Remembering your past lives

[niranjan]

The Indian spiritual master, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (founder of the 'Art of Living' foundation) has created a technique called the 'Eternity Process' , a meditation technique through which one is able to remember the memories of one's past lives stored in the subconscious mind. Many of my friends and others have gone through this technique , and in the process , have realised the memories of their previous births.

 

The Indian religions believe in the theory of karma or 'cause and effect'. This theory finds ample expression in the fact that those who have gone through the 'Eternity Process ' found that their inborn ,innate talents can be traced back to training in a previous birth.

 

This technique is getting increasingly popular, and according to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar , it is now being practiced in a few psychiatric clinics as well.

In order to do this technique , one ought to contact the nearest 'Art of Living ' centre and get in touch with an 'Art of Living ' teacher trained in this technique.One ought to be 21 years of age to do this technique.

 

All my friends , who have done this technique, found it to be very interesting and illuminating. I wish you the same.

[niranjan]

This technique 'eternity process' will be a shot in the arm for Iskcon and the other Indian religions which believe in the theories of rebirth and karma.

[brajeshwara das]

I have always felt it was some great mercy that I can't remember my past lives, with all the offenses I likely committed. It's also a great mercy I don't remember most of them from this life. The burden would be huge!

 

I have gotten glimpses of past lives before, like I spoke Chinese without knowing Chinese once (very complex sentence in perfect Mandarin according to the Chinese present! "you don't need to eat, you are too fat!" is what I said, I thought I was just speaking in English. No spiritual enlightenment was involved, I definitely had the consciousness of a dog or worse). That built up my faith in the transmigration of the soul and I though I believed in 'God' in a nebulous form already that really moved me to investigate eastern religions. So I see some value maybe in building the faith of total beginners but for those already having faith and practicing? I don't know.

 

Personally I think it is better to focus on surrendering to Guru and doing service now than to remember your past lives. It seems self-serving and indulgent to me. "How is it helping in my service?" is what I think I would need to have answered. Is it for the glorification of the Lord or is it my own separate interest at play? It may even be detrimental to spiritial growth. Remember that demons even seek this sort of information.

[astrobhadauria]

In Ram charit Manas:-

"Dharam se virati,virati se gyana/gyan mokshprada ved bakhana//"

this chaupai make full sense of the past livings.