According To A Psychologist, This Is Proof That Past Lives Are Real

Many of us would like to think that there’s life after death. And while many religions embrace the concept of heaven and hell, others believe in reincarnation. This is a fascinating idea – and it’s a source of interest for more than just the religious amongst us. One qualified psychologist, in fact, dedicated his life to actually investigating the notion. And more to the point, he allegedly uncovered evidence to suggest that it was possible.

Roots of reincarnation

It’s not entirely clear where the idea of reincarnation first developed. In fact, the belief appears across multiple historic civilizations, with the ancient Greeks and the Celtic Druids referencing it. In India, it was documented in the Upanishads, a collection of philosophical writings which were started thousands of years ago.

Carrying over the essence

Today, reincarnation is an important belief within several major world religions, including Sikhism and Hinduism. According to such teachings, an element of every living creature endures death and comes back in another body. This new being bears the essence of its previous existence, but isn’t typically conscious of what this had been like.

Varying interpretations

Other religions believe in slightly different forms of reincarnation. In Buddhism, for instance, the idea of “rebirth” is essential. However, this notion breaks from reincarnation, as Buddhists do not believe in a “self.” Without a self – or an enduring soul – reincarnation cannot exist. Rather, rebirth relates to the idea that the passing of one individual leads to another being brought into existence.

One in four believe

Monotheistic religions, meanwhile, tend to reject reincarnation, with Islam, Christianity and Judaism all teaching of one single life on Earth. But still, a significant minority of people still reportedly believe in the concept. In fact, according to a 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Forum, one in four Americans are believers. And what’s more, 24 percent of Christians in the U.S. are supposedly taken by the idea.