by Ayana Henderson
Whether you believe it or not, you have to admit the idea of reincarnation is an intriguing concept. Good day-dream material, if unfounded and disbelieved by 75 percent of Americans. Which is why author Tom Shroder teamed up with psychiatrist Dr. Ian Stevenson to write "Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence of Past Lives." The book reveals the past life stories of children from around the world, gathered by 80-year-old Stevenson, who has spent some forty years compiling more than 2,000 such cases. Shroder traveled with Stevenson to Lebanon, India and the American South to witness his ongoing investigations into the reincarnation stories of the children, now most of which are young adults. To Shroder's surprise, and mine, the subjects give detailed and emotional testimony of living someone else's life.
No rock stars, actors, politicians, artists or saints here. Ever since they were little kids, Daniel and Preeti have remembered, in exact detail, being regular people. Daniel claims to be Rashid Khaddege, a man who died in Lebanon a year before Daniel was born. Without hesitation, he recalls the fact that a car crash killed Rashid and that a man named Ibrahim was driving. He also recants his joy for (and names of) Rashid's family. Preeti told her parents that she isn't their child, but Sheila, an Indian woman killed when she was hit by a car. She too speaks of her love for her past-life family.
The overwhelming detail of these children's present and supposedly reincarnated lives, as well as precise scenic descriptions, may create a confusing read even when digested at a slow pace. But if the detail-specific accounts of small children's previous life memories doesn't pique curiosity, what will? Especially when the living relatives of the deceased corroborate the strangers' memories -- and believe them.
An unnamed therapist mentioned in this book sums it best when she says, "It never made sense to me that we could be here for such a short time, and then'nothing'it just doesn't seem right. Or maybe more accurately, it doesn't seem fair."
"Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Past Lives"
by Tom Shroder
Simon & Schuster, $24, 256 pages
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.