Reincarnation/Dreams of Past Lives

[ScuzManiac]

I had someone sit down and explain an interesting theory to me that dreams are visions of past lives and to be quite frank, I found it to be very intriguing. Below is a link to an article that kind of touches base on this concept. What I'd like to hear from all of you is what you make of it. Is this a possibility to you? Is it too far fetched? Have you had dreams where you were someone else in a different place? Does this theory tie in with any religions? Is there any way to disprove this? Thanks in advance!

Mystery Portals - Past Lives

 

[serp777]

I find it very ridiculous and unscientific. Dreams are a result of rem processing in the brain, hence you can control dreams with drugs; they evolved in order to consolidate relevant memories and help the brain prepare for daily predicaments you might face. Cats, for example, often dream about chasing birds

 

[ScuzManiac]

I find it very ridiculous and unscientific. Dreams are a result of rem processing in the brain, hence you can control dreams with drugs; they evolved in order to consolidate relevant memories and help the brain prepare for daily predicaments you might face. Cats, for example, often dream about chasing birds

I'm not sure HOW we know cats dream about chasing birds but...

No one can quite explain DMT which your brain produces when you sleep and right before you die (as does most every other living organism)....

But I agree. It is very ridiculous but interesting nonetheless.

 

[serp777]

I'm not sure HOW we know cats dream about chasing birds but...

No one can quite explain DMT which your brain produces when you sleep and right before you die (as does most every other living organism)....

But I agree. It is very ridiculous but interesting nonetheless.

It's very interesting about the cat dreams actually. Dogs too. They disable the gene that prevents them from acting out their dreams and the cats and dpgs behave as if theyre chasing some prey.

There's a human disorder where people act out their dreams too. The nova documentarty called the science of dreams talks about it.

 

[George-ananda]

I believe in reincarnation but it's pretty foggy when you try to separate what could come from a past life versus images from this life, etc.. But I think events from past lives do linger with some people.

The most compelling cases are of young children who have detailed memories of their past life that have even gotten verified by research. One thing I've noticed is that in almost all of these compelling childhood cases they had died a sudden death in the prime of their life when their life force was at its strongest. These things produce echo type memories and as the child ages these memories dampen and almost leave completely.

 

[Sleeppy]

I feel as though particle entanglement has something to do with this.. No idea.

 

[serp777]

I believe in reincarnation but it's pretty foggy when you try to separate what could come from a past life versus images from this life, etc.. But I think events from past lives do linger with some people.

The most compelling cases are of young children who have detailed memories of their past life that have even gotten verified by research. One thing I've noticed is that in almost all of these compelling childhood cases they had died a sudden death in the prime of their life when their life force was at its strongest. These things produce echo type memories and as the child ages these memories dampen and almost leave completely.

That's the most compelling evidence for fraud

 

[ScuzManiac]

I believe in reincarnation but it's pretty foggy when you try to separate what could come from a past life versus images from this life, etc.. But I think events from past lives do linger with some people.

The most compelling cases are of young children who have detailed memories of their past life that have even gotten verified by research. One thing I've noticed is that in almost all of these compelling childhood cases they had died a sudden death in the prime of their life when their life force was at its strongest. These things produce echo type memories and as the child ages these memories dampen and almost leave completely.

Really?

I've never heard that. Do you have any links to stories like this?

 

[George-ananda]

That's the most compelling evidence for fraud

Really?

I've never heard that. Do you have any links to stories like this?

Actually childhood reincarnation is a topic with quite a bit of information out there for those who are interested. The field of study was made popular first by Dr. Ian Stevenson in his book (which I've read) called 20 Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation.

There are now other researchers. Even Carl Sagan, typically on the skeptic side of things, believed this was a subject worthy of further investigation.

Here is a synopsis of just one story (there was even a commission in this case to study the case for things like fraud, etc..

According to these accounts, when she was about four years old, she told her parents that her real home was in Mathura where her husband lived, about 145 km from her home in Delhi. Discouraged by her parents, she ran away from home at age six, trying to reach Mathura. Back home, she stated in school that she was married and had died ten days after having given birth to a child. Interviewed by her teacher and headmaster, she used words from the Mathura dialect and divulged the name of her merchant husband, "Kedar Nath". The headmaster located a merchant by that name in Mathura who had lost his wife, Lugdi Devi, nine years earlier, ten days after having given birth to a son. Kedar Nath traveled to Delhi, pretending to be his own brother, but Shanti Devi immediately recognized him and Lugdi Devi's son. As she knew several details of Kedar Nath's life with his wife, he was soon convinced that Shanti Devi was indeed the reincarnation of Lugdi Devi. When Mahatma Gandhi heard about the case, he met the child and set up a commission to investigate. The commission traveled with Shanti Devi to Mathura, arriving on November 15, 1935. There she recognized several family members, including the grandfather of Lugdi Devi. She found out that Kedar Nath had neglected to keep a number of promises he had made to Lugdi Devi on her deathbed. She then traveled home with her parents. The commission's report concluded that Shanti Devi was indeed the reincarnation of Lugdi Devi.[2]

 

[serp777]

Actually childhood reincarnation is a topic with quite a bit of information out there for those who are interested. The field of study was made popular first by Dr. Ian Stevenson in his book (which I've read) called 20 Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation.

There are now other researchers. Even Carl Sagan, typically on the skeptic side of things, believed this was a subject worthy of further investigation.

Here is a synopsis of just one story (there was even a commission in this case to study the case for things like fraud, etc..

According to these accounts, when she was about four years old, she told her parents that her real home was in Mathura where her husband lived, about 145 km from her home in Delhi. Discouraged by her parents, she ran away from home at age six, trying to reach Mathura. Back home, she stated in school that she was married and had died ten days after having given birth to a child. Interviewed by her teacher and headmaster, she used words from the Mathura dialect and divulged the name of her merchant husband, "Kedar Nath". The headmaster located a merchant by that name in Mathura who had lost his wife, Lugdi Devi, nine years earlier, ten days after having given birth to a son. Kedar Nath traveled to Delhi, pretending to be his own brother, but Shanti Devi immediately recognized him and Lugdi Devi's son. As she knew several details of Kedar Nath's life with his wife, he was soon convinced that Shanti Devi was indeed the reincarnation of Lugdi Devi. When Mahatma Gandhi heard about the case, he met the child and set up a commission to investigate. The commission traveled with Shanti Devi to Mathura, arriving on November 15, 1935. There she recognized several family members, including the grandfather of Lugdi Devi. She found out that Kedar Nath had neglected to keep a number of promises he had made to Lugdi Devi on her deathbed. She then traveled home with her parents. The commission's report concluded that Shanti Devi was indeed the reincarnation of Lugdi Devi.[2]

So stories and anecdotal evidence are valid to you? What about the thousands of cases of alien abduction claims made by entire groups of people?

How about all those who claim they've seen God and experienced Christian miracles? Surely reincarnation and christianity cannot be possible.

How about all those people who claim to have seen scientology's evil alien overlord?

Just because people claim something doesn't give it any validity at all. People lie. People like attention. People like making money from publishing books that are allegedly true. Some people are just plain delusional.

 

[George-ananda]

So stories and anecdotal evidence are valid to you?

After intelligent analysis they can effect my view of the universe, yes.

What about the thousands of cases of alien abduction claims made by entire groups of people?

Unrelated subject to what I'm talking about.

How about all those who claim they've seen God and experienced Christian miracles? Surely reincarnation and christianity cannot be possible.

I believe some Christian miracles are very likely to have happened. Many believe in Christianity and reincarnation.

How about all those people who claim to have seen scientology's evil alien overlord?

Not a subject I've studied. What are you getting at? That if you believe one type of phenomena is likely to be true you must also believe all phenomena? No, intelligence says we consider on a case by case basis.

Just because people claim something doesn't give it any validity at all. People lie. People like attention. People like making money from publishing books that are allegedly true. Some people are just plain delusional.

All the above should be considered before forming an opinion. I have considered these things and believe the evidence for childhood reincarnational memories is compelling. The above explanations don't seem to explain away the phenomena.

 

[serp777]

After intelligent analysis they can effect my view of the universe, yes.



Unrelated subject to what I'm talking about.



I believe some Christian miracles are very likely to have happened. Many believe in Christianity and reincarnation.



Not a subject I've studied. What are you getting at? That if you believe one type of phenomena is likely to be true you must also believe all phenomena? No, intelligence says we consider on a case by case basis.



All the above should be considered before forming an opinion. I have considered these things and believe the evidence for childhood reincarnational memories is compelling. The above explanations don't seem to explain away the phenomena.

Actually it does explain it. If people are lying to gain attention, then these stories are nothing more than a fabrication. The explanation is quite simple and reasonable at that point.

"Unrelated subject to what I'm talking about."
How do you not understand the relation? Alien abduction stories are anecdotal just like these stories. If you accept the stories about reincarnation you should accept the thousands of stories by groups of people about alien abductions. Specifically little green men. It's completely related to what you're talking about because they're all claims that would require a lot more evidence than simply the alleged word of some crackpots.

Furthermore reincarnation follows no scientific logic whatsoever, and would require many mechanisms. First, when the person dies, their hippocampus would need to be copied, through some unknown mechanism. Then those memories would need to be transferred as information through some magic medium instantly, at which point some other mysterious mechanism would find an available human who is old enough to have a memory structure in the brain. Then, those memories would need to be transferred into the new hippocampus somehow, and cause neurogenesis inception. The memory structure would also need to be converted in case the new person had different genetics, which would lead to minor, but significant neural changes that could influence the insertion technique.

Fraud is much more likely then magic neural transfers. Show me some MRI scans of the hippocampus spontaneously generating new memories in this kind of context.

"I believe some Christian miracles are very likely to have happened. "
Ok, so the resurrection then? Jonah in the whale? The pope being able to cure cancer? How do you judge which miracles are valid and which are phonies?

 

[George-ananda]

Actually it does explain it. If people are lying to gain attention, then these stories are nothing more than a fabrication. The explanation is quite simple and reasonable at that point.

The key word is the 'If' in the above. Knowledge of specific details can't be explained away by lying.

"Unrelated subject to what I'm talking about."
How do you not understand the relation? Alien abduction stories are anecdotal just like these stories. If you accept the stories about reincarnation you should accept the thousands of stories by groups of people about alien abductions. Specifically little green men. It's completely related to what you're talking about because they're all claims that would require a lot more evidence than simply the alleged word of some crackpots.

I certainly see a difference in QUALITY of anecdotal stories. Those meticulously studied by a researcher like Dr. Ian Stevenson are at a level of quality beyond a drunk telling me about his pink elephant sighting. I hope you are not trying to say all anecdotal stories are of equal value.

(alien abductions stories are complicated and off-topic here)

Furthermore reincarnation follows no scientific logic whatsoever, and would require many mechanisms. First, when the person dies, their hippocampus would need to be copied, through some unknown mechanism. Then those memories would need to be transferred as information through some magic medium instantly, at which point some other mysterious mechanism would find an available human who is old enough to have a memory structure in the brain. Then, those memories would need to be transferred into the new hippocampus somehow, and cause neurogenesis inception. The memory structure would also need to be converted in case the new person had different genetics, which would lead to minor, but significant neural changes that could influence the insertion technique.

Fraud is much more likely then magic neural transfers. Show me some MRI scans of the hippocampus spontaneously generating new memories in this kind of context.

The belief in reincarnation generally goes hand in hand with belief in a soul that directly experiences the events of all its incarnations.

"I believe some Christian miracles are very likely to have happened. "
Ok, so the resurrection then?

Quite likely something paranormal happened.

Jonah in the whale?

Nope on that one.

The pope being able to cure cancer?

Nobody makes that blanket claim. I do believe intercessory miraculous healings occur though.

How do you judge which miracles are valid and which are phonies?

By considering everything; the arguments and evidence for and against and THINKING. And from as much as I can learn on a subject.

 

[serp777]

The key word is the 'If' in the above. Knowledge of specific details can't be explained away by lying.



I certainly see a difference in QUALITY of anecdotal stories. Those meticulously studied by a researcher like Dr. Ian Stevenson are at a level of quality beyond a drunk telling me about his pink elephant sighting. I hope you are not trying to say all anecdotal stories are of equal value.

(alien abductions stories are complicated and off-topic here)



The belief in reincarnation generally goes hand in hand with belief in a soul that directly experiences the events of all its incarnations.



Quite likely something paranormal happened.



Nope on that one.



Nobody makes that blanket claim. I do believe intercessory miraculous healings occur though.



By considering everything; the arguments and evidence for and against and THINKING. And from as much as I can learn on a subject.

"I hope you are not trying to say all anecdotal stories are of equal value."

This is true but you've given no evidence or reason why this anecdotal is superior to the anecdotal evidence given by alien abductees. Until such evidence is given, I assume the anecdotal evidence has equivalent worth. But anyways, this doctor did not experience the event himself. He is presenting second hand information.

http://www.ufoabduction.com/

This is from The International Center for Abduction Research. Surely they are more trustworthy than one doctor? Anyways are you saying that well know doctors don't lie often? They frequently do. Authority is not a very good argument.

"By considering everything; the arguments and evidence for and against and THINKING. And from as much as I can learn on a subject"

Ok, so why would Jonah and the whale be a less reasonable miracle than a paranormal resurrection? Why is is Jonah and the whale less reasonable than magic neural transfers?

If this stuff is real, then there is a scientific mechanism behind it.

"The belief in reincarnation generally goes hand in hand with belief in a soul that directly experiences the events of all its incarnations."

So there's a soul that exists outside of the universe and is composed of some unknown form of energy. This entity can then record peta bytes of hippocampus information, convert for all different kinds of neural structures, and then insert it into an arbitrarily chosen human being using unknown neuro engineering and inception. Incredibly farfetched. And what would be the point of this?

You're saying this is more reasonable than people lying or wanting attention? People do this ALL the time.

"alien abductions stories are complicated and off-topic here"

I don't agree. We are talking about the validity of anecdotal evidence. Alien abductions are an example of this. In what way is it off topic?

 

[George-ananda]

"I hope you are not trying to say all anecdotal stories are of equal value."

This is true but you've given no evidence or reason why this anecdotal is superior to the anecdotal evidence given by alien abductees. Until such evidence is given, I assume the anecdotal evidence has equivalent worth. But anyways, this doctor did not experience the event himself. He is presenting second hand information.

International Center for Abduction Research

This is from The International Center for Abduction Research. Surely they are more trustworthy than one doctor? Anyways are you saying that well know doctors don't lie often? They frequently do. Authority is not a very good argument.

I'm saying again that there are anecdotal stories on any number of subjects and they must be considered intelligently. I have opinions on the alien abduction stuff too but that's irrelevant to this reincarnation discussion. Anecdotal stories cannot be just accepted or rejected. They need to be considered intelligently.

"By considering everything; the arguments and evidence for and against and THINKING. And from as much as I can learn on a subject"

Ok, so why would Jonah and the whale be a less reasonable miracle than a paranormal resurrection? Why is is Jonah and the whale less reasonable than magic neural transfers?

I don't believe in magical neural transfers either. And because I believe in miracles does not mean all claims have equal merit. I consider everything before forming an opinion.

If this stuff is real, then there is a scientific mechanism behind it.

"The belief in reincarnation generally goes hand in hand with belief in a soul that directly experiences the events of all its incarnations."

So there's a soul that exists outside of the universe and is composed of some unknown form of energy. This entity can then record peta bytes of hippocampus information, convert for all different kinds of neural structures, and then insert it into an arbitrarily chosen human being using unknown neuro engineering and inception. Incredibly farfetched. And what would be the point of this?

That's your conception of how reincarnation would have to work not mine. I believe we have an individual soul that guides and experiences the events of the mental, astral and physical bodies. These subtle bodies exist in planes/realms (vibrational and dimensional levels) of nature above detection by physical senses and instruments.

You're saying this is more reasonable than people lying or wanting attention? People do this ALL the time.

Certainly I consider lying as a possibility in all cases. However it's very hard to see how lying would allow you to know verifiable details at a far off place.

 

[serp777]

I'm saying again that there are anecdotal stories on any number of subjects and they must be considered intelligently. I have opinions on the alien abduction stuff too but that's irrelevant to this reincarnation discussion. Anecdotal stories cannot be just accepted or rejected. They need to be considered intelligently.

"By considering everything; the arguments and evidence for and against and THINKING. And from as much as I can learn on a subject"



I don't believe in magical neural transfers either. And because I believe in miracles does not mean all claims have equal merit. I consider everything before forming an opinion.



That's your conception of how reincarnation would have to work not mine. I believe we have an individual soul that guides and experiences the events of the mental, astral and physical bodies. These subtle bodies exist in planes/realms (vibrational and dimensional levels) of nature above detection by physical senses and instruments.



Certainly I consider lying as a possibility in all cases. However it's very hard to see how lying would allow you to know verifiable details at a far off place.

"I'm saying again that there are anecdotal stories on any number of subjects and they must be considered intelligently."

And i'm saying again that there is nothing here, besides the debatable second hand knowledge of a doctor, that would give this anecdotal evidence any validity.

If this was true it would completely change the laws of physics. In fact, we'd have to throw out the laws of physics since all of this is incompatible with all of our experiment and knowledge--that the laws of physics never change and are always followed. This astral plane stuff would just be physics then.

"I believe we have an individual soul that guides and experiences the events of the mental, astral and physical bodies. These subtle bodies exist in planes/realms (vibrational and dimensional levels) of nature above detection by physical senses and instruments. "

How do you know all of this? Did you just make that up? The problem is here. Our brains work on principles of physics and chemistry. If you have some magical stuff going on, it needs to interface with the brain in such a way that would work with the current laws of physics. I will elaborate further below--

"I don't believe in magical neural transfers either. "
You certainly do. You believe that information can travel out of a dead person, through astral planes or whatever, and into a newly born person. The only way you could do that would be to change the brain of the person in question, hence a magic neural transfer. Our entire existence depends on the hippocampus and the rest of the brain. We could not remember anything without the hippocampus, so it need to somehow update the neural structures in the hippocampus so we could remember these events in the first place. This is why drugs can affect memories. This is why alzheimers affects memories, etc, because it affects the hippocampus. Assuming that there even is a soul, it would have to go through the brain first.

"Certainly I consider lying as a possibility in all cases. However it's very hard to see how lying would allow you to know verifiable details at a far off place."
The lie would be that it even happened in the first place. Furthermore coincidences aren't impossible. Or perhaps this child got the information some other way (overheard a telephone call, or saw a news article) , which is at least as likely as reincarnation.

 

[George-ananda]

"I'm saying again that there are anecdotal stories on any number of subjects and they must be considered intelligently."

And i'm saying again that there is nothing here, besides the debatable second hand knowledge of a doctor, that would give this anecdotal evidence any validity.

I don't think you are aware of the level of investigation that has gone into reincarnational memories by researchers. This is not rinky-dink stuff and no simple explanation like 'lying' is going to cut it.

If this was true it would completely change the laws of physics. In fact, we'd have to throw out the laws of physics since all of this is incompatible with all of our experiment and knowledge--that the laws of physics never change and are always followed. This astral plane stuff would just be physics then.

The physics you mention relates to the physical realm and is valid for that realm. I'm saying there are realms beyond this physical one.

"I believe we have an individual soul that guides and experiences the events of the mental, astral and physical bodies. These subtle bodies exist in planes/realms (vibrational and dimensional levels) of nature above detection by physical senses and instruments. "

How do you know all of this? Did you just make that up?

I'm not that creative to make this up. It is based on eastern/hindu teachings of many masters/mystics that have experienced consciousness beyond the physical realm.

The problem is here. Our brains work on principles of physics and chemistry. If you have some magical stuff going on, it needs to interface with the brain in such a way that would work with the current laws of physics. I will elaborate further below--

"I don't believe in magical neural transfers either. "
You certainly do. You believe that information can travel out of a dead person, through astral planes or whatever, and into a newly born person. The only way you could do that would be to change the brain of the person in question, hence a magic neural transfer. Our entire existence depends on the hippocampus and the rest of the brain. We could not remember anything without the hippocampus, so it need to somehow update the neural structures in the hippocampus so we could remember these events in the first place. This is why drugs can affect memories. This is why alzheimers affects memories, etc, because it affects the hippocampus. Assuming that there even is a soul, it would have to go through the brain first.

I don't think you have a model of what eastern/Hindu thought is saying. Consciousness is not physical or created in the brain. Consciousness reflects downward through the soul, mental body, astral body and the physical body. In the unusual case of childhood reincarnational memories the soul memories are echoing downward (through sympathetic vibrations). This would generally only happen in cases where a soul spun a new incarnation (astral, mental, physical body) quickly following a tramatic event.

"Certainly I consider lying as a possibility in all cases. However it's very hard to see how lying would allow you to know verifiable details at a far off place."
The lie would be that it even happened in the first place. Furthermore coincidences aren't impossible. Or perhaps this child got the information some other way (overheard a telephone call, or saw a news article) , which is at least as likely as reincarnation.

Certainly those types of things are the first thing I, you, or a researcher would consider. In the compelling cases these type of explanations do not seem reasonable to explain away the phenomena. The information was obscure and totally foreign to even the adults associated with the child (details about an obscure person from a distant village).

 

[serp777]

I don't think you are aware of the level of investigation that has gone into reincarnational memories by researchers. This is not rinky-dink stuff and no simple explanation like 'lying' is going to cut it.



The physics you mention relates to the physical realm and is valid for that realm. I'm saying there are realms beyond this physical one.



I'm not that creative to make this up. It is based on eastern/hindu teachings of many masters/mystics that have experienced consciousness beyond the physical realm.



I don't think you have a model of what eastern/Hindu thought is saying. Consciousness is not physical or created in the brain. Consciousness reflects downward through the soul, mental body, astral body and the physical body. In the unusual case of childhood reincarnational memories the soul memories are echoing downward (through sympathetic vibrations). This would generally only happen in cases where a soul spun a new incarnation (astral, mental, physical body) quickly following a tramatic event.



Certainly those types of things are the first thing I, you, or a researcher would consider. In the compelling cases these type of explanations do not seem reasonable to explain away the phenomena. The information was obscure and totally foreign to even the adults associated with the child (details about an obscure person from a distant village).

Why can't lying.or delusion cut it? Out of curiosity what kind of sources support reincarnation memories, let alone reincarnation? Do you have any scientific evidence?

But this kind of interpretation brings in the laws of chemistry and physics necessarily, so it does not exist purely in the metaphysical realm, regardless of your model. The logic is pretty reasonable. also how does hinduism know the astral plane exists? Why couldnt consciousness exist as some physical configuration of undiscovered particles? That's more realistic than an astral plane, or at least just as likely

1. The human brain stores all memories in the hippocampus.
2. Nothing could be remembered without the hippocampus.
3. Thus Any new memory must be added to the hippocampus to be remembered
4. Therefore reincarnation memories must necesserily update the hippocampus to be remembered, which requires affecting chemistry and physics.
5. It follows that your model affects chemistry and physics
6. Thus the model is not entierely in the metaphysical realm.

Statements one and two are based on well known scientific facts, which I can cite if need be. This is a sound deductive argument that would contradict your given model.

 

[George-ananda]

Why can't lying.or delusion cut it?

Study the details in the compelling cases. Delusion can not explain knowledge of verifiable details. And these cases follow very similar patterns where researchers painstakingly look for normal explanations.

Out of curiosity what kind of sources support reincarnation memories, let alone reincarnation? Do you have any scientific evidence?

The evidence for reincarnational memories is through thorough study of anecdotal evidence considering all evidence and argumentation from all possible sides and all possible theories as to what is going on.

But this kind of interpretation brings in the laws of chemistry and physics necessarily, so it does not exist purely in the metaphysical realm, regardless of your model. The logic is pretty reasonable. also how does hinduism know the astral plane exists? Why couldnt consciousness exist as some physical configuration of undiscovered particles? That's more realistic than an astral plane, or at least just as likely

1. The human brain stores all memories in the hippocampus.
2. Nothing could be remembered without the hippocampus.
3. Thus Any new memory must be added to the hippocampus to be remembered
4. Therefore reincarnation memories must necesserily update the hippocampus to be remembered, which requires affecting chemistry and physics.
5. It follows that your model affects chemistry and physics
6. Thus the model is not entierely in the metaphysical realm.

Statements one and two are based on well known scientific facts, which I can cite if need be. This is a sound deductive argument that would contradict your given model.

Allot of theorists are now suggesting that memory is non-local. And consciousness itself is non-local. The physical brain is then an organ that allows consciousness to experience the physical realm.

The subtle bodies, soul, astral, mental have senses that allow them to experience their native plane/realm just like our five senses give us information about the physical plane. Advanced and gifted people have abilities to use these subtle senses while in the physical body to see more than we do.

I think the physical-only model will never give us a full understanding of consciousness, subjective experience and paranormal events. These subtle bodies interpenetrate the physical body and information moves between the bodies through sympathetic vibrations above the physical plane. If you study esoteric literature on these subject you can see explanations of how this all works in detail. But, predicting your question, 'no' this can not be verified through physical senses and instruments.

After years of study I have come to the belief that the eastern/Vedic/Hindu model of the universe explains things more satisfactorily than the physical-only model.

 

[serp777]

Study the details in the compelling cases. Delusion can not explain knowledge of verifiable details. And these cases follow very similar patterns where researchers painstakingly look for normal explanations.



The evidence for reincarnational memories is through thorough study of anecdotal evidence considering all evidence and argumentation from all possible sides and all possible theories as to what is going on.



Allot of theorists are now suggesting that memory is non-local. And consciousness itself is non-local. The physical brain is then an organ that allows consciousness to experience the physical realm.

The subtle bodies, soul, astral, mental have senses that allow them to experience their native plane/realm just like our five senses give us information about the physical plane. Advanced and gifted people have abilities to use these subtle senses while in the physical body to see more than we do.

I think the physical-only model will never give us a full understanding of consciousness, subjective experience and paranormal events. These subtle bodies interpenetrate the physical body and information moves between the bodies through sympathetic vibrations above the physical plane. If you study esoteric literature on these subject you can see explanations of how this all works in detail. But, predicting your question, 'no' this can not be verified through physical senses and instruments.

After years of study I have come to the belief that the eastern/Vedic/Hindu model of the universe explains things more satisfactorily than the physical-only model.

Well my deductive argument does not depend on an entirely physical model. It simply says that in order for someone to remember something, their memory has to be in the hippocampus.

So here's the question -- could somebody with severe hippocampus brain damage leading to maximum amnesia remember reincarnation memories, but nothing else?

if so this is open to scientific investigation since you can test those with the brain damage to see if they could remember anything.

But why do we have large brains if everything could just be in the metaphysical realm?

what about experiments that use magnetic fields or drugs to alter consciousness and memory ? How does that affect things in the astral plane?

what I'm getting at is that there must be some kind of mechanism that would inferface between the physical and astral plane.

Also how about a human brain simulated on a computer? Does that have access to the astral plane? Currently it's calledthe IBM blue brain project