The Bridey Murphy Case

By Crusader1307

While Reincarnation can, it is said – take many forms, one Case from 1950s America created a fervor in The Media. So much so, that it resulted in a Best-Selling Book and later a Movie. It is the Case of Virgina Tighe, an unassuming Housewife from Wisconsin (US). A friend of Mrs. Tighe stated She knew of a Hypnotist/Magician of local note, who – included in His Act, was a segment on what He called Hypno-Regression. With Mentalism a popular ‘’gag’’ on Television in in Night Clubs, the bit required placing a Subject into deep ‘’waking sleep’’, and regressing Their memories back to early Childhood. Hence, a grown, 200-lbs Man could be made to ‘’talk and coo’’ like a small baby. Mrs. Tighe tried a ‘’session’’ and She too was regressed back to a small Child. But (for a lark), The Hypnotist decided to go back further. No expecting any response, He was shocked when Mrs. Tighe began to converse in a full Irish Accent quite lucidly. According to this ‘’personality’’, She was ‘’Bridey Murphy’’ – born in Ireland in 1809. Married to a Lawyer, She began to ‘’paint’’ (with great detail), Life in Ireland at that time. Bridey was well aware that She had died (by accident), and fully remembered Her Funeral and even Her Tombstone.

Mrs. Tighe was of Northwest European Decent, with no known Irish Descendants. She was not a particularly avid Reader, so these ‘’memories’’ were not from something She had read. When revived, Mrs. Tighe had no knowledge of what She had ‘’said’’ as ‘’Bridey’’. Later Regressions revealed that Bridey stated that She was a ‘’Spirit’’ who was again reborn in 1859 (after Her death) – but could recount little of that ‘’Life’’. National Media response was ‘’electric’’ and the poor Mrs. Tighe became an unwanted Celebrity.  But Skeptics were quick to point out that, that no records of a ‘’Bridey Murphy’’ – let alone gravesite, could be found. Claiming the whole affair a hoax, in time The “”Bridey Craze’’ went away, and Mrs. Tighe resumed Her unassuming Life. She passed away in 1994.

But Hypno-Regression became a tool often turned to by Psychologists on a regular basis. Further, others would claim similar experiences about ‘’People’’ who claimed to be reincarnated in a ‘’spiritual form’’. Further, Bridey’s details regarding locations along The Coast of Ireland was too perfect, even those locations no longer in existence (but having been when and where Bridey stated). Food For Thought……