Serie A brev No 60

Magazine Overview

This issue of BREVCIRKELN, identified as Serie A - Brev nr 60, published in December 1967, features a cover headline asking "ÖVERLEVER VI DÖDEN?" (Do We Survive Death?) and focuses on "Något om modern reinkarnationsforskning" (Something about modern reincarnation research).

The article is an abridged transcript of a lecture given by Dr. Nils-Olof Jacobson at the Malmölogen of the Theosophical Society on December 11, 1967. The author notes the surprising lack of awareness regarding this topic among academically educated researchers in Sweden.

Understanding the Question of Death and Reincarnation

The article presents three primary stances on the question of death: 1) that nothing can be known about what happens after death, making contemplation futile; 2) that death is the absolute end of existence; and 3) that death is not the absolute end, and consciousness may continue in some form.

The choice of stance is influenced by personal experiences, encounters, and readings. While personal beliefs are valid for the individual, the existence of human experiences that support different viewpoints is acknowledged. Those who believe death is the end highlight the lack of verifiable accounts from the afterlife, while spiritualists point to mediums who claim to communicate with the deceased.

For scientists, the study of death and the afterlife presents significant challenges due to the difficulty of conducting experimental research. However, some researchers are bravely attempting to scientifically approach the question of what happens to human consciousness after death.

Categories of Experiences Studied

Several categories of experiences are of interest to researchers:

• Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs): Individuals report suddenly finding themselves outside their own bodies, observing them as if they were a separate object. These experiences occur in both healthy individuals and those near death, including during severe accidents, under anesthesia, or during surgery.
• Visions of the Dying: Dying individuals sometimes report seeing deceased relatives approaching them, accompanied by experiences of light and music. Researchers attempt to find commonalities in these experiences to understand the transition of consciousness at the moment of death.
• Spiritualist Communications: This category includes statements from mediums claiming to channel spirits of individuals who have passed on. While often difficult to prove, some spiritualist experiences are hard to explain through conventional means, suggesting the survival of personality after death.

Possession and Past Life Memories

Two other categories of experiences are discussed:

• Possession: In rare instances, individuals seem to be temporarily inhabited by an alien intelligence or personality. This can manifest as sudden abilities or knowledge not previously possessed. The personality may not recognize their own family but show familiarity with the deceased person's relatives. This is interpreted as the deceased personality temporarily occupying the body.
• Past Life Memories: This is the primary focus of the article, where individuals claim to have memories or experiences linked to a previous incarnation. The author, Dr. Jacobson, studied under Dr. Ian Stevenson at the University of Virginia Hospital, who has amassed a substantial collection of such cases.

Dr. Ian Stevenson's Research

Dr. Ian Stevenson has collected approximately 700 cases of alleged past-life memories from around the world. He meticulously investigates these cases, distinguishing between genuine memories and fantasies, particularly in individuals with psychological issues. He notes that while some claims are easily dismissed (e.g., claiming to be Napoleon), others are detailed enough to warrant rigorous verification. Stevenson travels to interview individuals and verify factual claims against reality.

Case Examples

• The Swedish Woman: A middle-aged Swedish woman had a recurring childhood vision of herself as an adult woman in an Oriental-style room, lying on a divan, with exotic plants outside. She knew she had a child and a husband nearby. Years later, she realized the setting resembled descriptions of India, and a flower she frequently drew as a child was identified as a lotus blossom.

• The Imad (Elawar) Case from Lebanon: This case, investigated by Stevenson, involved a young boy named Imad who, from about 1.5 years old, spoke of living in another place and not recognizing his parents. He mentioned names like "Jamile" and "Mahmoud" and a place called Khriby, about 30 km away. He claimed to have a wife named Jamile and children, and spoke of a car accident where someone broke a leg, expressing joy at being able to walk.

Initially, Imad's father was skeptical, but the boy persisted. Stevenson became involved early in the investigation. The family believed Imad might have been Mahmoud Bouhamzy, who lived in Khriby and had a wife named Jamile, and died in a car accident. However, verification proved complex.

It was discovered that a man named Said Bouhamzy had died in a car accident in 1943, with broken legs, but had no wife named Jamile. Furthermore, another man claimed to be the reincarnation of Said Bouhamzy. Stevenson's investigation then identified Ibrahim Bouhamzy, who lived near Said, died in 1949 from tuberculosis at age 25, and had a mistress named Jamile. Ibrahim had been bitter about his illness and inability to walk, and was deeply affected by Said's death. Imad's description of a car accident involving a broken leg and his joy at being able to walk aligned more with Ibrahim's situation, and the man Imad embraced as his former neighbor was indeed Ibrahim's neighbor.

During a visit to Khriby with Imad, the boy pointed out where Ibrahim's house was and where Jamile lived, but did not recognize Ibrahim's house itself, which had been altered. Imad's mother and sister took him on a tour, and Stevenson and a translator followed, ensuring no leading questions were asked. Imad recounted details about Ibrahim's life, including personal memories and the last words Ibrahim spoke before dying. Stevenson documented 73 pieces of information from Imad about Ibrahim's life, of which 65 were confirmed as correct, and 8 could not be verified or disproven.

Further parallels emerged: Imad, as a child, was afraid of large trucks and buses, similar to Ibrahim, who had been a bus driver involved in at least two accidents, one fatal. Both Ibrahim and Imad were proficient in French, and both were described as quick-tempered and prone to arguments.

Analysis of Explanations

The article dismisses outright fraud, noting that the parents' initial conclusions about Imad's past life were incorrect, suggesting they didn't fabricate the entire narrative to fit a preconceived idea. Cryptomnesia (hidden memories) is also considered unlikely, as Imad was very young and constantly with his parents, making it improbable for him to have acquired such detailed information from an unknown source without his parents' knowledge.

Paranormal explanations are then explored:

• ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception): This includes telepathy and clairvoyance. However, ESP is generally characterized by vague, general knowledge rather than specific factual details about a particular time period. Imad's knowledge was specific to Ibrahim's past life and did not extend to current events in Khriby, making ESP an insufficient explanation.
• Possession: This involves a discarnate personality taking over a living person's body. However, the children in these cases retain their own personalities and do not exhibit the characteristics of being completely replaced.
• Reincarnation: This theory posits that the personality survives death and is reborn into a new body. The article suggests that reincarnation provides the simplest and least contrived explanation for the collected facts and experiences, especially the strong emotional connections observed between the child and the past-life family.

Common Patterns in Reincarnation Cases

• Previous Life Demise: Often, the previous personality died young, frequently due to illness or accident.
• Interval Between Lives: The time between incarnations is usually short, ranging from a few months to about 10 years. Imad's case had a 10-year interval.
• Gender: In about 10% of cases, the previous personality was of the opposite sex, but the individual often identifies with the opposite gender.
• Birthmarks and Health Defects: Birthmarks on the current personality sometimes correspond to wounds or defects from the previous life. In Imad's case, the alleged previous personality, Ibrahim, died from a stab wound, and a birthmark on Imad's body was located where the wound would have been.
• Karma: The concept of karma, where actions in one life influence the next, is mentioned but considered difficult to study due to the short timeframes and incomplete knowledge of past lives.

Conclusion

The article concludes that reincarnation is a theory that can explain a significant number of facts and experiences observed in these cases. It is presented as the most plausible explanation when compared to other theories. The article poses the question of how reincarnation functions, suggesting it is a topic for a future lecture.

References and Further Information

The book "Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation" by the American Society for Psychical Research (New York, 1966) is cited for a detailed discussion of the cases. A report on parapsychological research in the USA, mentioning Dr. Stevenson's work, appeared in the Swedish weekly magazine Allers, issue 46, dated November 19, 1967.

Readers who know of current (not old) cases of experiences similar to those discussed, such as out-of-body experiences, deathbed visions, or other phenomena relevant to the survival of consciousness after death, are encouraged to contact Dr. Nils-Olof Jacobson at Vårvädersvägen 4 G, Lund, Sweden, telephone 0/6/14 22 92.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes are the nature of death, the survival of consciousness, and the scientific investigation of reincarnation. The editorial stance, as presented through Dr. Jacobson's lecture, is open to the possibility of reincarnation, viewing it as a viable explanation for a range of unexplained phenomena, particularly those involving children's past-life memories. The emphasis is on rigorous investigation and the scientific method, even when dealing with subjects outside conventional scientific paradigms.