How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood
Researchers: Ian Stevenson, MD and Erlander Haraldsson, PhD
From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type by Ian Stevenson, MD and I Saw a Light and Came Here by Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD and James G. Matlock, PhD
Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD
The Life and Death of Kristin Grimsson
Kristen was born on November 10, 1925. Her father was Olaf Loftsson and her mother was Elinborg Sigurdsdottir. Olaf and Elinborg had 15 children, all of whom were girls. Two of Kristen’s sisters, Margret and Gudrun, were involved in this reincarnation case. Kristen was Margret’s favorite sister. The family lived in Reykjavik, Iceland. Click on the image of Reykjavik to enlarge it.
When Kristen was 3 years old, she fell and struck the back of her head, causing a wound which bled. As a physician was not available, Olaf stopped the bleeding himself and dressed the wound.
As Kristen grew up, she developed an interest in acting, attended a drama school and performed in plays that were broadcast on the radio.
At 17 years of age, Kristen married Einar Grimsson. They lived in Reykjavik and in fall of 1947 they purchased a house, which had a basement where they placed their washing machine.
On November 6, 1947, Kristin’s sister, Soffia, was visiting the couple. Kristen went to use the wringer of the washing machine and experienced an electric shock. She told Einar about the incident and they decided not to use the machine until an electrician inspected it. Kristen stayed in the basement while Einar went to visit a neighbor.
Suddenly, Soffia, who was upstairs, heard Kristen call for her. Soffia found Kristen with her right arm affixed to the washing machine. Soffia ran to a neighbor to ask for help, who managed to turn the electricity to the house off, but when they went to the basement, Kristen had already died due to electrocution. She was 22 years old when she passed.
Kristen is Reincarnates as the Child of her Sister, Margret
Margret, the sister of Kristen, had a daughter who was born in Reykjavik on January 3, 1967, 19 years after Kristen had died. Margret’s husband was Larus Johannson. The couple were Christians, more specifically, Lutherans. They named their daughter Ditta.
A Reincarnation Announcing Dream with a Talking Baby
During Margret’s pregnancy, her sister Gudrun, had a dream about their deceased sister, Kristin. In this dream, the following occurred:
Margret and her husband had a newborn baby, and they asked Gudran to take care of the baby while they were out. They left and Gudrun remained alone with the baby. They baby then sat up and began to talk. She said:
“Do you know that I am born again?
Gudren replied: “No, I do not know that.”
The baby then said: “Yes, I was here before…It was difficult to be born and easy to die…”
Then Gudren asked whether she looked the same?
The baby said: “Yes, but I am darker now, darker in complexion and darker hair.”
Then the baby said that she had a scar. Gudrun asked whether the this has to do with her death.
The baby replied: “No. I was over 20 when I died, but I got that scar when I was a little girl. It will go away.”
Then the baby asked about Maria, (another of the daughters of the family, who had been a babysitter for Kristen).
Gudren, upon hearing Maria’s name spoken by the baby said: “Oh, did you know us before?”
At this, the baby laid down again and said: “I do not want to talk about it anymore.”
Gudren interpreted the dream as the baby representing her sister Kristen, as she was the only one in the family who had died.
A Past Life Birthmark
When Ditta was two weeks old, Margret noticed a prominent birthmark at the back of her head above and behind her right ear. This was the same place where Kristen incurred the wound to her head in a fall. Margret and Larus divorced when Diita was a small child.
A Past Life Husband
When Ditta was two years old, Margret noticed that Ditta was playing as an actress. Margret asked her daughter what she wanted to do when she grew up. Ditta replied that she wanted to be an actress. When Ditta was about two and a half years old, Ditta noticed a ring on Margret’s finger.
Ditta asked: “Who gave you that ring?
Margaret replied: “My first husband.”
Ditta then said: “I had a husband too.”
Margret replied: “Little girls do not have husbands.”
Ditta then said: “Well, I have one.”
Margret asked: “Ok. So what is his name.”
Ditta: “Einar.”
Ian Stevenson noted that Margret did not believe that Ditta had ever heard the name Einar, which was the name of Kristen’s husband, as it was over 20 years after Kristen’s death. Einar had remarried and he had no contact with Margret’s family after Kristen’s death. In telling Margret that her husband was Einar, Ditta was conveying that she was the reincarnation of Kristen.
Past Life Talent: Ditta Could Spontaneously Read
An astonishing aspect of this case is that Ditta was able to read without being taught. At the age of six she was better at reading than other children who had been taught to read. Ditta herself was puzzled by this ability. This phenomenon is akin to xenoglossy, where an individual can speak a language which was not learned.
As Ditta grew up, the family noticed that Ditta bore a striking resemblance to Kristen. Both had unusually light blue eyes, though Ditta had darker hair and skin, much as the baby in Gudren’s dream had predicted.
Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives
Physical Resemblance: As mentioned above, Ditta looked very much like Kristen.
Past Life Birthmark: Ditta had a birthmark that corresponded to Kristen’s head wound.
Planning Lifetimes and Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Kristen reincarnated as the daughter of her sister, Margret. Kristen had been Margret’s favorite sister.
Past Life Talent and Behavior: Ditta was able to read without being taught. She also played at being an actress, replicating Kristen’s affinity for acting.
Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: From the spirit world, the soul of Kristen | Ditta sent an announcing dream to Kristen’s sister, Gruden, indicating that she was born again. Since this dream occurred during Margret’s pregnancy, Kristen was not yet born, but was predicting that she would be. In Gruden’s dream, the talking baby even knew that she would physically resemble Kristen, except for having darker hair and skin.