One cannot look at Twin flames, without looking at the premise of past lives. 

Across cultures and belief systems, “past lives” generally refers to the idea that:

• the consciousness, soul, or essence of a person
• continues beyond physical death
• and reincarnates into another life, body, or context.

This concept appears in:

• Buddhism
• Hinduism
• Jainism
• Sikhism
• Kabbalistic Judaism
• Sufism
• Ancient Greek philosophy (Plato, Pythagoras)
• Indigenous Australian belief systems
• Some forms of Christianity (until roughly 500 CE)

Even in secular or psychologically oriented approaches, “past lives” may be explored as:

• metaphor
• symbolic memory
• unconscious narrative
• archetypal story
• trauma held in the nervous system through generations

 

Cultural Views

Buddhism

• Consciousness continues due to karma, craving, and attachment.
• Past lives explain personality tendencies, fears, strengths, and suffering.
• Goal is not to “remember” past lives but to break the cycle.

Hinduism

• Each soul (atman) is immortal.
• Past lives determine current life circumstances (karma).
• Reincarnation continues until moksha (liberation).

Indigenous Cultures

Many First Nations groups believe identity is linked to:

• ancestral spirits
• Dreaming or Songlines
• continuation of energy or essence

“Past lives” may be woven into the spiritual landscape rather than as linear reincarnation.

Western Esoteric Traditions

Theosophy, Gnosticism, and Hermeticism describe the soul as:

• evolving over lifetimes
• learning lessons
• refining consciousness

 

Psychological Interpretations of Past Lives

Modern psychology has several frameworks for understanding “past life memories” without assuming literal reincarnation:

A. Unconscious Symbolism

Memories may represent:

• unmet needs
• trauma
• unresolved conflict
• identity fragments seeking integration

The mind uses story to express pain or longing.

B. Archetypal Imagery (Jungian)

A person may experience “past life” impressions during:

• dreams
• meditation
• hypnosis
• therapy

These can represent archetypes:

• The Healer
• The Warrior
• The Exile
• The Caretaker
• The Wounded Child

These are timeless aspects of the human psyche.

C. Trauma Echoes

Some “past life fears” may actually be:

• generational trauma
• nervous system patterns
• implicit memories
• developmental trauma
• unresolved threat responses

People often describe “I’ve felt this fear my whole life and I don’t know where it came from” — which can be read symbolically as “past life residue.”

D. Identity Reconstruction

Past life frameworks can help people:

• rewrite their story
• reclaim power
• understand why certain themes repeat
• connect to meaning or purpose

 

Scientific and Neuroscientific Views

Mainstream neuroscience does not support literal memory transfer between lives, but it does acknowledge:

A. Cryptomnesia

Forgotten memories resurfacing as “new” ones.

B. Dissociation & Imagery

Trauma can create vivid narrative fragments that feel separate from the self.

C. Near-Death Experiences

Studies show:

• ego dissolution
• altered time perception
• profound shifts in consciousness

Which some interpret as glimpses into in-between states.

D. Epigenetic Trauma

Trauma can be transmitted biologically through gene expression.
Children and grandchildren can “inherit” emotional and behavioural patterns.

People interpret this as:

• “ancestral memory”
• “past life feelings”

Regression Experiences (Hypnosis, Meditation, EMDR-like Imagery)

Some people report vivid impressions under:

• hypnosis
• deep meditation
• psychedelic therapy
• EMDR (imagery resourcing / parts work)
• somatic trauma work

These experiences often feel real, emotional, and embodied.

Interpretations vary:

• symbolic trauma processing
• unconscious storytelling
• genuine spiritual experience
• memory reconstruction
• metaphor for unmet psychological needs

The emotional truth matters more than the literal truth.

Why People Feel Connected to Past Lives

Common themes include:

A. Unexplained fears

e.g., fear of water, fire, crowds, authority

B. Strong affinity

to certain:

• eras
• cultures
• professions
• struggles
• landscapes

C. Personality traits that feel “older than this life”

D. Persistent dreams or recurring imagery

E. Feeling “not new”

F. Feeling connected to certain people instantly

Some interpret this as:

• karmic ties
• soul contracts
• familiar spirits

 

Therapeutic Value of Past-Life Frameworks

Whether literal or metaphorical, exploring past life narratives can help people:

• make sense of suffering
• find meaning in patterns
• process deep trauma
• integrate fragmented identity
• heal long-standing emotional wounds
• access internal strengths
• cultivate self-compassion

Often the question isn’t “Is it real?”
but “Does this narrative help me heal, grow, or understand myself?”

 

The Function of Past Life Stories in Healing

A. They give language to deep pain

Especially when trauma is preverbal or unremembered.

B. They help integrate identity

People who feel “split” or “fragmented” find coherence in story.

C. They externalise shame

If pain belongs to another “life,” it reduces self-blame.

D. They give meaning to suffering

Which is a major protective factor against despair.

E. They offer a sense of continuity

“I have survived before; I can survive again.”

 

A Clinically Safe, Integrative Perspective

A grounded, trauma-informed approach would say:

“Past lives may be a spiritual truth, a psychological metaphor, a form of deep unconscious communication, or all three. What matters is the meaning and insight they offer now.”

This way, you honour:

• spirituality
• psychology
• trauma history
• meaning-making
• the nervous system
• identity
• personal growth

without forcing an interpretation.

 

 

 

When it comes down to it, it doesn’t really matter what you believe.  The fact that people have past lives is real, and you cannot escape this reality.