When people hear the word hypnosis, they often imagine entering a dreamlike state and traveling back in time to witness scenes from a mysterious past life. I know the existence of past lives is debatable, and I’m not here to give a definitive answer. But the idea itself is undeniably captivating—who wouldn’t be curious to discover if they were once a queen, a warrior, or even someone from another world?
I once joined a session like this in Taiwan, curious to explore the so-called “journey into the past.” My motivation was simple: I wanted to know if a past life really existed and what it might reveal about me. At the same time, I remained skeptical. Still, unanswered questions lingered in my mind, and I hoped this experience might provide some clarity. And if it didn’t, at least I would gain firsthand insight into the process of hypnosis itself—which seemed like a fair deal to me.
The hypnotist began guiding us with vivid imagery: boarding a train, waving goodbye to loved ones, and floating away in a hot-air balloon toward our past lives. Around me, participants began to drift into trance, some later sharing incredible stories of reincarnation. One claimed to be a princess in a tragic love story; another described himself as an extraterrestrial being who had once landed on Earth.
But me? I stayed wide awake.
I listened to the instructions, followed the steps, and even closed my eyes, but I never lost awareness. At one point, I peeked around the room, noticing others slipping into deep relaxation while I sat there—alert, skeptical, and slightly amused.
That experience led me to a realization: perhaps hypnosis isn’t really about uncovering literal past lives at all. Instead, it’s more about exploring our own imagination and inner desires.
Popular Belief vs My Experience
The common belief is that hypnosis acts like a time machine, transporting people back to previous existences. Many approach it with the hope of finding answers to unresolved issues—whether failed relationships, recurring fears, or unexplained feelings.
In contrast, my experience suggested something different. I didn’t uncover dramatic lifetimes or karmic debts. Instead, I discovered how my mind resisted suggestion and how skepticism kept me grounded. While others were immersed in symbolic stories, I found myself questioning: are these visions truly memories, or are they projections of longing and unresolved emotions?
Why Skepticism Can Actually Help
Some might think skepticism ruins the experience, but I believe it adds balance. Blind belief can easily lead us into illusions, while cautious doubt helps us interpret experiences more thoughtfully.
Skepticism doesn’t close the door—it simply asks us to look deeper. For example, if someone “sees” themselves betrayed in a past life, maybe the real insight is about trust issues in the present. If another recalls a tragic separation, perhaps it reflects current fears of loss.
Rather than dismissing these stories as fake, we can treat them as meaningful metaphors—windows into the subconscious that reveal truths about who we are today.
Past Lives as Metaphors
Whether hypnosis unlocks actual reincarnations or not might not be the point. What matters is the self-discovery that unfolds during the process. The images, emotions, and narratives we encounter—real or imagined—can act as metaphors for our struggles, hopes, and inner conflicts.
So instead of asking, “Was I really that person in another life?” a better question might be, “What does this story tell me about myself right now?”
For me, staying awake during the session didn’t mean failure. It meant realizing that my journey wasn’t about revisiting the past—it was about understanding how I face the present. And perhaps that’s the true power of hypnosis: not as a doorway into yesterday, but as a mirror reflecting who we are today and who we wish to become.
Latest Episode
In this week’s episode, C#41 我的催眠體驗, I share a very personal experience from a hypnosis session in Taiwan, where participants were guided to explore their so-called “past lives.” Some people uncovered dramatic stories—like being a princess, an alien, or a heartbroken lover—while I, surprisingly, stayed fully awake, observing the entire process. This episode explores the mystery of hypnosis: is it truly a gateway to past lives, or simply a projection of our desires and imagination? Along the way, you’ll also learn a few Taiwanese words related to the story. Stay tuned, and let’s explore the blurred lines between memory, imagination, and belief. Listen to this Episode
Phrase of the Week
前世今生 (qián shì jīn shēng) – Past and present lives
Meaning: Refers to reincarnation, the cycle of past and present existence.
Sample Sentences
- 她總覺得和這個地方有一種前世今生的連結。
Tā zǒng juéde hé zhège dìfāng yǒu yī zhǒng qián shì jīn shēng de liánjié.
She always feels a past-life connection with this place.
- 這本小說以前世今生為主題，講述一段跨越時空的愛情。
Zhè běn xiǎoshuō yǐ qián shì jīn shēng wéi zhǔtí, jiǎngshù yī duàn kuàyuè shíkōng de àiqíng.
This novel, themed around past and present lives, tells a love story that transcends time.
- 有些人相信夢境裡的畫面是前世今生的記憶。
Yǒuxiē rén xiāngxìn mèngjìng lǐ de huàmiàn shì qián shì jīn shēng de jìyì.
Some people believe dreams are memories of past lives.
- 前世今生的故事，總是帶著一種神秘感。
Qián shì jīn shēng de gùshì, zǒng shì dàizhe yī zhǒng shénmì gǎn.
Stories of past and present lives always carry a sense of mystery.