I arrive at this discussion couple years late. To answer your questions, there are various techniques hidden in the Indian Tantras, Agamas, etc., for recovering past life memories, or mastery of 'purvanivasanusmrti'. The Kularnava Tantra is one of many: http://www.holybooks.com/kularnava-tantra/
Past lives always influence everyone; about the only difference between the jatismara and the ordinary person is that the latter has no idea why he is terrified of heights, hates dogs, falls in love with someone at first sight, and so on. Unlike the other guy, I only remember so far back as to my death, but my memory of all things from the moment of my death until now is mostly complete.
