The book Return to Life explores the fascinating, but controversial, topic of reincarnation. Although the phenomena is reportedly experienced by people of all ages, Dr. Jim Tucker’s book focuses on children between the ages of 2 and 6.
Throughout his career with the University of Virginia’s Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences department, Jim Tucker, M.D. amassed a collection of more than 2,500 reports of children who believe they were reincarnated.
Tucker’s collection includes the work of the late Ian Stevenson. As reported by Today , Stevenson spent more than 50 years researching children’s claims of reincarnation.
While organizing Stevenson’s files, Tucker noted several unexpected patterns.
Interestingly, a majority of the children interviewed were boys — who claim they died or were killed unexpectedly. Tucker said most of the children remember living ordinary lives. However, some of their stories are truly remarkable.
In Return to Life , Tucker shares the story of a boy named Ryan, who detailed a past life as a Hollywood producer. Ryan began discussing his past life at the age of 4.
The boy’s mother, Cyndi, said she thought her son was simply imagining a former life. However, as he provided several minute details, Cyndi eventually decided to research the child’s claims.
‘Return To Life’: How some children have memories of reincarnation #jakewhitman #jimtucker http://t.co/6CGRjes3A3
— 247. Be Curious. (@247now) March 16, 2015
Ryan insisted that he lived in Hollywood in the mid 1900s. He said he lived on a street that sounded like “rock.” He also claimed he worked with several Hollywood legends, including Mae West.
The boy detailed memories of traveling to Paris, dancing on Broadway, fathering two children, and dying at the age of 61. Cyndi decided to buy a book about classic movies and Hollywood legends. While scanning the book, Ryan pointed to a photo of an unidentified man. He identified the man as himself — in a previous life.
One child’s amazing reincarnation story: http://t.co/1AFM0A44li pic.twitter.com/eppANb1jDv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 16, 2015
Although the man was listed as a movie extra in the photo, Cyndi later learned that the man was named Marty Martyn.
In addition to working as a movie extra, Martyn was a Hollywood producer who indeed danced on Broadway and traveled to Paris. Cyndi also discovered that Martyn lived on North Roxbury Lane.
Tucker said he confirmed a total of 55 details, which Ryan Inexplicably knew about Martyn’s professional and personal life.
The reincarnation stories in Return to Life are not uncommon. However, the subject is the point of heated controversy.
As reported by Discovery , reincarnation stories are often compounded by “a series of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and faulty investigation.” This is especially true with young children, who are susceptible to suggestion.
It is impossible to prove whether Ryan and the other children featured in Return to Life were reincarnated. Although modern science rejects the possibility, Jim Tucker, M.D.’s has presented compelling evidence to the contrary.
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