Past Lives

How Travel Helped Me Discover Past Lives

By Jason Young

Travel Triggers a Past Life Recall

It was the summer of 1990 and my girlfriend and I were river and trail guides. As summer wrapped up, we took a trip from Colorado to California. Then unusual experiences began!

Near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, another camper casually asked if we were on our honeymoon. We weren’t—but the question sparked something inside me. It felt like a “waking dream”—an experience that grabs your attention and hints at a deeper spiritual message. I didn’t understand it yet, but I knew to pay attention.

A Mystery Illness in the Mountains

A day later, while we were driving west near the base of the Wasatch Mountains, I was suddenly overcome by a mysterious illness. I became delirious and feverish, haunted by inner visions of a nightmarish, blinding light. I needed rest, so we found a place to camp, and I immediately fell asleep in the middle of the afternoon. That night, I woke up—the fever had broken, and I felt better.

At the time, I suspected it was some kind of cellular memory—a past-life echo bubbling up in my body. I filed the experience away.

A Past Life from Donner Pass?

A few days later, we found ourselves driving through the infamous Donner Pass. It was late, and the only option we had was to sleep in the car at a rest area. The next morning, we discovered we were near the very site of the historic Donner Party tragedy.

My girlfriend Suzie, a history major, filled me in on the harrowing journey of pioneers who faced starvation, brutal elements, and death in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I began to wonder: Could I have been one of them?

Discovering Jay Fosdick

Months later, I found a book listing the names of those in the Donner Party. One name stood out: Jay Fosdick. He joined up with the Donners later at the base of the Wasatch Mountains—interestingly, while also on his honeymoon with his wife, Sarah. Suddenly that question from the camper made sense— “Are you on your honeymoon?”

The mysterious illness I experienced near the Wasatch Mountains occurred at the very place where Jay, his wife, and the Donner Party first encountered serious trouble. Cutting a trail through the rugged terrain delayed them by a month. My blinding inner vision echoed reports of sun blindness during the harsh desert stretch of their journey, which also took longer than expected. The final blow came in the Sierra Nevada, where record-breaking early snow left them trapped. In a desperate bid for survival, Jay and some others set off in search of help. Only a handful survived, including Jay’s wife. Jay, however, died in the wilderness of starvation and exposure.

A bigger picture was coming into focus.

Other parallels emerged: Jay had a violin; I had played violin in a youth symphony. Jay had a gold pocket watch. When I was young, I had a similar treasured pocket watch—an odd choice for a kid! These weren’t just coincidences. I came to understand: I had been Jay Fosdick in that life.

I couldn’t help but wonder: “Why did I have that lifetime as Jay Fosdick who died an awful death, frozen and starved in the snow?”

I would soon find out.

Another Past Life—as an Aztec Priest

Later on, in the mid-1990s, I visited Teotihuacan near Mexico City. A local vendor there insisted I buy a beautifully decorated flute. I didn’t want it—but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. It had an obsidian blade on the end, like those used in ancient sacrifices. Eventually, I gave in and bought it.

Shortly after the purchase, I developed a splitting headache unlike anything I’d ever experienced. In quiet contemplation, I received a vision of a past life—as an Aztec priest. In that life, I had sacrificed people, even though I knew it was wrong. I had the opportunity to refuse—but I likely would have been sacrificed myself.

Going Even Deeper

How were these lives connected? And why had I become that priest in the first place? Again, I entered contemplation. In my inner vision, a scene unfolded from 14^th century England. I was a religious hermit, deeply connected to Divine Spirit, hearing the inner Sound of God. However, I lacked humility and harshly judged others.

In that life, I had boasted, “I’d rather die the most awful death than offend God!” That bold claim set a karmic lesson into motion—my reincarnation as the Aztec priest was a test where I had to choose: sacrifice others or die an awful death myself. In turn, Jay Fosdick’s life was sacrificed, thus completing the karmic cycle.

The Gift of My Spiritual Guide

Throughout this journey, I was guided inwardly by the Mᴀʜᴀɴᴛᴀ—an inner spiritual teacher who offers personalized instruction through dreams, insights, subtle nudges, and more.

He didn’t walk the path for me, but he pointed the way. He helped me see that karma isn’t punishment—it’s education for Soul, the eternal and unique identity of every person. It is a way to learn responsibility and grow in divine love.

Going Beyond Karma

Some might say my stories are just coincidences. And I get it—this kind of experience is deeply personal. But for me, the connections are undeniable.

A simple yet powerful tool I used in my contemplations was singing HU—an ancient mantra and sacred sound. HU uplifts, purifies, and helps me stay receptive to divine guidance, which is always available. I sing it while driving, walking, or quietly to myself during a busy day. Through this simple practice, I came to understand my past-life experiences. Ultimately, I was able to work off the karma I had accumulated and step into greater freedom and love—reflected in my life today.

These are the gifts the HU, the Mᴀʜᴀɴᴛᴀ, and the ECK teachings offer to all who are sincere in their search for truth.

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Ready to break free from old recurring patterns and fear? Here are the practices that have consistently worked for me. They can work for anyone who is sincere in wanting to know truth.

Exploring Stories of Children Who Remember Past Lives and the Spiritual Lessons They Offer

If you’ve ever heard a young child say something that made you stop in your tracks—a vivid memory of a time or place they’ve never experienced, or a deep connection to a culture or talent that seems far beyond their years—you’re not alone. More and more parents are sharing stories about children who remember past lives.

And for those who are spiritually curious, stories like these aren’t just fascinating—they might even affirm something your heart already suspected: we are more than our bodies, we are Soul—an eternal, creative being.  Unlimited.  Divine.

Why Are Children More Likely to Remember Past Lives?

According to Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ, a spiritual path that explores Soul travel, dreams, and reincarnation, children are often more connected to their spiritual essence—Soul—and have not yet been fully conditioned by the material world. That purity makes it easier for them to access subtle memories from before this life.    

Take Crary and her son Cammann, guests on the Soul Adventure Podcast, who share their deeply personal experiences with this phenomenon.

A Preschooler Talks About Past Lives

Crary’s journey with past life awareness began early. At age four, she told her Sunday School teacher she remembered knowing her best friend from a past life—right down to what she used to look like. Her teacher told her to never speak of it again.

Crary was devastated. Even as a child, she knew the memory was real. That moment led her mother to seek a spiritual path that made space for these experiences—ultimately leading them to Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ.

When Children Remember Things They “Shouldn’t” Know

Years later, Crary’s own son began sharing similar stories. At just three years old, Cammann picked out a football player ornament at Christmas, insisting, “I like football. I’m really good at it.” The odd part? No one in their home watched football. They didn’t even allow screen time. Yet he spoke about the sport with conviction.

Later, he recalled having a “different mother and father” and even remembered riding in the front seat while his now-mother sat in the back—flipping the roles of parent and child. These recollections came with striking detail and no prior exposure.

One particularly chilling moment came when Cammann asked his mom, “What was your grandfather’s name?” When she told him, he responded, “That’s my name.” He had remembered being called that name. Crary’s grandfather had passed long before, but the connections continued to unfold.  This included vivid memories of events like a lightning strike to the grandfather’s house, which Cam had never been told about, but matched exactly with a family story that was later confirmed by Crary’s mother.

Could Your Child Be Remembering a Past Life?

Parents who are open-minded and spiritually curious can look for some of the same signs Crary experienced:

In Cam’s case, he also gravitated toward historical figures — and one day declared he had been one. While on vacation in Savannah, Georgia, he was drawn to a simple grave and insisted they take a picture. It turned out to be the grave of a close friend of that historical figure—a coincidence too aligned to ignore.

How to Respond as a Parent

So, what should you say if your child starts talking about a past life?

According to Crary, the best approach is to listen without judgment. Ask open-ended questions.  You can say, “Oh, tell me more about that.”  Let the child share their story.

These moments are sacred.  They’re windows into Soul’s journey and clues to who your child really is—not just in this life, but in the vast and beautiful story of eternity.

The Spiritual Value of Remembering

Cam’s memories—and his mother’s own past-life dream experiences—weren’t just mystical curiosities. They provided healing and insight into relationships in their current life.

In one powerful example, Crary had a falling out with a childhood friend. Before the friend’s wedding, she asked for spiritual insight and had a dream where she and her friend were married—in another lifetime. It helped her release emotional pain and rebuild a lasting friendship. Past life recall, she discovered, can be a profound tool for compassion and forgiveness.

Using Spiritual Tools Like HU and Dream Work

To support his spiritual journey (and even overcome nightmares), Cam learned to sing HU, a spiritual mantra used in Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ and other traditions. Singing HU before bed became a nightly practice—a way to invite protection and clarity in dreams.

He also created a spiritual exercise that involved traveling (in imagination) to a safe place guarded by ECK Masters, where only love was allowed. That visualization helped him face fears and sleep peacefully.

Even more recently, Cam used another Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ spiritual technique to visit the Causal Plane—a realm of memory and karma—and explore orbs of past-life memories. 

He would sing the word “mana,” visualize the Causal Plane, and visit a space where past memories were stored as orbs.  It’s become one of his favorite spiritual practices.

Children Who Remember Past Lives Are Here to Teach Us

You don’t have to believe in reincarnation to be moved by these stories. But if your child ever says something that makes you pause—a memory that doesn’t seem to fit, or a truth that feels bigger than this life—consider listening with an open heart.

As Cam, now a teen, puts it: “I recognized that I wasn’t just a physical being, that I was Soul.  And I had many past lives, and I’ll have future ones too.”

“I recognized that I wasn’t just a physical being, that I was Soul. 
And I had many past lives, and I’ll have future ones too.”

Resources for Further Exploration

If you are thinking Crary and Cam are the exception to the rule, check out the Washington Post article The children who remember their past lives. 

As host Doug Kunin noted, that article showed several examples of children sharing historical facts far remote from their current life experience. Of the stories shared in the article, Kunin commented:

“Those are the facts. We invite you to come to your own conclusions. This article opens up almost 4,000 comments from people all over. There are skeptics, agnostics, people who have had experiences. But mainly it opened up the door for people to say, ‘I’ve had some unexplained experiences in my life. How could that happen?’ ”   

To answer that question for yourself, check out these Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ resources:

Freedom from Recurring Karmic Patterns Relating to Past Life Experience

Many of us notice certain patterns in our lives—repeating challenges, emotional loops, or relationship dynamics that seem to come full circle again and again. Why does this happen?

Recurring experiences can be viewed through the lens of karma and reincarnation. We live many lives, and the lessons we haven’t yet learned tend to show up again—just in different forms.

A study of past lives can also help heal your pain points today, giving you freedom from old habits, fears, attitudes, even desires, which originate from the past but are limiting you today.

You can move beyond these limits into the most fulfilling life you could ever imagine. We’re going to tell you how.

Common Past Life Patterns People Experience

Many people unknowingly carry spiritual patterns from lifetime to lifetime.  Some recurring patterns are especially painful.  Loneliness is one of them.

Sri Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ explores this topic by responding to the following person’s concerns:

I am beset by a terrible loneliness at times but am at a loss to explain it. I am an isolated person—not that I want to be; it just seems to always work out that way. This has been with family, friends, and mates, as well as jobs and people connected to them. Everything is very short-lived, and it doesn’t seem normal. I do the best I can, but no matter what I do things are always interrupted and ending all the time.

As far back as I can remember, it has always been this way. Whatever is going on I know has to do with some past life I lived.

Response: Most of the karma we make is from this lifetime, although periodically there is a longstanding condition hanging on from another lifetime.

Imagine, if you will, the life of a leper in Palestine shortly before the Christian era. Anyone with a diagnosis of leprosy faced a life of separation from his family and friends. The repeated reactions of horror and disgust by citizens when coming across lepers would be enough to leave a deep scar for centuries.

Anyone who reincarnates into the present life from such an existence ought to look on the positive side. What a blessing to no longer be regarded as a scourge among people because of a disfiguring disease! Just this thought alone ought to make one appreciate a healthier body in this lifetime.

Do the Spiritual Exercises of ECK, and Divine Spirit will work with you.

How to Heal Recurring Patterns in My Life

Transformation can begin when we actively seek healing and guidance. One of the most powerful yet underused tools? Our dreams.

Sri Harold Klemp answers a seeker’s inquiry:

How can one heal oneself in the dream state?

Response: It is possible to get a healing for many conditions, like poor health, emotions, or mental stress. But not always. The study of dreams in ECKANKAR begins with the fact of past lives. All conditions are due to karma, and some will last a lifetime, such as the loss of a limb. A study of dreams can help people learn the spiritual reason their life is as it is, and what they can do to improve their lot.

A way to heal oneself begins with a spiritual exercise. At bedtime, sing the word HU. Softly sing this ancient name for God for five to ten minutes. Also create a mental picture of your problem. See it as a simple cartoon. Beside it, place another image of the condition as you feel it should be.

The second week, if you’ve had no luck seeing a past life, do this dream exercise for fifteen or twenty minutes. Take a rest the third week. Repeat this cycle until you succeed.

Keep a record of your dreams. Make a short note about every dream you recall upon awakening. Also be alert during the day for clues about your problem from other people. The Holy Spirit works through them too.

So be aware and listen.

DOWNLOAD free resources. Explore past lives to better understand your life today!

Further reading: The Washington Post article, The children who remember their past lives. Published May 2, 2024. Written by Caitlin Gibson.