Reincarnation Research

Reincarnation Case of Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen-From the Holocaust a Child Finds her Past Life Home

From the Holocaust, a child prodigy finds her way home. Barbro Karlen as the reincarnation of Anne Frank.

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

From: And the Wolves Howled, by Barbro Karlen

Article from Born Again, by Walter Semkiw, MD

Click on images to enlarge

One of the most culturally significant reincarnation cases involves Barbro Karlen, who I have had he honor of doing joint presentations with since 2001. I first met Barbro in 2000 and I now consider her a very good friend. I would like to share her experiences with you. At the end of this article, a video may be viewed in which Barbro tells her story in her own words. Enlarge images by clicking on them.

A Toddler’s Past Life Memories of being Anne Frank

Anne Frank died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Less than ten years later, in 1954, Barbro Karlen was born to Christian parents in Sweden. When she was less than three years old, Barbro told her parents that her name was not Barbro, but “Anne Frank.” Barbro’s parents had no idea of who Anne Frank was, as they were unaware of the book, Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl, also known as The Diary of Anne Frank.

Barbro relates that her parents wanted her to call them “Ma and Pa,” but Barbro knew that they were not her real parents. Barbro even told her mother that her real parents would soon come to get her and take her to her real home. These statements are typical of childhood memory reincarnation cases researched by Ian Stevenson, MD, at the University of Virginia.

During her childhood, Barbro told her parents details of her life as Anne, which her parents thought were fantasies. In addition, Barbro had nightmares in which men ran up the stairs and kicked in the door to her family’s attic hiding place. An image of the exterior of the Frank family’s attic hiding place, which has the red tile roof, is provided below and to the right.

Barbro is evaluated by a Psychiatrist

IISISReincarnationResearchAnneFrankAttic5 — Attic Hiding Place of Frank Family

Barbro’s past life memories worried her parents and at one point, when she was a child, they had her evaluated by a psychiatrist. Barbro, though, by this time, had learned that it was not wise to talk about the other world she lived in, the world of Anne Frank, as she noticed that everyone “got tense” when she described her memories to them. When she saw the psychiatrist, she made no mention of her memories of being Anne and was deemed a perfectly normal little girl.

Barbro’s Elementary School Teacher Discusses Anne Frank

When Barbro was seven or eight years of age, she became confused when her schoolteacher began talking about Anne Frank in class. Barbro thought to herself, “How could my teacher know about Anne Frank?” Barbro knew that she was Anne Frank. Barbro began to realize that Anne Frank was a famous person. “How could that be,” she thought? Describing her confusion as a child, Barbro has related “all this didn’t work for me.”

Imagine how hard it must have been for Barbro to have spontaneous memories of a past lifetime and to have no one to talk to, no one who could help her with her confusion, traumatic memories and nightmares.

Barbro’s Past Life Phobias Related to Anne Frank’s Holocaust Experience

Since childhood, Barbro has had a fear of men in uniforms. Even as an adult, if stopped for a traffic violation by a police officer, Barbro would have such anxiety that she would consider fleeing. In order to get over her phobia of uniforms, as well as to work with horses, Barbro in adulthood, decided to become a mounted Swedish police officer. After completing her training with the Swedish Police Authority, Barbro did become a mounted police officer and she worked with police horses for over a decade.

In addition, Barbro has had an aversion to eating beans since childhood, which the Frank family existed on for nearly two years. Barbro would also only take baths, not showers. In concentration camps, Nazi’s would bring prisoners into large rooms telling the prisoners that they would be given showers. Instead of water, poison gas was piped into the room to kill the prisoners. Anne was first taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where such gas chambers were used to kill those too feeble to perform forced labor. Later, she was transferred to the Bergen-Belsen camp, where she died.

Anne Frank Reincarnation Case Amsterdam — Aerial View of Amsterdam

Barbro also resisted having her hair cut. In concentration camps, new arrivals were stripped naked and heads were shaved, followed by a process of disinfection.

At 10 Years of Age, Barbro’s Geographic Past Life Memory Leads her Parents to the Anne Frank House

Barbro received her first validation of being Anne Frank when she was ten years old, when she was able to find her way directly to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam without directions.

The graphic to the right, which can be enlarged, shows how circular the streets of Amsterdam are. It is easy to get lost wandering the streets of this city, yet Barbro’s past life memories of the streets of Amsterdam were clear. I will now describe the scene, utilizing excerpts from And the Wolves Howled.

When she was ten, Barbro’s parents took her on a tour of the major cities in Europe, including Amsterdam, the city where the Frank family lived. During World War II, Otto Frank and his family had to go into hiding in the attic of the building where Otto had his business, for the Nazi’s had invaded the Netherlands and were persecuting Jews. The Frank family hid in this attic for about two years, until they were discovered by the Nazis, arrested and sent to concentration camps.

The only survivor was the father, Otto Frank, who subsequently was given Anne’s diary, which he later had published. After the war, the hiding place was made into a museum, which is called The Anne Frank House.

By the time Barbro was ten, the Diary of Anne Frank had been published and distributed in Sweden and her parents had become aware of who the historical Anne Frank was. While in Amsterdam, her father wanted to visit the Anne Frank House. At their hotel, he took the phone off the hook and asked for a taxi to take them there.

Barbro suddenly exclaimed: “We don’t need a taxi, it’s not far to walk from here.” Barbro was so certain that it didn’t occur to her parents to object, they just meekly followed her as she walked off.

“We’ll soon be there, it’s just round the next corner,” Barbro told her parents. She herself wasn’t at all surprised when they arrived at the Anne Frank House after a ten minute walk through the twisting streets of the city. An image of the Anne Frank House is provided to the right. Upon their arrival, her parents stood there speechless and just looked at one another.

Past Life Memories: Barbro Knows Where Anne Frank’s Pictures should have been Found

“That’s strange,” Barbro said, when they stood in front of the steps up to the house. “It didn’t look like this before.” She looked wonderingly and her parents didn’t know what to say. They entered the house and went up the long narrow staircase. Barbro, who had been so carefree when showing them the way, suddenly went white in the face. She broke out in a cold sweat and reached for her mother’s hand. Her mother was horrified when she felt Barbro’s hand, which was as cold as ice.

When they entered the hiding place, the same terrors overcame Barbro that she had experienced so many times in her dreams. She found it hard to breathe and panic spread through her body. When they went into one of the smaller rooms, she suddenly stood still and brightened up a little.

Barbro looked at the wall in front of her and exclaimed, “Look, the pictures of the film stars are still there!” The pictures of the movie stars that Anne had clipped and affixed to the wall, which Barbro saw at that moment, made her feel happy, almost as if she had come home.

reincarnationresearchannefrankbarbrokarlenpictures5 — Pictures Affixed by Anne Frank

Her mother stared at the blank wall and couldn’t understand this at all. “What pictures? The wall is bare?” Barbro looked again and she saw that this was true. The wall was bare! Her mother was so confounded that she felt driven to ask one of the guides whether there had been pictures on the wall at one time.

“Oh yes,” the guide replied, “they had only been taken down temporarily to be mounted under glass so that they wouldn’t be destroyed or stolen.” Barbro’s mother didn’t know what to say.

“How in the world could you find your way here first of all, then insist that the steps outside were different and then see the pictures on the wall when they weren’t there?”

Barbro’s mother was full of questions, but Barbro was quite incapable of saying even a single word. She just wanted to get out of there; she couldn’t stand it a moment longer.

Her legs felt like jelly as she went down the stairs. She had never before in her life felt so wretched. The tears ran unrestrained down her face, and her legs would not carry her. When she reached the bottom step her legs folded under her and she fell.

Barbro’s Parents Accept that She had a Past Life as Anne Frank

Barbro relates that these incidents in Amsterdam finally made her parents believe that she is the reincarnation of Anne Frank. After all, how else could she know how to get to the Anne Frank House on the family’s first trip to Amsterdam, and without directions? How could she know that the stairs had been modified? How did she know that pictures of movie stars, which Anne Frank had clipped from magazines, should be found on a specific wall inside the house, when these pictures had been removed so that they could be mounted behind glass?

In time, Barbro’s mother responded by becoming very spiritual and a believer in reincarnation. Barbro’s father, on the other hand, seemed annoyed. Barbro relates that her father responded by saying: “I can’t deny that you have somehow been here before. Perhaps you have lived before and have reincarnated, but you are the only one!”

Barbro understood that by being faced with the reality of reincarnation, her father’s Christian world view, where “everything was set right,” was threatened. Barbro was much happier, though, as from this point on as she could talk to her mother about her past lifetime as Anne Frank. She had her mother’s support.

Past Life Talent: Barbro Karlen is a Childhood Writing Prodigy, like Anne Frank

Anne Frank was a childhood writing prodigy. She is not the most famous victim of the Holocaust because she had the worst death. Rather, she become the most famous victim because as a teenager she wrote a book, a diary, that was readable and addressed universal themes, such as the nature of man and man’s tendency to be good or evil. Children around the world have been instructed to read The Diary of Anne Frank to learn about prejudice, which has made Anne’s diary the second most read book in the world, next to the Bible.

Like Anne Frank, Barbro Karlen was a childhood writing prodigy. Barbro relates that learning to write was a great gift. As a child, she could not speak to anyone about her past life memories, but once she learned to write, she could have discourses on her writing tablet.

One day, when she was eleven or so, a family friend read a few of her compositions and realized that this was worthy prose. Barbro was asked if her casual writings could be sent to a publisher, which she agreed to.

Anne Frank Reincarnation-Child Prodigy — Published when Barbro was 12 years of age

At the age of twelve, her first book of prose was published. This book, Man on Earth, became the best-selling prose/poetry book in Swedish history. Barbro became a child celebrity, debating theology with ministers and theologians on television programs. In her teenage years, she had a total of nine books published. These books, written in her youth, have been translated into multiple languages, much like the Diary of Anne Frank.

Barbro’s Past Life Memories Recede, then Reemerge when She encounters Reincarnated Nazi Guards

After her adolescence passed, Barbro’s past life memories began to fade, which was a relief to Barbro, as now she could finally lead a normal life. As she pursued her career with the Swedish Police Service, Barbro thought that she never would be public regarding her memories of being Anne Frank. As Barbro wistfully states in her video interview, though, “never say never.”

It was not until she was in her forties that past life memories began to emerge again. Barbro began having negative interactions with another mounted police officer, who seemed to be persecuting her. It was these interactions that triggered the rekindling of her memories of being Anne Frank and in particular, she recalled scenes from a concentration camp. Barbro realized that this police officer was a reincarnated Nazi guard from the Bergen-Belsen concentration.

Though these past life memories were painful, they gave Barbro the will to write her book, And the Wolves Howled. Barbro relates that she wanted to show that though these guards, these wolves, participated in her persecution in the Anne Frank lifetime, she would not allow them to hurt her again in contemporary times. She wanted to share with others that the soul perseveres and in this way, to provide comfort to others.

Barbro Meets her Past Life Cousin, Buddy Elias, President of the Anne Frank Foundation

As she prepared her book, And the Wolves Howled, for publication, Buddy Elias, President of the Anne Frank Foundation and at the time, the last living relative of Anne Frank, heard about Barbro’s claim to be the reincarnation of his cousin, Anne Frank. Through her publisher, Buddy invited Barbro to his home for dinner, though he asked Barbro’s publisher not to reveal who he was in relation to Anne Frank or the Anne Frank Foundation. Buddy advised the publisher to tell Barbro that their dinner host was a fan of the books she wrote as a child and adolescent. Though he did not believe in reincarnation, Buddy wanted to meet this person who claimed to be the reincarnation of Anne. Buddy and Anne Frank, as cousins, played together in their youth.

Barbro describes her first face to face meeting with Buddy, which occurred in 1995, in the Barbro Karlen: Reincarnation of Anne Frank video, which is provided at the bottom of this web page.

Barbro relates that when they first saw each other, she and Buddy fell into each others arms and cried together. Barbro says she had instant recognition that Buddy was someone she knew and loved from the Frank lifetime. They spoke for two hours at the time of this first meeting and they continued to be very good friends for 20 years, until Buddy’s death in 2015. Barbro would stay at Buddy’s home in Switzerland when she visited Europe and Buddy had stayed in Barbro’s home when he visited her in the United States.

**Buddy Elias Speaks at Barbro Karlen’s And the Wolves Howled Book Event**

An article from the leading German magazine, Zeitspiegel, was published regarding this event on May 19, 1998:

“Buddy Elias, actor in Basel, is the cousin of Anne Frank and the President of the Anne Frank Foundation. Buddy Elias met with Anne Frank the last time just before the war broke out. She mentions him as “Bernd” in her Diary many times.

Anne’s father, Otto Frank, returned to Amsterdam after his liberation from Aushwitz. He then lived with his nephew, Buddy Elias, in Basel until his death.

Two years ago, Buddy Elias and Barbro Karlen met for the first time. At the presentation of the autobiography by Barbro Karlen, Buddy Elias read parts of it for the audience.

Bruckenbauer: “Buddy Elias, what memories do you have of your cousin, Anne Frank?”

Buddy Elias: “She was a very pleasant person, a lively child with her head full of ideas how to live. We loved each other very much, when the war began, we corresponded with each other.”

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

Buddy Elias: “Yes, I do.”

“So how is it for you when a woman claims she is the reincarnation of your cousin? Barbro Karlen is not the only one!”

“I have been very skeptical, but Barbro is different from everybody else.”

“How was the first meeting with Barbro?”

“It was very emotional. First time I saw her, I had heard about her. I had a very strange feeling, a very positive impression. It felt like we had a soul connection. Barbro seemed absolutely trustworthy to me. I could very well imagine she was Anne. More than that I can not say. I have Anne too close in my memory to say anything more.”

“Do you see any similarities between Anne and Barbro?”

“The black hair is obvious!”

“Will you stay in touch with Barbro?”

“Of course, I have developed a very deep friendship with her.”

To view a video of Buddy Elias talking about his relationshp with Anne Frank, please go to:

Buddy Elias, Anne Frank’s Cousin, Describes Anne

Barbro Moves to California, where Walter Semkiw, MD observes that Anne Frank and Barbro Karlen have the Same Facial Features

Barbro and a female friend of hers took a vacation to experience California’s coastal Highway 1. While on that trip, based on an intuition, Barbro decided to open a Swedish import shop in Carmel, even though she had no prior experience in business or retail sales. Barbro moved from Sweden to Northern California, where I met her. When I first received the phone call in 2000, in which I was told about a woman who claimed to be the reincarnation of Anne Frank, I was very skeptical. When I met her and listened to her story, I came to believe that she is genuine and that I had truly met the reincarnation of Anne Frank.

In her book, Barbro never mentions that she has the same appearance as Anne Frank, as her memories are what are most meaningful to her, not appearance. Upon meeting her, I realized that Barbro has the same facial features as Anne.

In the image comparison featured on this website, Barbro as a seven year old girl is featured on the left side, Anne Frank as a teenager is in the center and Barbro as an adult is on the right side. It appears that we are looking at images of one person in three stages of life. In actuality, we are looking at one soul in two different lifetimes.

Anne Frank & Barbro Karlen: Reincarnation & Similarities in Personality

In addition to facial features, there are many character similarities between Barbro and Anne. These include:

A. Spirituality and a Love of Nature

Lawrence L. Langer, in his essay included in the book, Anne Frank, Reflections on Her Life and Legacy, writes the following regarding Anne.

“Spiritual insight rarely falls from the lips of a thirteen or fourteen year old girl. Indeed, as many of the new entries in the diary will show, Anne Frank was essentially a physical being, a lover of nature, intrigued with her own sexuality.”

These traits are reflected in Barbro Karlen, who at sixteen years of age used her book earnings to purchase a cottage in the woods. She soon populated her property with her horse, two dogs, two cats, a sheep and a flock of hens and chicks. Barbro especially loved her horse and horseback riding, which eventually led her to pursue a career as a mounted policewoman.

Her sexuality is evidenced by an early marriage and her pregnancy at the age of 18. Indeed, many of Anne’s desires seem to have come to fruition early in the life of Barbro Karlen.

B. Natural literary skills

Anne Frank had natural gifts as a writer. Similarly, Barbro Karlen was a childhood literary prodigy. Her first book, Man on Earth, which was published when she was 12 years of age and became the all time best-selling poetry book in Sweden. Between ages 12 to 17, nine books written by Barbro, including When the Storm Comes and a Moment in the Blossom Kingdom, were published.

It is interesting to note that Anne Frank always hoped to be a published writer. On May 11, 1944, Anne wrote that her “greatest wish” was to become a journalist, “and later on, a famous writer.” Once again, it appears that Anne’s desires were fulfilled early in the life of Barbro Karlen.

C. Similar Writing Themes

Similar themes are found in the writings of Frank and Karlen. Though one may argue that these similarities are intentional, Barbro Karlen maintains that she has not studied Anne Frank’s works.

Anne Frank, due to the persecution of the Jews by the Nazis, reflected extensively on issues of good and evil. Anne also had a tendency to personify human qualities, as seen in the quotation cited below regarding “Lies.” Anne’s legacy is based on her ability to maintain hope in the face of dismal circumstances. Anne Frank’s most famous quote affirms the basic goodness of man.

Barbro Karlen also writes of good and evil in her book, And the Wolves Howled, in part due to her memories of the Frank lifetime and in part due to persecution experienced in this lifetime while working for the Swedish Police Service. Barbro also has a tendency to personify human qualities, like Anne. Let us compare passages written by Frank and Karlen regarding evil:

Anne Frank-On Evil

“There’s in people simply an urge to destroy, an urge to kill, to murder and rage.”

“I get frightened myself when I think of close friends who are now at the mercy of the cruelest monsters ever to stalk the earth. And all because we are Jews.”

“Yesterday evening, before I fell asleep, who should suddenly appear before my eyes but Lies! I saw her in front of me, clothed in rags…Her eyes were very big and she looked so sadly and reproachfully at me that I could read in her eyes: Oh Anne, why have you deserted me? Help, oh help me, rescue me from this hell!”

Barbro Karlen-On Evil

“If only she could write about how important, even vital it is never to give up in the face of evil, regardless of how dark and wretched everything may seem. Evil was present on the earth and would probably always be there. It would always try to conquer Good.”

Anne Frank-On Good

“In spite of everything, I still really believe that people are really good at heart.”

Barbro Karlen-On Good

“But the more people there were who believed in Good, and in the Good Force within themselves, the greater the possibility of keeping evil under control. If only they could believe in Good, and in the presence of the inner Force, many unhappy people would be able to fight their way up from the darkness.”

“Most people on earth were not yet aware that they could find the Good Force within themselves and that it could help them if they only sought it out.”

Annette Lantos meets Barbro Karlen & Invites Barbro & Me to Washington, DC

Annette Lantos is the wife of the late Tom Lantos, who served in the United States Congress for 27 years. Tom, whose picture is featured to the right, was the only Holocaust survivor to be elected to the US Congress. When President George W. Bush traveled to Germany for a Holocaust memorial, he took Tom with him. U2 singer Bono was a close friend, as he admired Tom’s dedication to bringing justice to the darkest corners of the world.

It was Annette and Tom who nominated the 14th Dalai Lama for a Nobel Prize, which he won.

When Annette heard about Barbro’s case, she wanted to meet Barbro, as Annette is also is a Holocaust survivor. Annette, Barbro and I spent almost 3 hours in Tom’s Congressional office in San Mateo, California. Tom and Annette were very much in love and while we were in a conference room, Tom repeatedly poked his head into the room to ask his beloved wife whether she was finished. Annette, fascinated with Barbro’s story, kept sending Tom away.

Anne Frank Reincarnation: Charity Sunshine & Condolezza Rice — Barbro and Walter Meet Condolezza Rice & Charity Sunshine

By the end of our meeting, Annette was intrigued enough by the proposal that Barbro is the reincarnation of Anne Frank that she asked us to attend a “by invitation only” benefit concert at the Kennedy Center, in Washington DC. At this event, Tom and Annette’s granddaughter, Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick, would sing and Condoleezza Rice would accompany Charity on the piano. We did attend, sat in the front row and later met Dr. Rice at a reception.

Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice and the Tom Lantos Tunnels

Annette now serves as the Chairman of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice. In honor of Tom, recently constructed tunnels along Highway 1 between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay have been named the Tom Lantos Tunnels. Every time I traverse these tunnels, I fondly reflect on Tom, Annette and Charity, and our experiences in Washington, DC.

Children’s Past Life Author Carol Bowman supports the Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen Reincarnation Case

A person who supports Barbro’s case is Carol Bowman, who is a pioneer in studying children who spontaneously recall past lives. In 2006, Carol and Barbro attended a reincarnation conference in Colorado Springs. In addition to Carol learning about Barbro’s case, Carol and Barbro had the opportunity to spend an afternoon together horseback riding. Carol has stated that she judges Barbro’s reincarnation case to be a strong one.

Carol shared an amusing anecdote regarding the time they spent together. To go horseback riding, Carol and Barbro had to take a taxi from the hotel to the stables. Carol was raised Jewish and both women were taken aback when their taxi driver turned out to be a bearded Hasidic Jew wearing the traditional black hat and clothing. Carol reflected, “What are the odds of getting a taxi driver who is a Hasidic Jew in Colorado Springs?”

Reincarnation Symbol — Passage Through Lifetimes

Carl Jung called meaningful coincidences like this “synchronistic events.” As discussed in the section Principles of Reincarnation, it is thought that one’s own soul or spirit beings can orchestrate such a meaningful occurrences to convey messages symbolically.

Anne Frank & Possible Reincarnation Prophecy: God Will Raise Us Up Again

I will cite one last quotation from Anne Frank’s diary, which refers to the perseverance of the Jewish faith and people. It also has a poetic ring of truth regarding reincarnation, perhaps not intended by Anne, yet beautiful all the same.

“Who has inflicted this upon us?
Who has made us Jews different from all other people?
Who has allowed us to suffer so terribly up till now?
It is God who had made us who we are,
but it will be God, too, who will raise us up again.”

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Past Life Physical Resemblance: Anne Frank and Barbro Karlen have the same facial features. It is of interest that Barbro never mentions this physical resemblance to Anne in her book And the Wolves Howled, though others had told her that she looks like Anne Frank. The physical resemblance between Anne and Barbro was first published in 2006 in my book: Born Again

Past Life Talent: Barbro Karlen was a childhood writing prodigy, as was Anne Frank.

Phobias from a Past Lifetime: Barbro had an irrational fear of men in police uniforms, which seems to stem from Anne’s experience with Nazi soldiers and concentration camp guards. Barbro also had an aversion to showers, did not want to eat beans and resisted having her hair cut, which also reflect incidents in Anne Frank’s life, as described above.

Geographic Memory: On her first visit to Amsterdam at the age of ten, Barbro was able to spontaneously lead her parents from their hotel to the Anne Frank House, without directions.

Change in Religion, Nationality and Ethnic Affiliation: Anne Frank was born in Germany, where she was persecuted as a Jew during the Holocaust. Barbro was born into a Christian family in Sweden.

If the Nazi’s during World War II knew that one could be born Jewish in one lifetime and Christian in another, the Holocaust could never have happened. Similarly, when Muslim Palestinians realize that then can be reborn as Israeli Jews, when Sunni’s know they can reincarnate as Shiites, Christians understand they can be reborn into an Islamic culture and vice versa, then conflict based on these cultural differences of identity will be mitigated.

Barbro Karlen’s case dramatically demonstrates how reincarnation research and evidence of reincarnation can transform the world in a positive way.

Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen Video Full Length-35 Minutes

Evidence of Reincarnation Video-9 Minutes

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A Buddhist Monk Reincarnates into a Roman Catholic Family: The Case of Sandika Tharanga

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Child

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Erlender Haraldsson, PhD

From: I Saw a Light and Came Here, by Erlender Haroldsson, PhD and James Matlock, PhD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Sandika Tharanga was born in May 1979 to Roman Catholic parents who lived on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka. At the age of three, he started to talk about a past life as a monk in a monastery. He said that there were four or five monks who lived there, who were under the authority of a head monk. He asked to be taken back to his monastery. Like in many reincarnation cases, Sandika stated that his mother was not his real mother. He asked to be taken to his previous mother’s home.

Sandika tries to Convert his Parents to his Past Life Religion: Buddhism

From the time that he started to speak about a past lifetime, Sandika demonstrated the behavior of Buddhist monk. He convinced his parents to obtain a picture of Buddha and later a Buddha statue. He would pick flowers and place them as an offering to the Buddha image and figurine. He had no interest in going to church but rather wanted to go to Buddhist temples. In a comical twist, the little boy tried to convert his Catholic parents to Buddhism, which they resisted.

Remarkably, Sandika would chant religious stanzas, which his parent did not understand, but they believed their son was chanting in Pali, which is a language from India that the texts of Theravada Buddhism are written in. Sandika engaged in this form of worship two to three times a day. In addition, on days of the full moon, Sandika would ask his father to take him to a Buddhist temple, which is a tradition of that religion.

He also convinced his Catholic parents to give donations to Buddhist monks and he induced his parents to have Buddhist monks come to their home to perform a ceremony. In addition, as a small child, he refused to eat meat, which is also consistent with Buddhist teachings.

Sandika asked to be taken to his past life temple. His father cooperated by taking Sandika to several Buddhist temples in the area, but Sandika did not recognize any of them as his past life home. At one temple, which was situated two miles from their residence, a monk gave Sandika a bouquet of flowers and waited to see what he would do. Sandika promptly climbed steps to the temple shrine room, presented the flowers to an image of Buddha and then worshipped there. These behaviors are typical of a devout Buddhist.

Sandika was an excellent and well-behaved student, always in the top three of his class. His best grades were in his favorite subject, Buddhism. He even went to a Buddhist Sunday school and eventually was admitted to Ananda College, a prestigious Buddhist institution. He later completed a degree in engineering.

Past Life Phobia of Explosions

Regarding his past life death, Sandika said that he was going to an event in which townspeople were going to host Buddhist monks for a ceremonial luncheon. He then heard an explosion, which is the last thing he remembered about his past life.

Sandika had a great fear of fire crackers and loud, sudden noises. When he experienced these types of sounds, Sandika would instinctively and fearfully place his hands on the left side of his chest. This placement of his hands corresponded to a dark birthmark on the left side of his chest.

Though Sandika’s past life persona was never identified, Sri Lanka went through a bitter civil war waged between Hindu militants and the majority Buddhist government. It is speculated that in his past lifetime, Sandika was killed in the turmoil of this war. In particular, in a Hindu uprising in 1971, eight years before Sandika was born, a several Buddhist monks were killed.

Reincarnation: Belief versus Knowledge

Ironically, both the Hindu and Buddhist religions profess a belief in reincarnation. Belief is much different than knowing reincarnation is true based on evidence. Further, those who promote reincarnation do not always preach that the religion one is born into can vary from one lifetime to another. If people understood that one could be born Hindu in one lifetime, Buddhist in another and into a different religion after that, such wars would become obsolete.

Though this case was not “solved” in that Sandika’s past life persona was not specifically identified, his Buddhist behaviors, which were so much in contrast to his parents’ Catholic beliefs, make this an impressive reincarnation story. That said, there are many solved cases that show that souls, from one lifetime to another, can:

Change Religion, Nationality and Ethnic Affiliation through Reincarnation

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Past Life Phobia: Sandika had a phobia of explosive noises, which likely was due to his being killed by a gunshot or a bomb in his previous life.

Past Life Birthmark: When Sandika recoiled at the sound of a loud noise, he would place his hands on a birthmark on his chest, which likely represented an entry wound from a bullet or shrapnel that led to his past life death.

Xenoglossy: During worship, Sandika would recite verses in an unlearned language, which his parents believed was Pali, the language used by Buddhist monks in prayer.

Source: Haraldsson, Erlendur and Matlock, James, I Saw a Light and Came Here, White Crow Books, 2016, pages 33-36

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.

One 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.”

When 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

Ruby’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

Ian 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

Phobias in Reincarnation Cases-Introduction

Phobias may be due to past life trauma. The symbol for phobias is a snake.

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Phobias in a current lifetime can result from trauma in a past lifetime. In particular, a traumatic cause of death often leads to a phobia related to that particular cause of death. For example, someone who died in a car accident may have a phobia of automobiles in a subsequent lifetime.

A snake phobia is observed in the Sharada xenoglossy case.

Past Life Phobia Cases

Reincarnation Research Home Page

A Phobia of Loud Noises from a Past Lifetime: Reincarnation Story of General Werner Seehofer | Helmut Krause

How Derived: Memories in Childhood

Researchers: Helga Ullrich, Dr. Karl Muller and Ian Stevenson, MD

From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

During World War I, General Werner Seehofer Walks into Enemy Fire

Werner Seehofer was born in Bratislava, Slovania on Auguest 14, 1868. At that time, Bratislava was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. When he became old enough, Werner joined the Austrian Imperial Army.

He lived in Vienna for a period of time and gradually rose in rank. By 1902, Werner was a Colonel and he was assigned to a post in Linz, Austria, where he remained until 1907. By January 1918, he had become a General and was assigned as the Commander of a Division on the Italian front in World War I.

On June 17, 1918, inexplicably, Werner left his headquarters and continued walking until he was beyond the front line. Numerous Austrian soldiers warned Werner from going further, but he ignored their pleas.

It is unclear what happened next, but newspapers reported that Werner was wounded and became a prisoner of the Italian army. He was thought to have died in an Italian army hospital soon after his capture, at the age of 48. In retrospect, it was thought that Werner had developed a mental disorder which impaired his judgment, prompting him to walk into the hands of the Italian enemy.

Past Life Memories: Helmut Krause Remembers his Past Life Address in Linz

Helmut Krause was born in Linz, Austria, on June 1, 1931, about 13 years after Werner had died. From the age of 4, Helmut spoke frequently about a past lifetime. Helga Ullrich was a family friend who often brought Helmet home from kindergarten. One day, Helmet told Helga:

“When I was big I lived at 9 Manfred Street.” (1) He also said that he had been a “high officer in the Great War,” referring to World War I. (2)

Helga happened to have a friend, Anne Seehofer, a cousin of Werner Seehofer, who was living at 9 Manfred Street, in Linz. Helga asked Anne if a high officer in World War I who had once lived at her address, at 9 Manfred Street. Anne told her that indeed, General Werner Seehofer had lived there.

Past Life Memories: Helmut Remembers his Past Life Address in Vienna & In-laws in Linz

Helmut also told Helga, “When I was big, I lived for many years in Vienna.” Helmut then told Helga his address, with street and number, in Vienna. He also gave Helga the address where his past-life in-laws lived in Linz. Helga investigated and found that the exact addresses that Helmut gave were indeed the address of General Werner Seehofer in Vienna and the address of Werner Seehofer’s in-laws in Linz.

Past Life Behavior: Little Helmut Maintains the Discipline of an Officer & Salutes

When Helmet was 4 years old, he was walking home from school with Helga, who suggested that Helmet keep his overcoat open, as it was warm. Helmet refused to keep his overcoat open, stating: “An officer is not allowed to go with an open overcoat.” (3) When soldiers passed Helmut and Helga, Helmut would face forward and salute.

Reincarnation & Relationships: Helmut Meets his Past Life Wife

When he was introduced to Werner Seehofer’s widow, he behaved very shyly, in contrast to his usual friendly behavior. Ian Stevenson, MD, thought that his atypical, shy behavior may have indicated recognition by Helmet of his wife from a past incarnation.

As he grew older, Helmet developed passions for horseback riding and sports, which was also characteristic of Werner.

Past Life Phobia of Loud Noises

Helmut had a marked fear of loud noises, like gunshots, which may have been related to Werner’s experiences in World War I and the injury he suffered, which led to his death.

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

The strength of this case rests on Helmut’s ability to name three specific addresses related to Werner Seehofer’s lifetime, which were factually verified. Helmut identified Werner’s address in Linz, his specific address in Vienna and the address of Werner’s in laws in Linz.

Helmut also behaved like a World War I officer, even though no family members were soldiers. Helmut’s father was a biologist and there were no contemporary role models who could have prompted Helmut’s military behavior.

This reincarnation case, if accepted, demonstrates the following feature:

Phobia from a Past Lifetime: As noted, Helmet had an aversion to loud noises, such as gun shots, which may have been related to Werner Seehofer’s death on the Italian front in World War I.

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Helmet met Werner Seehofer’s widow, his past life wife.

Footnotes

1. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 105
2. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 107
3. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 107

Reincarnation and Change of Race: Past Life Story of an African Tribesman | Gedeon Haich and How Evidence of Reincarnation Can Help End Racial Divide: The Death of George Floyd

How Derived: Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Ian Stevenson, MD

From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

**Elizabeth Haich, author of Initiation, has a Son with Past Life Memories**

Gedeon Haich was born on March 7, 1921 in Budapest, Hungary. Vajdahunyad Castle, in Budapest, is pictured to the right. His parents were Subo and Elisabeth Haich. Elisabeth was raised in a Christian home, but later developed an interest in yoga and eventually she wrote a spiritual autobiography entitled, Initiation.

A section of her book is dedicated to her son’s reincarnation case and she provided quotations from Gedeon in her narrative. In European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Ian Stevenson reproduced these quotations.

Elisabeth vouched that in his childhood, Gedeon did not have any books on Africa or other places with dark-skinned natives. He didn’t see any movies on Africa and he didn’t know any African people. She stated that Gedeon did not learn of African places or customs through normal means.

Past Life Memories, Drawings & Phobia of Swimming in a Lake

When he was 4 to 5 years old, Gedeon developed a habit of drawing people in pictures with dark brown skin. When his European mother, Elisabeth, pointed out that he was making the complexions of his figures too dark, Gedeon ignored her and continued to color them brown.

During the same period of time, Elisabeth noticed another unusual trait during an outing at their family’s summer home near a lake in Hungary. When Gedeon was asked to join other family members who were swimming in the lake, he refused.

Gedeon screamed and struggled to get free, so that he would not enter the lake’s water. Elisabeth couldn’t understand Gedeon’s fear of and resistance to swimming in the lake. She noted that Gedeon didn’t respond in the same way when entering man-made swimming pools.

Past Life Memories: Gedeon Remembers having a Family of Dark and Half Naked People

When Gedeon was 6 or 7 years old, he unexpectedly told Elisabeth that he thought he had a prior lifetime. He said he remembered being in a different country with different people. He said that he had a wife and children. He continued:

“My wife and children and other people there are not like people here; they are all black and completely half naked.” (1)

Elisabeth then asked Gedeon where he lived and he responded by drawing a picture of a hut, with a cone-shaped roof topped with a vent for smoke. In front of the hut was a naked woman with long breasts and next to the hut there was a river with waves on it. Gedeon claimed that this woman in his drawing was his wife.

Past Life Memories: Gedeon’s Past Life Wife has Long, Hanging Breasts

Elisabeth asked why he drew his wife with such long, hanging, ugly breasts. Gedeon looked at his mother as if she was insane. He retorted:

“Because that is the way they were. And they are not ugly. She is very beautiful.” (2)

Further, explaining to Elisabeth why he thought he had a past lifetime, he bemoaned:

“And listen, Mama, I am also asking how it is that every morning, when I wake up and my eyes are not yet open, I immediately have the feeling that I must jump out of bed and go hunting in order to find food for my wife and children. It is only when I get my eyes open and look around the room that I remember that I am a small boy and your son.” (3)

A Past Life Phobia of a River and Lake Monster

Gedeon continued to describe his lifetime and draw pictures that illustrated his narrative.

“We lived in little huts like these, which we built ourselves. Also, each of us made a boat for himself by hollowing out and carving the trunk of a tree.

There was a large river, but no one could go into it as we can in the lake here. A kind of monster lived in the water. I don’t remember what kind it was, but it bit people’s legs off and that’s why last year I yelled so when you wanted me to go in the water of the lake.

I was afraid that there was something in the water that could bite my legs; and even now I get that feeling when I go in the water, even though I know there is nothing dangerous living in the water here. (4)

Ian Stevenson reasoned that the monster in the river was likely a crocodile and that a past life fear of being bit by this reptile was responsible for Gedeon’s phobia of swimming in the lake near the family’s summer house.

Past Life Ability: Gedeon can Maneuver a Canoe like an Acrobat

Still at the age of 6 or 7, Gedeon continued his story. He told Elisabeth:

“And remember, Mama, how, when we bought a boat for the family I wanted to row it. You told me that I had first to learn how to row. But I knew that I can row, because I could make my tree-boat move long the water just as if it were part of me. I could even sit in my boat and flip over to one side, go under the water and come up on the other side, still in the boat.

And you said: ‘All right. Try to row. You will find that you can’t do it.’

Then you were all surprised when I, taking one oar—my arms were too short to handle both oars—showed that I could row and even maneuver the boat between other boats and between people. With my tree-boat, where I lived, I could do everything. You should have seen me! The trees were not like the ones here.” (5)

Gedeon then pointed to a tree that he had drawn, which looked like a palm tree, indicating that his was the type of tree his past life boat was carved from.

Past Life Memories: Gedeon would Hunt with a Bow and Boomerang

Gedeon also drew a picture of himself using a bow and arrow to hunt a bird that was in one of the palm trees. He also drew a curved object that he used for hunting. Gedeon explained that when he threw this curved weapon, it would return back on its own. Though he didn’t know the word, Gedeon was describing a boomerang.

A Past Life Talent for Climbing Trees

When Gedeon was 13 years old, an incident revealed a hidden skill for climbing trees. A neighbor came running to Elisabeth and exclaimed that Gedeon had climbed to the top of a poplar tree that was 20-25 meters high, which is the equivalent of 65-80 feet.

Elisabeth ran out and looked up into the tree. She couldn’t see Gedeon, due to the branches and leaves of the tree, but she could hear him. She demanded that he come down. Reluctantly, Gedeon climbed down slowly, but very skillfully. Elisabeth said he climbed down the tree “like a small monkey.” (6)

Elisabeth asked why he did something so dangerous. Gedeon replied that he had made a nest at the top of the tree and that he could eat cooked corn up there, which tasted much better than on the ground. He also remarked on the wonderful view that he had at the top of the tree.

Elisabeth told him that it was too dangerous for him to climb so high and she ordered him to build his nest on the ground. At that, Gedeon became angry and snapped at her:

“I would like to know who looked out for me when I was in the jungle and climbed trees even higher than this one to watch for animals. Where were you then?” (7)

A Past Life Talent for Drumming

When Gedeon was 15 years old, he asked his mother to buy him a drum. Elisabeth took him to the largest music store in the area, where Gedeon picked out the biggest drum in the shop.

When they returned home, Gedeon started playing the drum with what was described as astonishing skill. He played very complicated rhythms and he appeared to be in an ecstatic state while doing so, even crying as he drummed. After playing an unusual rhythm, he said to Elisabeth:

“Do you see, Mama, that is the way we could send signals and messages to each other over great distances.” (8)

Elisabeth had no idea of how Gedeon had learned to play the drum in a sophisticated way, nor did she understand how he acquired his ability to row a boat with one oar or climb “like a small monkey.”

Past Life Emotions: Gedeon Sobs When He Sees Scenes of Africa

When asked where his past lifetime took place, Gedeon, as a child, would simply state that it was in the jungle or tropics. When Elisabeth suggested to Gedeon, as an adult, that he should read about Africa, he replied:

“What is the point? I know better how things were there and don’t need to know what white men think about them. And when I do read correct descriptions, I weep, even though I try not to do so.” (9)

When Elisabeth went with Gedeon, as an adult, to a movie about dark-skinned natives, presumably in Africa, she noticed that he wept, and even sobbed uncontrollably, during the movie.

Also, as an adult, Gedeon indicated that he felt that his past incarnation was indeed in Africa, noting that he had a strong affinity for Africa, even though he had never been there in his contemporary lifetime.

The Death of George Floyd: How Evidence of Reincarnation Can Help Prevent Future Tradigies Based on Racial and Ethnic Bias

In 2020, the world was been shocked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer during an arrest. This officer knealt on Floyd’s neck as he was lying on the ground while handcuffed until George died by the lack of air to his lungs and compression of the arteries in his neck that provided blood flow to his brain.

Though the trial of this officer has not yet occured and we do not know what the result will be, there is a consensus that there is a bias in the United States against African-African Americans. I am Caucasian, so I have not experienced this directly, but I remember vividly an episode that demonstrates racial hate, which happened when I was in my medical training.

I was walking on a street in Denver with a dear African-American friend of mine, Keith La Grenade, MD, who was in the same medical training program in psychiatry with me at the University of Colorado.

Without provocation, a Caucasian driver of a car driving by us yelled out: “Nigger!”

I was shocked, as I had never witnessed such a racial insult to another in my life. I asked Keith: “Has this happened to you before?”

Keith answered: “All the time.”

After I wrote these passages, I had the desire to contact Keith, as we had not been in touch in many years. Sadly, I learned that he had died in 2016.

Keith La Grenade, MD Obituary

Evidence of Reincarnation Can Help End Racisim

Evidence of reincarnation shows that we can change religion, nationality, ethnic affiliation and race from one lifetime to another. When people realize this is how life works, the basis of hate and prejudice against those we see as different from ourselves disappears. Those with dark skin can reincarnate as someone with light skin and vis versa.

In this way, evidence of reincarnation can help create a more tolerant and peaceful world

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

As Gedeon’s presumed past life persona in Africa was not specifically identified, his case could not be historically validated. The strength of this case rests upon the unexpected talents that Gedeon demonstrated, which one would not be expected from a Hungarian youth.

These include, as a young child, the natural ability to row a boat with one oar, climbing trees like a monkey and being able to play complicated rhythms on a drum without any prior experience or training.

In addition, Gedeon’s phobia of swimming in lakes or rivers can not be explained without a past life cause. In his past lifetime in Africa, Gedeon remembered a fear of entering a river with monsters that bit people’s legs off. These monsters were most likely crocodiles.

Phobia from a Past Lifetime: As noted, Gedeon had a phobia of natural bodies of water, which seemed to stem from his past life experience with crocodiles.

Past Life Talents & Abilities: Gedeon could steer a boat with one oar, climb trees like a monkey and drum like a professional, without any prior training or experience in his contemporary lifetime.

Reincarnation & Change in Race: Gedeon described himself, his wife and the people of his tribe as dark skinned natives that lived in a land that was most likely Africa. Gedeon, as an adult, expressed a great affinity for Africa, though he had never been there in his contemporary incarnation. He himself thought his past incarnation, indeed, took place in Africa.

Another important reincarnation case that shows how evidence of reincarnation can help create a more peaceful world, where a person was killed for being a Jew in a Nazi world, but reincarnated as a Christian, is the:

Reincarnation Case of Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen

Footnotes

1. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 116
2. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 116
3. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 121
4. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 116
5. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 116
6. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 103
7. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 118
8. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 118
9. Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 121

Child’s Past Life Story with Phobia, Gender Change and Experience of Heaven: The Reincarnation Case of Chuey Puang Pei | Ampan Petcherat

Chuey, a boy, encounters a snake in a waterway, drowns and is reborn as Ampan, a girl. Ampan has spontaneous memories of her past life as Chuey and retains the midset of a boy. This case can help understand homosexuality and gender identity issues though reincarnation. Ampan also had phobia of snakes and memories of heaven.

How Case Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researchers: Francis Story and Ian Stevenson, MD

From: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume IV, Thailand and Burma, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Drowning Death of Chuey Puang Pei

Chuey Puang Pei was born in 1946 in Thailand. His father’s name was Tai Puang Pei and his mother was Tong Bai Puang Pei. Chuey had a brother, Chuan, and a sister, Khao.

The family lived along one of the many canals or waterways that are found in the central plain of Thailand, which are called khlongs. These canals stem from major rivers in the area. Through the use of boats, khlongs serve as routes of transportation, much like the canals of Venice, Italy. Chuey lived in the village of Bang Chan, which was on a waterway of the same name, Khlong Bang Chan.

Ironically and unfortunately, though Chuey lived by a waterway, he never learned to swim. In 1950, when he was 4 years old, Chuey was on the shore of the Khlong Bang Chan with his uncle, Klah Puang Pei, and his older brother, Chuan, who was about 8 years old at the time.

Chuey and Chuan were playing in shallow water by the shore. At one point, Chuan and his uncle lost sight of Chuey. At one moment he was on the bank of the waterway and the next moment he was gone. Shortly thereafter, they found Chuey’s body in the water and as they pulled him out, they discovered that he had drowned. This tragedy was not unusual, as at the time, young children were known to perish in the klongs of Thailand fairly often.

The uncle, Klah Puang Pei, said that he saw Chuan playfully pulling on Chuey’s legs before the drowning, though when questioned, Chuan denied this. Chuey’s body was taken to the wat or Buddhist temple at Khlong Bang Plee Noi, where it was cremated. As mentioned, Chuey died in 1950 at 4 years of age. His brother Chuan went on to become a Buddhist monk.

Child’s Past Life Memories: Chuey is Reborn as Ampan, a Girl, Who recalls her Past Life Name & Death by Drowning

Ampam Petcherat, a girl, was born in March 1954 in the village of Song Khlong, which is located on the waterway of the same name. Song Khlong is 15 kilometers or 9 miles from Bang Chan, the village where Chuey lived. At the time, Song Khlong could only be reached from Bang Chan by boat. Song Khlong is 37 kilometers or 23 miles from Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand.

Ampan’s father was named Yod and her mother was Kim Saum. When she learned to talk, Ampan said that Yod was not her father and that Kim Saum was not her mother, as she had another mother. Ampan also said she had a previous brother who was going to become a monk.

Ampan’s parents separated when she was a child. Ampan and her mother, Kim Saum, moved 7 kilometers, or a little over 4 miles, north to the village of Khlong Darn. When she was one year old, Ampan told her mother that she had another mother and father at Klong Bang Chan. She said that she was a boy before and described her house. She cried when she talked about her previous home and said that she wanted to be taken there. She said she died by drowning after being bitten by a snake. Ampan repeated this story regarding a previous life from time to time. She said that in her prior lifetime, her name was Chuey.

Past Life Memory: Ampan Recognizes her Past Life Village and Aunt

Each year at harvest time, Kim Saum would paddle by boat to sell produce in the area of Khlong Bang Chan. When Ampan was one and a half years of age, Kim Saum took her on one of these trips. Ampan recognized the area and said that this was where she had lived before as a boy.

When Ampan was 7 years old, she spontaneously recognized a woman who was walking in Khlong Darn, the village where Ampan and her mother lived. Ampan told this woman that she was her aunt. As the woman had never met Ampan and her mother before, she paid no attention to Ampan.

On a second occasion, Ampan saw the same woman and addressed her as “my aunt.” This time the woman stopped and asked Ampan how she knew her. Ampan responded, “You are my mother’s older sister.” Ampan embraced the woman and asked to be taken to her previous family. This woman was Joy Ruang Gun, who was indeed Chuey’s maternal aunt.

Ampan Recalls the Names of her Past Life Parents, Details of her Past Life Home and Place of Cremation

Joy then asked, “Who are your parents?” Ampan replied that that her father’s name was Tai and that her mother’s name was Bai. Recall that Chuey’s father’s name was Tai Puang Pei and that his mother was Tong Bai Puang Pei.

Ampan went on and said that at her prior home, there was a bamboo tree in front of the house and that there were 2 red jars at the house. She said that there were 2 red dogs and 3 buffaloes at her prior home. Regarding her death in the prior lifetime, Ampan said that she was playing in the water when she fell into the water and drowned. She said that her father took her body to the Wat Bang Plee for cremation (the full name of the temple is Wat Bang Plee Noi).

As all these statements were correct for the lifetime of Cheuy, Joy decided to take Ampan and her mother to meet Cheuy’s family.

At her Past Life Home, Ampan recognizes her Past Life Parents, Sister and Place of Drowning

When Ampan was taken to Khlong Bang Chan and her past life family’s home, she went to Tong Bai, Chuey’s mother, embraced her tightly and said “mother.” Chuey’s father was not at home initially, but Tai returned shortly thereafter in a boat with two other men. While they were still in the vessel at the boat landing, Ampan was asked to identify her previous father. Though attempts were made to mislead her, Ampan correctly identified Tai as her past life father.

When Ampan saw Khoa, she pointed at her and said, “Sister.” Khoa was Chuey’s sister.

In surveying the property where Chuey’s family lived, Ampan noted that there used to be banana and coconut trees. She also said that there used to be two houses, rather than just one. Ampan was right, as when Chuey was alive, the banana and coconut trees were there, but removed after his death. Similarly, one of the structures that had been on the property had been removed, but was present during Chuey’s time. Ian Stevenson was impressed that Ampan made these accurate statements regarding items that were no longer there.

Ampan also correctly pointed out the location near the house where she, as Chuey, had drowned.

Past Life Memories: At the Temple, Ampan Identifies her Past Life Brother, Cousin & Friend

After being taken to her past life home, Ampan was taken to the temple, or wat, at Bang Plee Noi where Chuey was cremated and where Chuan, Chuey’s brother, was now living as a monk. At the temple, Ampan recognized, among a group of a dozen or more monks, Chuan. Ampan correctly pointed out Chaun as her brother in her prior lifetime. Both Chuan and Ampan wept at this reunion.

Another monk in the group was one of Chuey’s cousins. Ampan also correctly identified this monk, Sa Ing, as one of her past life cousins. She pointed to another young monk, named Sak, who was seated among the group and said, “This monk is the son of Nang Pad.” Chuey was acquainted with this individual and Ampan’s statement that Sak was the son of Nang Pad was accurate.

Ampan’s Account of Drowning & Past Life Phobia of Snakes

There was a discrepancy between Ampan’s account of how she had drowned in her prior incarnation and the version known by Chuey’s parents. According to Ampan’s memory, Chuey had been playing with Chuan in shallow water near the shore. Ampan said Chuan was pulling on Chuey’s legs, which was observed by Chuey’s uncle, Klah Puang Pei. Ampan said that Chuey was then bitten by a snake on the right leg, fell into the water and drowned. Chuey’s family had no knowledge of Chuey being bitten by a snake prior to drowning.

Ian Stevenson noted that there are many water snakes that inhabit Thai waterways or khlongs, and that some inflict fatal bites that do not cause significant swelling. As such, Stevenson reasoned, Chuey could have been bitten by a snake without his brother or uncle noticing the snake or a snake bite.

Stevenson questioned whether there would have been enough time for venom from a snake bite to take effect. Recall that Chuey was present on the shore at one moment, suddenly disappeared and was then found dead in the water. Stevenson hypothesized that Cheuy may have simply been startled by the sight of a snake in the klong and in attempting to flee, slipped into the water, which led to his drowning.

Ampan had a severe phobia of snakes, presumably due to her memories of being bitten or startled by a snake in the water, which led to her drowning death as Chuey.

Ampan Scolds Chuan for Causing Her Past Life Death as Chuey

Ampan also insisted that one of the series of events that had led to his drowning was Chuan pulling at his legs in the water. As noted, Chuey’s uncle, Klah Puang Pei, had reported that Chuan was pulling at Chuey’s legs before he disappeared. Chuan, as an 8 year old, denied this claim, perhaps out of fear that he would be blamed for Chuey’s death. Of interest, when Ampan recognized Chuan at the temple where he was living as a monk, after they embraced and wept together, Ampan chastised Chuan for causing her drowning as Chuey.

Of interest, Ampan had a phobia of snakes, though she did not have a fear of water.

Ampan’s Experience of Heaven

When Ian Stevenson met with Ampan in 1966, he asked if she remembered what happened in the period between Chuey’s death in 1950 and her birth in 1954. Ampan said that after Chuey drowned and his body was cremated, a man, who we will call the first man, took him to another place where other dead persons were located and introduced him to the “head man.” Then he, Chuey, went with a second man who escorted him to heaven. In heaven, he met a third man of large size and black complexion who was dressed in white and who he remembered was kind. The second man then took him back to the first man. Ampan said she, or he as Chuey, was then given a piece of fruit. When she ate the fruit, she was reborn.

Reincarnation and Change in Gender: Ampan Acts as if She is Still a Boy

Ampan, when young, had definite masculine traits, which seem to reflect her past lifetime as Chuey, a male. Ampan’s mother said that she liked to dress like a boy, including wearing pants instead of a skirt. Ampan also engaged in boy’s sports, such as boxing. In 1968, when Ampan was 14, she told Ian Stevenson that she would prefer to be a boy as men have freer lives. Stevenson noted that Ampan walked with a masculine gait. A year later, in 1969, Ampan still did boxing, still wished she was a boy and had little romantic interest in boys, which is unusual for a teenage girl.

Reincarnation & Homosexuality, Lesbianism, Transsexualism & Gender Identity Issues

Ampan’s wish to be a man, which appears to be related to her past incarnation as a male, has prominent similarities to: The Reincarnation Case of a Japanese Soldier | Ma Tin Aung Myo

In this Ian Stevenson reincarnation study, a male Japanese soldier serving in Burma during World War II died, reincarnated as a Burmese woman named Ma, but maintained masculine traits and was attracted to women. Ma became a lesbian. This case shows how reincarnation can bring insight in understanding homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transsexualism, transgender and gender identity issues.

In Ian Stevenson’s series of approximately 1200 validated reincarnation cases in which young children spontaneously remembered their past lives, in only 10 percent of cases did the soul change gender. It may be that if a soul is accustomed to incarnating into a particular gender and then reincarnates into the opposite sex, gender identity issues may arise.

In contrast to the Japanese Soldier | Ma reincarnation case, Ampan eventually married a US male soldier who was stationed in Thailand. The couple later moved to California.

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Phobia from a Past Lifetime: Ampan demonstrated a phobia of snakes, apparently due to her memories of being bitten or startled by a water snake, which led to her drowning.

Gender Change: Chuey, a boy, reincarnated as Ampan, a girl. As a child and teenager, Ampan insisted on wearing boy’s clothing, she participated men’s sports such as boxing and she walked like a boy. Ampan told Ian Stevenson that she wished that she were a boy. Though she demonstrated these gender identity issues when young, she eventually married a man.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: Ampan, as a spirit being, described her experience of heaven.

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Ampan was reunited with her past life family.

Japanese Soldier Reincarnates as a Woman and Becomes a Lesbian, Understanding Homosexuality & Gender Identity Issues through Reincarnation; Sasha Fleishman

The retention of the mindset of the gender of a prior incarnation is demonstrated in this childhood memory reincarnation case researched by Ian Stevenson, MD. A WW II Japanese soldier in occupied Burma was killed in a strafing run and reincarnated as a Burmese woman, showing how a persecutor can return to life as the persecuted, demonstrating the futility of war.

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Ian Stevenson, MD

From: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume IV, Thailand and Burma, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

Nathul, Burma during the Japanese Occupation

The setting of this case is in the village of Nathul, in Burma. During World War II, the Japanese army occupied Nathul, starting in 1942.

As there was a railroad station nearby, Allied fighters and bombers regularly bombed the area and used machine guns to strafe the ground to kill any Japanese soldiers that were spotted. Attacks would often happen twice a day.

As the Allied planes ran sorties during the day, the Burmese villagers of Nathul would scatter into the countryside in the mornings. The villagers would then return to their homes in the cover of the night’s darkness. The Allied attacks continued through the spring of 1945. (1)

Daw Aye Tin and the Japanese Army Cook

U Aye Maung and his wife, Daw Aye Tin, were poor members of the community. U Aye Maung worked as a porter at the railway station. They had three daughters.

During the occupation, Daw became acquainted with a Japanese army cook, who was stocky or heavy set man. Due to the heat, this cook typically wore shorts without a shirt. Daw and the Japanese soldier had a common interest in cooking and they shared their respective knowledge regarding Burmese and Japanese cooking methods. After a period of time, Daw lost contact with this soldier. (2)

Reincarnation & Planning Lifetimes: Daw has an Announcing Dream involving the Japanese Soldier as a Spirit Being

Time passed and Daw became pregnant with a fourth child. During this pregnancy, Daw had a recurrent dream in which “a stocky Japanese soldier wearing short pants and no shirt followed her and said he would come and stay with them” … She recognized him as the Japanese army cook. “In the dream Daw Aye Tin was afraid of the soldier and told him not to follow her. The same dream occurred three times at intervals of five to ten days.” (3)

Reincarnation Birthmark on Ma’s Groin and a Phobia of Aircraft

Daw gave birth to another daughter on December 26, 1953, who was given the name Ma Tin Aung Myo. It was noted that she had a birthmark, described as a dark patch the size of a thumb, on her groin. The birthmark appeared to itch, as Ma would scratch it. (4)

As a child, Ma demonstrated a severe phobia of aircraft flying overhead. When she was 4 years old, as she was walking with her father, a plane flew by and Ma began frightened and began to cry. Her father asked what was wrong, but Ma would only say, “I want to go home, I want to go home.” (5)

Thereafter, whenever a plane flew overhead Ma would cry. In response to her father’s inquiries regarding her fear, Ma explained that she was afraid the planes would shoot them.

Her father explained to Ma that in the past planes shot at people, but that this no longer occurred. Recall that the Japanese occupation of Burma, with the associated Allied aircraft machine gun strafing runs, ended in 1945. Ma was born in 1953 and as such, Ma had never witnessed planes shooting at people. Her father’s attempts to reassure her failed and Ma continued to have a severe phobia of planes for years. (6)

A Child’s Past Life Memories: Ma says She misses Japan and her Family

In addition to having this phobia, Ma often appeared depressed and would sit by herself weeping. When she was asked what was wrong, Ma said, “I am pining for Japan.” (7)

She then began telling her family that she had memories of being a Japanese soldier stationed in Nathul, who was shot and killed by machine gun fire that came from an airplane.

Her memories gradually became more detailed. She said that she had been a male Japanese soldier who came from northern Japan, who was married and had 5 children. He was stationed in Nathul as a cook. (8)

Past Life Memory: Ma Remembers being Shot and Killed by an Airplane in a Past Lifetime

Ma remembered that she was near a pile of firewood and was about to start cooking a meal when the noise of an airplane approached. Ma recalled that the pile of firewood was next to an acacia tree, which stood about 75 meters from the house where Ma’s family lived.

She said that during this incident, the soldier, that she was, was wearing short pants and a big belt, but that he had taken off his shirt. Ma recalled that the pilot of the plane saw the Japanese cook and made a strafing run in an effort to kill him. The Japanese soldier ran around the pile of firewood trying to escape but a bullet struck him in the groin, which resulted in his death. (9)

Ma’s Reincarnation Birthmark is in the Location of the Japanese Soldier’s Bullet Wound

Recall that Ma was born with a birthmark in the area of her groin. Ian Stevenson has found that in many cases in which an individual died of a traumatic wound, such as a bullet or stab wound, a birthmark would be found in the same location in the individual’s next incarnation. In other words, a wound can become a birthmark. (10)

The US War Plane that Killed Ma in a Past Lifetime was a P-38 Lightning

Ma also recalled that the plane that killed her in the lifetime as the Japanese soldier had two tails. The plane Ma was referring had to be a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, which was an US-built fighter that was indeed used by the Allies in the Pacific Theater and in particular, in Burma.

Past Life Phobia of Aircraft

After sharing these memories, when an aircraft flew overhead that would frighten Ma and she was told by her relatives that her fear was unwarranted, Ma would angrily respond, “What do you know? I was shot and killed.”

In 1963, when Ma was 9 years old, a helicopter landed in a field in Nathul. Most villagers had never seen a helicopter and they gathered around to inspect this unusual machine. In contrast, Ma began crying and fled in fear to the family’s home. (11)

Past Life Emotions: Ma wants to go Back to Japan

Ma told her family that she wanted to go back to Japan, as she missed her children from her prior lifetime. She said that when she grew up, she would move to Japan. She wanted a big belt, like the Japanese soldier had, to protect her stomach from the cold. Her identification with Japan was very unusual, as the Burmese did not have any fondness for the Japanese, due to their occupation of Burma and the attendant cruelties that the Japanese inflicted on the Burmese. The family demonstrated their annoyance by calling Ma, “the Japanese guy.” (12)

A Possible Case of Xenoglossy

Her family also noticed that Ma would talk to herself and other children using words they didn’t understand. Though the language Ma was speaking was not identified, it is possible that Ma was speaking Japanese. (13) If so, this represents the ability to speak a language learned in a previous lifetime, a phenomenon known as: Xenoglossy

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Dresses like a Man and is Repulsed by her Menstruation

Ma demonstrated definite masculine traits. She insisted on wearing boy’s clothes and refused to wear girls’ apparel. When her mother tried to dress her as girl, she would throw the clothing aside. When Ian Stevenson asked her about this issue, Ma boasted that she didn’t own even one piece of women’s clothing. (14)

She wore her hair cropped short like a man’s and wore mens’ shirts. The clothing issue became a major problem when Ma was in sixth grade. School authorities demanded that she dress like a girl. Ma refused and had to drop out. (15)

When she had her first menstrual period, she hated it, stating that it was “unbecoming for a man.” (16)

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Accepts that She is a Lesbian

In 1972, when Ma was 19, she told Ian Stevenson that she had no desire to be with men and that she wanted a woman to be her wife. She said that she already had a steady girlfriend at that time. (17)

In 1981, when Ma was 28 years old, she had a girlfriend whom she was living with. Ma said that if she married, she would wed a woman. Ma still talked about joining the army, “to live and fight with the men.” (18)

Change of Gender Reincarnation Cases may Explain Homosexuality in Some

This case demonstrates how reincarnation cases that involve gender change can provide an explanation for homosexuality, lesbianism, transsexualism and other gender issues. Ian Stevenson’s reincarnation studies, in aggregate, show that souls change gender in only 10 percent of cases. If a soul is accustomed to incarnating in one gender and then has a lifetime as the opposite gender, that soul may still identify with the previous, usual gender. This may lead to homosexuality, transsexualism, transgender issues and gender identity disorder.

Sasha Fleischman: An Agender Teen’s Skirt is Set on Fire

In November 2013, 18 year old Sasha Fleischman was taking the bus home from high school in Oakland, California. Sasha was born a male, but prefers to wear skirts. While riding the bus, Sasha fell asleep. A 16 year old high school student then set Sasha’s skirt on fire. Sasha incurred second and third degree burns and had to be hospitalized at the St. Francis Bothin Burn Center, in San Francisco.

Initial media reports characterized the incident as a hate crime, though the defendant’s attorney has indicated that it actually was intended to be a harmless prank, which went terribly wrong. Regardless, individuals who are gay, lesbian or transsexual have been victims of persecution. Recall the case of Matthew Shepard.

It may be that the soul of Sasha is accustomed to incarnating as a female. Though male in his contemporary lifetime, Sasha appears to have a female mindset, which could account for his preference to wear skirts.

Reincarnation, Gender Change & Gender Identity Issues

Other reincarnation cases which demonstrate gender identity issues due to change of sex include:

Chuey, a Boy, Drowns & Reincarnates as a Girl, but Retains Male Traits

Jaako Vuorenlehto Reincarnates as his Wife’s Daughter, Taru Jarvi: Gender Confusion in Two Lifetimes

Poldi Holzmuller, a Female, Isn’t Attracted to Boys, Says She Will Reincarnate as a Boy and Does

Reincarnation can help us be more tolerant of individuals with gender identity issues by giving insight that such issues can be a complication of changing gender from one lifetime to another. In the course of our evolution through lifetimes on Earth, any of us can experience gender confusion when we incarnate into a sex that we are not accustomed to. I do believe that we all do change gender in our course of lifetimes on Earth, as the soul seeks a comprehensive understanding of what it is to be human, through both male and female incarnations

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Reincarnation & Change in Gender: The Japanese soldier was male, but reincarnated as Ma, a female. Ian Stevenson’s past life research indicates that in 90 percent of cases, souls reincarnate in the same gender, inferring that souls have a preferred sex or gender. In this case, Ma retained the masculine orientation of the Japanese soldier, including an attraction to women, which led to Ma becoming a lesbian. It appears that this soul was accustomed to incarnating as a man and though a woman in the incarnation of Ma, retained the mindset of a male.

Phobia from a Past Lifetime: Ma demonstrated a severe phobia of airplanes, apparently due to being shot and killed in an Allied P-38 strafing run in her past lifetime as a Japanese soldier.

Birthmark at the Site of a Past Life Wound: Ian Stevenson, MD, found that when an individual died of a traumatic wound, such as those inflicted by a gun or knife, a birthmark would be found in the same location in the subsequent lifetime. In this case, Ma had a birthmark on her groin, which is in the same location as the bullet wound that killed her in her lifetime as the Japanese cook, according to her past life memories.

Reincarnation and Change in Nationality: The Japanese soldier reincarnated as a Burmese woman. This case demonstrates the futility of war, as the Japanese occupied Burma and persecuted its citizens. In this case, the persecutor reincarnated as the persecuted.

Reincarnation and Planning Lifetimes: Daw, Ma’s mother, during her pregnancy, had a dream of the Japanese soldier in which the soldier indicated that he was coming to stay with them.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: As noted above, from the spirit world, the Japanese soldier sent an announcing dream to Daw indicating he would be born to her.

Footnotes

1. Stevenson, Ian: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume IV, Thailand and Burma, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1983, page 231
2. Ibid, p. 232
3. Ibid, p. 229
4. Ibid, p. 238
5. Ibid, p. 230
6. Ibid, p. 230
7. Ibid, p. 230
8. Ibid, p. 232
9. Ibid, p. 232
10. Ibid, p. 238
11. Ibid, p. 233
12. Ibid, p. 234
13. Ibid, p. 234
14. Ibid, p. 234
15. Ibid, pages 236, 241
16. Ibid, p. 236
17. Ibid, p. 236
18. Ibid, p. 241

Reincarnation Case of Mandeep Kaur | Pushpa: Change of Religion in a Past Life Case

Mandeep Kaur, a member of the Sikh religion, lived in New Delhi, India, with her husband and on June 2, 1961, Mandeep’s husband stabbed her to death. About 4 years later, a girl named Pushpa was born on June 16, 1965 into a family of Hindu religion.

How Case Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Satwant K. Pasricha, Ian Stevenson, MD Collaborator

From: Can the Mind Survive Beyond Death? Vol. 1 Reincarnation Research, by Satwant K. Pasricha

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Death of Mandeep Kaur, a Sikh

Mandeep Kaur lived in New Delhi, India, with her husband, who made a living repairing bicycles. Mandeep had younger sisters. Mandeep’s family was uneducated, relatively poor and they belonged to the Sikh religion. A famous place of worship for Sikhs is the Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as the Golden Temple, which is pictured to the right.

On June 2, 1961, Mandeep’s husband stabbed her to death.

Mandeep Reincarnates as Pushpa, a Hindu Girl

About 4 years later, a girl named Pushpa was born on June 16, 1965 in New Delhi, approximately 350 meters or 380 yards from where Mandeep lived. Pushpa’s family was of the Hindu religion.

When she was 18 months old, Pushpa stated pointing in the direction of where Mandeep and her husband lived. Later on, Pushpa said she was married to a Sikh and she recited the names of her children in a past incarnation. When her family asked what her past life husband did for a living, Pushpa made movements with her legs as if she was pedaling a bicycle.

Pushpa’s Past Life Phobia of Knives & Innate Knowledge of Sikh Religious Practices

When she was between 2 to 3 years of age, Pushpa demonstrated a severe fear of knives. She also had knowledge of Sikh religious practices, which was unusual for a young Hindu girl.

Eventually, Pushpa told her family that in her past life, her name was Mandeep Kaur and that her husband stabbed her to death. Pushpa expressed deep concern for her children from her past incarnation and she wanted to visit her past life family.

The family decided to investigate Pushpa’s claims, making inquiries regarding a Sikh woman who was stabbed to death. They found that Pushpa’s story matched the life of Mandeep Kuar, whose husband was a bicycle repairman.

Pushpa Accurately Identifies Members of her Past Life Family

Pushpa’s family contacted the Kaur family and arranged a meeting, where Pushpa accurately named members of her past life family. When Pushpa met Mandeep’s sisters, who were now older than she, Pushpa treated them as if they were still younger, as if their chronological status was still unchanged.

When Pushpa met Mandeep’s husband and murderer, she demonstrated “coolness and indifference.” (1)

Mandeep’s and Pushpa’s families denied any prior knowledge, acquaintance or interaction with one another. Dr. Pashricha pointed out that though only 350 meters separated their homes, socially they lived in different worlds. Pushpa’s family was well-educated, with members of her family including a medical doctor, a Sanskrit scholar, a journalist and a schoolteacher. In addition, they were Hindu and quite prosperous. In contrast, Mandeep’s family was poor, uneducated and Sikh.

Pushpa Attends the Wedding of her Past Life Daughter

Pushpa maintained a relationship with Mandeep’s family and participated in the wedding of Mandeep’s third daughter.

Dr. Pasricha interviewed Pushpa four times between 1973 and 1975, as well as 17 other informants involved in this case. Dr. Pashricha also reviewed Mandeep’s autopsy report. Her conclusion is that this is a valid reincarnation case. (2)

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Change in Religion: Mandeep was a Sikh, whereas Pushpa was born into the Hindu religion. Pushpa had innate knowledge of Sikh religious practices, even though she was born into a Hindu family.

Past Life Phobia: As a child, Pushpa had a marked fear of knives, reflecting her past life in which she was stabbed to death.

Footnotes

1. Paricha, Satwant, Can the Mind Survive Beyond Death? Volume 1: Reincarnation Research, Harman Publishing House, New Delhi, 2008, pages 6
2. Ibid, pages 5-7

Holocaust Past Life Story with Phobias, Religion Change & Soul Plan: Reincarnation Case of a Jewish Concentration Camp Victim | Teuvo Koivisto

Teuvo Koivisto was born a Lutheran Christian, in Helsinki, Finland on August 20, 1971 but he was the reincarnation of a Jew who had the misfortune of dying in a concentration camp. The reincarnation was announced to his mom in a dream by a man who was holding a copy of the Kabbalah who said “The baby you are expecting is a Jew, and I will save your life.”

How Derived: Memories in Childhood

Researched by Rita Castren and Ian Stevenson, MD

From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

Soul Plan: A Pregnant Christian Woman has an Announcing Dream Indicating her Child is a Jew

Teuvo Koivisto was born into a Lutheran Christian family in Helsinki, Finland on August 20, 1971. His father’s name was Jan and Lusa was his mother.

During her pregnancy with Teuvo, Lusa had dream in which she was in a line of prisoners that was moving forward. Someone then told Lusa, “Take shelter under the straw.” (1)

She then found herself with a man who was holding a copy of the Kabbalah, an ancient Jewish book of mystical teachings. In the background, there were men shooting guns. The man with the Kabbalah then said to Lusa, “The baby you are expecting is a Jew, and I will save your life.” (2)

Past Life Memories: Teuvo Remembers Scenes from a Nazi Concentration Camp: Bathrooms, Furnaces & Barbed Wire

When Teuvo was 3 years old, he told his mother that he had been alive before. He then told Lusa about “the big furnace,” in which people were piled in layers in a haphazard fashion. He said that some were lying on top of others. (3) Teuvo used his hands to show Lusa the shape of the oven.

Teuvo explained that he was told that he was being taken to the “bathroom,” but he was taken to the furnace instead. (4) People were then told to undress and gold teeth and eyeglasses were taken from them. People were then put in the furnace. Teuvo then related that gas came out of the walls and he could not breathe. Teuvo also described an “oven” with children in it. (5)

Breathing Difficulties from a Past Life Gas Exposure

When describing these scenes of a German concentration camp in World War II, Lusa said that Teuvo was “extremely frightened” and “terrified.” (6) In addition, Teuvo would experience breathing difficulties when describing the furnace, ovens and the gas.

It appeared to Lusa that Teuvo was experiencing pain when he tried to breath. These attacks lasted for 10-15 minutes. Lusa even took Teuvo to a medical doctor, who could not find anything physically wrong with Teuvo. The doctor specifically told her that Teuvo did not have asthma.

Later on, Teuvo told Lusa, “I was caught on barbed wire. Come and get me off.” (7) Lusa noted that Teuvo seemed depressed when she spoke of the barbed wire.

Lusa Testifies Teuvo Didn’t Learn of Concentration Camps by Normal Means

Starting at 3 years of age, Teuvo repeatedly spoke of these concentration camp memories over a period of 6 months.

Lusa firmly told investigators that Teuvo did not learn of scenes from concentration camps by normal means. Teuvo was rarely allowed to watch television and he was never allowed to watch programs containing any violence. No one in the family spoke of the Holocaust or concentration camps, and they had no social relationships with any Jewish people.

Teuvo’s Past Life Memories: Accurate Descriptions of Nazi Concentration Camps

In researching this case, Ian Stevenson confirmed that the scenes Teuvo described were accurate for German Concentration camps. Germans separated children under 14 years of age from other prisoners, as these young children were deemed to young to be useful workers. The children were killed by being place in ovens or burned in open pits.

Gas chambers were also used to kill Jews, who were indeed told that they were being taken to a “bathroom.” Prisoners were undressed and eyeglasses taken, so that their clothing and glasses could be used by the Germans after they were dead. Once the prisoners were placed in the gas chambers, hydrogen cyanide gas was used to kill them. Gold teeth and eyeglasses were removed from the corpses, which where then piled one on top of each other in furnaces, where they were cremated. Barbed wire surrounded the camps and divided different sections of the camp. In sum, Teuvo’s memories were accurate for German concentration camps of World War II.

Past Life Hiding Behavior from the Holocaust

As a young child, Teuvo would often hide himself, so that his parents could not find him. The walls of their apartment complex were very thin and Tuevo would break down walls that separated rooms so that he could hide in the empty space between rooms.

Teuvo’s hiding behavior continued until he was 13 to 14 years old. When Ian Stevenson spoke to him in 1999, when Teuvo was 28 years of age, he told Stevenson that he always wanted to feel safe and that even at the age of 28, he didn’t like his residence because it lacked a hiding place.

Ian Stevenson noted Teuvo’s hiding behavior could be related to strategies Jews used to hide themselves from the Nazis. In the Warsaw Ghetto, Jews would break down walls between apartments so that they could move from one apartment to another without being seen. In this way, they could move their possessions and supplies throughout an entire apartment complex in a clandestine way. They could also hide from the Nazi’s in shelters created between apartment walls.

A Past Life Phobia of Nazi Uniforms and Swastikas

When Ian Stevenson interviewed him in 1999, Teuvo told him that he continued to have fear and anxiety when he saw Nazi uniforms or the swastika. Teuvo would even stand still with fear at these times. In contrast, Teuvo had no fear of British or French flags or uniforms.

Teuvo’s phobia of uniforms is reminiscent of the case of Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen, as Barbro too had a fear of uniforms, though in her case, it was of any uniforms. Barbro describes that if she was stopped by police for a traffic violation, she would become so terrified she would even contemplate trying to escape from the police. Barbro herself eventually became a Swedish police officer, in part, to overcome her fear of uniforms.

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

First of all, I would like to comment on the extremely compelling nature of this case. Though Teuvo’s past lifetime could not be historically validated, his accurate descriptions, at the age of 3, of life in a German concentration camp cannot be dismissed. His mother, Lusa, insisted that Teuvo had no way to learn about these camps through normal means. As such, a past lifetime in which he experienced a concentration camp is the only way to explain his memories and knowledge.

If accepted, this reincarnation case demonstrates the following features:

Soul Plan & Spirit Being Involvement: From the spirit world, Teuvo seems to have planned his upcoming incarnation, as evidenced by the dream that his mother had when she was pregnant. As such, this case shows that souls can plan lifetimes and convey their plans through announcing dreams.

In this dream, Lusa saw herself with a group of prisoners. A man with a copy of the Kabbalah then told her that the baby she was expecting was a Jew. As Lusa and her husband were Christians, this was an unusual dream, yet it appears to have come true with Teuvo’s birth and his past life memories of being a Jew in a German concentration camp.

Past Life Phobias from Holocaust: Teuvo experienced fear and anxiety when he saw a German uniform, flag or swastika. Teuvo would even stand still with fear at these times. In contrast, Teuvo had no fear of British or French flags or uniforms.

As noted, Barbro Karlen also had a fear of uniforms related to her past life experiences as a Jewish girl in World War II, who was persecuted by the Nazis.

Change of Religion: The vast majority of people killed in Nazi concentration camps were Jewish. If it is accepted that Teuvo had a past incarnation in which he was a Jew imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, then this represents another landmark case showing that a soul can change religion from one lifetime to another, as Teuvo was born to Christian parents.

This same phenomenon was observed in the case of Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen, as Barbro remembered being persecuted as a Jew in her past lifetime as Anne Frank, yet in contemporary times, she was born to Christian parents. I have often pointed out that if the German people in the 1930’and 1940’s knew that one could be born Jewish in one incarnation and Christian in another, then the Holocaust could never have happened.

Note to Readers: Ian Stevenson. MD was a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Virginia who wrote in a very academic style, as his target audience was fellow scientists. On the Reincarnation Research web site, his past life identity cases are presented as children’s past life-reincarnation stories to make his academic work easier to understand. For those interested in appreciating the scientific rigor of his research, such as his use of multiple witnesses to establish corroborated testimony, please refer to the original reports written by Dr. Ian Stevenson.

Footnotes

(1) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 159
(2) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 159
(3) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 160

(4) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 160
(5) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 160
(6) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 160
(7) Stevenson, Ian: European Reincarnation Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 160