Return from Heaven

True stories that testify to the reality of reincarnation within the same family.

For the first time anywhere, Carol Bowman, author of Children’s Past Lives, in her newest book, Return from Heaven, reveals how common it is for relatives to reincarnate into the same family—grandfathers return as their own great-grandsons, uncles return as their own nieces, mothers switch places with their daughters, and children who died tragically young sometimes return to the same mother. This amazing discovery offers hope for anyone who longs to be reunited with a deceased relative or loved one. And it shows that reincarnation can be practical—and very personal. Return from Heaven is not a religious or theoretical book. It is empirical, based on direct observation of very young children—some as young as two and still in diapers. Its many true stories follow typical American families as they are convinced by their toddlers’ statements and behaviors that the child is remembering the past life of a departed relative. Readers are witness to the parents’ struggles to reconcile what they see coming from their own child with their prior belief that "reincarnation isn’t possible." They share what it feels like—the personal dilemmas and utter joy—to have a close relationship with two incarnations of the same soul. Carol Bowman began collecting cases in 1988 not as a researcher, but as a mother trying to understand the past life memories of her own two children. She shared her discoveries inChildren’s Past Lives, the first book to explain in practical terms how to recognize and respond to a child’s past life memories. Then, in the hundreds of cases that came to her since its publication, Bowman noticed a high percentage in which the child had unmistakable memories of a recently-deceased relative. Return from Heaven presents the best of these family return cases, focusing on the profound emotions and realizations they stir in the parents and families. These true stories hold powerful lessons for everyone, not just parents. Some give fresh insight into metaphysical questions, such as how we choose our parents. Others cast a new light on miscarriage and abortion. Common to all is the lesson that death is not the end of life, and that relationships continue despite death. Return From Heaven will enlighten and uplift readers with a very personal and fresh look at reincarnation, and with promise of reunion with beloved relatives.

Table of Contents

1: Family Return

A general explanation of family return (same-family reincarnation) is illustrated with two cases. Chapter One also gives and a brief review of the base phenomenon of children’s past life memories.

2: A Child is Reborn

A single extraordinary case, full of physical proof, of a child who dies at the age of two and is reborn to the same mother.

3: Reincarnation and Biology

An introduction to the work of Dr. Stevenson, the researcher who has amassed 2600 cases of children’s past life memories as empirical evidence for reincarnation. Dr. Stevenson’s work provides the foundation of proof for all the other cases.

4. Chicago, USA

A memoir of Carol's visit to Chicago in January, 2000 with Dr. Ian Stevenson. Together they investigate the case described in Chapter 2, and another case that doesn't pan out.

5: Mother Switching

Four cases in which a mother dies and is reborn to her own daughter, demonstrating how emotional and relationship issues can carry over from life to life.

6: Choosing A Life

Cases and research show how souls exercise purpose and intent to choose their parents. This chapter includes a tour of the interlife state based on recent research and the words of children who remember.

7: U-turn in the Womb

A new look at stillbirth, miscarriage, and abortion from the point of view of the incoming soul. Cases show that thwarted souls try again later.

8: Announcing Dreams

Babies communicate with their new family before being born, even before conception. Announcing dreams, in which a deceased relative appears, are a common feature of family return.

9: A Second Chance

A major case highlights one of the most important benefits of family return: the surviving family member sometimes gets a second chance to correct a flawed relationship and love again.

10: Soul Weaving

The final chapter looks at the spiritual questions implicit in family return cases from parents who experienced their own spiritual transformations after they were convinced their own child was a reincarnated family member.