Author: Walter Semkiw

A Man Reincarnates as a Girl Who Loves Beautiful Dresses: The Reincarnation case of Jinadasa Perera| Purnima Ekanayake

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD

From: I Saw a Light and Came Here, by Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD and James G. Matlock, PhD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Life and Death of Jinadasa Perera

Jinadasa Perera was a man who lived in Kelaniya, a suburb of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The city is known for its Buddhist Kelaniya Temple, which sits on the bank of the Kelani River. Jinadasa’s mother was named Simona and he had two younger brothers and two sisters. The younger sister was named Violet. He had attended the Rahula school and completed the fifth grade.

His father was a poor farmer and Jinadasa left school to work to help support his family.  He did odd jobs until his sister married a man named Wijisiri, who made his living by manufacturing incense. Jinadasa then joined his brother-in-law in making incense. Their family business was prosperous, employing up to 30 people at a time.  They made incense by blending charcoal ash with a fragrant substance and marketed incense through two brands, Ambiga and Geta Pichcha.

Jinadasa entered into a relationship with Wijisiri’s sister, Kusumi, who he lived with for several years, though they were never officially married. Since they quarreled, Jinadasa left Kusumi and moved to the south of Sri Lanka where he acquired a new girlfriend named Nanda, whom he lived with in the town of Weliggama. There he produced incense with a friend whose name was Somasiri.

After five years in Weliggama, Jinadasa took a trip to Colombo and there he learned that his brother-in-law, Wijisiri, had incurred an injury to his knee which made him bedridden. This induced Jinadasa to move back to Kelaniya to help with Wijisiri’s incense business.

After being there for a few days, in September 1985, Jinadasa went by bicycle to sell incense at the local market. On the way, in the village of Nugegoda, he was run over by a bus and died immediately.

One of Jinadasa’s brothers, Chandradasa, went to the mortuary to identify the body. Chandradasa observed massive injuries on Jinadasa’s body from the left lower ribs up and across the body, which appeared to be caused by the tires of the bus. An autopsy revealed that several ribs had been broken on the left side of the chest, which punctured the lungs. The liver and the spleen were ruptured.

Jinadasa Reincarnates as a Girl

Purnima Ekanayake was born in 1987 in the northern Sri Lankan city of Bakamuna, which is 145 miles away from Kelaniya. Prominent birthmarks were observed on the left side of Purnima’s chest.  Her father was a principle of a secondary school and her mother was a teacher at that school.

As a small child, Purnima repeatedly said: “People who drive over people are bad persons.” She would ask her mother, “Do you not also think that persons who cause accidents are bad people?”

Purnima’s mother became upset by a serious motor vehicle collision that occurred near their home. Purnima responded by telling her mother, “Do not think about this accident. I came to you after such an accident.” Purnima said that after the accident she closed her eyes and came “here.” When her  mother asked if she was treated at a hospital after the accident, Purnima related that she was not taken to a hospital as: “A heap of iron was on my body.” She said she was killed by a “big vehicle.”

Purnima reports Observing her Past Life Funeral and Existence in the Spirit World between Death and Rebirth

Purnima elaborated that after the accident she floated for a few days in a dimly lit setting, where there were many other people floating around her. From the spirit realm she observed her own funeral where she saw people crying. She then saw a light, which she went to and then came “here,” meaning to her parents and home in Bakamuna.

Past Life Memories of Being an Incense Maker

Purnima said that she was a man in her prior lifetime and that her family made incense, specifically two types of incense, Ambiga and Geta Pichcha. (These brands, by the way, did not exist in Bakamuna.)  Further, she said that the family employed outsiders in making incense and that she would supervise these people. She demonstrated her habit of walking with her hands behind her back, observing the progress of workers.

She related that their incense factory was near a brick factory and a pond. Purnima related that the family had two vans and a car. She stated that her mother’s name was Simona. Purnima said she attended Rahula School, though only up to the fifth grade. All these statements were correct for the life of Jinadasa.

Past Life Relationships

Purnima also said that, in her past lifetime, she was married to a sister-in-law whose name was Kusumi. She also said she had two wives. Dr. Harraldsson, in his narrative of this case, explained that in Sri Lanka couples who are not officially wed but who are living together are considered married. As such, these statements were accurate for the life of Jinadasa.

Purnima Recognizes the Kelaniya Temple and the Location of her Past Life Home

When Purnima was four years old, the family was watching a television program on the Kelaniya Temple. Purnima said she recognized the temple. Soon thereafter, her parents organized a trip for their students to tour the Kelaniya Temple, which as noted above, is 145 miles from Bakamuna. Purnima joined her parents on this trip and once on the temple grounds, she told her parents that in her past life, she used to live across the river.

An opportunity to investigate Purnima’s memories arose when in January 1993, her father hired a new teacher who spent weekends in Kelaniya, as he married there. This teacher, WG Sumanasiri, agreed to investigate Purnima’s statements regarding a past life across the river from the Kelaniya Temple. The information that he was given included that Purnima was a man who sold incense sticks on a bicycle who died in a fatal accident involving a large vehicle. In addition, he was given the names of the incense that this man sold, specifically, Ambiga and Geta Pichcha.

Purnima’s Past Life Family is Found

On his return to Kelaniya, Sumanasiri found that there were three incense makers who were located across the river from the temple. One of these manufacturers, LA Wijisiri, made the Ambiga and Geta Pichcha brands. Sumanasiri learned that Wijisiri’s brother-in-law and business partner, Jinadasa Perera, had been killed when he was hit by a bus while taking incense to a market on a bicycle. This accident occurred in 1985, about two years before Purnima was born.

Soon after Sumanasiri conveyed his findings, Purnima, her parents, Sumanasri and his brother-in-law made an unannounced visit to the Wijisiri family. When they approached the residence, Purnima whispered to her mother: “This incense dealer (referring to herself) had two wives. This is a secret. Don’t give them my address. They might trouble me.”

Wijisiri’s daughters were home and they let the visitors into the house. Wijisiri was not home at that time. Shortly thereafter, Wijisiri walked up to the house and Purnima told her party:

“This is Wijisiri, he is coming. He is my brother-in-law.”

Purnima inspected packets of incense that were found at the Wijisiri home. She then told Wijisiri that she herself used to sell these incense sticks. She then asked:

“Have you changed the outer cover of these packets?”

Wijisiri indeed changed the packet colors and design about every two years.

Purnima noted that Wijisiri had an injury to his knee, which resulted in him not being able to bend it. She told Wijisiri that she herself, as Jinadasa, had applied medicine to his knee injury.

Purnima asked Wijisiri about past life friends, including Somasiri, who made incense with Jinadasa in Weliggama, and Padmasiri, the brother of Wijisiri. She also asked about her past life sister, who was married to Wijisiri, and her past life mother. She also noted that the Wijisiri family had their home and factory at a different place when Jinadasa was alive, which was correct. Purnima’s knowledge of these facts convinced Wijisiri that she was indeed the reincarnation of Jinadasa.

Purnima then showed Wijisiri her birthmark and she said: “This is the mark I received when I was hit by a bus.” She also stated that her fatal accident occurred in Nugegoda, which was true.

Purnima Identifies a Past Life Sister and Friend

During this visit a number of people stood outside the Wijisiri house, including Somasiri. Purnima saw him and said, “This is my friend.” When her father asked who this person was, she replied: “This is Somasiri, my friend.” Purnima also pointed to a woman and said: “This is my younger sister.” The woman was Violet, Jinadasa’s younger sister.

Purnima Remembers how to Make Incense

Purnima was asked if she remembered how to make incense. She replied that there are two methods. In one, cow dung is used and the other utilizes charcoal ash from firewood. A paste is made from either the cow dung or charcoal ash, to which is added an ingredient that lends the fragrance. The paste is applied to a bamboo stick and rolled, to create an incense stick. She noted that in her past life, she used the charcoal method of making incense. All these statements were correct.

Dr. Haraldsson noted that Purnima’s father only had heard that cow dung was used to make incense and her mother had no knowledge of the manufacturing process. Haraldsson also affirmed that Purnima’s family and the Wijisiri family had no knowledge of each other prior to their meeting in 1993.

Despite Gender Change, Purnima is Feminine

We have observed in other cases involving gender change that gender identity issues and homosexuality can result. A dramatic case in this regard is:

Reincarnation Case of a Japanese Soldier | Ma Tin Aung Myo

This did not occur with Purnima, as she enjoyed wearing beautiful dresses, indicating that she is very comfortable with her femininity.

Principle of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Change of Gender: Jinadasa, a man, reincarnated as a woman.

Past Life Birthmarks: Purnima had birthmarks on the left side of her chest corresponding to injuries incurred by Jinadasa.

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Purnima was reunited with her past life family and friends.

Spirit Being Involvement: Purnima described her experience in the spirit realm. Another case that involves a detailed account of the transition from death to rebirth is: The Reincarnation Case of Nai Leng | Choate

Source: Haraldsson, Erlendur and Matlock, James: I Saw a Light and Came Here, White Crow Books, 2016, pages 3-12

A Ukrainian Jew Reincarnates into a Christian Family in Oklahoma: The Reincarnation Case of Marty Martyn | Ryan Hammons

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researched by: Jim Tucker, MD and Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD

From: I Saw a Light and Came Here, by Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD and James Matlock, PhD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Life of Marty Martyn

Morris Kolinsky was born in Philadelphia May 19, 1903. His parents were Ukrainian Jews who had recently immigrated to the United States. He had two sisters, one of whom died in childhood. Morris and his surviving sister moved to New York City to get into show business. Morris did manage to tap dance on Broadway. He then relocated to Los Angeles where he took the stage name Marty Martyn.

In 1932 Marty had a part in the movie Night After Night, whose star was George Raft, though Marty’s role did not involve any spoken lines. He was unable to make a living as an actor, so he founded the Marty Martyn talent agency. His agency was successful.

An actor Marty befriended as Gordon Nance, who made cowboy movies using the stage name Wild Bill Elliot. Nance also did commercials for Viceroy cigarettes.

Marty Martyn was married four times, accumulating one biological daughter and five stepchildren. With his fourth marriage, Marty legally adopted his three most recent stepchildren, who were all boys. The family lived in Beverly Hills on Roxbury Drive in a large house with a pool in the backyard.

Marty loved the beach, had an extensive collection of sunglasses and he reportedly suffered sunburns frequently. He enjoyed Chinese food, fine clothes and travel, sailing to Europe on the Queen Mary and visiting Paris several times. Politically, he was a Republican.

Marty Martyn developed leukemia and died in the hospital of a cerebral hemorrhage on December 25, 1964 at the age of 61.

Marty Martyn Reincarnates in Oklahoma

Ryan Hammons was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 2004, 40 years after the death of Marty Martyn. Ryan’s mother’s name is Cindy and the family is Christian. The development of Ryan’s speech was delayed by enlarged adenoids, which are a cluster of immune system cells located in the back of the mouth. Enlarged adenoids can hamper breathing, as well as speech. After his adenoids were surgically removed, Ryan finally started speaking in full sentences when he was four years old.  At that point, Ryan started talking about a past lifetime.

Ryan said that he wanted to go home to Hollywood and begged his mother to take him there so that he could visit his “other family,” including his three adopted sons who he was worried about. He said he had two sisters and one biologic child, a daughter from his first marriage.

Ryan said that he worked for an “agency” where people changed their names. He inferred that he had power in this position by making statements such as:

“Do you know who I am? If you mess with me you won’t ever work in this town again.”

Ryan said that he had a big house with a swimming pool that was situated on a street that had a name with “rock” in it. Further, he said that he had traveled by ship, visited Paris and viewed the Eiffel Tower.

Ryan said that he had danced on Broadway and he like to demonstrate tap dance routines. In kindergarten, he would play at directing movies. He related that he used to go to Chinatown and when his parents first took him to a Chinese restaurant, Ryan knew how to use chopsticks without being taught. He had a fascination with sunglasses and he said in his past life, he had been sunburned often. Ryan also said that he didn’t like Franklin Delano Roosevelt (a Democrat.)

Spirit Being: Ryan observes Cindy from Heaven

Ryan told his mother that he had seen her from heaven and that he had known her from a previous life. He said that he had chosen her as his mother so that he could take care of her.

Ryan related that he remembered being in Cindy’s womb and he asked why she had wanted him to be a girl. Ryan stated that he observed her cry for a long time when Cindy learned that she was going to have a boy. Cindy was surprised that Ryan knew about the crying episode, which was true, but Ryan had no way to know about the incident by normal means as she or Ryan’s father never told him about it.

Cindy Investigates Ryan’s Past Life Memories and contacts Jim Tucker, MD

Cindy decided to investigate Ryan’s statements regarding a past lifetime and she researched books on Hollywood from the community’s library. As Cindy and Ryan were perusing these books, they came upon a photograph from the movie Night After Night. Ryan recognized one of the men in the photo as himself. This man is pictured to the right. Ryan said another man was named George and a third man in the photo was a friend of his who was a cowboy and who a starred in cigarette commercials. Unfortunately, the man who Ryan said was him in a past incarnation was not identified by name in the book or the movie credits of Night After Night.

With this information at hand, Cyndi contacted Jim Tucker, MD, an academic psychiatrist at the University of Virginia, who has taken over the work of the late Ian Stevenson, MD. When Ryan was five years old Dr. Tucker traveled to Oklahoma to study this case. A television production company that was making a program on children with past life memories came with Tucker.

Ryan Recognizes the Home of his Past Life Friend, Wild Bill Elliot

Based on a facial resemblance, production company staff made a tentative identification of who the actor was in the Night After Night photo that Ryan claimed was him. The company flew Ryan to Los Angeles and drove him by the home of this actor, but Ryan did not recognize it. Ryan did recognize the home of Wild Bill Elliot. Concluding that the proposed actor was an incorrect past life match, the TV production company hired a film archivist who eventually identified the mystery man in the photo as Marty Martyn. By this time, Ryan was six years old.

Ryan meets his Past Life Daughter

On a subsequent trip to California, Ryan met his past life daughter. This daughter was only eight years old at the time her father, Marty Martyn, died, while she herself was 57 years old when she met Ryan. Still, Ryan said that he recognized her face.

Ryan wants to Study Judaism, his Past life Religion

Though Jim Tucker did the initial investigation of this reincarnation case, psychologist Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD did follow-up interviews with Cindy by phone. Ryan was 11 years old at the time of Dr. Haraldsson’s phone interviews. Haraldsson noted at this time that Ryan loved music from the 1950’s and that he affiliates with the Republican party.

Most interestingly, Dr. Haraldsson noted that Ryan wants to study Judaism, which is a source of “friction” within his Christian family.

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Change of Religion: Marty Martyn was Jewish and of Ukrainian ethnicity, while Ryan was born to a Christian, American family in Oklahoma.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: Ryan said that he picked Cindy to be his mother from the spirit realm. Further, he knew Cindy wanted a girl during her pregnancy with Ryan and that she cried for a prolonged time when she found out that she was having a boy. Ryan witnessed this event from the spirit world.

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Ryan met his past life daughter. In addition, Ryan stated that he knew Cindy in a previous incarnation

Past Life Talent: Ryan knew tap dance routines and he was adept at using chopsticks without instruction.

Source: Haraldsson, Erlendur and Matlock, James: I Saw a Light and Came Here, White Crow Books, 2016, pages 214-218

The Reincarnation Case of Theosophy Founder William Quan Judge | Human Design System Founder Ra Uru Hu

Proposed by: Ishtar Ishaya

Affirmed by: Spirit Guide Ahtun Re in a Ryerson-Semkiw Reincarnation Research Session

Article by: Ishtar Ishaya

In my life, work, and research I frequently perceive certain patterns, melodies, and flavors underlying and connecting various spiritual teachings and movements that may be separated in time by decades.

A close friend of mine and I were having a deep conversation about the Human Design System, of which he is an analyst.  It became very clear to me that this system was essentially an outgrowth of the same tree that gave rise to the Theosophical Society of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Furthermore, without seeing a picture, I experienced a clear knowing that the founder of the Human Design System, Ra Uru Hu, was an important player in the early Theosophical movement. Upon seeing the picture of Ra Uru Hu, I instantly knew him to be the soul that was also William Quan Judge, who was a founder of the Theosophical Society.  In essence, Ra Uru Hu helped grow a new branch of the old Theosophical Society under a different name.

An interesting parallel in their lives was the manner in which both the Theosophical Society and the Human Design System were apparently received from the transmission of a Spiritual Intelligence, which introduced itself to Ra in 1987 as “the Voice”, while the founders of the Theosophical Society, notably Helena Blavatsky, claimed that much of their teaching was communicated to them through incarnate and sometimes disincarnate Masters.

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance: In this case, the two men share a rather close physical resemblance. They maintain the same facial hair and photographs show that they chose to wear similar brimless or pill box hats.

Past Life Talent and Behavior: Both Judge and Ra Uru Hu shared a deep knowledge in metaphysical subjects, and despite Ra’s disinterest in creating an organization, he, like Judge, demonstrated a talent for organizing and inspiring others to create societies for the dissemination of spiritual knowledge.

A Boy Reincarnates as a Girl, Who Retains a Male Mindset: The Reincarnation Case of Karunasena | Ruby Silva

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researched by: Ian Stevenson, MD and Francis story

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Life of Karunasena

GG Karunasena was born on March 4, 1952 in the small Sri Lankan town of Aluthwala. His father, who was bald, was GG Punchi Singho and his mother was DW Punchi Nona. In contrast to many natives of Sri Lanka, both parents were fair-skinned. Karunasena had two older brothers, Dhanasiri and Upasena. He had a younger brother named Nandasena, who Karunasena was very fond of. The family’s nickname for Karunasena was Kira.

The family were farmers, who owned a rubber tree plantation and coconut groves. They also grew vegetables in cordoned off plots, which could spark arguments with neighbors regarding whose land it was to cultivate. Karunasena’s father also drove trucks and buses for income. In 1957, GG Punchi Singho suffered a stroke, was bedridden for two years, then recovered to the extent that he could walk, though with a cane and a limp.

Karunasena liked to be clean and well dressed. His hobbies included dancing, drumming and flying kites.  He had a rather avid interest in Buddhism.

phobias in reincarnation casesOne dramatic event that occurred in the family’s life was when two cobras made their way into the Singho home. One snake was killed and the other one was burned.

Karunasena enjoyed gardening and was noted to exert himself vigorously on the family’s agricultural land. When he was seven years old, Karunasena returned from working in the fields, went to the family’s well to wash himself and then fell in and drowned. One of Karunasena’s brothers retrieved his body and held him. The family discussed whether to take Karunesna to the hospital, but it was determined that Karunesena was dead and that there was no point in seeking medical attention. Karunasena’s death occurred on July 18, 1959. He was buried in the grounds of the family’s rubber plantation.

Ruby Silva, the Reincarnation of Kurunasena, is Born

Ruby Kusuma Silva was born on September 12, 1962 in the Sri Lankan city of Galle, about three years after the death of Karunasena. Her father was WK Simon Silva and her mother was Somie Nona Jayasekera. At the time that Ruby was born, her parents had seven children, six boys and one girl. The family lived in the town of Batapola, which lies halfway between the cities of Galle and Colombo. When Ruby was two years old, the family relocated to the village of Pollewa that was 1.5 kilometers or about a mile from Batapola.

Ruby started to speak when she was less than 1 ½ years old and began to talk about a previous life when she was still under two years old. She said that in her previous life she had been a “brother” and not a “sister.”  Rudy stated she wanted to be called a “brother” or “son” and not a “sister” or “daughter.”

IISIS ReincarnationEvidenceYellowBusFrontViewWhen Ruby first spoke about her past life she did not seem to have adequate vocabulary to express herself. At one point, when she was trying to relate that cobras had invaded her past life family’s home and that one snake was burned and another killed, she used childish words. Her father, Simon, related that he had to translate her baby words into adult terms. When she wanted to convey that her past life father was a bus driver, she knew the word for bus but not for driver, so she communicated this by making motions of a person steering a vehicle.

Rudy seemed to perplexed that she was a girl and would say “why did I become a girl?” She also said “I am big” and said that she could do the work of a big person. When her mother asked why she had come to them, Ruby replied, “I was beaten by the other mother.”

Ruby said that her parents were fair-skinned and that her father was bald and lame. Rudy said that she lived in a town called Aluthwala and that she attended religious Sunday school at the temple there. She implied that her current parents were not her real parents, as she stated that her mother and father were in Aluthwala.

Regarding her past life death, Ruby said that she had been working in the paddy fields, went to the well to wash and then slipped into the well and drowned. She also said that she had injured her leg in doing so and had bled, pointing to the right leg just below the knee. She said that one of her brothers said, “Let us take him to the hospital,” while the other brother said “He is dead.” She said that her mother was there and crying when she died. Ruby’s description was true regarding the death of Karunasena.

Ruby would talk as if she was still living her past life, speaking in the present tense. For example, she made the statements:

“there are piles of coconuts at my house”

“buses pass along the road by my house”

“the coconuts are brought by carts and lorries” (lorries are a term used in Sri Lanka for trucks)

“if you do not have coconuts here, we can get them at Aluthwala”

All these statements were correct for the life of Karunasena. Ian Stevenson noted Ruby talked as if she was “on leave” from her past life in Aluthwala.

Stevenson noted that Ruby’s remarks were often stimulated by an activity of a family member which would lead her to say, “I used to do that.” For example, when she saw her mother cutting vegetables, she reported that in her past life neighbors would argue with her family over fences separating their vegetable patches.  Ruby noted that her past life family was much better off financially than her current family.

Ruby Remembers her Past Life Name and Nick Name

Ruby said that at school she was known as Karunasena, but that at home she was called Kira. She said that she had two older brothers and one younger brother. Ruby noted that her older brother and she would go to Sunday school together.  She said that on the way to her past life home one comes to a culvert and then a junction. Her past life home, she related, was tiled and that the walls were color washed. Further, they had many coconuts at her past life home, which was in contrast to her contemporary home, where they had very few coconuts. Ruby related that her older brother would climb trees to bring down coconuts, which they would cut and drink water from. She said that her past life father would bring mangoes from a shop, as they did not have mango trees at their home. Ruby also stated that the family had a rubber plantation, though her past life mother would not allow her to go there. All these statements were correct for the life of Karunasena.

Ruby said that at the temple in Aluthwala, she saw a belly tree. Ruby said that she visited Kataragama, which is a well-known religious center in southern Sri Lanka. She correctly stated that at this center, there were big crowds, a bo tree and a temple. She also said that she had been to Galle and to another Sri Lankan city, Dodanduwa. These remarks were true for the life of Karunasena.

Ruby said that her aunts once washed a burnt part of a machine in a well. In actuality, the Singho family owned looms and one of Karunasena’s aunts had washed a part of a loom machinery that had become blackened with soot from an oil lamp. Karunasena had helped this aunt in cleaning of this machine.

Ruby’s Past Life Identity is Discovered

IISIS Reincarnation, Gender Identity Issues, Thai TempleRuby’s mother, Somie, traveled to Aluthwala in March 1966 and went to the Nandaramaya Temple inquiring whether there was a boy who fitted Ruby’s description of her past life.

After some investigation, Somie was referred to the Singho family. It became clear that Ruby’s memories matched the life of Karunasena. Due to the inquiries that were made, the Singho family heard about Ruby and her past life memories. They went to visit Ruby in Pollewa in April 1966. Aluthwala, where the Singho family lived, is about 14 kilometers or 8 miles from Pollewa. Ian Stevenson, MD, noted that the two families had no prior contact or knowledge of each other before they met.

Ruby Identifies her Past Life Family Members by Name

In April 1966 multiple family members of the Singho family came to visit Ruby and she recognized them on sight and identified all of them by name. These included:

GG Punchi Singho, the father of Karunasena: Specifically, when Ruby saw a man who was a stranger to the family approaching the house she said, “Here comes my father.” Ruby went to him and sat on his lap.

DW Punchi Nona, Karunasena’s mother

Dhanasiri, Karunasena’s older brother

Nandasena, the younger brother of Karunasena

JG Mary Nona, Karunasena’s aunt: No one in the Silva family knew who she was but when Ruby met her, Ruby was very friendly and even affectionate.  Her father asked, “Who is she?” Ruby replied, “That is my aunt.”

Karunasena’s maternal uncle: When he came to the Silva house, he asked Ruby, “Who am I?” She replied “You are my uncle.”

Ian Stevenson noted that these identifications were especially impressive as Ruby’s family had no idea of who these past life family members were when they arrived at their home.

Past Life Phobia

Ruby had a phobia of wells. At the age of 3 ½ she would go to the well only with an adult. She warned her brothers and other persons about the danger of falling into a well. This phobia continued to at least 1968, at which time Ruby was 6 years old, but had resolved by the time she was 8 years old.

Ruby’s Masculine Behavior

As with other cases that involve gender change, Ruby retained the mindset of her previous incarnation, that of a male. In contrast, her older sister did not demonstrate male traits. These included:

A desire to wear boy’s clothing: She said that she had worn trousers in her prior life and she asked to be given trousers. When she would wear a dress, she would wear boy’s shorts underneath. Ruby would also wear her brothers’ shirts and undershirts.

Playing of boys’ games: Ruby liked to fly kites, play marbles, play cricket, ride her brother’s bicycle and climb trees, once even climbing a coconut tree to fetch the fruit.  Recall that Karunasena liked to fly kites.

Ruby liked to whistle and when she wanted to get someone’s attention, she would make a clucking noise from the back of her throat. Karunasena had made the same clucking sound.

Ruby could be aggressive and during arguments with her brothers, she would punch them with her fists.

Ruby had no interest in cooking.

She asked her family to call her a brother or son, not a sister or daughter. Ruby’s mother was referring to Ruby as her son at least up to 1968.

When Ruby attended the funeral of an elderly woman, she told her mother that when she, Ruby, died, she would like to be reborn as a boy.

Ian Stevenson gave Ruby Draw-a-Person Tests twice, in which Ruby was given free choice regarding the gender of the two people she was instructed to draw. In 1968, Ruby drew two males, which Stevenson interpreted as Ruby having an identification as a male. In 1973, Stevenson gave her another Draw-a-Person Test. At this time, she drew a woman and then a girl, indicating that identification as a female had emerged.

Past Life Traits: Similarities between Karunasena and Ruby

ReincarnationPastLifeResearchDrummingIan Stevenson tabulated common features of Ruby and her past life persona, Karunasena. These include:

Both were interested in gardening and planting. Ian Stevenson noted he witnessed Ruby using a shovel type tool with unusual vigor.

Both liked to dance to drum music. When Ruby heard drum music, she would invite her brothers to sing and dance with her.

Both were interested in religion and in particular, Buddhism.

Both liked high quality clothes, with both preferring clothing worn by boys

Both were aggressive: Karunasena was known to be mischievous and he would get into physical fights with other boys. As noted, Ruby would use her fists to strike her brothers during arguments.

Both were very fond of Karunasena’s younger brother, Nandasena. When he would visit Ruby, she would hide Nandasena’s bicycle so that he would be forced to stay longer. Nandasena would typically stay 1 to 2 days with the Silva family.

Principles of Reincarnation: Understanding Past Lives

Gender Change with Gender Identity Issues: Though a girl, Ruby retained the mindset of a boy. A dramatic case in which gender change through reincarnation resulted in homosexuality can be reviewed at the following page:

A Male Japanese Soldier Reincarnates as a Girl and becomes a Lesbian

Past Life Phobia: Ruby had a fear of wells due to her death caused by falling into a well.

Past Life Talents and Behaviors: Ruby was skillful at playing games typically engaged in by boys. She was able to climb trees. She could wield a shovel type tool with the skill of an adult.

Relationships Renewed though Reincarnation: Ruby was reunited with her past life family.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: Ruby reported events after Karunasena’s death, such as the family’s discussion of whether to take him to the hospital. As such, the soul of Karunasena/Ruby was able to observe events from the spirit world.

Source: Stevenson, Ian: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume II, Ten Cases in Sri Lanka, University of Virginia Press, 1977, pages 163-202

Reincarnation Case of Bruce Lee | Abbas Alizada

Proposed by:  Ishtar Ishaya (1/23/18) and Nesrin Meral (4/16/18)

Affirmed by: Ahtun Re in a Ryerson-Semkiw Reincarnation Research Session

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Supporters of ReincarnationResearch.com informed me of a man in Afghanistan who bears a striking resemblance to the late martial arts star Bruce Lee. This man, Abbas Alizada, became enamored with Bruce Lee movies when he was 15 years old and went on to master the martial arts Bruce Lee popularized. Abbas has gained recognition and popularity in Afghanistan and has became known as the “Bruce Lee of Afghanistan.”

Just because a person resembles a person from the past does not mean that the look alikes represent a reincarnation case. Still, reincarnation research does reveal that facial features often remain similar from one lifetime to another.

I have worked with trance medium Kevin Ryerson on a monthly basis since 2001 and I found that a spirit being he channels named Ahtun Re has the ability to make past life matches with a high degree of accuracy.

In a session with Kevin, Ahtun Re did affirm that Abbas Alizada is the reincarnation of Bruce Lee. A video on Abbas Alizada is provided at the bottom of this page.

Nesrin Meral, one of the individuals who proposed this past life match, has written an article on this reincarnation case. Her article can be accessed through the link provided below:

The Past Life Parallels Between the Lives of Bruce Lee | Abbas Alizada

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance: There is a striking resemblance between Bruce Lee and Abbas Alizada. The image comparison provided is from dawn.com. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Past Life Talent: Abbas Alizada has replicated the martial arts abilities demonstrated by Bruce Lee.

Change of Nationality and Religion: Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco. His parents were of Chinese heritage from Hong Kong and Bruce was subsequently raised in Hong Kong. Bruce was philosophical in nature and was influenced by the spiritual religious doctrines of Buddhism and Taoism.

In contrast, Abbas Alizada was born in Afghanistan and through I do not know his religious views, it is likely that the was born into a Muslim family.

Knowledge that a soul can change nationality and religion from one lifetime to another can help create a more peaceful world, as most wars are based on differences in these cultural markers of identity.

Affinity Case: Abbas Alizada was attracted to his past life persona. I call these types of cases “Affinity Cases.” Other Affinity Cases include:

Reincarnation Case of Dorothy Dandridge | Halle Berry

Reincarnation Cases of Laurel and Hardy | Bacher Boys

A Muslim Boy Reincarnates into a Buddhist Family: The Past Life Case of Wijanama  Kithsiri

IISISReincarnationResearchGaneshHow derived: Childhood Past Life Memories

Researchers: Ian Stevenson, MD and Francis Story

From: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume II, Ten Cases in Sri Lanka

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

MG Wijanama Kithsiri was born on August 28, 1959 in the Sri Lankan village of Wehigala, which at the time was inhabited by about 1000 people. His father was WMG Ariyawansa and his mother was MJ Kusumawathie. The family was Buddhist and Sinhalese, which is the native ethnic group in Sri Lanka that makes up 75 percent of the population. They spoke the Sinhalese language. All people living in Wehigala were Sinhalese Buddhists, with no Muslims or Tamils living in the area. The family was vegetarian.

Nocturnal Episodes of Xenoglossy: Speaking an Unlearned Language

At the age of three Wijanama began sitting up in bed in the middle of the night with his legs crossed and would speak in a language unknown to his parents. On a typical evening, Wijanama would go to sleep along with the rest of the family at 9 PM. In between 10 PM and midnight, he would sit up and begin a recitation of verses in an unknown language. This would last 3 to 15 minutes after which he would lie down and go back to sleep. Sometimes he would get up and try to leave the house, though his family would stop him from departing. His parents noted that Wijanama seemed distressed during these episodes, which continued on a nightly basis to at least until the age of 13, at which time the practice was still continuing to occur.

Past Life Memories of an Incarnation in Kandy

At the age of four Wijanama started talking about a past lifetime in which he stated that he lived in the city of Kandy. Kandy is in the highlands of Sri Lanka about 25 kilometers or 15 miles from Wijanama’s village of Wehigala. He said that he had another father and mother, that they would eat sitting on a mat and that his mother would wear a covering on her head. He also stated that at his past life home, there were plenty of light bulbs, which was an unusual statement as the family’s village of Wehigala had no electricity. In contrast, Kandy was electrified. He also said that water came from a pipe near their kitchen, which could be true for Kandy which had a piped water system, whereas in Wehigala water could only be obtained from wells. Wijanama also said that he had seen moving pictures or movies, which did not exist in his rural village but were available in Kandy.

2 Hindu to Muslim Reincarnation-ElephantIan Stevenson explained that Kandy is a fairly large city with a diverse population which includes Buddhists, Tamil Hindus and Muslims. The Tamil people are another ethnic group in Sri Lanka who speak their own language, Tamil. Tamils at the time made up about 20 percent of the Sri Lankan population. Muslims in Kandy also speak the Tamil language.

Wijanama expressed a strong desire to see his previous parents. Wijanama said that he developed a fever and died while still a schoolboy, though he could not remember his name in this prior incarnation.  He said that he attained the third grade in Kandy.

Wijanama claimed that he had seen the Perahara, which is a religious festival that involves elaborate parades and decorated elephants. His village did not have this festival but in Kandy the parade passes along King Street. Wijanama correctly stated that at the Perahara there were huge elephants and a lot of dances.

Wijanama describes a Muslim Past Life

iisis4pastliferegressiontherapyturkeywomanWijanama made several statements indicating that he was Muslim in his previous life. When Wijanama saw a woman with a hijab or headscarf on her head, which is typically worn by Muslim women, he said, “My mother is like that.” Ian Stevenson noted that Wijanama’s recitation posture of sitting with legs crossed is a position often taken by Muslims during prayers.

He also said that he ate meat in his previous life, though he would not eat pork. This is a common Muslim dietary practice, but contrary to the habits of his biologic family, who were vegetarians. Wijanama expressed disappointment in his current living situation as he related that his past life family was much better off than his contemporary one. Once he became angry, stating, “In my other house there is plenty of sugar and I want to go there.”  Wijanama also said there was ample meat.

Another Muslim habit that Wijanama displayed was keeping his head covered with a handkerchief fastened with a knot in the back. In addition, he would wear his sarong, which is a type of robe, much further up on the leg, which Muslims do so that they can wash their feet upon entering a mosque. Further, while his family ate their meals seated at a table, Wijanama would sit on the floor cross-legged and after his meal, he would rub his stomach and belch. Ian Stevenson related these dining behaviors are typical of Muslims in the area.

Wijanama repeatedly would say that he wanted to go back to his better past life house and to worship at the mosque. His past life memories appeared to be vivid and he talked about his prior incarnation in the present tense, as if he was still living that lifetime.

Identifying with his Muslim Past Life, Wijanama is Critical of Buddhist Worship

Wijanama was totally resistant to his family’s Buddhist religious customs and he felt repelled by images at Buddhist temples. He stated, “Where we worship we don’t have all these idols and statues. We have to put mats on the ground. We wash our bodies and sit on our mats and worship. There is a priest shouting at the top of his voice. No women go there.”  He also said that there was a well with water at his place of worship. Wijanama made these statements before he had ever seen a mosque.

Wijanama’s description of his place of worship does correspond to a Muslim mosque, in which depictions of religious or other figures are not allowed, where worshipers wash their feet in a pool of water before entering and people sit on mats on the floor. The “priest shouting at the top of his voice” would represent a muezzin, who calls the Muslim community to prayers, oftentimes using an amplified sound system.

Wijanama is Ridiculed and called “The Muslim”

As he lived in a community made up entirely of Sinhalese Buddhists, Wijanama experienced ridicule from schoolmates because of his Muslim behavior. They would tease him and they gave him a nickname, “The Muslim.” Wijanama would respond by running home and asking that he be sent to his past life father. Nonetheless, he would continue to insist that he had been a Muslim in his past life and that he still was a Muslim.

Shopkeeper: A Probable Past Life Vocation

Wijanama routinely played at running a boutique or shop, which he would open as soon as he came home from school. He used red seed pods to represent slices of meat and pieces of paper to represent fabrics. He would pretend to sell vegetables and toys. In dreams, he said he saw his past life father bringing vegetables to the shop in a cart. Wijanama indicated that when he grew up, he would acquire a shop or boutique.

Children with past life memories often duplicate their past life profession in their play. A dramatic example involves the reincarnation case of Ahmet Delibalta | Erkan Kilic, in which Erkan, as a child, would pretend to run a nightclub, which was his past life vocation as Ahmet Delibalta. To learn more, go to:

Reincarnation Case of Ahmet Delibalta | Erkan Kilic

Sometimes his father would joke that it was a lot of trouble to have a Muslim come into the family. To this, Wijanama angrily replied, “Aren’t we all humans? Don’t say such things about others!”

Wijanama finds his Past Life Mosque in Kandy

When Wijanama was five years old his family took him to Kandy to see the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, a landmark of the area. From there, Wijanama started to pull his mother down King Street saying that he wanted to go to the place where he worshipped. When they arrived at the King Street Mosque, Wijanama said, “This is where we worshiped.” Wijanama noted that the stairs of the mosque had been changed. This assertion was verified by an official at the mosque.

Near the King Street Mosque Wijanama saw a house and dragged his father to it. They did not knock on the door as Wijanama’s father was afraid of discussing reincarnation in this Muslim community, since reincarnation traditionally is not part of Islamic doctrine. In this area, Wijanama found the faucet of a water pipe and he stated, “We washed and bathed there.”

Xenoglossy: Wijanama’s Recitation is Deciphered

When Ian Stevenson researched this case, a tape recording was made of Wijanama’s nighttime recitation. In this recording, four words were repeated over and over. These words were:

“Allaha,” which is the Arabic word for God

“Umma,” which is the Tamil word for mother

“Vappa,” which is the Tamil word for father

Stevenson noted that Umma and Vappa are part of the vocabulary of the Tamil dialect spoken by Muslims in Kandy. Further, when Stevenson had a Muslim resident of Kandy listen to the tape recording, this individual stated that only a Muslim child could pronounce these words so properly. Stevenson interpreted the recitation as a prayer to God in which Wijanama pleaded to be reunited with this past life parents.

There were other words that Wijanama used which would indicate that he had lived in Kandy in his previous live. For example, when asked if he had enough food, Wijanama replied “podong,” which is a Tamil word for “enough.” This is in contrast to the Sinhalese word for enough, which is “aithie.”

In 1970, when Wijanama was 11 years old, he was still persisting in the behavior of a Muslim boy and he continued to play at operating his shop after school. His nocturnal ritual of sitting up on his bed and pleading to God and referring to his past life mother and father was ongoing.

Statements made by Wiljanama strongly support that he had a past life as a Muslim in Kandy. As noted, he could not recall his past life name, which made locating his past life family challenging. Further, Ian Stevenson noted that Muslims in Kandy were reluctant to help in identifying Wijanama’s past life identity, since reincarnation is not a part of their religion.

Islam reincarnation past lives cresent moonPrinciples of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Change of Religion and Ethnicity: Wijanama recalled that he was a Muslim boy in his past life, whereas in his contemporary life, he was born into a Sinhalese Buddhist family.

Past Life Talents and Behaviors: Wijanama demonstrated behaviors typical of a Muslim boy. Further, he had an obsession of playing the role of a shopkeeper, which likely represents his past life vocation.

Xenoglossy: In Wijanama’s nightly recitations, he used Arabic and Tamil words, though no Arabs or Tamils lived in his village and no one in his family knew or understood these words. Being able to speak a language that has not been learned by normal means is called xenoglossy. The Arabic and Tamil words that Wijanama used likely were learned during a past lifetime in Kandy, where the languages of Arabic and Tamil are spoken by the Muslim population.

Geographic Memory: Once in Kandy, Mijanama found what appears to be his past life mosque and possibly his past life home.

Source: Stevenson, Ian: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Sri Lanka, Volume II,  pages 326-360

The Nature of God, Past Lives of Jesus and a Case of Resurrection Researched by Ian Stevenson, MD of the University of Virginia

Kevin Ryerson, IISIS Reincarnation ResearchKevin-RyersonArticle by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Though the primary mission of ReincarnationResearch.com is to disseminate objective evidence of reincarnation, there is a Case Category on our website entitled “Celebrity Reincarnation Cases” that features the work I have done with trance medium Kevin Ryerson.  Kevin is pictured to the right. Kevin channels a spirit being named Ahtun Re who last incarnated on Earth over 3000 years ago.

I have worked with Kevin and Ahtun Re on a monthly basis since 2001. In my assessment, Ahtun Re is a discarnate spirit who is separate from Kevin Ryerson, as Ahtun Re has a different personality, sense of humor and an encyclopedic fund of knowledge. Ahtun Re has demonstrated the ability to make past life matches with a high degree of accuracy.

After gaining trust and confidence in Ahtun Re, I embarked on a series of dialogues with him on the meaning of life, which are contained in my book Origin of the Soul and the Purpose of Reincarnation. As part of these discussions I asked about Jesus. First of all, Ahtun Re did affirm that the Resurrection of Jesus did occur as a historical event.

In addition, Ahtun Re affirmed that Jesus had approximately 30 past lives prior to his incarnation as Jesus Christ. These past incarnations are described in the works of Edgar Cayce and I feature a few of these lifetimes of Jesus in Origin of the Soul and the Purpose of Reincarnation. In his past lives, Jesus focused on spirituality and devotion to God.

Reincarnation Case 5 Larazus Raised by JesusOne way to understand Jesus is that God endowed his soul with a special talent for merging with God. Our souls are all gifted with certain talents and abilities that we demonstrate throughout our series of lifetimes. This is why artists tend to reincarnate as artists, musicians as musicians and political leaders as politicians. Through his incarnations Jesus developed to the point where he was able to merge with God, declaring that “I and the Father are one.”

I recently asked Ahtun Re about the nature of God. Ahtun Re told me that there is a female and male aspect of God. The female aspect intervenes in human affairs and as an example, Ahtun Re said that this aspect of God helped facilitate the Resurrection. The male aspect of God is the energy that powers the universe, the galaxies and our lives.

Another example of how God may have intervened involves a case researched by Ian Stevenson, MD of the University of Virginia, in which the resurrection or reanimation of a dead child is documented. This reincarnation case of Sobha Ram| Jasbir Jat dramatically demonstrates that the body is indeed a vehicle for the soul.  To learn more, please go to:

The Reincarnation Walk-In Case of Sobha Ram| Jasbir Jat 

Split Reincarnation Cases of the Apostle Thomas | Michael Tamura and Gary Renard

johnadamswaltersemkiwreincarnationcaseHow Derived: Spontaneous Memories and Self Recognition

Affirmed by: Ahtun Re in Ryerson-Semkiw Reincarnation Research Sessions

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Michael Tamura as the Reincarnation of the Apostle Thomas

I have known the spiritual teachers Michael and Raphaelle Tamura since about the year 2000. Michael is the author of You Are the Answer: Discovering and Fulfilling Your Soul’s Purpose. I sought their assistance in understanding a possible past life of mine, as well as a cohort of leaders who appeared to be reincarnated from the time of the American Revolution. This story regarding my past life as John Adams is contained in my book, Return of the Revolutionaries. A brief overview regarding my case can be reviewed at: Reincarnation Case of John Adams | Walter Semkiw, MD

I regularly attended seminars that the Tamuras held in the San Francisco Bay area. In his presentations, Michael shared that he is the reincarnation of the Apostle Thomas.

Though I initially found this hard to believe, I did ask about this proposed past life in a session that I had with Kevin Ryerson, who channels a spirit guide named Ahtun Re. I have worked with Kevin and Ahtun Re for over 15 years. Ahtun Re has demonstrated the ability to make past life identifications with a high degree of accuracy. The work that I have done with Kevin can be reviewed at Ryerson-Semkiw Reincarnation Research.

Ahtun Re did affirm that Michael is an incarnation of Saint Thomas

Michael Tamura as the Reincarnation of American Revolutionary Roger Sherman

Of interest, Michael Tamura also revealed to me that he remembered being a member of the Continental Congress and in particular, he said he was in the committee assigned to draft the Declaration of Independence. Michael did not know specifically who he was during the time of the American Revolution. There were only five people on this committee, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Of the remaining two members of the committee, Michael bore a physical resemblance to Roger Sherman, whose profession was a cobbler, a maker of shoes. He was also described as one of the most spiritual men of the Congress. In a session with Kevin, Ahtun Re affirmed that Michael was Sherman.

When I told Michael about his past life identity as Roger Sherman, he revealed that he has always had an interest in the design of footwear and that he even submitted a patent for a sandal. One does have to admit that an interest in designing shoes is an unusual hobby for a spiritual teacher.

Gary Renard as the Reincarnation of the Apostle Thomas

Several years later, I was reading, Disappearance of the Universe by Gary Renard, which was first published in 2003.  A Course in Miracles was a major influence in the writing of Gary’s book. A Course in Miracles is described as a channeled work in which the source of the material is Jesus Christ.

In Disappearance of the Universe, I was surprised to read that Gary claimed that he too is the reincarnation of the Apostle Thomas. I surmised that either Gary was wrong, or that this could represent a case of what I call Split Incarnation, in which a soul inhabits more than one body at a time. There is strong evidence that split incarnation does occur.  Ian Stevenson, MD of the University of Virginia termed these as “Cases with Anomalous Dates,” meaning that there is an overlap in a series of two lives. To review such cases, please go to: Split Incarnation Reincarnation Cases

In a session with Kevin Ryerson, Ahtun Re confirmed that Gary Renard is also an incarnation of the Apostle Thomas and that Gary and Michael are splits. One source of support of this proposition is that there is an uncanny resemblance between Gary and Roger Sherman, the shared past life of Gary and Michael. Though Michael is Japanese, there is also a resemblance between Michael and Gary. Click on images to enlarge them.

Please note that if A Course in Miracles is truly a channeled book in which Jesus Christ is the author,  Gary is continuing to support the work of Jesus. Similarly, Gary’s most recent book is The Lifetimes When Jesus and Buddha Knew Each Other.

Split Incarnation and Personality Traits in Common

There are a number of similarities in the personalities and talents of Michael and Gary. Both are:

Published authors in the field of spirituality

Comedians in their style of speaking and teaching

Musicians

Further:

Gary and Michael both started writing their first books in the same year and both finished their first books nine years later

Both dealt with symptoms of scoliosis in childhood

Splits Meet: Gary Renard and Michael Tamura as Mirror Images

Eventually, I had the opportunity to introduce Michael and Gary to each other, as Gary had started to date Cindy Lora, who I had known since the time of her first marriage. Cindy has been a longtime supporter of the work I have been doing with Kevin Ryerson. Cindy is the author of A Course in Health and Well-Being.

Gary and Michael were scheduled to both be in San Francisco at the same time and I arranged for us to have dinner at the Beach Chalet.

Michael and Gary sat opposite each other and as I looked at them, it was if two identical twins were gazing at each other. Raphaelle, Michael’s wife, agreed in this assessment.

Gary and Michael have accepted that they are splits. What is truly amazing is that Michael, an ordained minister, officiated the wedding of Gary and Cindy and Hawaii. What a mind expanding event that must have been. Related websites:

www.michaeltamura.com

www.garyrenard.com

www.cindylora.com

Other reincarnation cases of interest to A Course in Miracles students include:

John of the Cross | Kenneth Wapnick

Abigail Adams | Marianne Williamson

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance: There exists a similarity in facial features between Michael Tamura, Gary Renard and Roger Sherman. By inference, we can surmise that we now know what the Apostle Thomas looked like.

Past Life Talents: The Apostle Thomas was an evangelist. Michael and Gary have created their own worldwide congregations. Both abundantly use humor in delivering their messages. Roger Sherman was a cobbler and Michael Tamura has had an innate interest in the design of shoes.

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: If the past lives proposed above are accepted, then I knew Michael/Gary as Roger Sherman during the American Revolution, as we were participants in the Continental Congress.

Split Incarnation: As described above, Michael Tamura and Gary Renard are identified as splits. An older term for this phenomenon is Parallel Lives

Reincarnation Case of Titanic Designer Tommy Andrews | William C Barnes

How derived: Childhood Past Life Memories and Past Life Regression

From: Thomas Andrews, A Past Life Memory, by William Barnes

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

William Barnes is the author of Thomas Andrews, A Past-Life Memory. Barnes started having spontaneous past life memories when he was a child. In his book, he writes:

“At the age of four, I drew a ship with four smokestacks and told my parents, ‘This is my ship, but she died.’ I insisted my mother call me ‘Tommy’ and spoke of two brothers, a sister, aunts and uncles, none of whom my parents knew. There were also relentless nightmares-a huge ship little looming above me, piercing screams, heated arguments, the frigid water stabbing at my body, a peach-colored mass of steel falling on me-and, again and again, I would wake up crying.”

Through Past Life Regression, a Past Life Name is Recalled

“At age 25, I moved to Washington DC, where I sought the help of a counselor who used hypnosis as a means of relaxation. During the session, I heard myself arguing about ‘the ship’s design.’ At the instant I came out of the trance, I sat up and said ‘my name is Tommy Andrews.’ It was the first time I had heard the full name.

At age 38, I got married for the second time, and with my new wife, Mary Ann, moved to Arizona. Late one night, I woke Mary Ann as I argued loudly in my sleep, calling out names she didn’t recognize, all the while speaking with a pronounced accent.

Subsequently, the ongoing nightmares pulled me into a deep depression. My professional and personal life deteriorated, my self-esteem evaporated, and I contemplated suicide in the desert. After being ordered to seek help, I began an odyssey of physical, psychological, and psychiatric evaluations. In 1997, I was referred to Dr. Frank Baranowski, a psychologist who had used hypnotic age regression with great success in helping people overcome phobias.”

Barnes also writes of his state of mind at the start of regression sessions with Dr. Baranowski. “This will never work,’ I thought, smiling inwardly. ‘That was my last conscious thought.’”

However, the past-life therapy did work and the sessions helped William Barnes take ownership of his life once again. The sessions were recorded and excerpts are featured in an audio book called A Past-Life Interview with Titanic’s Designer, by William Barnes and Frank Baranowski. On it, one can hear Barnes speaking in Tommy Andrew’s heavy Irish accent as he describes the ordeal of Titanic’s sinking and he relives his death on the deck of the great ship.

Reincarnation: Anniversary Phenomenon and  Synchronistic  Events

The case of William Burns illustrates how the Universe, or spiritual world, provides meaningful symbols and sets up synchronistic events to give us hints regarding our past life identities, destinies and purposes. As an example, William Barnes was born on April 14, 1953, the anniversary date of the sinking of the Titanic. Barnes was born on the date that the Titanic sank, 41 years after the incident. Interestingly, Titanic’s hull number was 401, which embodies the number 41. Further, on the day that Barnes was born, the first movie version of Titanic was released.

How do these symbolic and synchronistic events occur? With regard to Williams Barnes’ birth on the anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, I believe that one’s soul or higher self can influence the date of birth, just as one’s death can be timed. This latter phenomenon is reflected in the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

In addition to reading his book and listening to his audiobook, please visit William Barne’s website, which has interesting information regarding the Titanic, such as its horn, and excerpts from his past life regressions.

William C. Barnes: Spiritual Exploratory Author

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance in Reincarnation Cases: There is a similarity in facial bone structure between Andrews and Barnes, though Barnes is heavier than Andrews.

Past Life Talent and Knowledge: In his book, Barnes describes how he has innate knowledge of shipbuilding design used in the era of Titanic, which he did not learn by normal means.

Reincarnation Case of John Thompson Ford | Jerry Seinfeld

Proposed by: Ishtar Ishaya

Affirmed by: Spirit Guide Ahtun Re in a Ryerson-Semkiw Reincarnation Research Session

Article by: Walter Semkiw. MD

When Ishtar send the proposal that Jerry Seinfeld is the reincarnation of John Thompson Ford, I noted a physical resemblance, which would have been more pronounced if a photo of Jerry was available in the same stern pose that John Ford assumes. When I read about Ford, I was more impressed to learn that he wrote a play, a farce, entitled Richmond As It Is, which focused on humorous aspects of everyday life. This is termed observational comedy, which is exactly the type of humor that Jerry Seinfeld has used to established one of the most successful comedy careers of our era.

This reincarnation case demonstrates how a soul can build upon achievements from one lifetime to another. Ford had a gift for humor, but worked various jobs to make a living. In contemporary times, Jerry Seinfeld’s gift for observational comedy has bloomed. Another case is provided below that dramatically demonstrates how one unconsciously builds upon accomplishments from prior lifetimes:

Reincarnation Case of Paul Gauguin | Peter Teekamp

Of interest, John Thompson Ford was the manager of Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC at the time of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Ford was a good friend of John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s assassin, as Booth was a famous actor who had performed at Ford’s Theater many times.

A number of actors who knew John Wilkes Booth have reincarnated in contemporary times. One such actor is Tom Cruise. Please review:

Reincarnation Case of Joseph Jefferson | Tom Cruise

A detailed account of this soul group is presented in my book: Born Again

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance:  The facial features of John Thompson Ford and Jerry Seinfeld are similar. One difference is that Ford has a serious pose in his photo, while Jerry Seinfeld is caught in a more light-hearted facial expression. If Jerry Seinfeld posed in a way similar to Ford, the resemblance would be more apparent.

Past Life Talent: Ford did observational comedy, focusing on silly aspects of everyday life, which is exactly the type of humor Jerry Seinfeld is known for.

Jerry Seinfeld photo by Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1225845