Reincarnation Research

Same Family Reincarnation Cases of Sisters Who were Reborn as Twins: The Past Life Cases of Joanna Pollock | Gillian Pollock and Jacqueline Pollack | Jennifer Pollack

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

From: Reincarnation and Biology, by Ian Stevenson, MD, pages 2041-2058

The Lives of Joanna and Jacqueline Pollock

John and Florence Pollock owned and managed a small grocery business and a milk delivery service in England. John Pollock was born in 1920 in Bristol, England and his family attended the Church of England. In adulthood, he, along with Florence, joined the Roman Catholic Church. They had two daughters who were tragically killed in childhood.

Their first daughter, Joanna, was born on March 25, 1946, while the family was still living in the city of Bristol. The family then moved to the town of Whickham where they had a large detached house that had gardens and orchards. When Joanna was 4 years old, the family moved to the village of Hexham, where their second daughter Jacqueline was born on April 13, 1951.

As both parents worked, the girls were raised by Florence’s mother, who lived with the family. While delivering milk, Florence would wear a particular smock to protect her cloths from getting wet.

Joanna and Jacqueline were very close to one another and always did things together. Joanne, who was 5 years older than Jacqueline, tended to “mother” her younger sister, who accepted Joanne’s guidance and leadership.

Jacqueline Incurs a Scar on Her Right Forehead

When Jacqueline was 3 years old, she fell and hit her forehead on the rim of a bucket, which resulted in a laceration that required 3 stitches. A scar resulted which was located on her right forehead near the root of her nose. This scar would become more pronounced in cold weather.

Joanna loved to write and produce little plays for which she would wear costumes to enact her dramas. Both Joanna and Jacqueline enjoyed combing the hair of others, especially the hair of their father. The girls also loved to play on the swings located in a park in Hexam.

The Sisters are Killed on a Sidewalk by a Deranged Driver

On the morning of the May 5, 1957, the girls were walking from their home to their church in Hexam in order to attend Sunday School. Suddenly, a woman deliberately drove her car onto the sidewalk that the girls were walking on. There was a wall along the sidewalk which prevented a means to escape away from the street. The car struck the sisters and killed them instantly. Joanna was 11 and Jacqueline was 6 years old when they died.

It was later learned that in a custody dispute with her husband, the driver who killed the girls had her own children forcibly taken from her. Apparently, this woman felt that if she could not possess her children, no one else should have any children. She was later confined to a psychiatric hospital.

After the deaths of her daughters, Florence quit delivering milk and her smock was stored away. Similarly, the girls’ toys and dolls were placed in a box for storage.

Sisters Reincarnate as Identical Twin Girls

Florence became pregnant again in the beginning of 1958. With the pregnancy, despite his Christian background, John was certain that Florence would have twins and that their deceased daughters would be reborn to them. Florence’s doctor insisted that she would have one child, not twins. Florence did not believe in reincarnation and dismissed her husband’s belief that Joanne and Jacqueline would reincarnate within their family.

Nonetheless, on October 4, 1958, a year and a half after their daughters were killed, Florence did indeed have identical twin girls, who were named Gilliam and Jennifer. They were born in Hexam. Both girls had a flat, dark mole on the left flank, just above the hip, which could be explained by their identical genetic makeup.

Past Life Birthmark: Jennifer has a Birthmark at the Same Site as Jacqueline’s Forehead Scar

Jennifer also had a birthmark on her right forehead at the root of her nose, the same spot where Jacqueline incurred a scar when her head struck the bucket. Gilliam did not have a scar on her head. As such, the birthmark on Jennifer’s forehead could not be explained by genetics. Like with Jacqueline, Jennifer’s scar became more visible in cold weather. Due to this birthmark on her head, it was speculated that Jennifer may be the reincarnation of Jacqueline.

When the twins were 9 months old, the family moved from Hexam to a town called Whitley Bay. This is where the twins grew up.

Gilliam Recognizes Jacqueline’s Past Life Birthmark

The girls started to speak coherently when they were three years old. At about this age, Gillian spontaneously pointed to the birthmark on Jennifer’s forehead and said:

“That is the mark Jennifer got when she fell on the bucket.” In her contemporary life, Jennifer had not had any injury that would explain the scar. Jacqueline, on the other hand, had fallen on a bucket and incurred a head wound that required stitches and resulted in a scar in the same anatomical place.

Gilliam and Jennifer Identify and Claim their Past Life Dolls

When the twins were 3 or 4 years old, John and Florence took out the box of toys that had belonged to their deceased daughters. The toys were taken out and were lying around. Spontaneously, Gillian claimed a doll that had belonged to Joanna and Jennifer claimed a doll that belonged to Jacqueline. The dolls were markedly different.

Further, the twins said that Santa Clause had given the dolls to them and indeed, the dolls had been given to Joanna and Jacqueline as Christmas presents.

This furthered the speculation that Gilliam was the reincarnation of the older deceased sister, Joanna, and that Jennifer was the reincarnation of the younger sister, Jennifer.

Gilliam Recognizes her Past Life Toy Laundry Wringer

Another item that was removed from the box was a toy, miniature laundry wringer. Before the advent of electrically driven clothes dryers, wringers were used to squeeze water from washed clothes. The toy wringer had belonged to the older sister, Joanna.

When Gillian saw the toy she immediately burst forward and claimed it as hers. She said: “Look! There is my toy wringer.” She added that this toy wringer was also was a Christmas present, which was true for the life of Joanna.

Past Life Memories: The Twins Remember the Swings at a Park In Hexam and their Fatal Past Life Accident

John Pollack stated that when the twins were 4 years old, they spoke about the swings in the park at Hexam. Recall that the family moved from Hexam to Whitely Bay when they were only 9 months old, so they would have no memory of swings at Hexam by normal means.

Florence said that she had heard Gillian and Jennifer more than once talking to each other about the fatal accident of Joanna and Jacqueline. Florence noted that when they spoke about the fatal accident, it seemed it they were speaking in present time. John noted that when they spoke about the fatal accident, it seemed as they were reliving it.

John reported another incident in which Gillian and Jennifer were in an enclosed or dead-end alley near their house, that had an automobile parked in it. When the driver of the car got in and started the engine to back out of the alley, Gillian and Jennifer immediately clung tightly to each other and cringed at one side of the alley. John observed that they seem terrified. The conjecture was that the incident reminded Joanna | Gilliam and Jacqueline | Jennifer of their fatal accident, in which they had no means of escape.

Past Life Behaviors

The twins seemed to mirror the behavior of the deceased sisters. For example, Gillian and Jennifer were extremely close, like Joanna and Jacqueline, and if one of them was given a disciplinary spank, the other one would cry.

The twins tended to look toward their maternal grandmother for guidance and care, just as Joanna and Jacqueline had done, which was inappropriate at the time since Florence was no longer working and had more time to spend with her young girls than she did with her deceased ones.

The twins enjoyed combing the hair of other people, especially their father’s, much like Joanna and Jacqueline. Gillian tended to mother Jennifer and Jennifer accepted Gillian’s leadership, much as was the relationship between Joanna and Jacqueline

Florence noted that her deceased daughters, Joanna and Jaqueline, were careless about crossing streets. In contrast, Gillian and Jennifer were very cautious in these situations. They would stop and hold their mother’s hands while crossing the road. Florence thought the twins had a much stronger fear of approaching vehicles than other children of their age.

Gillian also showed an early interest in acting and like to utilize costumes, much like Joanna.

Geographic Memory: The Twins know the Location of a Past Life Park and Swings

When the twins were 4 years old, the family took a trip from Whitely Bay to their former town of Hexam. As they were walking along the road which led to the park, even before the park was in sight, Gillian and Jennifer said that they wanted to go across the road to go to the park and play on the swings. John and Florence were surprised at this statement of the twins, as they could not have known about the park with swings as they had never been there before. The twins were 9 months old when the family moved from Hexan, so they had no opportunity to play in the park. It seemed that the twins were recalling events from the lives of the deceased girls.

Past Life Memories: Jennifer Recognizes the Smock Florence wore Prior to the Death of the Sisters

When the twins were 4 and a half years old, their father, John Pollock, was getting ready to do some painting of their house. John took out of storage the smock that Florence had used in their milk delivery business and put it on, to protect his clothes from being soiled with paint. Jennifer, the younger twin, seeing him with the smock on, said: “Why are you wearing mom’s coat?”

When Gillian, the older twin, did not seem to recognize the smock, Jennifer became annoyed with her sister. Gillian’s unrecognition of the smock can be explained as in Gilliam’s past life as Joanna, she would have been in school when her mother came home from work and took off the smock. As such, Joanna would rarely see her mother’s smock.

In contrast, Jacqueline, as the younger daughter, was still at home and was being cared for by her maternal grandmother when Florence came home from work wearing her smock.

When John heard Jennifer saying that the smock belonged to her mother, he asked her how she knew this. Jennifer said that her mother had worn the smock when delivering milk, which was true.

Past Life Memories: The Twins Recall Having Lunch at School in Hexam

When the twins were six years old, they complained about the food that Florence had prepared for them for lunch. Florence then retorted that if they did not like the food at home, they could have lunch at their school.

The twins replied: “Well, we have done that before.” When Florence asked where they had lunch at school, the twins replied in Hexam. Florence challenged them by saying that they had never gone to school in Hexam, as the twins had grown up in Whitley Bay. Still, the twins insisted that they had lunch at the school at Hexam, which would have been accurate for the deceased sisters.

In Adulthood, Gilliam Describes her Past Life Home in Whickham

In 1981, when Gillian was 23 years old, she described to her father, John, of an inner vision she had in which she described playing in a sandpit in the garden of the large detached house. She gave a detailed description of the house and its gardens, lawns and orchards. This description accurately described a house that the family had occupied in Whickham. Recall that the family had left this house in Whickham when the deceased daughter Joanne was 4 years old.

Gillian believed she had lived in this house when she was a young child, but her father tried to explain to her that she had never lived in the Whickham house in her current lifetime. Though logically, Gilliam should have understood this as a past life memory from her lifetime as Joanne, it was difficult for her to comprehend this.

The Pollocks leave the Roman Catholic Church due to Parishioners’ Hostility Towards Reincarnation

When the twin’s past life cases were featured in local newspapers and magazines in the 1960s, John and Florence Pollack received nasty letters from the parishioners of their church, who rejected the concept of reincarnation. As a result, John and Florence left the Roman Catholic Church.

Though Florence, at the time of the birth of her twins herself rejected the premise that John forwarded that their babies were the reincarnations of their deceased daughters, based on the statements the twins had made, she accepted that the twins were the reincarnations of Joanna and Jacqueline.

Principles of Reincarnation-Evidence of Past Lives

Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: The sisters Joanna and Jacqueline reincarnated to their parents as identical twins Gillian and Jennifer Pollock.

Ian Stevenson, MD of the University of Virginia compiled 31 reincarnation cases involving twins. In 100 percent of these cases, the twins had significant past life relationships, dramatically showing that souls plan lifetimes to be reunited with those we love. To learn more, please go to:

Ian Stevenson, MD Reincarnation Twin Study

Past Life Birthmark: Jennifer had a birthmark on ther right forehead near the root of her nose which was located in the same anatomic spot where Jacqueline had a birthmark incurred when she fell onto a bucket. This birthmark of both Jennifer and Jacqueline became more pronounced in cold weather

Past Life Talents and Behaviors: Joanna and Gillian both enjoyed writing and producing plays, utilizing costumes for their childhood dramas. Joanna’s maternal behavior towards her younger sister Jacqueline was replicated in the relationship between Gillian and Jennifer.

Geographic Memory: Though the family moved from Hexam to Whitely Bay when the twins were only 9 months old, when the family returned to Hexam for a visit, the twins had knowledge of the location of the park and swings where they had played in their previous lives.

A Buddhist Monk Reincarnates into a Roman Catholic Family: The Case of Sandika Tharanga

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Child

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Erlender Haraldsson, PhD

From: I Saw a Light and Came Here, by Erlender Haroldsson, PhD and James Matlock, PhD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

Sandika Tharanga was born in May 1979 to Roman Catholic parents who lived on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka. At the age of three, he started to talk about a past life as a monk in a monastery. He said that there were four or five monks who lived there, who were under the authority of a head monk. He asked to be taken back to his monastery. Like in many reincarnation cases, Sandika stated that his mother was not his real mother. He asked to be taken to his previous mother’s home.

Sandika tries to Convert his Parents to his Past Life Religion: Buddhism

From the time that he started to speak about a past lifetime, Sandika demonstrated the behavior of Buddhist monk. He convinced his parents to obtain a picture of Buddha and later a Buddha statue. He would pick flowers and place them as an offering to the Buddha image and figurine. He had no interest in going to church but rather wanted to go to Buddhist temples. In a comical twist, the little boy tried to convert his Catholic parents to Buddhism, which they resisted.

Remarkably, Sandika would chant religious stanzas, which his parent did not understand, but they believed their son was chanting in Pali, which is a language from India that the texts of Theravada Buddhism are written in. Sandika engaged in this form of worship two to three times a day. In addition, on days of the full moon, Sandika would ask his father to take him to a Buddhist temple, which is a tradition of that religion.

He also convinced his Catholic parents to give donations to Buddhist monks and he induced his parents to have Buddhist monks come to their home to perform a ceremony. In addition, as a small child, he refused to eat meat, which is also consistent with Buddhist teachings.

Sandika asked to be taken to his past life temple. His father cooperated by taking Sandika to several Buddhist temples in the area, but Sandika did not recognize any of them as his past life home. At one temple, which was situated two miles from their residence, a monk gave Sandika a bouquet of flowers and waited to see what he would do. Sandika promptly climbed steps to the temple shrine room, presented the flowers to an image of Buddha and then worshipped there. These behaviors are typical of a devout Buddhist.

Sandika was an excellent and well-behaved student, always in the top three of his class. His best grades were in his favorite subject, Buddhism. He even went to a Buddhist Sunday school and eventually was admitted to Ananda College, a prestigious Buddhist institution. He later completed a degree in engineering.

Past Life Phobia of Explosions

Regarding his past life death, Sandika said that he was going to an event in which townspeople were going to host Buddhist monks for a ceremonial luncheon. He then heard an explosion, which is the last thing he remembered about his past life.

Sandika had a great fear of fire crackers and loud, sudden noises. When he experienced these types of sounds, Sandika would instinctively and fearfully place his hands on the left side of his chest. This placement of his hands corresponded to a dark birthmark on the left side of his chest.

Though Sandika’s past life persona was never identified, Sri Lanka went through a bitter civil war waged between Hindu militants and the majority Buddhist government. It is speculated that in his past lifetime, Sandika was killed in the turmoil of this war. In particular, in a Hindu uprising in 1971, eight years before Sandika was born, a several Buddhist monks were killed.

Reincarnation: Belief versus Knowledge

Ironically, both the Hindu and Buddhist religions profess a belief in reincarnation. Belief is much different than knowing reincarnation is true based on evidence. Further, those who promote reincarnation do not always preach that the religion one is born into can vary from one lifetime to another. If people understood that one could be born Hindu in one lifetime, Buddhist in another and into a different religion after that, such wars would become obsolete.

Though this case was not “solved” in that Sandika’s past life persona was not specifically identified, his Buddhist behaviors, which were so much in contrast to his parents’ Catholic beliefs, make this an impressive reincarnation story. That said, there are many solved cases that show that souls, from one lifetime to another, can:

Change Religion, Nationality and Ethnic Affiliation through Reincarnation

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Past Life Phobia: Sandika had a phobia of explosive noises, which likely was due to his being killed by a gunshot or a bomb in his previous life.

Past Life Birthmark: When Sandika recoiled at the sound of a loud noise, he would place his hands on a birthmark on his chest, which likely represented an entry wound from a bullet or shrapnel that led to his past life death.

Xenoglossy: During worship, Sandika would recite verses in an unlearned language, which his parents believed was Pali, the language used by Buddhist monks in prayer.

Source: Haraldsson, Erlendur and Matlock, James, I Saw a Light and Came Here, White Crow Books, 2016, pages 33-36

A Woman is Reborn to Her Own Sister: The Reincarnation Case of Kristen Grimsson | Ditta Larusdottir with a Talking Baby Announcing Dream

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researchers: Ian Stevenson, MD and Erlander Haraldsson, PhD

From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type by Ian Stevenson, MD and I Saw a Light and Came Here by Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD and James G. Matlock, PhD

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

The Life and Death of Kristin Grimsson

Kristen was born on November 10, 1925. Her father was Olaf Loftsson and her mother was Elinborg Sigurdsdottir. Olaf and Elinborg had 15 children, all of whom were girls. Two of Kristen’s sisters, Margret and Gudrun, were involved in this reincarnation case. Kristen was Margret’s favorite sister. The family lived in Reykjavik, Iceland. Click on the image of Reykjavik to enlarge it.

When Kristen was 3 years old, she fell and struck the back of her head, causing a wound which bled. As a physician was not available, Olaf stopped the bleeding himself and dressed the wound.

As Kristen grew up, she developed an interest in acting, attended a drama school and performed in plays that were broadcast on the radio.

At 17 years of age, Kristen married Einar Grimsson. They lived in Reykjavik and in fall of 1947 they purchased a house, which had a basement where they placed their washing machine.

On November 6, 1947, Kristin’s sister, Soffia, was visiting the couple. Kristen went to use the wringer of the washing machine and experienced an electric shock. She told Einar about the incident and they decided not to use the machine until an electrician inspected it. Kristen stayed in the basement while Einar went to visit a neighbor.

Suddenly, Soffia, who was upstairs, heard Kristen call for her. Soffia found Kristen with her right arm affixed to the washing machine. Soffia ran to a neighbor to ask for help, who managed to turn the electricity to the house off, but when they went to the basement, Kristen had already died due to electrocution. She was 22 years old when she passed.

Kristen is Reincarnates as the Child of her Sister, Margret

Margret, the sister of Kristen, had a daughter who was born in Reykjavik on January 3, 1967, 19 years after Kristen had died. Margret’s husband was Larus Johannson. The couple were Christians, more specifically, Lutherans. They named their daughter Ditta.

A Reincarnation Announcing Dream with a Talking Baby

During Margret’s pregnancy, her sister Gudrun, had a dream about their deceased sister, Kristin. In this dream, the following occurred:

Margret and her husband had a newborn baby, and they asked Gudran to take care of the baby while they were out. They left and Gudrun remained alone with the baby. They baby then sat up and began to talk. She said:

“Do you know that I am born again?

Gudren replied: “No, I do not know that.”

The baby then said: “Yes, I was here before…It was difficult to be born and easy to die…”

Then Gudren asked whether she looked the same?

The baby said: “Yes, but I am darker now, darker in complexion and darker hair.”

Then the baby said that she had a scar. Gudrun asked whether the this has to do with her death.

The baby replied: “No. I was over 20 when I died, but I got that scar when I was a little girl. It will go away.”

Then the baby asked about Maria, (another of the daughters of the family, who had been a babysitter for Kristen).

Gudren, upon hearing Maria’s name spoken by the baby said: “Oh, did you know us before?”

At this, the baby laid down again and said: “I do not want to talk about it anymore.”

Gudren interpreted the dream as the baby representing her sister Kristen, as she was the only one in the family who had died.

A Past Life Birthmark

When Ditta was two weeks old, Margret noticed a prominent birthmark at the back of her head above and behind her right ear. This was the same place where Kristen incurred the wound to her head in a fall. Margret and Larus divorced when Diita was a small child.

A Past Life Husband

When Ditta was two years old, Margret noticed that Ditta was playing as an actress. Margret asked her daughter what she wanted to do when she grew up. Ditta replied that she wanted to be an actress. When Ditta was about two and a half years old, Ditta noticed a ring on Margret’s finger.

Ditta asked: “Who gave you that ring?

Margaret replied: “My first husband.”

Ditta then said: “I had a husband too.”

Margret replied: “Little girls do not have husbands.”

Ditta then said: “Well, I have one.”

Margret asked: “Ok. So what is his name.”

Ditta: “Einar.”

Ian Stevenson noted that Margret did not believe that Ditta had ever heard the name Einar, which was the name of Kristen’s husband, as it was over 20 years after Kristen’s death. Einar had remarried and he had no contact with Margret’s family after Kristen’s death. In telling Margret that her husband was Einar, Ditta was conveying that she was the reincarnation of Kristen.

Past Life Talent: Ditta Could Spontaneously Read

An astonishing aspect of this case is that Ditta was able to read without being taught. At the age of six she was better at reading than other children who had been taught to read. Ditta herself was puzzled by this ability. This phenomenon is akin to xenoglossy, where an individual can speak a language which was not learned.

As Ditta grew up, the family noticed that Ditta bore a striking resemblance to Kristen. Both had unusually light blue eyes, though Ditta had darker hair and skin, much as the baby in Gudren’s dream had predicted.

Principles of Reincarnation-Understanding Past Lives

Physical Resemblance: As mentioned above, Ditta looked very much like Kristen.

Past Life Birthmark: Ditta had a birthmark that corresponded to Kristen’s head wound.

Planning Lifetimes and Relationships Renewed through Reincarnation: Kristen reincarnated as the daughter of her sister, Margret. Kristen had been Margret’s favorite sister.

Past Life Talent and Behavior: Ditta was able to read without being taught. She also played at being an actress, replicating Kristen’s affinity for acting.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: From the spirit world, the soul of Kristen | Ditta sent an announcing dream to Kristen’s sister, Gruden, indicating that she was born again. Since this dream occurred during Margret’s pregnancy, Kristen was not yet born, but was predicting that she would be. In Gruden’s dream, the talking baby even knew that she would physically resemble Kristen, except for having darker hair and skin.

Japanese Soldier Reincarnates as a Woman and Becomes a Lesbian, Understanding Homosexuality & Gender Identity Issues through Reincarnation; Sasha Fleishman

The retention of the mindset of the gender of a prior incarnation is demonstrated in this childhood memory reincarnation case researched by Ian Stevenson, MD. A WW II Japanese soldier in occupied Burma was killed in a strafing run and reincarnated as a Burmese woman, showing how a persecutor can return to life as the persecuted, demonstrating the futility of war.

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Ian Stevenson, MD

From: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume IV, Thailand and Burma, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

Nathul, Burma during the Japanese Occupation

The setting of this case is in the village of Nathul, in Burma. During World War II, the Japanese army occupied Nathul, starting in 1942.

As there was a railroad station nearby, Allied fighters and bombers regularly bombed the area and used machine guns to strafe the ground to kill any Japanese soldiers that were spotted. Attacks would often happen twice a day.

As the Allied planes ran sorties during the day, the Burmese villagers of Nathul would scatter into the countryside in the mornings. The villagers would then return to their homes in the cover of the night’s darkness. The Allied attacks continued through the spring of 1945. (1)

Daw Aye Tin and the Japanese Army Cook

U Aye Maung and his wife, Daw Aye Tin, were poor members of the community. U Aye Maung worked as a porter at the railway station. They had three daughters.

During the occupation, Daw became acquainted with a Japanese army cook, who was stocky or heavy set man. Due to the heat, this cook typically wore shorts without a shirt. Daw and the Japanese soldier had a common interest in cooking and they shared their respective knowledge regarding Burmese and Japanese cooking methods. After a period of time, Daw lost contact with this soldier. (2)

Reincarnation & Planning Lifetimes: Daw has an Announcing Dream involving the Japanese Soldier as a Spirit Being

Time passed and Daw became pregnant with a fourth child. During this pregnancy, Daw had a recurrent dream in which “a stocky Japanese soldier wearing short pants and no shirt followed her and said he would come and stay with them” … She recognized him as the Japanese army cook. “In the dream Daw Aye Tin was afraid of the soldier and told him not to follow her. The same dream occurred three times at intervals of five to ten days.” (3)

Reincarnation Birthmark on Ma’s Groin and a Phobia of Aircraft

Daw gave birth to another daughter on December 26, 1953, who was given the name Ma Tin Aung Myo. It was noted that she had a birthmark, described as a dark patch the size of a thumb, on her groin. The birthmark appeared to itch, as Ma would scratch it. (4)

As a child, Ma demonstrated a severe phobia of aircraft flying overhead. When she was 4 years old, as she was walking with her father, a plane flew by and Ma began frightened and began to cry. Her father asked what was wrong, but Ma would only say, “I want to go home, I want to go home.” (5)

Thereafter, whenever a plane flew overhead Ma would cry. In response to her father’s inquiries regarding her fear, Ma explained that she was afraid the planes would shoot them.

Her father explained to Ma that in the past planes shot at people, but that this no longer occurred. Recall that the Japanese occupation of Burma, with the associated Allied aircraft machine gun strafing runs, ended in 1945. Ma was born in 1953 and as such, Ma had never witnessed planes shooting at people. Her father’s attempts to reassure her failed and Ma continued to have a severe phobia of planes for years. (6)

A Child’s Past Life Memories: Ma says She misses Japan and her Family

In addition to having this phobia, Ma often appeared depressed and would sit by herself weeping. When she was asked what was wrong, Ma said, “I am pining for Japan.” (7)

She then began telling her family that she had memories of being a Japanese soldier stationed in Nathul, who was shot and killed by machine gun fire that came from an airplane.

Her memories gradually became more detailed. She said that she had been a male Japanese soldier who came from northern Japan, who was married and had 5 children. He was stationed in Nathul as a cook. (8)

Past Life Memory: Ma Remembers being Shot and Killed by an Airplane in a Past Lifetime

Ma remembered that she was near a pile of firewood and was about to start cooking a meal when the noise of an airplane approached. Ma recalled that the pile of firewood was next to an acacia tree, which stood about 75 meters from the house where Ma’s family lived.

She said that during this incident, the soldier, that she was, was wearing short pants and a big belt, but that he had taken off his shirt. Ma recalled that the pilot of the plane saw the Japanese cook and made a strafing run in an effort to kill him. The Japanese soldier ran around the pile of firewood trying to escape but a bullet struck him in the groin, which resulted in his death. (9)

Ma’s Reincarnation Birthmark is in the Location of the Japanese Soldier’s Bullet Wound

Recall that Ma was born with a birthmark in the area of her groin. Ian Stevenson has found that in many cases in which an individual died of a traumatic wound, such as a bullet or stab wound, a birthmark would be found in the same location in the individual’s next incarnation. In other words, a wound can become a birthmark. (10)

The US War Plane that Killed Ma in a Past Lifetime was a P-38 Lightning

Ma also recalled that the plane that killed her in the lifetime as the Japanese soldier had two tails. The plane Ma was referring had to be a Lockheed P-38 Lightning, which was an US-built fighter that was indeed used by the Allies in the Pacific Theater and in particular, in Burma.

Past Life Phobia of Aircraft

After sharing these memories, when an aircraft flew overhead that would frighten Ma and she was told by her relatives that her fear was unwarranted, Ma would angrily respond, “What do you know? I was shot and killed.”

In 1963, when Ma was 9 years old, a helicopter landed in a field in Nathul. Most villagers had never seen a helicopter and they gathered around to inspect this unusual machine. In contrast, Ma began crying and fled in fear to the family’s home. (11)

Past Life Emotions: Ma wants to go Back to Japan

Ma told her family that she wanted to go back to Japan, as she missed her children from her prior lifetime. She said that when she grew up, she would move to Japan. She wanted a big belt, like the Japanese soldier had, to protect her stomach from the cold. Her identification with Japan was very unusual, as the Burmese did not have any fondness for the Japanese, due to their occupation of Burma and the attendant cruelties that the Japanese inflicted on the Burmese. The family demonstrated their annoyance by calling Ma, “the Japanese guy.” (12)

A Possible Case of Xenoglossy

Her family also noticed that Ma would talk to herself and other children using words they didn’t understand. Though the language Ma was speaking was not identified, it is possible that Ma was speaking Japanese. (13) If so, this represents the ability to speak a language learned in a previous lifetime, a phenomenon known as: Xenoglossy

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Dresses like a Man and is Repulsed by her Menstruation

Ma demonstrated definite masculine traits. She insisted on wearing boy’s clothes and refused to wear girls’ apparel. When her mother tried to dress her as girl, she would throw the clothing aside. When Ian Stevenson asked her about this issue, Ma boasted that she didn’t own even one piece of women’s clothing. (14)

She wore her hair cropped short like a man’s and wore mens’ shirts. The clothing issue became a major problem when Ma was in sixth grade. School authorities demanded that she dress like a girl. Ma refused and had to drop out. (15)

When she had her first menstrual period, she hated it, stating that it was “unbecoming for a man.” (16)

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Accepts that She is a Lesbian

In 1972, when Ma was 19, she told Ian Stevenson that she had no desire to be with men and that she wanted a woman to be her wife. She said that she already had a steady girlfriend at that time. (17)

In 1981, when Ma was 28 years old, she had a girlfriend whom she was living with. Ma said that if she married, she would wed a woman. Ma still talked about joining the army, “to live and fight with the men.” (18)

Change of Gender Reincarnation Cases may Explain Homosexuality in Some

This case demonstrates how reincarnation cases that involve gender change can provide an explanation for homosexuality, lesbianism, transsexualism and other gender issues. Ian Stevenson’s reincarnation studies, in aggregate, show that souls change gender in only 10 percent of cases. If a soul is accustomed to incarnating in one gender and then has a lifetime as the opposite gender, that soul may still identify with the previous, usual gender. This may lead to homosexuality, transsexualism, transgender issues and gender identity disorder.

Sasha Fleischman: An Agender Teen’s Skirt is Set on Fire

In November 2013, 18 year old Sasha Fleischman was taking the bus home from high school in Oakland, California. Sasha was born a male, but prefers to wear skirts. While riding the bus, Sasha fell asleep. A 16 year old high school student then set Sasha’s skirt on fire. Sasha incurred second and third degree burns and had to be hospitalized at the St. Francis Bothin Burn Center, in San Francisco.

Initial media reports characterized the incident as a hate crime, though the defendant’s attorney has indicated that it actually was intended to be a harmless prank, which went terribly wrong. Regardless, individuals who are gay, lesbian or transsexual have been victims of persecution. Recall the case of Matthew Shepard.

It may be that the soul of Sasha is accustomed to incarnating as a female. Though male in his contemporary lifetime, Sasha appears to have a female mindset, which could account for his preference to wear skirts.

Reincarnation, Gender Change & Gender Identity Issues

Other reincarnation cases which demonstrate gender identity issues due to change of sex include:

Chuey, a Boy, Drowns & Reincarnates as a Girl, but Retains Male Traits

Jaako Vuorenlehto Reincarnates as his Wife’s Daughter, Taru Jarvi: Gender Confusion in Two Lifetimes

Poldi Holzmuller, a Female, Isn’t Attracted to Boys, Says She Will Reincarnate as a Boy and Does

Reincarnation can help us be more tolerant of individuals with gender identity issues by giving insight that such issues can be a complication of changing gender from one lifetime to another. In the course of our evolution through lifetimes on Earth, any of us can experience gender confusion when we incarnate into a sex that we are not accustomed to. I do believe that we all do change gender in our course of lifetimes on Earth, as the soul seeks a comprehensive understanding of what it is to be human, through both male and female incarnations

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Reincarnation & Change in Gender: The Japanese soldier was male, but reincarnated as Ma, a female. Ian Stevenson’s past life research indicates that in 90 percent of cases, souls reincarnate in the same gender, inferring that souls have a preferred sex or gender. In this case, Ma retained the masculine orientation of the Japanese soldier, including an attraction to women, which led to Ma becoming a lesbian. It appears that this soul was accustomed to incarnating as a man and though a woman in the incarnation of Ma, retained the mindset of a male.

Phobia from a Past Lifetime: Ma demonstrated a severe phobia of airplanes, apparently due to being shot and killed in an Allied P-38 strafing run in her past lifetime as a Japanese soldier.

Birthmark at the Site of a Past Life Wound: Ian Stevenson, MD, found that when an individual died of a traumatic wound, such as those inflicted by a gun or knife, a birthmark would be found in the same location in the subsequent lifetime. In this case, Ma had a birthmark on her groin, which is in the same location as the bullet wound that killed her in her lifetime as the Japanese cook, according to her past life memories.

Reincarnation and Change in Nationality: The Japanese soldier reincarnated as a Burmese woman. This case demonstrates the futility of war, as the Japanese occupied Burma and persecuted its citizens. In this case, the persecutor reincarnated as the persecuted.

Reincarnation and Planning Lifetimes: Daw, Ma’s mother, during her pregnancy, had a dream of the Japanese soldier in which the soldier indicated that he was coming to stay with them.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: As noted above, from the spirit world, the Japanese soldier sent an announcing dream to Daw indicating he would be born to her.

Footnotes

1. Stevenson, Ian: Cases of the Reincarnation Type, Volume IV, Thailand and Burma, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1983, page 231
2. Ibid, p. 232
3. Ibid, p. 229
4. Ibid, p. 238
5. Ibid, p. 230
6. Ibid, p. 230
7. Ibid, p. 230
8. Ibid, p. 232
9. Ibid, p. 232
10. Ibid, p. 238
11. Ibid, p. 233
12. Ibid, p. 234
13. Ibid, p. 234
14. Ibid, p. 234
15. Ibid, pages 236, 241
16. Ibid, p. 236
17. Ibid, p. 236
18. Ibid, p. 241

Reincarnation Case of an Israeli Child who Recalled Being Killed with an Axe & Identifies his Past Life Murderer, Who Confesses

A Druse Boy is born with a past life birthmark, remembers being killed by an ax blow to the head. Investigated by Eli Lasch, MD, a prominent physician in Israel this case was judged anecdotal due to lack of evidential details.

How Case Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researcher: Eli Lasch, MD

From: Children Who Have Lived Before, by Trutz Hardo

Article by: Walter Semkiw, MD

A Druse Boy is Born with a Past Life Birthmark

Eli Lasch, MD was a prominent physician in Israel who served as a senior consultant in the coordination of health services in the Gaza Strip. Dr. Lasch, who died in 2009, investigated a reincarnation case in which a young boy remembered a past lifetime in which he was murdered by being hit in the head with an ax. The boy, whose name was not reported, was born with a long red birthmark on his head. The boy’s parents belonged to the Druse religion, which features reincarnation as a fundamental tenet. In Israel, the Druse live primarily in the Golan Heights region, adjacent to Syria, which was the location of this boy’s birth.

The Druse Boy Remembers being Killed by an Ax Blow to the Head

When he was 3 years old, the boy told his parents that he was killed in a past lifetime by being struck on the head with an ax. From what the boy told the parents, as well as other relatives, it was thought that the boy lived in the nearby in his past incarnation.

His father, several relatives and elders of the village decided to visit neighboring communities to see if his past life identity could be established. Dr. Lasch was invited to join this group, as it was known that he was interested in reincarnation.

When the group arrived to the closest neighboring village , the group asked to boys if he recognized this as the location of his prior home. The boy told him that this was not his past life village, so the group walked to a second village where the boy again reported that this was not where he lived in the previous life.

The Druse Boy Finds his Past Life Home, Grave & Murderer

When the group reached a third village, the boy stated that this is where he had lived. The site of his past life neighborhood stimulated memories and he was able to name several individuals from his past lifetime.

At this point, the boy now remembered his own first and last name in this past incarnation, as well as the first and last name of his murderer. A member of this community, who had heard the boy’s story, said that he had known the man that the boy said that he was in the past lifetime. This man had disappeared 4 years earlier and was never found. It was assumed that this person must have come to some misfortune as it was known that individuals were killed or taken prisoner in the border areas between Israel and Syria for being suspected of being spies.

The group went through the village and at one point the boy pointed out this past life house. Curious bystanders gathered around and suddenly the boy walked up to a man and called him by name. The man acknowledged that the boy correctly named him and the boy then said:

“I used to be your neighbor. We had a fight and you killed me with an ax.”

Dr. Lasch then observed that this man’s face suddenly became white as a sheet. The 3-year-old than stated:

“I even know where he buried my body.”

The boy then led the group, which included the accused murderer, into fields that were located nearby. The boy stopped in front of a pile of stones and reported:

“He buried my body under these stones and the ax over there.”

Excavation at the spot under the stones revealed the skeleton of an adult man wearing the clothes of a farmer and on the skull, a linear split in the skull was observed, which was consistent with an ax wound.

Ax Murderer Admits his Crime & Past Life Murder Weapon Found

Dr. Lasch reported that at this point everyone in the group stared at the accused murderer, who admitted in front of everyone that he did commit this crime. Next, the group went to the location where the boy stated the murder weapon was buried and upon digging, the ax was found.

Dr. Lasch asked the Druse group what would become of the murderer. He was told they would not turn him over to the police; rather, they would impose a suitable punishment. What ultimately happen to the murderer was not reported.

In 1998, Dr. Lasch related this case history to Trutz Hardo, who practices past life regression in Germany. Mr. Hardo subsequently included the story in his book, Children Who Have Lived Before, published in 2005.

Compared to reincarnation cases researched by Ian Stevenson, MD and his colleagues at the University of Virginia, in which the testimony of multiple witnesses was carefully documented, this case lacks evidentiary detail. The names of the subject, murderer and witnesses are not provided, which makes the case anecdotal. Further, the primary researcher in this case, Dr. Eli Lasch, died in 2009. Still, it is a fascinating case, which does follow the pattern of cases researched by Dr. Stevenson.

Principles of Reincarnation & Understanding Past Lives

Past Life Scars or Birthmarks: The Druse subject of this case was born with a linear birthmark on his head, which appears to be consistent with the linear defect in the skull found on his past life skeleton, which was appeared to be created by an ax blow.

Geographic Memory: Once the Druse subject of this case was brought to his past life village, the geographic surroundings stimulated past life memories, including his past life name, the name of his past life murderer and the locations of his past life body and murder weapon.

The Reincarnation Case of a Nazi Bomber Pilot | Carl Edon

A Christian Father’s investigation into his son’s reincarnation stories of being a Nazi pilot in the Second World War named Robert. Carl Edon the reincarnation has very typical German features vastly in contrast to his whole family, Robert was a German and Carl Edon was British.

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researchers: James Edon, Dr. Nicholas McClean-Rice and Ian Stevenson, MD-Video Provided Below

From: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, by Ian Stevenson, MD

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

A Christian Father Investigates his Son’s Past Life Memories of Being a Nazi Pilot

Carl Edon was born on December 29, 1972 in Middlesbrough, England to James and Valerie Edon. The Edons belonged to the Church of England and as such, they were Christians who did not believe in reincarnation. Initially, they were baffled by statements made by Carl regarding his being a German bomber pilot. Eventually, his father, James Edon, a bus driver by profession, became the first investigator of this reincarnation case.

Similarities to James Leininger Reincarnation Case

In many ways, this story is similar to the reincarnation case of James Huston, Jr. | James Leininger, who as a child remembered a past lifetime as a United States fighter pilot who died in combat in the Pacific, during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Just as James Edon became an investigator of his son’s past life memories, Bruce Leininger, the father of James Leininger, became the investigator of his son’s past life memories. Bruce was a devout Christian, who had difficulty in considering reincarnation as an explanation for his son’s memories, though he did become a believer in the end.

Carl Edon’s Past Life Knowledge of Nazi Symbols & German Aircraft

James Edon vouched that their family did not have many books in their home and they had none on World War II. Like in the Leininger case, Carl’s parents maintained that Carl had not learned details of World War II from books or television programs.

James Edon noted that when Carl would give details about German air force planes, James Edon himself would have to check out books at the municipal library to confirm that Carl’s statements were correct.

An article on this case was published in the British magazine, Women’s Own, on August 7, 1982. A German reporter interviewed the family and published an article on this reincarnation case in the Berlin newspaper, Morgenpost, on July 17, 1983.

Ian Stevenson, MD, worked with a colleague in England, Dr. Nicholas McClean-Rice, who went to interview the Edon family in January 1984, when Carl was 11 years old. On June 13, 1993, Ian Stevenson himself traveled to Middlesbrough and had a lengthy meeting with the family, at a time when Carl was 20 years of age.

Carl Says he Crashed an Airplane, Strikes a Past Life Nazi Salute & Draws Swastikas and a German Eagle

In 1974, when Carl was almost 2 years of age and just as he had began to speak, he began to say, “I crashed a plane through a window.” (1) He said this frequently and as he grew older, he added details. When he was initially speaking of this past lifetime, he would spontaneously make a Nazi salute, with the right arm raised and straight.

Carl told his parents that he was on a bombing mission over England when he crashed. When he learned to draw, which occurred when he was 2-3 years old, he started to draw swastikas, badges and insignias. Carl would draw airplanes and put swastikas on them.

He drew an eagle, which his parents described as the “German eagle.” Carl told his parents that his name was Robert when he flew the bomber and that his father’s name was Fritz. His parents noted that from 1974 to 1976, Carl spoke abundantly about flying his German plane.

Past Life Knowledge: Carl Draws an Aircraft Cockpit and Explains Gauges

At the age of 6, Carl drew a panel of an airplane cockpit and he described the purposes of the different gauges. He said that in the cockpit, there was a red foot pedal, which was used to release bombs.

Past Life Memories: Carl Flew a Messerschmitt to Bomb England

Carl told his parents that when he crashed through the window, he was flying a bomber called a Messerschmitt. An image of a Messerschmitt bomber is provided below and to the right. He said his plane had a number, which was 101 or 104—his parents could not remember the exact number.

Carl’s knowledge of details of German planes is again very reminiscent of James Huston, Jr. | James Leininger reincarnation case, as little James Leininger had innate knowledge of American and Japanese aircraft from World War II, knowledge that he did not learn by normal means.

When the Edon family was watching a documentary on the Holocaust, Carl said that his air force base was near a concentration camp that was featured on the program. His parents thought the concentration camp Carl referred to was Auschwitz, but they couldn’t remember for sure.

Robert Lost a Leg in his Crash and Carl has a Corresponding Past Life Birthmark

Carl said that he was on a bombing run when he crashed and that he had lost his right leg in the crash. Ian Stevenson had great interest in cases in which a person who suffered a traumatic wound in a past lifetime would reincarnate with a birthmark or scar at the location of the past life wound. In this case, Stevenson noted that Carl had a very large, protruding birthmark on the right groin, and he speculated whether his may have been related to Robert losing his right leg in the crash.

Carl Does the Goose Step, Stands at Attention & Wants to Move to Germany

As noted, as soon as Carl started talking about his past lifetime in which he crashed through a window, he would strike a Nazi salute, with his right arm raised and straight.

When walking, he would do the Nazi goose step, a march with knees held straight. When he did the goose step at school, his British schoolmates teased him terribly and they called him a Nazi. This teasing led to Carl ceasing to talk about his past lifetime when he was 10 or 11.

When standing, he would maintain and erect posture and he would have his hands by his side, like a little soldier. He was compulsively tidy and neat, which Ian Stevenson saw as a German trait.

Carl told his parents that he wanted to go to and live in Germany. This is similar to the case of a Japanese soldier who reincarnated in Burma who wanted to move to Japan.

Whereas his parents preferred tea, a British custom, Carl preferred coffee, a German custom. He also had a fondness for sausages, which are very popular in Germany. When at school a play was being rehearsed that had a German character, Carl insisted that he be cast as the German.

Carl’s Past Life German Appearance

Whereas all his family members had brown hair, Carl was very blonde. Carl had blue eyes, like his mother, though most of his family members who had brown eyes. Carl had the appearance of what Hitler esteemed as traits of a superior race.

Validation of Carl’s Past Life Memories and His Death

Unfortunately, Carl’s description of a German pilot named Robert crashing through a window in England could not be confirmed by historical records at the time Ian Stevenson published this case. This is in contrast to the James Huston, Jr. | James Leininger reincarnation case, which was historically validated through the meticulous research of Bruce Leininger.

Tragically, Carl died in 1995 at the age of 22, a victim of murder.

Subsequent Investigation of the Edon Reincarnation Case

The English newspaper, the Evening Gazette ran an article regarding the Edon case on January 15, 2002, which was updated in 2013. This article is provided below:

The Uncanny Case of Carl Edon

For years before he was brutally murdered Carl Edon tried to convince his family that he was reincarnated.

Now startling new photos, unearthed after dogged detective work by a local historian, reveal a chilling resemblance between Carl and a German airman, Heinrich Richter, buried in a Thornaby cemetery.

Richter, a turret gunner, perished when his Dornier bomber crashed onto a South Bank railway during a raid exactly 60 years ago today… January 15, 1942.

The wreckage of the Dornier, damaged by anti-aircraft fire before hitting a barrage balloon, was discovered in 1997 buried off Tilbury Road – only a few hundred yards from the spot where Carl was stabbed to death two years earlier.

When the bomber was dug up with Richter’s remains inside, Carl’s parents, Jim and Val, shuddered as they recalled their son’s eerie tales of reincarnation.

But only now – as the Gazette reveals for the first time what the airman looked like – are the Coulby Newham couple looking at their son’s claims in a new light.

“It’s got to be him,” said a stunned Val, when shown a photo of the German in full uniform shortly before the crash over Teesside.

“The resemblance across the eyes and the nose is uncanny.

“Maybe this is the final piece of the jigsaw,” she said.

The striking picture was obtained after Guisborough historian and author Bill Norman tracked down Richter’s relatives in Germany for a new book.

An uncanny likeness between the two young men and the fact that they share the same scene of death more than 50 years apart are just two of the strange coincidences which have spooked Carl’s parents.

During the excavation of the German bomber it was discovered that Richter’s leg, still inside a flying boot, had been severed in the wreckage, explained Val.

“Carl used to say he lost his right leg in the crash,” she said. “And he had a birth mark at the top of that leg.”

On the day her rail worker son was murdered – by Gary Vinter, later jailed for life – he had been to Skinningrove to collect train carriages.

“The day the Dornier crashed it had bombed Skinningrove first and flew on to Middlesbrough following the railway line,” said Val.

Carl and Richter had made the same journey the day they died.

“There are just too many strange coincidences, and I think if Carl was here he’d be saying ‘Do you believe me now’?”

One of the country’s leading researchers into psychic phenomena admitted he was amazed at the details surrounding the two deaths.

“We research a lot of reincarnation cases, but not many as remarkable as this one sounds,” said David Christie-Murray, member of the Society for Psychical Research, founded in 1882 and now based in London.

“It seems to me to be a fascinating case, and one I’m sure the SPR would certainly be interested in investigating if the family wanted to.”

Carl’s experiences are already detailed in a book called The Children That Time Forgot by Peter and Mary Harrison, and on a US TV show. They’ve also been well documented in British and German newspapers, including the Gazette when Carl was just nine years old.

But his parents said he suffered taunts at school as a result of his ‘past life’ claims.

“When that started happening Carl didn’t like talking about it any more,” said his mum.

“But he always believed it.”

His dad told the Gazette he was cynical at first. “I was sick of Carl going on about it,” he said. “But I probably believe more in reincarnation now.”

The Dornier’s three other crew were buried in Thornaby after the crash in 1942, but Richter was not laid to rest alongside his colleagues until the plane was ‘rediscovered’ 55 years later by water board workers.

Commentary on the Evening Gazette Article regarding the Carl Edon Reincarnation Case

The Evening Gazette article states that Heinrich Richter lost a leg in the crash of his plane, consistent with Carl’s claim that he lost a leg in the plane crash that led to his death. Recall that Carl had a large birthmark at his right groin, which could be related to loss of a limb.

Inconsistencies include Carl’s claim that his name was Robert, not Heinrich, and that he was a pilot, not a gunner. It may be that Carl was confusing his name and function on the plane with another crew member on the fatal, or perhaps another, flight.

Key Points & Principles of Reincarnation

Change in Nationality and Ethnic Affiliation: In his past lifetime, Robert was a German air force bomber pilot, while Carl was born into a British family. This case shows that one can reincarnate into the land of one’s own enemy from a prior incarnation.

Consider whether a German pilot would go to war with England if that pilot knew that in a subsequent incarnation, this very pilot would reincarnate as an English citizen?

This is reminiscent of the reincarnation case of John B. Gordon | Jeff Keene, in which an American Civil War Confederate officer reincarnated as a Connecticut Union Yankee. Jeff has noted that in his contemporary lifetime, he has ancestors that fought the Confederates. Jeff has even mused that his Northern relatives may even have fought against him, as John B. Gordon, in his past lifetime.

The Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen case also very poignantly shows how illogical war really is, as Anne Frank was persecuted as a German Jew and died in a concentration camp, while in her contemporary lifetime, Barbro was born into a Christian family in Sweden.

Physical Appearance: Ian Stevenson, MD, noted that Carl had typical German, Aryan physical features, such as very blonde hair and blue eyes, in contrast to most of his immediate family members.

Similarly, Stevenson noted that in several cases that he researched in Burma, now called Myanmar, several Burmese children remembered past lifetimes as British or American air force pilots who were killed in Burma, a Japanese conquest during World War II.

Whereas Burmese children typically have dark hair, eyes and skin, these children who remembered Caucasian past lifetimes had blonde hair. These cases suggest that though race and ethnic affiliation can change from one incarnation to another, physical features from a past lifetime, such as hair color, can be retained. Retention of such features may be facilitated by the soul’s energy template, which is discussed under Principles of Reincarnation.

In the Evening Gazette article, Carl’s parents reported that they saw an uncanny resemblance between Carl and Heinrich Richter. The image comparisons provided, a resemblance is seen, though Richter is much thinner than Carl.

Past Life Birthmark: As noted, Carl had a large birthmark at his right groin, which could be related to the Heinrich Richter’s loss of a leg in his plane crash.

A Note on Neo-Nazism and Reincarnation

The reincarnation case of Robert | Carl Edon can provide insight on the Neo-Nazi movement. Just as Carl was attracted to Germany and things German, those drawn to Neo-Nazism may have also had past lives in Nazi Germany. Though this may provide insight on why people may be attracted to Neo-Nazism, reincarnation research also reveals the flaw in the logic of Neo-Nazis.

That flaw is that souls can change religion, race, nationality and ethnic affiliation from one incarnation to another. In the case of Carl Edon, we noted that nationality changed; a German pilot reincarnated in the country that was once the enemy, England.

Similarly, a Neo-Nazi can reincarnate as a Jew, a dark-skinned African or in any other race or ethnic group that the Neo-Nazi is prejudiced against. Not only is this possible, but from a karmic point of view, it is quite likely.

Footnotes

(1) Stevenson, Ian: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, McFarland, 2003, page 68

Sri Lankan Rebels who Reincarnated as Twin Girls

A.K. Nandadasa Johnny was born in 1945 in Unawatuna, a coastal town in the district of Galle, at the southern tip of Sri Lanka.

How Derived: Past Life Memories in Childhood

Researched by: Godwin Samarante, Ian Stevenson, MD and Trutz Hardo

From: Reincarnation and Biology (pages 1940-1970), by Ian Stevenson, MD and Children Who Have Lived Before (pages 87-106), by Trutz Hardo

Article by Walter Semkiw, MD

The Early Lives of Johnny, Robert and Gnananadasa

A.K. Nandadasa Johnny was born in 1945 in Unawatuna, a coastal town in the district of Galle, at the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Unawatuna Beach is pictured above and to the right. He was known by all as “Johnny.” His father was Pedric Appuhamy and mother Sisel Hamy. Johnny had a brother named Gnananadasa, who was three years younger than Johnny.

In 1946, Akmeemana Palliyagurunge Robert, who went by the name “Robert,” was born in the same town. His parents were A. Dharmasena and Mary Nona. Robert did not have a good relationship with his father, but he was very close to his mother.

Johnny and Robert became best friends in childhood. They played cards, excelled at swimming and diving in the sea, as well as climbing trees. They were both born to poor families. Johnny and Robert were Buddhists and they worshipped at the temple at Yatigala. Robert was the more devout of the two.

Johnny obtained work in a factory in the city of Galle that made frames for eyeglasses. Johnny acquired a primitive house in the jungle on Romassala Hill, not far from a cliff overlooking the sea. Robert left school while in the ninth grade and he took temporary jobs as a mason and laborer. He later worked in a battery factory.

Johnny’s Friend Amarapala

At the spectacle frame factory, Johnny befriended a man named Amarapala Hettiaratchi. Both Johnny and Robert traveled to the village of Pitadeniya, 14 kilometers north of Galle, to attend the wedding of Amarapala and his wife, Yasawathie, which occurred on October 20, 1966. The couple lived in Pitadeniya, though Amarapala worked at the factory in the city of Galle.

The Rebellion of 1971

Due to the divide between the wealthy and the poor, a movement towards rebellion brewed in Sri Lanka. In the District of Galle, Johnny, a gifted speaker, became a rebel leader, with Robert his second in command. Due to its’ remoteness, Romassala Hill became a rebel training ground. Food and supplies were stockpiled in Johnny’s house.

Robert was in charge of acquiring weapons. From his experience in the battery factory, Robert learned how to make homemade bombs. Their bombs were tested at the beach of Utawatuna. The rebellion was launched on April 5, 1971. Rebels raided police stations at night, when officers were asleep, to neutralize the police and to seize weapons.

Woman with a Radio in Yaddehimulla

A woman Johnny and Robert knew, who lived in Yaddehimulla, was one of the few people in the area who owned a radio. Only at nighttime, when they would not be seen, Johnny and Robert would visit this woman to listen to news of the rebellion on the radio.

Police and the Sri Lankan Army moved to quell the revolt. It is estimated that 1200 people lost their lives in the fighting.

The Capture of Johnny and Robert

In the District of Galle, police and the army surrounded Romassala Hill. Johnny and Robert escaped capture by hiding in caves and crevices between rock formations. Two weeks later, in mid-April 1971, the pair tried to leave Galle, but police captured them at the bus station.

Robert’s Attempt at Escape and Death

In jail, Robert formed a plan. He told police that he would lead them to a stash of weapons and bombs hidden on Romassala Hill. On April 19, 1971 at about 10 in the morning, handcuffed, Robert led a group of officers to a place on the hill that had a cliff overlooking the sea. Kicking one policeman and head butting another, Robert attempted to dive into the sea. Gunshots rang out. Robert suffered a bullet wound to the right side of his abdomen just below his rib cage and fell dead into the water.

Johnny is Hung Upside Down, Beaten to Death and his Body Set on Fire

Police officers, enraged at Robert’s ruse, returned to the police station where they beat Johnny to death. At one point, the police hung Johnny by his feet upside down. He died of the beating by 1 PM on April 19, 1971. A few days later, gasoline was poured on Johnny’s body, which was set on fire, then buried.

Gender Change: The Rebels Reincarnate as Twin Girls to their Friends Amarapala & Yasawathie

A little over 7 years later, on November 3, 1978 in the village of Pitadeniya, Amarapala, Johnny’s friend from the factory, and his wife, Yasawathie, celebrated the birth of fraternal twin girls who were named Sivanthie and Sheromie. Sivanthie was born with a birthmark measuring 2 cm by 1 cm on the right side of her abdomen, just below her ribcage, corresponding to Robert’s gunshot wound. No one else in the family had such a birthmark.

Sivanthie remembers her Past Life Death as Robert Jumping into the Sea

When Sivanthie started talking at 2 ½ years of age, she said that she had another home where she had a father, mother and sister. She described how she had to hide in a cave with “Johnia.” (1) Sivanthie said that she and Johnia had been arrested and that their hands were handcuffed behind them. Sivanthie would place her little hands behind her back to demonstrate being handcuffed.

She said she had been shot while trying to escape by leaping into the sea. When describing this incident, Sivanthie pointed to the birthmark on the right side of her abdomen, which corresponded to the location of Robert’s gunshot wound.

Sivanthie recalls the Names of her Past Life Parents

Sivanthie said that her mother was Mary Akka. “Akka” means older sister. Recall that Robert’s mothers’ name was Mary Nona. Ian Stevenson posited that Mary Akka was a nickname of Mary Nona. Sivanthie asked to be taken back to her home.

Sivanthie remembers Past Life Colleagues of the Rebellion

Sivanthie said that in her past life, she knew a man named “Kurune Uncle.” (2) Mary Nona later confirmed that one of Robert’s collaborators in the insurgency was indeed called Kurune Uncle.

Sivanthie told her mother, Yasawathie, that they would hide in caves in the dark. She also said that “Sudu Nangi” had once sent her cloths in a bucket. (3) In fact, Robert had known someone who he called Sudu Nangi. When he was in hiding, this woman allowed Robert to bath and wash his clothes utilizing her well. Robert would leave his clothes to dry and Sudu Nangi would later take or send the dried clothes to Robert. Once she did indeed send Robert’s dried clothes in a bucket. Sivanthie also stated that Sudu Nangi saw her, as Robert, being taken away by the police. In fact, Sudu Nangi had witnessed Robert, handcuffed, being led by police after his arrest.

At the Temple in Yatigala, Sivanthie remembers her Past Life Name was Robert

Sivanthie would talk about a temple called Yatigala that she would go to. Recall that Robert was a devout Buddhist. When the twins were 3 1/2 years old, their mother took them to the temple at Yatigala, where Sivanthie noticed that it had been rebuilt. Indeed, a new wing had been added to the structure. At the temple, for the first time, she stated that her name used to be Robert. This occurred in May or June 1982.

Amarapala Realizes Sivanthe was his Past Life Friend Robert

Amarapala and Yasawathie, the twins’ parents, now realized that Sivanthie was recalling the life of their friend Robert, who had attended their wedding. Word of Sivanthie remembering a past life as the rebel Robert spread through the community in Pitadeniya. A schoolboy studying in Pitadeniya wrote to his family in Unawatuna, where Robert had lived, of these past life memories. In this way, Robert’s family learned of Sivanthie’s statements.

Sheromie identifies Gnananadasa, her Past Life Brother

On July 17, 1982, several members of Robert’s family and friends visited the twins, who were now 4 years old. One of the first to visit was Johnny’s younger brother and Robert’s friend, Gnananadasa. Upon seeing the visitor, Sheromie said, “my younger brother has come.” (4) This was Sheromie’s first statement about a past life. She then ran up to Gnananadasa and hugged him. Gnananadasa wept at this reunion and promised to return. Sheromie also made the statement that her past life name was Johnny.

Sheromie identifies her Past Life Mother and Sister

The next day, on July 18, 1982, Gnananadasa returned with his and Johnny’s mother and sister. When they entered the house, Sheromie, in seeing Johnny’s mother, Sisel Hamy, exclaimed, “this is my mother.” Sheromie also called her “Ama,” which means mother. She then said, referring to Johnny’s younger sister, “this is my Nangi.” “Nangi” means younger sister in Sri Lankan. (5)

Sheromie expressed much affection for her past life mother, Sisel Hamy, while she was cool to Johnny’s father. This reflected Johnny’s relationship with his father, as the father and son did not get along well. When Johnny’s mother and sister got ready to go home, Sheromie repeatedly said, “Take me with you!” Sheromie weeped as they left. (6)

Sheromie stated that they were traveling together when they were arrested. One witness said that when Johnny and Robert were arrested, one of them was already in the bus, while the other was still outside the bus. Sheromie also said they were caught together.

Past Life Memories: Sheromie Remembers Hanging Upside Down, her Death and from the Spirit Realm Observes Johnny’s Body being Burned

Two days later, when Gnananadasa asked Sheromie for details of her past life, she described how she was tortured and hung upside down. Sheromie said she remembered seeing an upside down picture of the Buddha while hanging by her feet from the ceiling. Sheromie was on the verge of tears in describing these past life events.

Significantly, Sheromie also remembered that something was poured on her body and that her body was burned. Recall that the burning of Johnny’s body occurred several days after his death. As such, the soul of Johnny | Sheromie was able to observe the burning of Johnny’s body from the perspective of a spirit being, as Johnny was already dead when his body was set on fire. This is reminiscent of how in the case of Ahmet Delibalta | Erkan Kilic, Erkan remembered how the body of Ahmet was misidentified, even though Ahmet was already dead.

Sheromie now recalled that she had been Johnny in a prior lifetime and she recognized her twin sister as her past life friend, Robert. After this point the twins frequently talked about the past lives they had together.

For example, Sheromie said to her twin, “Your hands were also tied.” Sivenathie replied, “Your hands were also tied. Can you remember our bus ride together?” (7)

On Romassala Hill, the Twins Locate Past Life Locations

Godwin Samararatne, a research scientist, heard about the twins’ past life memories through a newspaper report and decided to investigate the cases. He visited the twins at the end of June 1982. Ian Stevenson interviewed the twins and families involved in the cases in October 1982, with Godwin serving as an interpreter.

On July 4, 1982, when the twins were about 4 years old, Godwin took the twins to Romassala Hill. At the point where the road for vehicles ended, the twins were deposited on a footpath and asked to show the way to the homes of their previous lives. The twins made their way up the twisting and rocky path. Sivanthie led the group to the spot on the cliff where she, as Robert, tried to escape by diving into the sea and was shot. When Ian Stevenson traversed this route, he was amazed that Sivanthie could find her way to the cliff, as there were so many rocks that in places, Stevenson could not even discern that a path existed.

At this point, the twins were again asked to find the their past life homes. Sheromie now swung into action and led the group directly to the ruins of Johnny’s house on Romasalla Hill, which were located more than 100 meters away from the cliff where Robert had jumped into the sea. The house had by now largely disintegrated, though the foundation was still present.

These examples of Geographic Memory are similar to how Barbro Karlen, at age 10, found her way to the Anne Frank House without directions, even though she had never been to Amsterdam before.

The Woman with the Radio meets the Twins, Who Comment on their Past Life Nocturnal Visits

Godwin also took the girls to Yaddehimulla. The woman with the radio in Yaddehimulla heard about Sheromie’s and Sivanthie’s past life memories. When she saw the twins passing by, she said to them, “Aren’t you going to come to listen to the radio?” The twins replied, “We will come in the night.” (8) Recall that Johnny and Robert would only come to listen to the woman’s radio at night, when they would be hidden by darkness. Ian Stevenson was impressed with this statement by the twins.

Past Life Phobias

The twin girls both had phobias of people wearing khaki colored shirts, which were the kind of shirts worn by police in Sri Lanka. They also became frightened whenever they saw the Jeep with policemen or soldiers in it. This is similar to the phobia that Barbro Karlen had of men in uniforms, including policemen, in the Reincarnation case of Anne Frank | Barbro Karlen.

Past Life Behavior of Making Bombs & Smoking

While playing, both girls enjoyed making bombs of clay. When Ian Stevenson asked the twins what was used to make bombs, the twins recited, “nails, paper, tins, wire, broken bottles,” which indeed were used by the rebels in making home-made bombs. (9). Both had a habit of putting sticks in their mouths and pretending to light and smoke them. Johnny and Robert had both been heavy smokers.

Twin Girls demonstrate Masculine Behavior

Sivanthie and Sheromie both behaved as if they were still men. For example, they insisted on urinating while standing up. Both liked to wear T-shirts rolled up from the bottom to expose their bellies and part of their chests, as did Johnny and Robert, but was unheard of for girls. Both like to climb trees and ride bikes, which was not done by girls in that era. Both twins said they had beards and they would even stroke their chins pretending that they were stroking their beards, which Johnny and Robert did indeed maintain. They also asked their older brother to prepare cards so they could play a game. Recall that Johnny and Robert often played cards together.

Masculine behavior was observed in the twin girls even up to when they were in their twenties, except that they learned to urinate sitting down, like women do.

Reincarnation, Gender Change, Homosexuality and Transsexuals

In Ian Stevenson’s 1200 cases in which children’s past life memories were validated, in only 10 percent of cases was a change in gender observed, which is why when a change of gender occurs the reincarnated individual may still identify with the past life gender. This observation can explain why individuals are transsexual or homosexual. A dramatic case in this regard is the male Japanese soldier who reincarnated as a woman but retained a male mindset, including an attraction to women, and became a lesbian.

Families Involved Accept the Twins’ Past Lives, though Amarapala is Not Pleased his Girls were Rebels

As adults, the twins would visit Gnananadasa, Johnny’s younger brother, in Unawatuna several times a year and in reciprocal manner, he would drive to visit the twins in Pitadeniya. The twins and Gnananadasa would exchange gifts on these occasions.

All three families involved in the case, that is Johnny’s family, Robert’s family and the twins’ parents, accepted these two reincarnation cases based on recognitions made by Sheromie and Sivanthie. The twins’ parents noted that they had never talked of the lives of Johnny and Robert at their home.

In fact, their father, Amarapala, stated that he had “completely forgotten of these deaths [of Johnny and Robert] until the twins started talking [about them].” Keep in mind that over 10 years had passed from the date of the deaths of Johnny and Robert, April 19, 1971, to the point in time when the twins started to talk about their past lives in 1981 and 1982. (10) As such, since their parent had never spoken of the rebels, Sheromie and Sivanthie did not learn about the lives of Johnny and Robert through normal means.

Of note, Amarapala, the twins’ father, was not particularly happy that his daughters had been notorious rebels in their past lives, as Amarapala was not a supporter of the rebellion. Amarapala’s brother held a high position in the community, which led Amarapala’s family to support the rule of law, not insurgency.

Reincarnation and Similar Physical Appearance

Robert was shorter, stockier and had lighter skin than Johnny. Similarly, Sivanthie (Robert) was shorter, stockier and had lighter skin than Sheromie (Johnny). Gnananadasa, Johnny’s younger brother, noted a similarity in facial features between Johnny and Sheromie. (11) (12)

Principles of Reincarnation

Physical Resemblance in Reincarnation Cases: Sivanthie had the same build as Robert and Sheromie had the same build as Johnny. There was a similarity in Sheromie’s and Johnny’s facial features.

Planning Lifetimes and Same Family Reincarnation: Johnny and Robert were best friends and they reincarnated together as twins. This observation shows how souls can plan lifetimes to be reincarnated together.

Gender Change and Retention of Past Life Gender Traits: Johnny and Robert were males, reincarnated as females, but retained male behavioral traits, including urinating standing up. These types of cases can shed light on why some people become transsexual or homosexual.

Past Life Talent and Behavior: Sheromie and Sivanthie made bombs out of clay and they knew what ingredients Johnny and Robert had used in building home-made bombs. The twin girls rode bikes, climbed trees, rolled up their T-shirts exposing their stomachs and pretended to stroke their beards, behavior typical of men and characteristic of Johnny and Robert.

Past Life Phobias: The twins were afraid of men in khaki uniforms and of Jeeps. Johnny and Robert were arrested and killed by police and army personnel who wore khaki uniforms and traveled in Jeeps.

Geographic Memory: Sivanthie led a group researching the twins’ cases along a barely discernible path to the spot on the cliff where she, as Robert, tried to escape by diving into the sea and was shot to death. From there, Sheromie led the group to where her house was located during her life as Johnny. In addition, Sivanthie’s past life memory was stimulated by being at a past life location, the temple in Yatigala, where she recalled her name had been Robert. Robert had been a devout Buddhist who worshipped at the Yatigala temple.

Past Life Birthmark: Sivanthie had a birthmark in the same location on the right side of the abdomen just below the ribcage where Robert incurred a gunshot wound. Sivanthie would point to her birthmark when describing how she died while attempting to jump into the sea.

Spirit Beings in Reincarnation Cases: Sheromie knew that Johnny’s body had been burned after his death. Gasoline was poured on Johnny’s body and burned several days after he had died, which means that the soul of Johnny | Sheromie observed this event from the spirit world.

Footnotes

1. Hardo, Trutz, Children Who Have Lived Before, Verlag Die Silberschnur (Germany), 1998, page 90

2. Stevenson, Ian, Reincarnation and Biology, Praeger Publishers, Westport, CT, page 1950

3. Ibid, p. 1951

4. Ibid, p. 1958

5. Ibid, p. 1958

6. Ibid, p. 1956

7. Ibid, p. 1961

8. Ibid, p. 1960

9. Ibid, p. 1962

10. Ibid, p. 1968

11. Ibid p. 1964

12. Hardo, Trutz, Children Who Have Lived Before, p. 99

The Lives of Joanna and Jacqueline Pollock

Jacqueline Incurs a Scar on Her Right Forehead

The Sisters are Killed on a Sidewalk by a Deranged Driver

Sisters Reincarnate as Identical Twin Girls

Past Life Birthmark: Jennifer has a Birthmark at the Same Site as Jacqueline’s Forehead Scar

Gilliam Recognizes Jacqueline’s Past Life Birthmark

Gilliam and Jennifer Identify and Claim their Past Life Dolls

Gilliam Recognizes her Past Life Toy Laundry Wringer

Past Life Memories: The Twins Remember the Swings at a Park In Hexam and their Fatal Past Life Accident

Past Life Behaviors

Geographic Memory: The Twins know the Location of a Past Life Park and Swings

Past Life Memories: Jennifer Recognizes the Smock Florence wore Prior to the Death of the Sisters

Past Life Memories: The Twins Recall Having Lunch at School in Hexam

In Adulthood, Gilliam Describes her Past Life Home in Whickham

The Pollocks leave the Roman Catholic Church due to Parishioners’ Hostility Towards Reincarnation

Sandika tries to Convert his Parents to his Past Life Religion: Buddhism

Past Life Phobia of Explosions

Reincarnation: Belief versus Knowledge

The Life and Death of Kristin Grimsson

Kristen is Reincarnates as the Child of her Sister, Margret

A Reincarnation Announcing Dream with a Talking Baby

A Past Life Birthmark

A Past Life Husband

Past Life Talent: Ditta Could Spontaneously Read

Reincarnation & Planning Lifetimes: Daw has an Announcing Dream involving the Japanese Soldier as a Spirit Being

Reincarnation Birthmark on Ma’s Groin and a Phobia of Aircraft

A Child’s Past Life Memories: Ma says She misses Japan and her Family

Past Life Memory: Ma Remembers being Shot and Killed by an Airplane in a Past Lifetime

Ma’s Reincarnation Birthmark is in the Location of the Japanese Soldier’s Bullet Wound

The US War Plane that Killed Ma in a Past Lifetime was a P-38 Lightning

Past Life Phobia of Aircraft

Past Life Emotions: Ma wants to go Back to Japan

A Possible Case of Xenoglossy

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Dresses like a Man and is Repulsed by her Menstruation

Reincarnation & Gender Change: Ma Accepts that She is a Lesbian

Change of Gender Reincarnation Cases may Explain Homosexuality in Some

Sasha Fleischman: An Agender Teen’s Skirt is Set on Fire

Reincarnation, Gender Change & Gender Identity Issues

A Druse Boy is Born with a Past Life Birthmark

The Druse Boy Remembers being Killed by an Ax Blow to the Head

The Druse Boy Finds his Past Life Home, Grave & Murderer

A Christian Father Investigates his Son’s Past Life Memories of Being a Nazi Pilot

Similarities to James Leininger Reincarnation Case

Carl Edon’s Past Life Knowledge of Nazi Symbols & German Aircraft

Carl Says he Crashed an Airplane, Strikes a Past Life Nazi Salute & Draws Swastikas and a German Eagle

Past Life Knowledge: Carl Draws an Aircraft Cockpit and Explains Gauges

Past Life Memories: Carl Flew a Messerschmitt to Bomb England

Robert Lost a Leg in his Crash and Carl has a Corresponding Past Life Birthmark

Carl’s Past Life German Appearance

Validation of Carl’s Past Life Memories and His Death

Subsequent Investigation of the Edon Reincarnation Case

The Uncanny Case of Carl Edon

Commentary on the Evening Gazette Article regarding the Carl Edon Reincarnation Case

Gender Change: The Rebels Reincarnate as Twin Girls to their Friends Amarapala & Yasawathie

Sivanthie remembers her Past Life Death as Robert Jumping into the Sea

Sivanthie recalls the Names of her Past Life Parents

Sivanthie remembers Past Life Colleagues of the Rebellion

At the Temple in Yatigala, Sivanthie remembers her Past Life Name was Robert

Amarapala Realizes Sivanthe was his Past Life Friend Robert

Sheromie identifies Gnananadasa, her Past Life Brother

Sheromie identifies her Past Life Mother and Sister

Past Life Memories: Sheromie Remembers Hanging Upside Down, her Death and from the Spirit Realm Observes Johnny’s Body being Burned

On Romassala Hill, the Twins Locate Past Life Locations

The Woman with the Radio meets the Twins, Who Comment on their Past Life Nocturnal Visits

Past Life Phobias

Past Life Behavior of Making Bombs & Smoking

Twin Girls demonstrate Masculine Behavior

Reincarnation, Gender Change, Homosexuality and Transsexuals

Families Involved Accept the Twins’ Past Lives, though Amarapala is Not Pleased his Girls were Rebels

Reincarnation and Similar Physical Appearance

Case Categories

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