If people have lived previous lives, wouldn't they remember them?

When a child is in its your mother's womb, or is a one-year-old, it is not in a fit state to remember anything long term - so whether we like it or not, it actually makes sense that most adults can't remember anything from before a very young age, let alone from before this life.

Having said that, there have always been some people who have claimed to remember past lives. Many are children, who may lose such memories before they reach adulthood, while others get spontaneous glimpses into their past because a specific event triggers the memory. Such memories are as mysterious as any other unexplained (or psychic) abilities. Unfortunately such people often keep these memories to themselves - for fear of ridicule. If people are open to the idea, and approach the subject with people in an appropriate way, it can be surprising how many people you do meet who have experienced some kind of past life memory. There are also plenty of books on the subject and some very compelling cases indeed.

Regression therapy is yet another tool to delve into the deepest recesses of our memories and many sceptical hypnotherapists have conceded in the face of mounting evidence.

Why do so many people into reincarnation seem to remember being someone famous?

If there's only a fixed number of souls, how has the world population increased?

This is often heard from people who don't believe in reincarnation. First, if people don't believe in reincarnation, why would they believe in a limited number of souls? And one has to ask such people why they really expect that there is a limit to life within in the universe. However having said that, it is interesting to note that as man's population has increased, the animal kingdom has gradually been decimated - and that is where some mystics say human souls gradually evolve upwards from. (Note the most plentiful forms of life on the planet are insects, and think of the amount of forest humankind has destroyed since the dawn of civilisation.) Also of note, highly advanced Yogis state that life exists on many other places in the unlimited expanse of the universe, in which case the planet Earth would be only one of many places for souls to inhabit.

So after we die, there's no eternal heaven?

Why not? Modern mystics describe a very pleasant area of the spirit (or "astral") realms where souls can seemingly relax for as long as they like. And supposedly some people stay there for hundreds of years. However for most of us, we easily become bored if we're not doing new things and accepting new challenges, so presumably that may be the impetus for a lot of us to soon move on and then the cycle starts over again.

Isn't reincarnation heresy if you're a Christian?

Won't I have to stop being a Christian if I believe in reincarnation?

Not at all. Religion is a personal thing and so is belief. No two theologians ever have exactly the same views on everything! Jesus didn't preach against reincarnation - in fact many believe that some of his statements actively endorsed the concept, especially when he said that John the Baptist was in fact Elijah.

Isn't it the devil's doctrine?

Well, for people who believe the devil exists, what would the devil conceivably have to gain from people believing in reincarnation? It doesn't give people a reason to run amok, or to stop being nice to each other. In fact, if people accept the concept of karma which is inextricably linked with reincarnation in most philosophies and religions, there is a definite incentive to do as many good deeds - and as little harm - as possible.

Conversely, reincarnation is taught by the majority of the most holy and ancient religions in the world - which also espouse the same peaceful values and virtues as does, say, Christianity.

How many people believe in reincarnation?