Going back...

I like to think I am open-minded when it comes to things out-of-the-ordinary, but there is something about past life regression that scares me.

Part of me believes that what you see are images you have stored from past TV programmes; I mean, we all know how creative our subconscious can be.

Another part of me is intrigued - do you ever get that feeling that you are an old soul and have been there before?

And so I decided to give it a try. I had all the usual fears like discovering I was Jack the Ripper or someone of a similar nasty disposition, and I was concerned my brain would play tricks on me and that I wouldn't be the same afterwards.

For this reason alone it was essential I found someone I could completely trust. That person was Joanne Blah, a professionally trained hypnotherapist who has countless recognised qualifications in hypnotherapy.

For me, Joanne provided everything I needed; she is logical, she uses hypnotherapy as part of a healing process for people who are suffering from everything from IBS to cancer patients and HIV sufferers, and she isn't OTT.

As I sat in the chair in her office at The Aesculus Clinic in Poole, I wondered whether I was doing the right thing by messing with the unknown, but Joanne was extremely reassuring.

"Hypnosis works on 90 per cent of patients and has been medically approved since the 1950s. If you have what we call an abreaction , where you see something that is distressing you, then we get you out of that situation as quickly as possible and make you feel safe.

"We can recognise an abreaction just by the flutter of the eyelid. Many people who have had past life regression are either utterly convinced, or they remain sceptical. It's a very individual thing.

"One man who was a racist went back and discovered he was black, then there are children who have been regressed and have come out with words that would never usually enter their vocabulary. Personally I have no fixed views. My job demands that I need things to be proven to me scientifically, but past life regression is definitely a bit of fun."

Joanne has taken part in regression just the once and she is reluctant to talk about it: "Let's just say I saw something and fell out of my chair. It was just a flash but it has made me think. Many people like to keep their experiences to themselves, others love sharing. The great thing about hypnosis is that you are always aware of what you are doing and you should never be led by the hypnotist."

And so my time had come. As I lay back on the big leather chair I closed my eyes and listened to Joanne as she began the relaxation technique.

Her voice was soft, gentle and easy to tune in to. The next minute I was envisaging myself floating on a cloud above the land.

Then it was time to walk down the imaginary steps toward the land and float deeper into hypnosis. This part wasn't all that difficult for me as I have a very vivid imagination! Each step I took I felt my whole body become heavier.

Now Joanne told me my body was becoming numb, then she asked me if I could feel anything on my hand. All I felt was a soft touch. Joanne asked me to open my eyes and look. I was shocked to see she had the skin on my hand clasped firmly between her fingernails. In fact she held it so tight it left a mark, but at the time all I felt was a vague sensation of someone touching my skin. This was proof of the wonders of hypnosis.

The moment had come for me to go back in time. First we flitted back through my twenties, then my teens and finally to when I was very young. Then I was faced with a big red door and Joanne asked me if I was comfortable to open it.

I had no qualms, although I couldn't help giggling at how easy I was able to conjure up all these images.

Then it was time to open the first door into what is believed to be a previous life.

At first I saw nothing. It was pitch black. But as Joanne asked me to become aware of myself and look down at my feet I started laughing because they were so small. They looked like child's feet in small patent leather shoes. In fact I felt about nine years old and I was wearing thick grey tights and a green tunic. I was standing on the landing of a massive house and I could see the dining room downstairs, and out of large windows to the front of the house I could see fields with a few properties in the distance.

Joanne asked me what year I thought it was and I replied 1920s. I told her I had four brothers and sisters, that I had a mother and father, but that they weren't there and instead an older nanny who I loved very much looked after me. I was also convinced I wasn't in England.

I was aware of what I was saying and part of me was thinking how on earth could I make this up. Another part just let the tales that were coming to me spill out in a dreamlike form.

I also had the strangest sensation that I didn't live long but that I felt very happy.

Then it was time to go back again and see if I could open any other doors to past lives.

This time as soon as I opened the door and looked down I saw big army boots. I was wearing green/brown army style trousers and I had my shirt on with something wrapped around my waist, and I was a MAN!

Joanne asked me to look at my hands and guess my age, I figured about mid-30s and said I had no existing family, but lots of friends. I had the feeling I was in Belgium (although I have never been there).

I was definite about the year being 1912 and I was slightly uncomfortable with this character and didn't feel like giving too much away. It all felt very alien. I knew I hadn't been to war and wasn't expecting to go either. The sun was shining and I was stood at the end of a long narrow cobbled-style street. Joanne asked me how happy I felt out of 10 and I said 6 or 7. I didn't really want to stick around so Joanne took me back to another door and asked me to open it.

This time I looked down and couldn't see any feet. In fact all I saw was a long green bell-shaped dress, and as I looked at my hands I realised I was in my late teens/early twenties.

Joanne asked me if there was a mirror, and if so to take a look at myself. As I looked in the mirror I saw that my hair was blonde and in ringlets and I had ribbons attached to it. I said I was single but that there was a love interest.

I said I had a mother and father who I could see in the drawing room and a brother I was fond of. When Joanne asked me if I worked, I said no, she then asked what I did with myself all day I laughed haughtily and said that I looked after the house and tended to the horses.

The strangest thing was that I was back in the house I had seen in the first instance. However this time it had no houses surrounding it and I believed it was the 1820s and again that I was not in this country, perhaps mid or South America.

Joanne asked me if I would like to go back further and I said no. I felt I'd had enough.

Then it was time to bring me back. The strangest thing is that when I opened my eyes I was dumbfounded that I had come out with these tales. I would have thought if anything I would have said I was at least a princess!

After having past life regression part of me thought, and still thinks I made it all up, but another part was intrigued to find out more and so I hit the history books to see whether any of these facts added up.

Strangely enough I found out that patent shoes were highly fashionable in the 1920s, that during 1912 there was a strong documented military presence in Belgium.

The uniform I envisaged was exactly the same as those in the record books and also that during the 1800s dresses became bell-shaped with ribbons, bows and sashes becoming popular.

The weirdest part is that none of these facts were known to me before - that I was aware of.

So, do I believe in past life regression now? I am none the wiser. I still do not know if it is just the imagination playing tricks, or whether there is something in this.

If you'd ask me if having past life regression has affected me, I would have to say yes, in a way.

I have a sudden interest in history and if it does turn out to be true when I eventually go I wonder if I could come back next time as a racing driver!

To find out more about past life regression and hypnosis contact Joanne on 01202 660044.

Joanne also runs group hypnosis at Body Positive for people suffering from HIV and Aids. The group is looking for therapists who are willing to volunteer in helping those at Body Positive. For more information visit website.hiv-aids.org