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Coming Back
A provocative look at the possibility that we have lived before birth and will go on living after death—and how this knowledge can help improve the lives we’re living here and now
Dr. Raymond Moody’s pioneering research of near-death experiences changed the way we perceive dying. In Coming Back, he examines the field of regression hypnosis to discover if we can indeed recall “past lives”—and what such memories tell us about the possibility that death is not the end.
Dr. Moody presents the startling findings of research conducted on psychologically healthy patients who, under deep hypnosis, could describe in vivid detail episodes from other historical periods they could not possibly have known— unless they’d lived before ! Once a confirmed skeptic, in April 1986 Dr. Moody himself underwent a deep hypnotic trance that dramatically changes his belief about past-life regression. Inside you’ll
• How almost anyone can experience past-life journeys
• How past-life regression can help you overcome phobias, compulsions, addictions, depression, and guilt
• How to recognize and identify the twelve traits common to all genuine past-life regressions
• How recent findings in science, psychiatry, and sociology contribute to our understanding of past-life regression—and what they say about life after death
• Plus a special self-hypnosis script to guide you on your own past-life journey
Dr. Raymond Moody’s pioneering research of near-death experiences changed the way we perceive dying. In Coming Back, he examines the field of regression hypnosis to discover if we can indeed recall “past lives”—and what such memories tell us about the possibility that death is not the end.
Dr. Moody presents the startling findings of research conducted on psychologically healthy patients who, under deep hypnosis, could describe in vivid detail episodes from other historical periods they could not possibly have known— unless they’d lived before ! Once a confirmed skeptic, in April 1986 Dr. Moody himself underwent a deep hypnotic trance that dramatically changes his belief about past-life regression. Inside you’ll
• How almost anyone can experience past-life journeys
• How past-life regression can help you overcome phobias, compulsions, addictions, depression, and guilt
• How to recognize and identify the twelve traits common to all genuine past-life regressions
• How recent findings in science, psychiatry, and sociology contribute to our understanding of past-life regression—and what they say about life after death
• Plus a special self-hypnosis script to guide you on your own past-life journey
240 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
294 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Raymond A. Moody Jr.
98 books241 followersRaymond Moody, M.D., Ph.D. is the bestselling author of eleven books which have sold over 20 million copies. His seminal work, Life After Life, has completely changed the way we view death and dying and has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. His latest book is GLIMPSES OF ETERNITY: Sharing a Loved One's Passage from this Life to the Next.
Dr. Moody is the leading authority on the "near-death experience"--a phrase he coined in the late seventies. He is best known for his ground-breaking work on the near-death experience and what happens when we die. The New York Times calls Dr. Moody "the father of the near-death experience."
Dr. Moody has enlightened and entertained audiences all over the world for over three decades. He lectures on such topics as: Near Death Experiences, Death With Dignity, Life After Loss, Surviving Grief & Finding Hope, Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones, The Healing Power of Humor, The Loss of Children, The Logic of Nonsense, and Catastrophic Tragedies & Events causing collective grief response.
In addition to his writing and lecturing, he is in the private practice of philosophical counseling and consulting on dying. Dr. Moody also trains hospice workers, clergy, psychologists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals on matters of grief recovery and dying. He helps people to identify systems of support and to cope with their anxiety, grief, and loss through better understanding of mourning and bereavement.
Dr. Moody received his medical degree from the College of Georgia and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia where he also received his M.A. and B.A.
He is the recipient of many awards including the World Humanitarian Award and a bronze medal in the Human Relations category at the New York Film Festival for the movie version of Life After Life.
Dr. Moody is a frequent media guest and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times, as well as on hundreds of other local and nationally syndicated programs such as MSNBC: Grief Recovery, Today, ABC's Turning Point, and hundreds more.
Dr. Moody is the leading authority on the "near-death experience"--a phrase he coined in the late seventies. He is best known for his ground-breaking work on the near-death experience and what happens when we die. The New York Times calls Dr. Moody "the father of the near-death experience."
Dr. Moody has enlightened and entertained audiences all over the world for over three decades. He lectures on such topics as: Near Death Experiences, Death With Dignity, Life After Loss, Surviving Grief & Finding Hope, Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones, The Healing Power of Humor, The Loss of Children, The Logic of Nonsense, and Catastrophic Tragedies & Events causing collective grief response.
In addition to his writing and lecturing, he is in the private practice of philosophical counseling and consulting on dying. Dr. Moody also trains hospice workers, clergy, psychologists, nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals on matters of grief recovery and dying. He helps people to identify systems of support and to cope with their anxiety, grief, and loss through better understanding of mourning and bereavement.
Dr. Moody received his medical degree from the College of Georgia and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia where he also received his M.A. and B.A.
He is the recipient of many awards including the World Humanitarian Award and a bronze medal in the Human Relations category at the New York Film Festival for the movie version of Life After Life.
Dr. Moody is a frequent media guest and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show three times, as well as on hundreds of other local and nationally syndicated programs such as MSNBC: Grief Recovery, Today, ABC's Turning Point, and hundreds more.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 2, 2022
Not sure what to make of this one. Interesting? Yes.
The problem I have is in the author's conclusion. On the on hand he has written books saying near death experiences are real. He says that in this book, too. He totally believes scrying is real. FYI, scrying is crystal-ball gazing, basically. He does regression through hypnosis and through scrying. But, in the end, he won't come out one way or the other on what he believes about past-life regressions. He basically says that they MAY be real, but also may be just repressed memories from this life. This is where I have the problem. He believes NDEs are real and that you can have visions staring at a crystal ball, but won't go that one step further to believe past-life regressions?
I don't know. Definitely an interesting topic with some very interesting stories, but I just can't get past the fact that he won't come out one way or another.
The problem I have is in the author's conclusion. On the on hand he has written books saying near death experiences are real. He says that in this book, too. He totally believes scrying is real. FYI, scrying is crystal-ball gazing, basically. He does regression through hypnosis and through scrying. But, in the end, he won't come out one way or the other on what he believes about past-life regressions. He basically says that they MAY be real, but also may be just repressed memories from this life. This is where I have the problem. He believes NDEs are real and that you can have visions staring at a crystal ball, but won't go that one step further to believe past-life regressions?
I don't know. Definitely an interesting topic with some very interesting stories, but I just can't get past the fact that he won't come out one way or another.
February 1, 2022
Tym razem autor próbuje rozwiązać zagadkę tego, co dzieje się w naszym poprzednim życiu i czy w ogóle takie istnieje. W przeciwieństwie do "Życia po życiu", gdzie były głównie osobiste historie, tutaj jest to bardziej rodzaj rozprawy. Doktor Moody zagłębia się w dylemat, jak regresja może pomóc konkretnemu pacjentowi, nawet jeśli nie wierzy on w reinkarnację. Okazuje się, że może być bardzo przydatna. Podświadomość pacjenta jakby sama podsuwa odpowiedzi na pytania, z którymi pacjent był sam przez całe swoje aktualne życie.
Ciekawa lektura.
Książka zawiera tez instrukcję autohipnozy, jeśli ktoś chciałby spróbować ;)
Ciekawa lektura.
Książka zawiera tez instrukcję autohipnozy, jeśli ktoś chciałby spróbować ;)
March 29, 2018
He leido, Many Lives, Many Masters del Dr. Weiss, luego cuando los escribio haces decadas atras. Por eso mismo fue que quiz leer Regresiones del Dr. Moody. Es una seria de testimonios como similar al libro del Dr. Weiss, en cual son relatos de personas bajo hipnosis dando testimonios de sus vidas antepasadas tales como las escuchos el Dr. Moody.
Que uno tenga dudas o no sobre la veracidad deste asunto, este libro no fallara de interesarlo de la primera hasta la ultima pagina.
Que uno tenga dudas o no sobre la veracidad deste asunto, este libro no fallara de interesarlo de la primera hasta la ultima pagina.
January 24, 2021
I was a little disappointed in this one, but I enjoy any book about past lives.
May 21, 2016
Rispetto ad altri libri sull'argomento ho apprezzato l'approccio razionale dell'autore, che ha studiato il fenomeno della regressione ipnotica come manifestazione di un disagio dell'inconscio piuttosto che come rievocazione di un'esperienza realmente vissuta. Mi è piaciuto anche il fatto che abbia mantenuto una certa obiettività, senza forzare il lettore a credere o a non credere alla possibilità effettiva della reincarnazione.
Quale che sia l'interpretazione del fenomeno, comunque, rimane indubbiamente affascinante.
Quale che sia l'interpretazione del fenomeno, comunque, rimane indubbiamente affascinante.
August 14, 2024
THE "LIFE AFTER LIFE" AUTHOR NOW (CAUTIOUSLY) SUPPORTS REINCARNATION
Raymond A. Moody, Jr. (born 1944) is both a philosopher and psychiatrist. He has written many other books, such as: 'Life After Life,' 'Reflections on Life After Life, 'The Light Beyond,' 'Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones,' 'The Last Laugh: A New Philosophy of Near-Death Experiences, Apparitions, and the Paranormal,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1990 book, "Have we lived before? Do we live again? Many people, religious and nonreligious alike, believe that we do... Some people... believe that hypnosis can tap an area of the brain that stores all or part of the lives they have lived... This process of hypnotically getting at these past lives is called 'past-life regression.' ... Not everyone who regresses finds himself living the life of ... [a] famous historical figure... I know this true because I have seen it in my own psychiatric practice... After the publication of [Life After Life] I received hundreds of letters from readers... among those letters were reports of other types of fascinating psychological and spiritual phenomena, including numerous accounts of past-life recollections... [A psychologist friend] offered to hypnotize me... [I] had an experience that was simply astounding... My investigation has led me to believe that almost anyone can experience these dramatic past-life journeys." (Pg. 1-6)
He admits, "as a medical doctor who has dealt with the mysteries of the mind, I must say that I can neither refute nor support regressions as proof of reincarnation." (Pg. 82) Later, he adds, "Unfortunately, the answer to the reincarnation question---Are we born again and again?---doesn't exist. Science can only say that it can't be proven, while anecdotal evidence says that it can't be disproven. The result is a question that each individual must answer for him- or herself." (Pg. 123)
He observes that skeptics could say that "they are representative of a dissociated mental state, or are simply the result of the subject trying to please the hypnotist. Such an argument may please the skeptic, but it does little to convince the person who looks deeper. How is it, for instance, that a person can create such vividly-detailed lives?... On the surface one can say that these are flights of fantasy. But why are the flights so vivid? And why don't most of them seem like fantasy?" (Pg. 115-116)
Still, he later concedes, "it is well established in the psychological literature that lying is perfectly possible while under hypnosis. That is why we have to avoid the belief that because people come up with these elaborate past-life stories while under hypnosis, they must actually be past lives." (Pg. 81) He also notes, "That is why it is difficult to draw scientific conclusions from my research. It is anecdotal in nature... How much of this information is 'old stuff' trapped in the subconscious? How much of it is deep-seated problems that manifest themselves as past lives? There is really no way to tell." (Pg. 203)
He concludes, "my experience with past lives has changed my belief system... At their least, they are deep revelations from the subconscious. At their most, they are evidence of life before life." (Pg. 205)
This new direction for Moody may repulse some readers of his earlier books, but it may equally attract other readers.
Raymond A. Moody, Jr. (born 1944) is both a philosopher and psychiatrist. He has written many other books, such as: 'Life After Life,' 'Reflections on Life After Life, 'The Light Beyond,' 'Reunions: Visionary Encounters With Departed Loved Ones,' 'The Last Laugh: A New Philosophy of Near-Death Experiences, Apparitions, and the Paranormal,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1990 book, "Have we lived before? Do we live again? Many people, religious and nonreligious alike, believe that we do... Some people... believe that hypnosis can tap an area of the brain that stores all or part of the lives they have lived... This process of hypnotically getting at these past lives is called 'past-life regression.' ... Not everyone who regresses finds himself living the life of ... [a] famous historical figure... I know this true because I have seen it in my own psychiatric practice... After the publication of [Life After Life] I received hundreds of letters from readers... among those letters were reports of other types of fascinating psychological and spiritual phenomena, including numerous accounts of past-life recollections... [A psychologist friend] offered to hypnotize me... [I] had an experience that was simply astounding... My investigation has led me to believe that almost anyone can experience these dramatic past-life journeys." (Pg. 1-6)
He admits, "as a medical doctor who has dealt with the mysteries of the mind, I must say that I can neither refute nor support regressions as proof of reincarnation." (Pg. 82) Later, he adds, "Unfortunately, the answer to the reincarnation question---Are we born again and again?---doesn't exist. Science can only say that it can't be proven, while anecdotal evidence says that it can't be disproven. The result is a question that each individual must answer for him- or herself." (Pg. 123)
He observes that skeptics could say that "they are representative of a dissociated mental state, or are simply the result of the subject trying to please the hypnotist. Such an argument may please the skeptic, but it does little to convince the person who looks deeper. How is it, for instance, that a person can create such vividly-detailed lives?... On the surface one can say that these are flights of fantasy. But why are the flights so vivid? And why don't most of them seem like fantasy?" (Pg. 115-116)
Still, he later concedes, "it is well established in the psychological literature that lying is perfectly possible while under hypnosis. That is why we have to avoid the belief that because people come up with these elaborate past-life stories while under hypnosis, they must actually be past lives." (Pg. 81) He also notes, "That is why it is difficult to draw scientific conclusions from my research. It is anecdotal in nature... How much of this information is 'old stuff' trapped in the subconscious? How much of it is deep-seated problems that manifest themselves as past lives? There is really no way to tell." (Pg. 203)
He concludes, "my experience with past lives has changed my belief system... At their least, they are deep revelations from the subconscious. At their most, they are evidence of life before life." (Pg. 205)
This new direction for Moody may repulse some readers of his earlier books, but it may equally attract other readers.
January 20, 2024
An intriguing survey of a number of accounts of past-life hypnotic regressions, with discussion of their significance and instructions on how to try to access one's own past lives.
I struggled over whether to give this book 3 stars or 4. It is illuminating in showing many actual past-life regressions conducted by the author on various hypnotic subjects, but I found myself getting impatient with his apparent skepticism over the reality of rebirth. Again and again he makes comments to the effect that "this might have been a past-life situation--or maybe not." I think a single disclaimer at the front would have been plenty, but I got the feeling that he was trying to reassure readers and colleagues that he doesn't believe all this stuff personally, and at some point it starts to feel patronizing. Whole chapters are devoted to discussion of what these regressions might actually be. Considering that he "wrote the book" on near-death experiences, I found this surprising.
For this reader, the simplest explanation is the best: people recall past lives because they actually lived them; their recollections are not "created" by their present-life problems, but rather their present-life problems are themselves expressions of multi-life issues. Some regressions will be false or invented, but there's no reason to doubt that the phenomenon is real, and all of the wrangling about it in the psychiatric and wider scientific community is just a symptom of the materialism and nihilism of modern life. I was truly puzzled at why this author, of all people, is struggling with this.
But the regressions themselves are interesting, and the tips for how to create one's own regressions are detailed and authoritative. I look forward to trying it!
I struggled over whether to give this book 3 stars or 4. It is illuminating in showing many actual past-life regressions conducted by the author on various hypnotic subjects, but I found myself getting impatient with his apparent skepticism over the reality of rebirth. Again and again he makes comments to the effect that "this might have been a past-life situation--or maybe not." I think a single disclaimer at the front would have been plenty, but I got the feeling that he was trying to reassure readers and colleagues that he doesn't believe all this stuff personally, and at some point it starts to feel patronizing. Whole chapters are devoted to discussion of what these regressions might actually be. Considering that he "wrote the book" on near-death experiences, I found this surprising.
For this reader, the simplest explanation is the best: people recall past lives because they actually lived them; their recollections are not "created" by their present-life problems, but rather their present-life problems are themselves expressions of multi-life issues. Some regressions will be false or invented, but there's no reason to doubt that the phenomenon is real, and all of the wrangling about it in the psychiatric and wider scientific community is just a symptom of the materialism and nihilism of modern life. I was truly puzzled at why this author, of all people, is struggling with this.
But the regressions themselves are interesting, and the tips for how to create one's own regressions are detailed and authoritative. I look forward to trying it!
October 27, 2024
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July 3, 2019
Coming Back
Dr Moody uses his excellent experience to study reincarnation and gives a very balanced view without imposing his own opinions onto the reader. I get the impression he is a little skeptical of past lives possibly due to his immense NDE work but clearly believes past life therapy to be very beneficial. In all a good read.
Dr Moody uses his excellent experience to study reincarnation and gives a very balanced view without imposing his own opinions onto the reader. I get the impression he is a little skeptical of past lives possibly due to his immense NDE work but clearly believes past life therapy to be very beneficial. In all a good read.
December 28, 2019
Good book for understanding the existing myths about reincarnation.
The book is enlightening and comprehensive in that it provides both a scientific and an anecdotal perspective on past-life regressions.
The book is enlightening and comprehensive in that it provides both a scientific and an anecdotal perspective on past-life regressions.
October 9, 2022
Interesting,.pretty dated though.
September 24, 2023
Muy buen libro, da una perspectiva psicológica de las regresiones a vidas pasadas desde un punto neutral.
December 19, 2023
A really good book on past-life regression from when it began to be taken seriously by science.
August 23, 2024
Un libro sumamente peculiar para los interesados en el tema.
August 4, 2025
Fantasioso. Speculativo. Fabulatorio.
December 28, 2025
intenté hipnotizar a alguien gracias a ti, y lo peor es que funcionó
January 2, 2026
Interessant i sorprenent. Casos sobre hipnosis regressives. Recomenable
July 26, 2023
Very enlightening.
I found tis book and read . I read it many years ago and enjoyed it even more. It is a fascinating topic.
I found tis book and read . I read it many years ago and enjoyed it even more. It is a fascinating topic.
November 8, 2021
I respect Moody's well-rounded approach, giving good reason for skepticism with chapters on cryptomnesia & xenoglossia theories, personal myth & alter-ego theory, and the use of regression therapy in unearthing core problems, phobias, and emotional blocks in a person's present life, as well as acknowledging a couple of extraordinary "oddities" that defy these tidy categories. I personally lean a little toward his personal theory that past life regression experiences are just colorful expressions of the subconscious, much like dreams, but that doesn't make the phenomenon any less amazing, since the ability of the human mind to allow such lucid, vivid, convincing, personal visions on simple expectation and hypnosis, suggests the enormous potential of the human mind. The subconscious continues to be one of the remaining frontiers in science, psychology, and to some extent, spirituality.
June 4, 2021
What I dislike about this is that Moody doesn’t really seem to believe in reincarnation, despite being at the forefront of near death experiences. I enjoyed the book, and he seems to believe in regression as a tool, but he always seems to seek out there having to be a point to what a patient sees, when it could just be a snippet of a life that doesn’t actually bear an impact on now. I do not get this stance at all?!?!
March 20, 2013
A psychiatrist explores past-life journeys. Finally, the author gives indications how any person can make a regression in his previous lives and even an exercise in self-hypnosis. This book is incredible.
Read
November 11, 2007Read it and enjoyed but, but I wasn't sure if I bought it. After years of further reading exploring the subject, I do accept it, but I was quite skeptical at the time.
August 4, 2012
Brilliant book. A real eye-opener.
February 13, 2014
Very interesting, couldn't put it down. The different case studies were fascinating. Really makes you ponder your own potential- both past and present.
March 8, 2016
Nothing special here at all. Examples were interesting, but not enough of them--by far--to merit a perfect score.
August 22, 2021
Waste of Time
Waste of my time.
Case studies have few, if any, specifics. Poorly documented. The book does not offer any more than unresearched "stories".
Waste of my time.
Case studies have few, if any, specifics. Poorly documented. The book does not offer any more than unresearched "stories".
August 10, 2022
another great read by Dr Moody!
LOVE how he included a section to audiotape your own hypnosis/regression. I will definitely use that!
More interesting stories too!
LOVE how he included a section to audiotape your own hypnosis/regression. I will definitely use that!
More interesting stories too!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews