Customer Reviews

Other Lives, Other Selves: A Jungian Psychotherapist Discovers Past Lives

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ever since I had a Near-Death Experience, 25 years ago, I strongly believe that we are here on Earth on a regular basis, i.e., that we reincarnate. I have gone thru past-lives therapy and found its deep usefulness. All this led me to collect and study most books on reincarnation I could read. When I found Other Lives, Other Selves, I suddenly felt that I had spent too much money on too many books! This is the only book I'd buy if I had had a chance to browse thru all my 100-plus library on reincarnation. The fact that he is a Jungian psychotherapist does not hurt, because he adds to Jung's positions the rich and vast body of knowledge provided by PLT. Look no further: this IS the only book on reincarnation and past-lives therapy you'll ever need.

After reading what is poular today as well as past writers (not naming names) I find that Dr Woolgers work is the most comprehensive approach to Past Life Therapy available. While many using hypnosis place an emphasis on recovering the memory, Dr Woolger's expereince is that the memory is the least difficult part of regression process, guiding the traumatic expereince and wound to the soul to resolution and healing is the cornerstone of his work. This is the piece, personally that I see lacking in other approaches. His work is founded in sound psychological AND spiritual principles and the ability to synthesize this and make it practical and accessable is clear in this book. After reading this book I had the ability to do some training with him personally and would recommend any serious student of this kind of work to try to do the same. At the very least, refer to this book as both pioneering and a classic in the field.

I am a hypnotherapist and have read many books on the subject of past life therapy and I think this is the best yet. Woolger presents a more realistic account of past life therapy than some of the other quick fix books that are out there. Unlike others I've read, he doesn't claim that simply recalling a past life cures you of your ills. Instead, he conveys his experience as a therapist, that regression therapy is often a long and challenging process, though one with rich rewards. One thing I especially like about his techniques is his emphasis on incorperating the body into the regression, as that is where much of the trauma is held. While some therapists recommend taking an "observer" position while reliving a trauma, he encourages his clients to reexperience it as much as possible and considers emotional and physical catharsis as keys to healing. It is an enlightening and inspiring book.

The author makes a fascinating case for Christian reincarnation, discusses the role of Reichian body-armor in past and current lives, reveals his own experiences as a mercenary in the Albigensian crusades and wraps it all up by reviewing the insights of the Tibetan Book of the Dead and synthesizing these with his own research. A provocative, compelling and unique treatment of a subject still widely misunderstood by most Westerners.

First because it seems that Roger Woolger is in front of you talking about this theme. Second because he presents the regression as a therapeutic model that lets the patients to heal themselves when they become conscious of determined past experiencies. The author presents the history of the origins of Therapy of Past Lives, analyses reincarnation from the point of view of occidental thinking, explains the work that has been done by some especialists and describes his own method. In most of the cases, he listen to the patient's history in order to know what he must focuse in the therapy. After, he asks the patient to lay down, to close his eyes and to repeat several times some word or phrase that the patient said about himself. Somehow, the patient relives past experiencies of this life or the other lives. Most likely it is the phrase that makes the connection with the past memories. However, Woolger emphasizes that the body can be a connection key to the past, too. Surprisingly, the patient's body behaves itself as if the remembered experience was happening just when the regression was occurring. Roger Woolger believes that only when the patient lives again the whole traumatic experience, he becomes able to heal himself. It is worth reading "Other lives, other selves" because Woolger other than explains the theoy about Therapy of Past Lives, presents a lot of truth cases that exempliflies it.

A life-changing (and life-saving) book. I read it and tried it - and it worked. I've been using it ever since, as have friends. It should be part of every educational syllabus.

Thoughtful, carefully written and well documented; Woolger takes us on a journey most people aren't ready for. It is not for the faint of heart to consider the possibilites of life before life, life between lives, and life after death. The patterns he points out that reveal themselves in therapeutic sessions make sense in ways that open your eyes, your heart, and your mind. It's the only way to fly.

Our wounds are not rooted in this life - and healing is far more profound when considered from such a multi-faceted perspective. It's a fascinating read. I will never see life or death the same way again - and I'm glad.

Woolger does a good job of providing balanced views of both spiritual and psychotherapeutic theories of reincarnation. He provides case studies of how his therapy has helped many people to overcome problems, regardless of their actual beliefs about reincarnation. An very interesting view into yet another approach to healing the mind/body/spirit.

Mr. Woolger explains that he is a rogue Jungian, and that orthodox Jungians don't particularly care for him. And it is to be expected that the language used in this very thick book is at times patently Jungian, which means that the reader can also certainly expect to be 'struck' most pleasantly by much of what's said and reported, as is the case w/ any of the 'readable' Jungian literature, whether or not one has concluded in favor of the existence of the 'Psyche.' This book is extremely entertaining, and thick as it was, I personally could not put it down until the last sentence. The interspersal of historical snippets is done supremely well. I've looked into a few other books on the subject, and nothing begins to compare so far.

Very interesting book. The author recounts multiple stories of patients that he has had, as well as gives his ideas about how to understand the phenomenon of recalling past lives. The stories are often VERY compelling, and have given me (a practicing Buddhist for years) quite a bit to think about/reflect on. Occasionally, in my opinion, he gets a little bit long winded on the academic type philosophical stuff, but in all it doesn't significantly take away from the book.

I will say too that his approach is very grounded. Sometimes, in topics like these, people will get into quite specious theories and arguments, and he does not. He even distinguishes between different ways of looking at past lives- for example, he distinguishes between the approach of the parapsychologist who is trying to prove reincarnation, that of the "religious" person who believes in reincarnation because of a spiritual tradition, and that of a therapist who is more interested in results than proof. He falls into the latter category and basically lets the stories tell themselves, and they tell themselves very well.

Would recommend.