Past life regression tends to bring up a lot of questions before someone ever books a session. Will I actually see something? What if nothing happens? What if I can’t relax enough to get anywhere? These are normal things to wonder about, especially since most of what people know about past life regression comes from movies or secondhand stories rather than an actual firsthand account. Here’s what a real session looks like.
What Past Life Regression Actually Is
Past life regression is a guided hypnosis technique used to access memories, impressions, or experiences believed to be connected to a previous lifetime. The goal isn’t entertainment or curiosity for its own sake, although plenty of people come in simply curious. Most people seek it out because something in their present life feels unresolved, repetitive, or hard to explain through ordinary means — a recurring fear, an unusually strong connection to a place or person, a negative pattern that keeps showing up no matter what they try.
Whether these experiences are literal memories of a previous life or symbolic material generated by the subconscious mind is something people hold different beliefs about, and a good practitioner won’t tell you what to believe. What matters most is what comes up during the session and how it helps you understand something in your life right now.
Before the Session Begins
A first session usually starts with a conversation, not a laser focus on jumping into hypnosis right away. This is where we talk about what’s bringing you in — a specific pattern, a fear, a curiosity, a relationship that feels oddly familiar. This conversation shapes how the session is guided and gives context for whatever comes up.
You’ll also get a clear explanation of what hypnosis actually is, since many people carry the same misconceptions here as they do about hypnotherapy generally: that you’ll lose control, that you’ll be “under” and unaware, that you might get stuck. None of that is accurate. You remain aware throughout the entire session, and you can always choose to open your eyes and stop.
What Happens During the Regression
Once you’re relaxed, guided imagery and suggestion are used to help you move past everyday, conscious thinking into a deeper, more receptive state. From there, you’re gently guided toward whatever material is ready to surface, often starting with a simple scene, image, or feeling that gradually becomes clearer.
Some people see vivid, movie-like scenes. Others experience impressions, emotions, or a strong sense of knowing without a clear visual. Both are completely normal, and neither is a sign that the session “worked” or “didn’t work.” Everyone processes this kind of experience differently, and there’s no single correct way for it to unfold. I recently asked one of my best receivers how he does it. He says he hears a voice saying a word or a phrase that points him into a past life. I was intrigued! I said I would tell my other clients. I am always interested what brings success to seekers in this work.
Throughout the session, you’ll be gently guided to notice details relevant to what brought you in — a relationship, a fear, a recurring pattern — so that whatever surfaces can be connected back to your life right now.
The best judge of what happened during your session is how you feel about it a week later and how well you remember it. I notice how people months and years later will remember their in-session or in-dream past life experiences with enthusiastic animation. This is significant, compared to their dreams which quickly fade away.
For myself, I can remember all my past life experiences I had during a session with my mentor or other practitioners. I have never had a past life dream. I hardly remember my dreams unless I write them down immediately after waking up. I have many dream journals I have written over the years, and almost no diaries. I take photos to remember my waking life. I have had many lucid spiritual dreams, and always take the time to write those down. Those are important and I can help you interpret them.
It is a good idea to write down your past life experience as soon as you get home from a session. When you do that you will probably remember even more details drawn from your subconscious mind experience. I am also willing to send you a copy of my notes. Also, I do not mind if a client wants to record the session with their phone, as long as it is in airplane mode to stop incoming calls and texts.
What If Nothing Happens?
This is one of the most common concerns, and it’s worth addressing directly. Occasionally, a first session produces impressions that feel vague or incomplete, particularly if it’s your first time experiencing hypnosis of any kind. This doesn’t mean the process failed. Like any skill involving relaxation and receptivity, it often becomes easier and more vivid with practice. A good practitioner will work with wherever you land, rather than pushing for a dramatic experience that isn’t there. I have found two components that help a client receive better than most others. The first is self love, as that connects with self trust. You must trust anything you receive during your session. The second is if you love to read books, especially fiction, as you build a talent for inner visualization.
After the Session
Coming out of a regression, most people feel a mix of calm and reflection, sometimes surprise at what surfaced. Part of the session afterward is spent talking through what came up and how it might connect to your present-day patterns or questions you came in with. This is often where the real value of the session becomes clear, even more than the regression experience itself.
Is Past Life Regression Right for You?
Past life regression tends to resonate most with people who are already curious about it, or who have tried more conventional approaches to a recurring pattern without much success. It’s not something that requires a particular belief system going in — an open mind is enough.
If you’re in South Orange County, or anywhere across California and curious what a session might reveal for you, you can learn more about past life regression sessions here.
