En la reencarnación

Being a Westerner and raised Catholic, it's kind of taboo that I believe in reincarnation. I must also admit this is a sudden belief that I've come to. How I've come to it might be equally as interesting.

Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant.

In Costa Rica I met some interesting yogis. Our discussions dealt more with consciousness than what happens when our soul leaves this body. Simultaneously, I was introduced to "Morgan Freeman's Through the Wormhole". I happened to see an episode (on my laptop since we didn't have TV) on what happens to our consciousness when we die. Rather than presenting an ultimate truth, this TV show merely presented a varying array of conflicting experts ideas. One person, whom agreed with my best friend said that consciousness simply ends when the body shuts down. Others believed that that consciousness is transferred or reincarnated.

As I previously stated, I was raised Roman Catholic so it was very hard for me to give up the thought that I have only one life and that all my efforts or karma from this life will reflect into the afterlife, which I desperately wanted to be heaven. Now, back in the states I have seriously gotten into yoga. But, not just the physical side, but the physical meditative side as well.

A few months ago I met with a physic/medium. I was very excited to met with her- I wanted to know who I would become, if I would get married, have kids, etc., you know, the normal things you expect to hear from a psychic reading. After placing her hands over my body and chakras, she told me some interesting things. She mentioned two of my past lives- one in which I was blind and the other in which I was an acrobat in a King's court.

I took these findings (to me since I do not recall my past lives) lightly. But, this reading inspired me to get more serious about my spiritual knowledge. At the advice of one of my gurus and friend, I read the Bhagavad Gita and Mahabarata. These readings have influenced me on my current reading of Ram Dass's "Paths to God". Interestingly (and maybe not so surprisingly), he mentions that most of the East believes in reincarnation. Also that during the era in which Jesus would have lived the world did believe in reincarnation. It wasn't until 500 or 600 A.D. that reincarnation was debated by the Church and of course it was dismissed. The Church maintains more control if they can threaten you will heaven or hell. That's pretty frightening, but when you look some of the things the Christian Church has done it's not at all shocking or as gruesome as some of the other grotesque things it has done.

Of course, I do not know the ultimate truth. It can be determined I like researching such spiritual topics. I am finding understanding in this concept. Some things cannot be explained. And of course, we don't have many people walking around the earth telling about how things we bad in their past lives. But, it makes sense. Some people innately are good at things or know what they want to do- their dharma. I wish I had it a little easier like these people. But, I do know that we are all sent here for a purpose to fulfill. And chances are, you will be back. That's why I think it's dire to care about this earth we share and the people we share the earth with because when it comes down to it we really are (distant) brothers and sisters. Who knows what side of the earth you were on before or where you will go to next or if you will even return to this planet?

Also, I think back to what the psychic/medium had told me about being blind in a past life. I remember when she first told me about this. A few hours later, I sat alone feeling sorry for myself and cried. How sad that I had lived in this beautiful world and not been able to see anything. Perhaps I was being punished for being a bad person in a life preceding that? Or maybe it was a good thing. From what I am learning taking away the senses like sight can bring us closer to meditation and feeling oneness. I'll probably never know in this incarnation. But, that's probably a good thing too.

According to Buddhist (and some other Eastern) beliefs your karma perpetually affects you and you can go up and down the ladder of hell or into the Enlightened state of the Buddha (or Brahman) for future lives. However, when I consider this I think of the peace of meditation. Perhaps, that blissful state is the peace we are all seeking. True happiness is contentment regardless of attachment to physical things like money or emotional things like status. When you take away all your attachment who are you really? That is where you will find your peace.

One of my favorite quotes of Gita is "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." (Verse 2.12)

De la granja a la mesa

I haven't had to "explain" myself more frequently than I have had to in my good ole hometown of Scranton, PA. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I would confide I've gotten "questioned" (criticized) more here than in Costa Rica. So, allow me to set the record straight and in writing so in the case I get frustrated with you I may just refer you here. This is by no means to change your eating habits, but I would like to open you up to my views.

I started questioning meat as child. I come from a highly carnivorous family red meats like filet mignon, being one of their most favorites. My parents had lived in Germany for some time before I was born so they took back to the United States some German traditions like veal covered in cheese and spaetzel which I still enjoy. I remember asking my mom at about 6 or 7 where veal had come from. And she told me the absolute truth- how it was so tender and what was done to reach that tenderness! From that moment I decided I wasn't going to eat veal anymore. Though in actuality, I probably stopped eating it completely a few years later.

I didn't question chicken or red meat until much later. This is most likely due in part to society. McDonald's, Wendy's, Kid Cuisine, Chick-Fil-A, etc. are/were all part of main stream America's eating pattern and until you eat differently you don't realize all the harm it's causing your body. I stopped eating red meat at some point in college and chicken my senior year of college. It was a gradual process- when I stopped eating veal I questioned red meat, when I stopped eating red meat I questioned and stopped eating chicken. Now, I am on the verge of ceasing to consume fish. For the same reasons as not eating meat anymore fish is starting to "creep me out".

Of course you may be able to conclude from my views that I have read the popular books from Michael Pollack, "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma". What I have gathered from these books doesn't necessarily agree with my view on vegetarianism. I would suggest if you are curious enough to ask me why I am a vegetarian, please read these books. In short, they suggest that the mass production of food (particularly the way Americans consume) is detrimental to both Americans and the animals which we consume- every 20/20 special and any research concludes this. These books also indicate that people must eat actual food- not powdered, instant, microwavable, canned, packaged, astronaut ice cream garbage. This also applies to vegetarians and vegans some tofurkey, tofu dogs, etc. (fake meats in many forms) have just as many silly illegible ingredients as jello. Sometimes I get "You don't know what you're missing" from a carnivore. I'd like to just say "Do you know what you're ingesting? If you only knew what you were getting". Thank the stars I'm missing animal carcasses, hormones, by-products, etc. from my diet!!

Again, think what you will. What works for me is being a vegetarian. I like to eat what I consider to be "real" food that has the least amount of animals products as possible. I like to be able to read the label and ingredients and understand what they are, firstly. I also think its important that the food is good for my body. Yes, I definitely eat unhealthy from time to time but not without "guilty conscious". Did you ever notice post-binge eating greasy or unhealthy foods you go into a "food coma" with stomach pain? That's the affect of unhealthy food on your body, which may or may not include meat.

Your eating habits are your lifestyle. They are very important to who you are whether you think so or not. I've been on the vegetarian train for a while now. And sometimes I think I should go vegan. From what I understand vegans do it more for animal rights than anything else which I get. As a spiritual person, I can go a little more extreme with this and think- OK, so if we can't eat any animal products why should we eat plants- they are still living things too!? I am vegetarian because I am OK with eating animal products like milk, but I am not cool with eating their bodies. I am sure if I found out more information about how these mass produced products got to my fridge I would reconsider. But, right now I do not know. I have a half-gallon of vanilla bean ice cream I am looking forward to eating.

Again, these are solely my thoughts which I may have needed to be expanded upon for quite some time now. I do not agree nor disagree with what you choose to consume. I believe these are all lifestyle choices and no one has the right to tell someone how they should live. I am simply expressing my view. I think that is integral to learning about yourself and the world. I'd like to add, I like who I am and am still able to eat out and normally! I hope you think about others, animals, the world and future generations. We need to remember that we are leaving this world one day and the future of the earth and all it's inhabitants- animals and people, depends on what we do now.