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How to Find Out Who You Were in a Past Life (11 Techniques)

As spiritual beings having a physical experience, many of us are aware of the fascinating fact that we’ve been here before. 

The concept of past lives is one that intrigues even the least spiritual people. Death is not final since energy can never be destroyed; only transformed. 

When you learn the facts about past lives and how to access past lives, it becomes easier to understand why we’re here in the first place. 

What Happens When We Die?

After death, only the shell (the body) disintegrates. However, the energy and spirit (or the “soul”) continues to persist – perhaps in another realm or realms. 

The deceased person might stay for a while on “the other side” or return quickly, at which point the cycle continues and they return in a new body… with new lessons to learn. 

That is, unless the person attains “enlightenment” and is able to jump off the “wheel of karma”. For those who return to Earth, they will have a new life, but their soul retains all of the lessons learned in their past life. 

The more you discover about past lives, the more insights you may receive that can help you to heal and grow in this lifetime. 

Moreover, by understanding what are past lives and how to access past lives, you can tap into the knowledge obtained in previous lives and apply it to this one. 

Let’s find out more about past lives, why past lives are important, and how to find out who you were in a past life. 

What Are Past Lives?

To answer the question, “what are past lives?”, we must first pay thought to the concept of reincarnation. 

What is Reincarnation? 

Past lives are based on the idea that we reincarnate – a three-point cycle that involves the soul entering a new body (birth), before dying (death), and being reborn into a new body (rebirth).

The soul, as believed in many cultures like Buddhism, Hinduism, and various New Age beliefs, is eternal. It continuously evolves and strengthens through different incarnations. This integral cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is known as “samsara” in both Buddhism and Hinduism. 

How Can We Stop Reincarnating?

Buddhists and Hindus believe that the soul continues shifting through this inevitable cycle until the person accomplishes something called “moksha”. Moksha is the term used to describe one’s “liberation from suffering”, or “nirvana”, meaning “enlightenment”. Each reincarnation provides us with the opportunity to evolve as spiritual beings while we live in the dense atmosphere of Planet Earth.

Since many of us are “starseeds” that have incarnated from different, higher dimensional planets and star systems, the Earth experience can be tough. We’re living in a 3D world, whereas most of us descend from 5D or higher. 

Nonetheless, reincarnation on Earth enables us to learn, grow, and triumph over karmic debts that we may have accumulated in previous lifetimes. 

The Importance of Learning Facts About Past Lives

Enlightening yourself on the subject of past lives can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Here are some of the profound influences that past life knowledge can have on our existing lives:

1. Trauma Healing

Are you afraid of the ocean, scared of heights, or fearful of flying? The reason(s) why you have these fears could be due to past traumas that are surfacing from within. Unresolved traumas caused by traumatic incidents from our past can manifest in each new life. Focus on dealing with those phobias and anxieties by facing them head-on to resolve the underlying issues and root causes. 

2. Identifying Patterns

Past life regression therapy and research can teach us a lot about certain behaviors, decisions, and relationship choices. For example, if you always choose narcissistic partners but are uncertain why you are drawn to these types of people, it could be due to behaviors that you are inheriting from your past life! Once you learn how to access past lives, it becomes easier to break the cycle, let go of what no longer serves you, and make conscious choices to accept what serves you the most. 

3. Improving Self-Awareness

Many of us make daily decisions unconsciously, without even realizing it. Isn’t it ironic? Lack of self awareness can cause us to make bad choices that are out of alignment with our soul’s true purpose. Fortunately, with some basic tips for accessing past lives, it is possible to lead a conscious lifestyle and fortify our understanding of our deepest desires, whilst moving harmoniously on the path to our dreams. 

4. Fostering Compassion

With a compassionate attitude towards life, we can enhance relationships with others and positively impact the lives of others around us. Compassion is all about acting with empathy for humanity and being willing to help others on their own journey to spiritual enlightenment. Accessing past lives may help you to dig up elements of your personality that were previously buried deep inside, thus enabling you to nurture this foundation of most spiritual practices. 

Common Themes in Past Lives

Although every soul is unique, there are certain themes that tend to crop up during past life regression. After all, we are all here navigating the maze of life and learning to conquer our fears as we ascend and grow into powerful spiritual beings. That said, it’s worth learning about (and recognizing) common past life themes to gain insights into your role on Planet Earth:

1. Relationships

There are more than 8 billion people on the planet, so forging friendships and relationships is inevitable! Whether it’s relationships with family members, friends, lovers, coworkers, or soulmates, past life experiences are built upon human-to-human connections. Even when things seem to go wrong, such as a conflict or disagreement with another person, there is always a lesson to learn. With past life regression, you can identify common relationship issues and unmask the hidden message. 

2. Trauma and Healing

Life doesn’t come without its obstacles, but as we learn to overcome and heal from them, we become more resilient to each challenge that the universe presents us with. Emotional blockages created by troublesome past experiences can negatively affect our energy and disturb alignment with our higher selves. This is why it is essential to explore trauma and healing through past life regression. 

3. Life Lessons

The chances of succeeding and overcoming obstacles in this lifetime are significantly higher if you learn how to access past lives. Why? Because the lessons learned from previous past lives can steer our decisions in this life. Since your soul’s purpose is pre-planned, it is up to you to step into the more advanced version of yourself. To do this, you must connect with the previous versions of yourself and welcome life’s lessons with open arms. 

4. Roles and Archetypes

Think of your time on Earth as a role in a movie. Everyone is playing a different character, with a plot line, theme, and mission to accomplish. Nobody’s role is more significant than anyone else’s; everything happens in divine timing. Just like the movie “The Butterfly Effect” teaches us, small things can have a big impact – ripples of energy can create a tidal wave of change. 

In one life, you might have been a warrior or healer, whereas you might have been a mother or teacher in another life. Regardless of which role you played, past life regression techniques can teach you how to pinpoint certain patterns and use them to become stronger in this life. 

Navigating Challenges in Past Life Exploration

Although learning about past lives can be a fascinating process, it can also be challenging and emotionally exhausting. A soul-strengthening experience, past life regression may bring the following obstacles to the surface:

1. Emotional Overload 

Prepare for your feelings to kick into overdrive when exploring past lives. Many of us have lived dramatic past lives that may stir up feelings of distress, anger, and confusion. In situations where you feel emotionally overwhelmed, grant yourself the time to implement self care and process your emotions. Support from a friend, spiritual guide, or therapist can also go a long way. 

2. Uncertainty

When you explore various avenues of past life regression you may feel a wave of uncertainty wash over you. Just know that this is completely normal. Some people may even start questioning their current reality, but it is important to maintain an open mind and be receptive to information from your spiritual team. 

3. Memory Blockages

Opening your third eye with meditation and pineal gland decalcification techniques can help you tune-in to past life memories. The more consistent you are in your approach to accessing past lives, such as by meditating every morning, afternoon, and evening, the greater the chances of “downloading” memories. Some memories may even come to you in the form of a dream, so pay attention and be patient when exercising your consciousness. 

Powerful Methods for Accessing Past Lives

If you’re wondering, “How do I find out who I was in my past life?”, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are various past life regression techniques you can explore. 

You might be a fairly fresh soul, or an old soul who has lived multiple lifetimes. You could have lived in a faraway country in your past life, enjoying different hobbies, speaking totally different languages, and taking on a completely unique appearance that looks nothing like your current “avatar”! 

Among the many methods of past life regression that exist, here are some of the most popular ways of accessing the other “roles” that your soul has played in previous lifetimes:

1. Past Life Regression Therapy 

One of the most obvious ways to find out who you were in your past life is to participate in past life regression therapy. Hypnosis is the main element of past life regression techniques, with this type of spiritual therapy involving guidance from a trained therapist. 

The therapist will guide the client into a serene state of mind, talking to them and helping them to recall certain events, places, or people. It is also possible to practice past life regression with guided meditations on YouTube and other platforms. 

Benefits of Past Life Regression Therapy 

  • Deeper Discovery – One of the main benefits of past life regression therapy is that it enables us to dig deeper into the elements of our soul that we strengthened in our past lives. 
  • Professional Guidance – Since this type of spiritual therapy involves guidance from an expert, it is an effective way of dealing with suppressed emotions and past experiences that could otherwise affect your ability to overcome challenges in this lifetime. 
  • Personal Insights – Another major benefit of past life regression therapy is that participants (like yourself) can gain clarity on profound insights that may invoke a rapid healing experience. 

2. Meditation

Meditation is one of the most powerful tools that us humans have at our disposal for attaining enlightenment, higher consciousness, and accessing past lives. The more you meditate, the easier it is to step into alignment with your higher self – the spiritual aspect of you that retains all of your past life memories and experiences. 

Finding a Zen spot — e.g., under a tree outdoors, swinging on a hammock, or lounging in a bean bag under the stars — will make it easier to access past life memories. The process involves calming the mind, setting an intention, visualizing yourself in your past life, and looking inwards to accomplish a state of enhanced self-awareness and spiritual insight. 

Benefits of Past Life Meditation

  • Flexible – You can practice meditation whenever and wherever you feel like it. Past life meditation can be accomplished alone or as part of a group. You can also practice past life meditation by following guided meditations on YouTube, like this one or by reading specific techniques in books like this one. 
  • Phobia-alleviating – Many of the phobias we face in this lifetime stem from traumatic past life experiences. By going within and facing those phobias head-on, we can learn to conquer feelings of fear and use our phobias as our strength; not weakness. 

3. Dream Analysis

Dreams are a portal into our subconscious mind. Every dream portrays a message, no matter how insignificant it might seem. Recurring or vivid dreams could be memories from your past lives that resurface during your sleeping state. 

It’s good to keep a journal handy, like this one, to write down the symbols, signs, and themes that occur in your dreams since they can provide insights into the roles you played in past lives. 

Benefits of Dream Analysis for Past Life Regression

  • Natural – Using dream analysis techniques to find out who you were in a past life is a natural option, since you have the opportunity to remember dreams every single morning when you wake up. 
  • Discreet – Private and personal, dream analysis for past life regression can be done discreetly at home and without any professional assistance. 
  • Symbolism – Another of the major benefits of dream analysis is the deciphering of symbols and metaphors to discover deeper insights about past lives. Every symbol has a meaning, so note it down. 
  • Dream insights – You may even experience flickers of your past lives while dreaming, like a movie reel playing at a cinema. 

4. Intuitive Past Life Readings

If you want to find out who you were in a past life, you might gain comfort by contacting psychic mediums and spiritual counselors. Professionals in these fascinating fields of work may offer peace of mind, intuitive guidance, and a helping hand when tracing back to specific elements of your past life memories.

To get the most out of past life readings, you ought to embrace the situation with an open mind and open heart. It’s important to maintain unwavering faith that you’ve been here before and that your past life memories still exist; even if they are buried deep within! 

Benefits of Intuitive Past Life Regression Readings

  • Knowledge – Most people who participate in intuitive past life readings with a trained professional will gain various perspectives on numerous past life readings, as opposed to just one. 
  • Privacy – The personal guidance offered during past life regression readings is second to none and ensures complete discretion. 
  • Progress – Once you find out who you were in a past life with regression readings, you can learn how to address current challenges in this life. 

5. Self-Reflection and Journaling to Access Past Lives

Aside from contacting a professional to help you find out who you were in a past life (which is not necessary), you can also do some journaling from the comfort of your own home. Journaling is a powerful practice that can help you to release inner emotions and uncover aspects of your past life memories through spontaneous writing. 

Set aside some time each week to sit down in a quiet spot with some white candles and incense sticks of your choice, before asking questions (out loud or silently in your mind) about your past life. The Universe is always listening and if you quiet your mind, you will receive responses. Even if you don’t hear any message specifically, your Spirit Guides, Guardian Angels, Ancient Ancestors, and Ascended Masters may channel information that can be expressed through writing. 

Benefits of Self Reflection Journaling to Access Past Lives

  • Clarity – Writing your thoughts, feelings, and dreams in a journal can assist you in clarifying your emotions about the past and, ultimately, come to terms with them. 
  • Practical –  Using self reflection journaling to access past lives is beneficial for keeping track of your insights and connecting the dots on the path to self discovery.
  • Dream Decoding – Self reflection journaling is also beneficial for decoding dreams, which may help you decipher past life memories that could be weighing heavy on your subconscious mind. 

6. Reading and Reciting Past Life Meditation Scripts

Performing a quick online search of “past life meditation scripts” will return thousands of results. These scripts are usually created by spiritual gurus and experts with plenty of experience accessing past life memories. 

By finding a peaceful meditation spot to recite past life meditation scripts, such as this one, you can dig deeper into the facets of your consciousness that retain past life memories. 

Benefits of Past Life Meditation Scripts

  • Diverse – Past life meditation scripts can be tweaked according to the person that they are curated for and can even be written by yourself. 
  • Straightforward – Meditation scripts are among the gentlest modes of spiritual therapy for discovering who you were in a past life. 
  • Convenient – You can read meditation scripts anywhere, at any time. So long as the destination is peaceful and without distractions, you’re good to go. 

7. Energy Healing Practices for Past Life Regression

For many people who lead a spiritual lifestyle, regular energy healing practices are essential. 

Techniques such as Reiki or various other types or energy healing methods — such as crystal healing and sound frequency healing — can help you to untangle trapped energy blockages associated with past life traumas. 

Do your research to find a recommended energy healer who can dedicate adequate time to helping you access and address past life memories.

Benefits of Energy Healing Practices to Access Past Lives

  • Intuitive – Participating in energy healing practices to access past lives may remove stagnant energy and welcome clearer intuitiveinsights about the former roles you’ve played. 
  • Peace-promoting – Energy healing practices may benefit you in finding out who you were in a past life, while improving inner peace in the process. 
  • Curative – The physical and mental healing associated with energetic cleansing may enable you to deal with previous trauma, acknowledge it, and move on. 

8. Ceremonial Practices for Past Life Regression

Shamanic healing, chakra balancing, cacao ceremonies, and ancestral rituals are just a few examples of the different types of ceremonial practices for past life regression. You can seek out a professional to guide you, or even perform a ritual from home. 

The goal is to honor your ancestors and to invite your spirit team to provide you with as many insights about your former life as possible. Set the scene with incense, candles, and an altar, before setting an intention into the rising fragrant smoke. 

Benefits of Ceremonial Practices for Past Life Regression

  • Knowledge – Learn how to get to the root cause of any recurring issues that are troubling you in this lifetime. 
  • Safety – Ceremonial practices and rituals provide you with a safe haven for focus and contemplation. 
  • Comfort – The relaxing environment may provide relief from anxiety, clarity, and comfort as you peel back the layers of your past. 

9. Hypnotherapy for Past Life Regression

Is hypnotherapy the best option for you to figure out who you were in a past life? 

The only way to know is to visit a certified hypnotherapist. Make sure the hypnotherapist has plenty of client testimonials and is specifically skilled at past life regressions. 

Hypnotherapy is similar to past life regression in the sense that it uses guided techniques to unearth deeper memories in a safe and harmonious environment. 

Benefits of Hypnotherapy for Past Life Regression

  • Clarity – Using hypnotherapy to find out who you were in a past life can give you a clear glimpse into the roles you previously played. 
  • Legitimate – Regression hypnotherapy is generally very effective and since you’ll usually be accompanied by a hypnotherapist, you can feel confident and comforted throughout the experience. 
  • Life-changing – The gentle, hypnotic journey may help you to break free from repeating patterns that arose in each lifetime, allowing you to make the most of this lifetime. 

10. Artistic Expression to Access Past Lives

You don’t have to be a talented artist to express your spiritual insights with artistic regression! Before engaging in this activity, perform a deep meditation and ask your Ancient Ancestors to show who you were in past life. 

This method of discovering who you were in a past life involves taking a pencil, pen, or some paints to paper and simply drawing what comes to your mind. Artistic expression is recommended for sparking creativity and stimulating subconscious exploration. 

Focus on the themes that arise after drawing at least five images. 

Benefits of Using Art to Find Out Who You Were in a Past Life

  • Career Inspiration – By using art to find out who you were in a past life, you could potentially enter a new career; using art not only to express your spiritual side but also, to earn a living! 
  • Spread Your Light – Meditate before drawing or painting and consider sharing your art with followers on social media to positively influence other people’s lives, too. 
  • Spiritual Perception – With time, you’ll notice your art skills sharpen, as well as your ability to perceive and translate insights into artistic form. 

11. Accessing the Akashic Records for Past Life Regression

Every thought, word, emotion, and event that ever took place in the Universe is encoded in the mental plane – a non-physical plane of existence. According to theosophists, this invisible “library” of information is called the “Akashic Records”. Everyone has access to the Akashic Records, but not everyone knows how to access them. 

Learning how to access the Akashic Records is a life-changing skill since every soul’s journey is stored in this magical metaphysical library. I recommend using Linda Howe’s “pathway prayer” if you want to learn how to read the Akashic Records and find out who you were in a past life. 

Benefits of Accessing the Akashic Records for Past Life Regression

  • Accuracy – Using the Akashic Records to find out who you were in a past life can provide eerily accurate and valuable insights regarding the specific lessons you’ve learned along the journey. 
  • Trustworthy – The Akashic records represent the highest level of Divine guidance on command. 
  • Healing – Accessing the Akashic Records for past life regression can open up opportunities for healing, teach you to become less reactive, and reignite former talents and gifts. 

Conclusion

Once you open the portal of accessing past lives, your world is bound to change. You’ll look at things differently and others may not understand you, but that’s okay. Keeping it to yourself is fine, too. Not everyone needs to know who you were in a past life – what you choose to do with that information is up to you.

Aside from the sheer magic associated with knowing that you have lived before — and perhaps were a very well-known or well-respected figure in history — the process of accessing past lives can create a tidal wave of self-discovery, inner healing, and spiritual development. 

All of the methods to find out who you were in  past life mentioned in this post offer unique benefits, depending on the person who tries each technique. Experiment to see what works and resonates with you the most.

For the best outcome, approach past life regression with an open mind and willingness to learn more about your current role on Planet Earth in this lifetime.