Brian Weiss made headlines with his ground-breaking research on past life therapy in "Many Lives, Many Masters." Now, based on his extensive clinical experience, he builds on time-tested techniques of psychotherapy, revealing how regression to past lifetimes provides the necessary breakthrough to healing mind, body, and soul. Using vivid past life case studies, Dr. Weiss shows how regression therapy can heal grief, create more loving relationships, uncover hidden talents, and ultimately shows how near death and out of body experiences help confirm the existence of past lives. Dr. Weiss includes his own professional hypnosis, dream recall, meditation and journaling techniques for safe past life recall at home.

Reviews

For many years, psychiatrist Weiss ( Many Lives, Many Masters ) used hypnotic regression as a treatment, but not until one patient apparently regressed to a previous life did he consider that the key to a host of his patients' current psychological problems might lie in the lives they conceivably had lived hundreds, even thousands, of years earlier. Using case histories of patients whose troubles with physical illness, relationships, obesity, substance abuse and grief had eluded traditional treatments, Weiss makes a convincing argument for the notion that they had lived ``past lives'' and for past life therapy. The book provides mind-expanding exercises and the techniques used in past-life regression. An appendix gives readers a script and instructions for making their own regression tape. While some readers are sure to remain skeptical, the case histories are riveting narratives. (Aug.)

Weiss's theory is that ``regression therapy and hypnotic visualization can transform the mind to reach . . . healing states. These methods can be used in conjunction with traditional medical approaches and medicines.'' For patients needing extensive treatment, he recommends past life regression. By regressing, patients relive past lives and often tragic deaths, find understanding, and are cured of current problems, Weiss states--all in only a few sessions of hypnotic visualization therapy. Weiss deliberately refers to other therapies and practitioners to legitimize his work. He shows how regression has helped patients grieve a loved one; uncover the root causes of obesity or substance abuse; heal the inner child and the abused child; and promote physical healing. Pop psychology and New Age readers will demand this title. Therapists might gain insights. Mandatory for public libraries, while optional for academic libraries.--Susan Burdick, Lehigh Community Coll., Schnecksville, Pa.

Publishers Weekly Makes a convincing argument for past life therapy...riveting.