Thoughts on re-incarnation can be baffling. But for me, it seems quite normal and flows quite naturally with my thinking.
I believe I have had past life glimpses in my sleep state, in meditative states and waking state.

It seems everything one needs to know is within one's self.One just has to find the key and unlock the innerself door.

If reincarnation is about learning, then it would seem normal to expect, that one would come with a 'clean sheet' each time and not come with any pre-conceived ideas and agendas from past times. One comes to a different body, a different life, often different culture and different sex, so consciously bringing with you what you amassed in a previous existence, may not help you one jot!

In some instances as in the one I mentioned regarding the artist who believes he is the re-incarnation of Paul Gauguin, there must be a really strong link and pull from the previous life to continue in this life on a similar thread, maybe something to do with unfinished business?