Dr. Edward Poole

Quick Facts

• Bold first mention: Dr. Edward Poole — a kindly pediatrician and trusted colleague who becomes the catalyst of the narrative by referring Catherine to Dr. Brian L. Weiss
• Role: Present-day friend and confidant; recurring soul figure across lifetimes
• First appearance: Chapter 1 (as the referring physician)
• Key past-life roles: Catherine’s loving father Perseus (1536 B.C.) and, in a later life, an abusive alcoholic father named Edward
• Final appearance: Chapter 11, as a protective spirit
• Thematic significance: Embodies Karma and Interconnected Souls

Who They Are

Dr. Poole is the story’s quiet instigator and its proof of spiritual design. In the present day, he is a compassionate pediatrician whose “instant rapport” with Catherine leads him to insist she see Dr. Weiss—an intuition that unlocks the book’s central discoveries. As Catherine’s regressions unfold, he reappears as a father in multiple lifetimes, recasting him from a helpful colleague into a central node in a long-running soul pattern. Notably, he is never physically described in the present; his character is defined by action, care, and connection rather than appearance.

Personality & Traits

Though his on-page time is brief, Poole’s choices are decisive. His goodness is practical—he listens, believes Catherine, and acts. Yet it’s his intuition that stands out: an unreasoned certainty that only Dr. Weiss could help, which hints at subconscious knowledge of their shared past.

• Kindly and caring: He becomes Catherine’s confidant, creating safety for her to “talk freely” about fears and loss of control, the precondition for healing.
• Intuitive: He “insisted” Catherine see Dr. Weiss specifically, without a rational explanation—an early narrative marker of deeper soul connections.
• Insistent and proactive: He overcomes Catherine’s reluctance by turning suggestion into action, catalyzing the plot.
• Trustworthy: Both Catherine and Dr. Weiss rely on his judgment; his credibility bridges Catherine’s private suffering and clinical intervention.

Character Journey

In the present, Poole is a static, benevolent figure; what evolves is the reader’s understanding of him. He begins as a colleague who makes a referral. Through Catherine’s regressions, he emerges first as Perseus, her loving father in 1536 B.C., then as another lifetime’s father, damaged and abusive—two contrasting roles within the same soul bond. Finally, after his death, he appears as a spirit of white light watching over Catherine in Chapter 11. This progression reframes Poole from plot device to spiritual evidence: a living illustration that souls return together in varying forms to learn, repair, and protect.

Key Relationships

• Catherine: Their “instant rapport” explains why she confides in him when her life feels unmanageable. In past lives, he is both her nurturing father (Perseus) and a painful teacher (an alcoholic parent), revealing how a single soul-connection can manifest as comfort in one era and challenge in another—all oriented toward learning and balance.
• Dr. Brian L. Weiss: Professionally, Poole trusts Weiss enough to insist Catherine see him alone, lending Weiss moral authority at the outset. Spiritually, Catherine’s recollections suggest Poole (as Perseus) once knew Weiss (then Diogenes), implying a longstanding, cross-lifetime network that draws the three together when the work requires it.

Defining Moments

Poole’s defining acts are few but pivotal; each moment shifts the narrative’s trajectory or deepens its metaphysical stakes.

• The Referral (Chapter 1): By insisting Catherine see Dr. Weiss “and only” him, Poole initiates the entire chain of regressions and revelations. Why it matters: The plot’s inciting decision that also signals hidden soul knowledge.
• First Past-Life Appearance (Chapter 2): Catherine recognizes her father as “Edward…the pediatrician,” naming him Perseus in 1536 B.C. Why it matters: First confirmation that present-life figures recur in earlier incarnations, expanding the story’s frame.
• Second Past-Life Appearance (Chapter 3): Poole reappears as her abusive father in a later life. Why it matters: Complicates spiritual kinship; soul bonds are not only comforting—they can also be crucibles for growth.
• Appearance as a Spirit (Chapter 11): After his present-life death, he manifests to Catherine as white light, “just to be sure I’m all right.” Why it matters: Converts the idea of soul continuity from theory to lived experience within the narrative.

Essential Quotes

After her recovery in the hospital, she sought out Dr. Edward Poole. Ed was a kindly pediatrician whom Catherine had met while working in the hospital. They had both felt an instant rapport and had developed a close friendship. Catherine talked freely to Ed, telling him of her fears, her relationship with Stuart, and that she felt she was losing control over her life. He insisted that she make an appointment with me and only me, not with any of my associate psychiatrists.

Analysis: This passage establishes Poole’s character in one sweep—trustworthy, compassionate, and unusually decisive. The “only me” insistence reads as ethical risk, but spiritually it signals preexisting bonds guiding him toward the right healer.

"My father is there. . . . He's hugging me. It's . . . it's Edward [the pediatrician who insisted she see me]. He's my father. We live in a valley with trees. There are olive and fig trees in the yard. . . . It is 1536 b.c. The land is barren. My father's name is Perseus."

Analysis: The identification fuses present and past in a single moment. By naming both the intimate gesture (“hugging”) and the historical context (1536 B.C.), the scene reframes Poole as evidence for recurring soul roles, not coincidence.

"I'm older now, with a brother and two sisters. I see the dinner table. . . . My father is there . . . he's Edward [the pediatrician, back for an encore performance as her father], My mother and father are fighting again. . . . He's always drinking. ... He hits my mother. . . . He's not like he was before, not the same person. I don't like him."

Analysis: The painful contrast to Perseus complicates any sentimental reading of soul groups. The same soul appears here as a source of harm, suggesting that karmic ties can manifest as difficult lessons aimed at transformation rather than comfort.

"A spirit ... is looking."
"At you?"
"Yes."
"Do you recognize the spirit?"
"I'm not sure ... I think it might be Edward."
"What did the spirit look like?"
"Just a ... just white . . . like lights. He had no face, not like we know it, but I know it's he. . . . He just wanted to be sure I'm all right."

Analysis: The faceless “white” presence strips identity down to essence—care and vigilance—while confirming continuity beyond death. Poole’s final role is guardian, closing his arc as protector across lifetimes.