Signs of Reincarnation: Exploring Beliefs, Cases, and Theory

by James G Matlock

Furthermore, reincarnation cases underline that mainstream concepts about memory functioning are incomplete. Because memories of a past life can resurface in another individual at a later time and at a different location, they provide robust evidence supporting the notion that memories are not stored in the brain. Accordingly, Matlock suggests that memories are preserved in a typically subconscious non-physical information-bearing matrix. And, as he shows, there is considerable evidence from other areas of consciousness research that buttresses this notion, such as near-death experiences (e.g., Holden, 2009; Rivas, Dirven & Smit, 2016), terminal lucidity and other death-related phenomena (Nahm, 2011a, 2012; Nahm et al., 2012), and discrepancies between cerebral structures and cognitive functioning (Nahm, Rousseau, & Greyson, 2017). There are also philosophical considerations (e.g., Braude, 2006). Perhaps some remarkable faculties of certain savants can also be better understood in this context. For example, Kim Peek had memorized more than twelve thousand books verbatim by the end of his life—although he read each page only once within eight to ten seconds, and had a severely malformed brain