Of Reincarnation by Ian Stevenson

The homepage of the Univ. of Virginia's Division Of Perceptual Studies quotes Thomas Jefferson:
"I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led."
It is a fine quote, exactly the sort of postprandial statement one can imagine Jefferson making at Monticello, with a glass of Chateau d'Yquem in one hand and Sally in the other. They don't make presidents like him anymore.
But perhaps they do. That is, if Dr. Ian Stevenson is right.
Ian Stevenson's a medical doctor (internal medicine) trained at McGill University, the author of many peer-reviewed articles, and a former chaired professor at UVa. Dr. Stevenson's pursuit of the truth has led him into very odd territory. In the 60s through the 80s, he investigated cases in India, Ceylon, Brazil, Alaska, and Lebanon that were "suggestive of reincarnation."
There's a rough pattern to these reincarnation stories. A child -- usually between two and four years of age -- begins to claim that  he/she is actually so-and-so, now deceased. Parents resist said claims. Eventually, contact with so-and-so's family is made. Dénouement follows. At some point, ranging from 3 weeks to twenty years, Stevenson shows up with his tape recorder and interpreter. He interviews the families, cross-checks claims, classifies events into a typology, and then re-conducts the interviews with a second translator. The book describes twenty representative cases. His conclusion:
"In the cases of the present collection we have evidence of the occurrence of patterns which the present personality is not known to have inherited or acquired after birth in the present life. And in some instances these patterns match corresponding and specific features of an identified deceased personality. In such cases we have then in principle, I believe, some evidence for human survival of physical death. I say in principle, because I continue aware [sic] of particular weaknesses in the present cases."
I think he's mistaken. But whatever one may think of his extraordinary conclusion, the book will induce respect. His case reports are painfully detailed, monumentally tedious and reassuringly detached. It's shoe-leather research rather than arm-chair research. It's Masters and Johnson sans lubrication. The book is a lovely testament to what empiricism is all about.
Assuming the evidence is not manufactured out of whole cloth (in which case the book ranks with great literature), there's a neat little puzzle to be explained. Some of the cases are rather disquieting, especially the cases of Pramod and Swarnalata. Stevenson's methodology is not that of the doctor or the physicist but that of the detective. A detective more in the mould of P. D. James's Adam Dalgliesh than Conan Doyle's Holmes.
My skepticism about his conclusion has to do with a dog that does not bark. Seven of the cases are from India, three from Ceylon, two from Brazil, seven from Alaska and one from Lebanon. There's none from Europe. None from North America. None from Canada. None from Australia. None from a family or culture that did not believe in reincarnation. The child from Lebanon, for example, was from a Druze family, the one group of people in the Middle East who happen to believe in reincarnation. Stevenson suggests that this lack of a bark is because of negligent reporting; if parents are from cultures that don't believe in reincarnation, then they'd be much less receptive, even hostile, to their child's claims about being reincarnated. As it is, parents are rarely amused when their children wish to adopt other parents.
It's possible, of course, to cast doubt on Stevenson's work by questioning his methodology, the possible collusion of families, the easy manipulation of children and so on. The late philosopher, Paul Edwards, has written a fine book doing just that. Ostensibly, reincarnation is a silly idea; it's not hard to make fun of it. And it doesn't help that Stevenson works at a place called the "Division of Perceptual Studies" or DoP(e)S. The skepticism is more than justified. Paranormal studies is the open sewer of science; the carrier of daft ideas and willful deceptions.
Strictly speaking, reincarnation is about the persistence of memories after death; soul migration is a folk-theory invented to explain reincarnation. A scientific theory of reincarnation -- if it exists -- wouldn't have to explain souls. A scientific theory of reincarnation would be a theory about human memory. We need a different kind of ghost, something with measurable properties. Perhaps the recent quantum mechanical basis claimed for consciousness may provide some clues.
It's interesting to see what happens to a scientist who undertakes a field of inquiry that has zero scientific credibility. His book's had few serious rebuttals. It's mostly been ignored. In his interviews, Dr. Stevenson, who's now in his 80s, sounds resigned to the benign neglect. Perhaps not so benign. A few years back, University of Virginia alumni tried to shut down the DoPS, claiming it damaged the reputation of the Psychology Dept. Fortunately, they failed.
My guide in these matters is William James. In a letter to Carl Stumpf dated Jan 1, 1886, he wrote:
"It is a field in which the sources of deception are extremely numerous. But I believe there is no source of deception in the investigation of nature which can compare with a fixed belief that certain kinds of phenomenon are impossible."
Hear, hear.
May 14, 2006 in Books, Crazy Ideas, Philosophy, Religion, Science | Permalink

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Comments

Neat piece A and liked your observation on the dog that don't woof. As always my guide in these matters is Saki.
In Reginald's peace poem, there is this.
"....
'When the widgeon westward winging
Heard the folk Vereeniginging,
Heard the shouting and the singing'
"but why widgeon?"
"Why not? Anything that winged westward would naturally begin with a W."
"Need it wing westward?"
"The bird must go somewhere. You wouldn't have it hang around and look foolish."
---------------
Substitute soul for bird and there you are.
V


Posted by: bevivek | August 02, 2006 at 12:52 PM

Would not the beleif in recarnation fall into the same catagory as beleif in the Bible, Koran ,Tanaka Vedas and other forms of religious beleifs people have without real scientific proof as one cannot use scientific experiments to prove them?


Posted by: Roy Andrews | May 04, 2007 at 10:46 AM

Roy: I agree that theories of reincarnation involving, say, soul migration and karma are not scientific. In that sense, it falls into the same category as other unverifiable beliefs. But if reincarnation is phrased in terms of physical mechanisms for how memory could persist after death, then there may be scientific approaches. Of course, this assumes there's something to study. At the moment, we only have Stevenson's data.


Posted by: Anil Menon | May 04, 2007 at 11:01 AM

"My skepticism about his conclusion has to do with a dog that does not bark. Seven of the cases are from India, three from Ceylon, two from Brazil, seven from Alaska and one from Lebanon. There's none from Europe. None from North America. None from Canada. None from Australia. None from a family or culture that did not believe in reincarnation. The child from Lebanon, for example, was from a Druze family, the one group of people in the Middle East who happen to believe in reincarnation."
Your skepticism is wishy washy to say the least. In the same way you stated "The child from Lebanon, for example, was from a Druze family, the one group of people in the Middle East who happen to believe in reincarnation."
Easily turned around People in the West or Europe, who don't happen to believe in reincarnation, did not result in any reported cases.
Our children (here in the west) are taught from a very early age, to ignore these things as "myth" or folk tales. This more than explains the lack of reported cases. Parents enjoy guardianship over their own children and the inside of a psyche ward ain't so pretty, you'll find people will say pretty much anything you want them to with threats like that. I do not feel you've presented a valid argument, or better said an argument more acceptable than the author of this book.


Posted by: I'm Watching | January 15, 2008 at 01:34 PM

Ref: I'm Watching's comments
Fair enough. Cultural pressure could be suppressing reincarnation reports in the West. I think that's Dr. S's position as well.
I would imagine no parent wants to hear his/her child claiming to be part of someone else's family. Dr. Stevenson describes the efforts taken to dissuade children from such claims even in societies that believe in reincarnation. Nevertheless, a few interesting cases did manage to percolate through. Given the population in the "West", the lack of even a single case is telling, isn't it?
Thanks for the comments.


Posted by: Anil Menon | January 15, 2008 at 02:05 PM

Simply a telling sign of my early comment I think. Perhaps openly people will not discuss, however I have heard stories from parents on a more private note. Again I guess it comes around to how one was raised and what is considered open for discussion in a culture.
I haven't read the book yet but, maybe I'll take a look. Then be in a position to comment.
Have a good one!


Posted by: I'm Watching | January 15, 2008 at 07:07 PM

Books Recommended by Division Staff
The following is a list of books on various aspects of psychical research (also known as parapsychology) that are recommended by the faculty at the Division of Perceptual Studies. There are books on psychical research in general, many of which cover a variety of topics, and books on various specific topics as well.

Many of these books are out-of-print (designated by an OOP at the end of the entry) but may be available through public or university libraries or from used book stores. The OOP designations are based on the March 2000 Books-in-Print database.
While some of the books listed here are by division faculty most are not. Books and articles written by division faculty are listed in the Publications section of this Web site.
PSYCHICAL RESEARCH IN GENERAL
1. Broughton, Richard S. Parapsychology: The Controversial Science. New York: Ballantine, 1992. A good general introduction to the problems, findings and implications of the science of parapsychology.
2. Chauvin, Rémy. Parapsychology: When the Irrational Rejoins Science. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1985. Review of selected aspects of modern parapsychological research. OOP
3. Edge, Hoyt L., Morris, Robert L., Rush, Joseph H., and Palmer, John. Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986. A more advanced survey of methods and findings in modern parapsychology. OOP
4. Gurney, Edmund, Myers, Frederic, and Podmore, Frank. Phantasms of the Living. 2 vols. North Stratford, NH: Ayer Company Publishers, 1975. A classic. The first major publication (in 1886) of the Society for Psychical Research, primarily reporting hundreds of cases investigated by the authors, but also indispensable reading for anyone seriously interested in psychical research and its problems and methods for investigating spontaneous cases.
5. Hintze, Naomi A. and Pratt, J. Gaither. The Psychic Realm: What Can You Believe? New York: Random House, 1975. The book covers a wide range of psychic phenomena. The first author describes case material in popular language in the first part of each chapter, and the second author then discusses each topic from the scientific point of view. OOP
6. Irwin, H.J. An Introduction to Parapsychology, 3rd edition. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1999. Another general introduction to the field, with chapters on such special topics as NDEs, OBEs, apparitions, poltergeists, and reincarnation.
7. Jahn, Robert G. and Dunne, Brenda J. Margins of Reality: The Role of Consciousness in the Physical World. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987. OOP
8. Krippner, S. (ed.), Advances in Parapsychological Research, 8 vols. An ongoing series of articles reviewing recent research on a wide variety of topics of current interest to parapsychologists.

  • Vol. 1 Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books 1977
  • Vol. 2 Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books 1978
  • Vol. 3 Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books 1982
  • Vol. 4 Jefferson, NC: McFarland 1984 OOP
  • Vol. 5 Jefferson, NC: McFarland 1987 OOP
  • Vol. 6 Jefferson, NC: McFarland 1990 OOP
  • Vol. 7 Jefferson, NC: McFarland 1994
  • Vol. 8 Jefferson, NC: McFarland 1997 OOP

9. Murphy, Gardner (with Laura A. Dale). Challenge of Psychical Research. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1979. (Harper and Row, 1961, 1970). An overview of spontaneous cases, experimental work, and the postmortem survival question by a leading psychologist.
10. Myers, Frederic W.H. Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death. North Stratford, NH: Ayer Company Publishers, 1975. (Originally published in 1903). The other major classic of early psychical research, and indeed of psychology, in which Myers describes a wide range of subconscious psychological phenomena, including dissociation, sleep, genius, hypnotism, automatisms, and trance, within the context of his theory of human personality as extending beyond the confines of normal psychophysiological functioning.
11. Radin, Dean. The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena. New York: HarperEdge, 1997.
12. Rhine, Louisa E. The Invisible Picture: A Study of Psychic Experiences. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1981. Summary of the author's research with claims of spontaneous psychic experiences. OOP
13. Rhine, Louisa E. Psi: What Is It? New York: Harper and Row, 1975. A comprehensive general survey of the field of parapsychology, written by one of the founders of experimental parapsychology at Duke University. OOP
14. Stokes, Douglas M. The Nature of Mind: Parapsychology and the Role of Consciousness in the Physical World. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 1997.
15. West, Donald J. Psychical Research Today. London: Gerald Duckworth, 1954. A short, readable survey of the whole field. OOP
16. White, Rhea. Parapsychology: Sources of Information 1973-1989. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990. An update of number 18, below. OOP
17. White, Rhea. Surveys in Parapsychology. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1976. A collection of review articles on various aspects of parapsychology, providing comprehensive surveys of the periodical literature of the field.
18. White, Rhea A. and Dale, Laura A. Parapsychology: Sources of Information. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1973. Lists a large number of publications in the field of psychical research/parapsychology and directs readers to additional sources. OOP
19. Wolman, B. B., Ed. Handbook of Parapsychology. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1985 (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1977). A large book with technical papers written by specialists mainly for scientists, but containing abundant details and references to other publications for readers wishing to study the subject more deeply. OOP
SPECIFIC TOPICS
AFTER-DEATH COMMUNICATIONS
1. Guggenheim, Bill and Guggenheim, Judy. Hello From Heaven. New York: Bantam Books, 1995.
2. LaGrand, Louis E. After Death Communication: Final Farewells. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1997.
3. Wright, Sylvia Hart. When Spirits Come Calling: The Open-minded Skeptic's Guide to After Death Contacts.  Blue Dolphin Publishing, 2002. 
4. Arcangel, Dianne.  Afterlife Encounters: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Experiences.  Hampton Roads Publishing Co. Inc, 2005

APPARITIONS AND HAUNTINGS
1. Bayless, R. Apparitions and Survival of Death. New Hyde Park, NY: Basic Books, 1973. OOP
2. Bennett, E. Apparitions and Haunted Houses. Ann Arbor: Gryphon Books, 1971. OOP
3. Finucane, R.C. Appearances of the Dead: A Cultural History of Ghosts. New York: Prometheus, 1984. OOP
4. Flammarion, Camille. Haunted Houses. Detroit: Gale Research, 1971 (originally published in 1924). OOP
5. Green, Celia, and McCreery, Charles. Apparitions. New York: State Mutual Book & Periodical Service, Ltd., 1989.
6. MacKenzie, Andrew. Apparitions and Ghosts. London: Arthur Barker, 1971. The author reports nearly fifty new cases of apparitions investigated by him. OOP
7. MacKenzie, Andrew. Hauntings and Apparitions. London: Heinemann, 1982. Review of classic cases and main ideas on apparitions and hauntings. Emphasis on work of the London-based Society for Psychical Research. OOP
8. Salter, W.H. Ghosts and Apparitions. London: G. Bell and Sons, 1938. OOP
9. Tyrrell, G. N. M. Apparitions. London: Society for Psychical Research, 1973. OOP

DEATHBED VISIONS
1. Barrett, William, Sir. Death-bed Visions: The Psychical Experiences of the Dying. New York: Aquarian Press, 1988 (originally published in 1926).
2. Osis, Karlis, and Haraldsson, Erlendur. At the Hour of Death: A New Look at Evidence for Life after Death, 3rd edition. Norwalk, CT: Hastings House, 1997. OOP
EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION
1. Heywood, Rosalind. Beyond the Reach of Sense: An Inquiry into Extra-Sensory Perception. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1974. A readable survey of parapsychology including the earlier investigations bearing on survival of human personality after death. OOP
2. Pratt, Joseph Gaither. Parapsychology: an Insider's View of ESP. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1977 (originally published by New York: Dutton, 1968). A very readable and largely autobiographical account, first written in 1963, describing the many areas of parapsychology which the author personally investigated, including accounts of his famous ESP experiments with Pearce and Woodruff at Duke University, his investigation of the Seaford poltergeist case, and his research on animal ESP. OOP
3. Sinclair, Upton. Mental Radio. New York: New York: Time-Life Books, 1991 (originally published by Charles C Thomas, 1930, 1962). Upton Sinclair's report of experiments in extrasensory perception carried out with his wife. Introduction by William McDougall and short preface by Albert Einstein.
HISTORY OF PSYCHICAL RESEARCH
1. Beloff, John. Parapsychology: A Concise History. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. A brief historical survey of the field from its origins in renaissance magic, mesmerism, and spiritualism, through 19th-century psychical research, early 20th-century psychical research and experimental parapsychology, to more recent developments.
2. Gauld, Alan. The Founders of Psychical Research. New York: Schocken Books, Inc, 1968. OOP
3. Grattan-Guiness, Ivor. Psychical Research: A Guide to Its History, Principles and Practices. Wellingborough, England: Aquarian Press, 1982. OOP
4. Haynes, Renée. The Society for Psychical Research, 1882-1982: A History. London: MacDonald & Co., 1982. OOP

 MIND/BODY RELATIONSHIP AND CONCEPTS OF REALITY
1. Ducasse, C.J. A Critical Examination of the Belief in Life After Death. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, 1961. OOP
2. Ducasse, C.J. Nature, Life, and Death. LaSalle, IL: Open Court Publishing, 1951. OOP
3. Ducasse, C.J. Paranormal Phenomena, Science & Life after Death (Parapsychological Monographs No. 8). New York: Parapsychology Foundation, 1969.
4. Gauld, Alan. Mediumship and Survival: A Century of Investigations. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1984. Review of different types of evidence for survival, classic cases and mediums, theories, and methodological and philosophical problems.
5. Penfield, W. The Mystery of the Mind. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1975. OOP
6. Popper, K.R., and Eccles, J.C. The Self and Its Brain: An Argument for Interactionism. New York: Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 1985.
NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES
1. Fenwick, Peter, and Fenwick, Elizabeth. The Truth in the Light: An Investigation of Over 300 Near-Death Experiences. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1997.
2. Greyson, Bruce, and Flynn, Charles (eds.) The Near-Death Experience: Problems, Prospects, Perspectives. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas, 1984.
3. Moody, R.A., Jr. Life After Life. New York: Bantam Books, 1984 (originally published by Mockingbird Books in 1975). The first modern account of near-death experiences by the man who coined the term. OOP
4. Ring, Kenneth. Heading Toward Omega: In Search of the Meaning of the Near-Death Experience. New York: William Morrow and Co., 1984.
5. Ring, Kenneth. Life at Death: A Scientific Investigation of the Near-Death Experience. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1980. An in-depth examination of the NDE, derived from the author's study of over 100 cases. OOP
6. Sabom, Michael B. Recollections of Death: A Medical Investigation. New York: Harper & Row, 1982. A cardiologist's study of NDEs, primarily among his own patients, including a particularly interesting account of some cases apparently involving the patient's paranormal awareness of objectively verifiable events. OOP
7. Zaleski, C. Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experiences in Medieval and Modern Times. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
1. Blackmore, Susan J. Beyond the Body: An Investigation of Out-of-the-Body Experiences. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1991. Review of spontaneous and experimental studies of OBEs. Theories and concepts are also discussed. Blackmore is somewhat negative about paranormal features of OBEs.
2. Gabbard, Glen O., and Twemlow, Stuart W. With the Eyes of the Mind: An Empirical Analysis of Out-of-Body States. New York: Praeger, 1984. OOP
3. Irwin, Harvey J. Flight of Mind: A Psychological Study of the Out-of-Body Experience. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1985. An in-depth examination of the OBE, in support of the author's hypothesis that the OBE is an imaginal process rather than actual spatial separation of mind and body. OOP
4. Mitchell, Janet L. Out-of-Body Experiences. New York: Ballantine, 1987. Not so comprehensive or critical as Blackmore's (1), but more positive in its interpretations.
PHYSICAL PHENOMENA
1. Robinson, Diana. To Stretch a Plank: A Survey of Psychokinesis. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1981. Review of laboratory and field studies of paranormal physical phenomena. Physical mediums and theoretical considerations also receive attention.
POLTERGEISTS
1. Gauld, Alan, and Cornell, A. D. Poltergeists. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1982. OOP
2. Goss, M. Poltergeists: An Annotated Bibliography of Works in English, circa 1880-1975. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1979.
3. Owen, A.R.G. Can We Explain the Poltergeist? New York: Helix Press, 1964. OOP
4. Roll, William G. The Poltergeist. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1976. (Signet, 1972). A survey of poltergeist cases investigated by the author, including a discussion of possible explanations for these phenomena. OOP
5. Thurston, H. Ghosts and Poltergeists. Ridgefield, CT: Roman Catholic Books, 1998 (originally published by Burns Oates, London in 1953).
REINCARNATION
1. Shroder, Tom. Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Past Lives. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999. In 1997 Dr. Stevenson agreed to let Tom Shroder, an editor at the Washington Post, travel with him through India, Lebanon and the United States as he investigated cases of children who seemed to remember previous lives. This is Shroder's book about those experiences. Now out in paperback as Old Souls: Compelling Evidence from Children Who Remember Past Lives from Fireside Books.
2. Stevenson, Ian. Children Who Remember Previous Lives: A Question of Reincarnation, revised ed., 2001. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company (originally published by University Press of Virginia, 1987). Dr. Stevenson describes, for the general reader, research conducted over the past forty years. He also addresses some of the questions frequently asked about these cases.
3. Stevenson, Ian. Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1974 (originally published as Vol. 26, Proceedings of the American Society for Psychical Research, 1966). Detailed reports of twenty cases of children (from five different countries) who claimed to remember previous lives.
4. Stevenson, Ian. Where Reincarnation and Biology Intersect. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1997. A 200 page synopsis of Dr. Stevenson's 2 volume, 2000+ page Reincarnation and Biology.
5. Tucker, Jim B.  Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2005.

SURVIVAL AFTER DEATH
1. Griffin, David Ray. Parapsychology, Philosophy and Spirituality: A Postmodern Exploration. Albany, State University of New York Press, 1997.
2. Paterson, R. W. K. Philosophy and the Belief in a Life after Death. Library of Religion and Philosophy series. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995.
TELEPATHY
1. Stevenson, Ian. Telepathic Impressions. Ann Arbor: Books on Demand, [no date given] originally published by University Press of Virginia in 1970).
2. Ullman, Montague, and Krippner, Stanley (with Alan Vaughan). Dream Telepathy. 2nd ed., Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 1989. A report of the experiments on telepathic dreams conducted at Maimonides Medical Center in New York, including a limited survey of spontaneous dream telepathy cases.
OTHER SELECTED TOPICS
1. Gauld, Alan. A History of Hypnotism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
2. LeShan, Lawrence. The Medium, The Mystic, and the Physicist. Viking Press, 1995 and 1974. OOP
3. Stevenson, Ian. Unlearned Language: New Studies in Xenoglossy. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1984.
4. Rhine, Louisa E. Hidden Channels of the Mind. New York: Time-Life Books, 1990 (originally published in 1961). A summary and discussion of reports of spontaneous cases, not investigated but taken at face value as sent in by (usually) the person having the experience. Gives interesting indications of the patterns in the cases. OOP

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Here are some questions for you.  Note that trying to find answers is a really big program.  If you have problems - ask me and I might be able to tell you where you can find some of the answers.  Julie Makarem

  • What are the Druze answers that Life has meaning and purpose.
  • How does the Druze teachings lead one to the answer that your life has a special purpose, even if that purpose and a plan to achieve it are not yet clear to you.

It is a universal fact that all babies are born poor, and that babies come into the world with absolutely nothing but their bodies. 
 
What does the Druze religion say about what made you be born into the family of your birth.

Notice that these questions are the basis of the Druze religion, and can lead you into the subject of reincarnation. Reincarnation, in my opinion, is the most important part of the Druze religion, i.e., the soul.)  What do you think?


Reincarnation for the Druze Reincarnation: It's Background REINCARNATION: Its meaning and consequences by Ernest Valea Reincarnation in world religions Past-life recall as proof for reincarnation Reincarnation and cosmic justice Reincarnation and Christianity Precedent at Dar al-Hikma - Chapter 10 from Metaphysics by Default. Evidence of Reincarnation Prominent people who accepted reincarnation and/or appeared to recall past lives Reincarnation: Socrates to Salinger The Fifth Ecumenical Council, The Second Council Of Constantinople, A.D. 553, The Anathemas Against Origen. New Clothes for Old Souls There Is No Death Druze Belief in Reincarnation The Similarity of Features of Reincarnation Type Cases over Many Years A Third Study New Article The Merciful Veil of Oblivion New Article The Explanations About Evolution and Reincarnation of the Spirit New Article The Divine Gift of Reincarnation. External Link The Reincarnation In the Bible I External Link More about The Reincarnation In the Bible II External Link Reincarnation and Western Religions- The Controversy External Link The divine law of reincarnation as an spiritual doctrine External Link Reincarnation and Western Religions -The Scriptures External Link Reincarnation and Western Religions -Conclusion External Link Reincarnation and Human Science External Link A Parable: The many options of reincarnation External Link Paul Misunderstood External Link