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)
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)
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