The week before last, I had the good fortune of attending Brian and Carole Weiss’ Past Life Regression Therapy Training at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. The course was attended by an exceptional group of individuals from around the world, and across the US. Unsurprisingly, there were many attendees from India. Surprisingly, there were a disproportionate number of people from New Jersey! Jersey, represent!
Over the course of this magical week, we heard stories about clients that Brian and Carole had worked with over the years, learned techniques for induction and regression, learned about things to consider when working with various populations, witnessed a handful of our fellow participants being regressed on stage, and had an opportunity to work with each other, taking turns as therapist and client. Brian and Carole also lead us through several regressions and meditations using various techniques, all of which were incredibly relaxing, and many of which provided transcendent experiences.
One morning, Brian took us on a regression journey using the imagery of six doors, each leading to a different time in history. We were invited to open each door, peak inside, and enter the one that seemed most appealing. In some doors, I saw people, in others I saw scenery, but in one, I felt an emotional pull, so I walked through it to see what I would find. It was the year 25 AD.
I was in woman’s body. As instructed, I looked down at my feet and saw that I wore brown leather sandals. My robe was ankle-length. I looked up and found myself in a bustling town. Things felt energetic. And, even though there was a feeling of discontent, I had a sense that much-needed change was coming.
As Brian moved us forward through this exercise, I caught more glimpses of this lifetime. I found myself in a rocky place, among the Marys, praying for Jesus/Yeshua on the day he was crucified. We were very close to the crucifixion site, but did not have other people right next to us. I did not see Yeshua, himself. I had the sense that I was Mary Magdalene. I wasn’t crying, just concentrating all of my energy into sending him love and comfort, as were the other Marys.
Then we moved through time again. I was standing with my hands on a wooden rail, looking out at the water. It was briny and grayish. It was a large body of water, as I could not see land on the other side from where I was standing.
Moving forward through time again, I found myself alone, writing. I was in a simple room. And I was working on something important.
At the end of this life, I was in a simple bed, with my daughter next to me. As I lay there dying peacefully, I thought to myself that I had lived a very good life, and that it could not have unfolded any other way.
The next day, during Q&A time, I asked Brian about my experience. I have heard of other people claiming they were Mary Magdalene in a past life, and wondered what my experience might have meant in this context. I didn’t, however, have the nerve to say that I was Mary in my past life, that seemed a bit pretentious! So, I just said that I was a member of Jesus’/Yeshua’s entourage.
Brian responded by pointing out that many people claim to have been Cleopatra, which got a good laugh from the audience. He said that during important historical times like the lives of Christ, Buddha, Cleopatra, or the French or American Revolution, etc. there is an immense amount of energy, energy that resonates strongly for many of us in this lifetime.
He also told the story of a client who, during a regression, found herself as a man during Christ’s final months. This man had undergone many indignities and painful experiences under the Romans, and was living an isolated, bitter life. Then he encountered Christ, and was healed by him. Brian pointed out that, during Christ’s lifetime, his influence reached many people in the Middle East, so that upwards of 100,000 people had some sort of direct experience and, therefore, connection with him.
Brian also said that an experience like mine could be a way of connecting with the archetypal energy of this major historical time period because of its symbolic relevance to oneâ€