Greg Taylor writes: Another study that made use of the University of Virginia Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) database involved an analysis of ‘interval memories’ in past-life cases – that is, recollections by the children of events said to have occurred during the interval between the death of the previous personality and the birth of the child. It was found that interval memories were present in approximately 20% of the cases, and that children who reported interval memories, compared to those who did not, “made a greater number of statements about the previous life that were verified to be accurate, recalled more names from the previous life, had higher scores on the strength-of-case scale, and were more likely to state the names of the previous personalities and to give accurate details about their deaths.”
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| DOPS researchers: Bruce Greyson, Ed Kelly, Marieta Pehlivanova, Kim Penberthy, Jim B. Tucker |
Furthermore, a comparison of interval memories reported in Burmese cases were compared to reports of near-death experiences (NDEs). The study found features similar to the transcendental component of Western NDEs, and significant areas of overlap with Asian NDEs (e.g. they saw themselves from outside their body, encountered a mystical being or presence, and met deceased spirits). According to Dr. Tucker, based on this it is possible that “interval memories and NDEs could be considered parts of the same overall phenomenon, reports of an afterlife.”
One case recorded by Dr. Stevenson also provides an account of a veridical out-of-body experience during the interval period. The subject of the case complained of ‘seeing’ her ashes being scattered, rather than buried as requested. Upon checking, it was found that the previous personality had requested that her ashes be buried under a tree at her temple, but her daughter had found the tree’s root system made it impossible to dig there, so she scattered them instead.
Based on the number of strong cases of past-life memories collected over the past 60 years by researchers, Dr. Tucker says he is “now ready to say we have good evidence that some young children have memories of a life from the past.”
Currently, the best explanation for the strongest cases appears to be that memories, emotions, and even physical traumas can, at least under certain circumstances, carry over from one life to a subsequent one... [T]he cases contribute to the evidence for survival of consciousness after death.
Greg Taylor, “What is the Best Available Evidence for the Survival of Human Consciousness after Permanent Bodily Death?” An essay written for the Bigelow contest addressing this question. I am presenting excerpts without references, but this essay is available with footnotes and a bibliography at https://bigelowinstitute.org/contest_winners3.php.
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