pastlife

Past life refers to the belief that a person has previously lived another life before the current one. In religious and spiritual traditions, past lives are often linked to cycles of birth, death, and rebirth and to the idea that actions in one life influence future existences.

In Hinduism, atman or soul is reborn until it achieves liberation (moksha). In Buddhism, rebirth occurs without a permanent self, guided by karma, within a cycle of samsara; Jainism likewise teaches karmic influence on future existences. Various cultures and sects have their own interpretations of where a past life resides and how it relates to ethical conduct and spiritual growth.

In contemporary settings, some individuals seek to uncover past lives through past-life regression, guided hypnosis, or meditation. Proponents claim such memories can provide insight into personal issues or life purpose. Critics regard these experiences as fantasies or confabulations, often shaped by suggestion, film, or already-known historical anecdotes. There is no widely accepted empirical method to verify past-life memories.

From a scientific and philosophical perspective, past-life claims face significant challenges: the lack of verifiable evidence, the unreliability of memory, and debates about personal identity across lifetimes. Nonetheless, beliefs about past lives remain a feature of many cultures and continue to appear in modern spirituality and popular culture.