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meaning of the term. I went on to explore a number of ‘other lives’ One way to receive such information when it is offered is at face with the help of a Jungian colleague, and there were recurring value—that, in this case, the earthbound spirit of her friend was still themes of loss which I could readily identify from my life at the present and probably unable to leave the scene of suicide. We dis- time. This might suggest only the projection of emotions into a cussed this possibility and I asked my patient if she would like us to number of different scenarios unconsciously selected by me for the _ invite the spirit of her friend to the consulting room to see if we purpose. Alternatively, these projections might comprise no less could get some more information. My patient was willing to try, so than the working out of one's karmic account, as taught by the asked her to close her eyes, tune in to her friend and try letting her Hindu and Buddhist faiths. friend speak through her. It was easily done, and we soon had the Indeed, we now have to take into consideration Professor details of the suicide. Stevenson's work on reincarnation, including studies on birthmarks The spirit of her friend went on to express deep regret at having at the site of an injury such as a gunshot wound which had ended _ taken her life. I explained that she could make no progress by stay- the preceding life. The children interviewed had vivid recollections ing on and that it was having a bad effect on her friend, who had of their former lives and some could accurately identify members been generous enough to lend her home to her. She hadn't realised of the deceased's family, whom they had never previously met __ this and apologised. "If only I had known," she said, "what I know (Stevenson, 1997). now. I was facing the biggest challenge of my life, what my whole A third and middle way might be to see the scene as summoned _life had been leading up to, and I went and messed it all up. I feel from the quantum domain, by means of sympathetic resonance with even worse than I did before." I said I was sure other opportunities the person's current psyche. We collapse the wave at the very point —_ would be given to her. She was very relieved to hear this and we where it most powerfully attracts us. It also has a bearing on the talked for a short while about her hopes for a new life ahead. Then question of the continuity of personal identity, so dear to our hearts, she said she was ready to move on. I asked her to look for the light beyond this earthly realm! Could it be that once we move entirely (which is the first step, and often all that is needed). She looked beyond space-time—perhaps "the point of no return" reported in around, then exclaimed with a smile, "Yes, I can see it!", and left at the near-death experience—we re-enter once. My patient immediately felt the the wave and remain suspended in the burden lift from her and she went on to virtual state until the wave is collapsed make a full recovery. by another, superordinate conscious- Was this a projection of my patient's ness? Is this where God the Creator 6 inner world? I would say both yes and comes in? Then we'll get actualised all Out-of-body excursions to no, since I hold the view that the psy- over again, although we should not be other times and places are not chological world is intimately related to surprised if other worlds await us. Our 9 the spiritual universe. Father's house has many mansions, we advisable for people who have My last example summarises a case are told. shaky reality testing. study by a colleague, Dr Ike Azuonye, Out-of-body excursions to other times which I was delighted to see published and places are not advisable for people in the British Medical Journal who have shaky reality testing. On the (Azuonye, 1997). In 1984, a previous- other hand, symptoms that are inexplic- ly healthy woman began to hear a dis- able, such as can be the case with phobias tinct voice inside her head. It said: like fear of water, are sometimes resolved with a single session. "Don't be afraid. I know it must be shocking for you to hear me The scene of the trauma—drowning, for instance—can be revisited, speaking to you like this, but this is the easiest way I could think of. and the therapist enables the client to take leave of the body with My friend and I used to work at the Children's Hospital, Great release and relief instead of fear and pain. Ormond Street, and we would like to help you." The lady was very frightened by this experience and ended up seeing the psychiatrist, INFLUENCES FROM OTHER REALMS who diagnosed an hallucinatory psychosis and put her on thiori- The most common mental disorder is depression and it comes in dazine. She went off on holiday, but while she was abroad the many guises. A young woman came to see me feeling unwell, "not voices returned, telling her there was something wrong with her erself". She was clinically depressed, with disturbed sleep and _ and she needed immediate treatment. They gave her an address in loss of energy and concentration. Antidepressant medication had — London, which she didn't recognise. When she got back, she went elped to some extent, but she was still "not herself". I was struck __ to this address and found herself outside the CT scan department of vy her use of the phrase. a teaching hospital. The voices told her she had a brain tumour and Going into the background, I learned that, a few months before must have a scan. the symptoms began, a friend of my patient had killed herself in my The patient was most upset and went back to see her psychiatrist. atient's home, having been staying there while my patient was He examined her thoroughly and there was no sign of any physical away on holiday. By the time she got back, everything had been abnormality, but, to reassure her, a brain scan was arranged. It tidied up and the funeral had already taken place. showed a mass, which the neurosurgeon said should be removed. From a psychological perspective, this tragedy could certainly The voices told her they were fully in agreement. At surgery, a ave affected my patient more than she knew. And yet, as we went sizeable tumour, a meningioma, was dissected out. When she on, I felt there was something unexplained here. Thinking of how recovered consciousness, the voices told her, "We are pleased to she had twice said she was "not herself", I asked her if she had the have helped you. Goodbye." Twelve years later, the patient feeling of someone else when she came back home. She replied —_ remains well. The voices never returned. that she hadn't wanted to mention it in case I thought she was mad, Dr Azuonye reports that professional colleagues were divided in ut every time she went into the house she had the strong feeling their reactions. There were those who thought the patient already that hae ht thara in tha th hae Cha sauld INFLUENCES FROM OTHER REALMS The most common mental disorder is depression and it comes in many guises. A young woman came to see me feeling unwell, "not erself". She was clinically depressed, with disturbed sleep and loss of energy and concentration. Antidepressant medication had elped to some extent, but she was still "not herself". I was struck yy her use of the phrase. Going into the background, I learned that, a few months before the symptoms began, a friend of my patient had killed herself in my atient's home, having been staying there while my patient was away on holiday. By the time she got back, everything had been tidied up and the funeral had already taken place. From a psychological perspective, this tragedy could certainly ave affected my patient more than she knew. And yet, as we went on, I felt there was something unexplained here. Thinking of how she had twice said she was "not herself", I asked her if she had the feeling of someone else when she came back home. She replied that she hadn't wanted to mention it in case I thought she was mad, ut every time she went into the house she had the strong feeling that her friend was right there in the room with her. She couldn't shake it off; it was almost physical. 58 ¢ NEXUS APRIL — MAY 2002 Continued on page 83 WWW.NeXU smagazi ne.com