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Reincarnation anyone?

Something else you might be interested in checking out:
"Many Lives, Many Masters" by Dr. Brian Weiss - Book Review

I picked this book up a few years ago just out of curiosity. Reincarnation was a subject that I had visited briefly when I was quite young (early 20's), but never really found any reason to think there was anything to it. I have read many religious texts over my lifetime. Some of them the standard dogmatic stuff, and some pretty far-out and rarely known books as well. It's an interesting subject, and could explain some odd life events, strange attractions, and cases of genius in some individuals. After a few years, I pretty much put down my religious interests for the most part, but when I read Weiss' book, I must admit it gave me pause to pay attention. Since he's a man of science, and prone to skepticism, I am more likely to put stock in what he says.
 
I am no expert, first off. BUT...I believe (think, opine) that the things that catch your interest in this life is what affected you in some manner in a previous life. Some people are fascinated by early egypt...some the roaring twenties....some collect certain objects, like urns or vases or glassware or jewelry, some go into a career field because "it's what they always wanted to do"....etc etc etc. I think all these "interests" are for a reason. Even the negative ones.
I also think that very young children are more "open" to experience things adults cannot experience because by the time a human being reaches a certain age, the brain is "closed". The interest may still be there, but the inner knowledge of prior experiences is now like a closed off room. Still there, but locked because the brain knows it cannot handle all that info without causing damage to the host with the memories.

That probably didn't make sense, but maybe it did in a warped sort of way.
 
MaggieD said:
I'd love to believe in reincarnation. In my more fanciful moods, I like to think that this plane of existence is a theme park -- and we choose the ride we want to experience. Then we hear, "Game Over. Want to Replay?"
Click to expand...

I think of it more along the lines of a reform school. ;)
 
Has the previous thread been switched now to this one? I posted a link there that I think is useful. Here it is again:

"There is physical evidence of reincarnation 83" (There is Physical Evidence of Reincarnation). This site is very short, notes kinds of evidence used in looking at cases, and has an ad for books by Ian Stevenson. Wikipedia has a page on Ian Stevenson, his life, his giving up his medical/psychiatric practice to study this phenomenon, and his works and critical responses.
 
choiceone said:
Has the previous thread been switched now to this one? I posted a link there that I think is useful. Here it is again:

"There is physical evidence of reincarnation 83" (There is Physical Evidence of Reincarnation). This site is very short, notes kinds of evidence used in looking at cases, and has an ad for books by Ian Stevenson. Wikipedia has a page on Ian Stevenson, his life, his giving up his medical/psychiatric practice to study this phenomenon, and his works and critical responses.
Click to expand...

They should probably be merged.:)
THanks for the link.:)
 
choiceone said:
Has the previous thread been switched now to this one? I posted a link there that I think is useful. Here it is again:

"There is physical evidence of reincarnation 83" (There is Physical Evidence of Reincarnation). This site is very short, notes kinds of evidence used in looking at cases, and has an ad for books by Ian Stevenson. Wikipedia has a page on Ian Stevenson, his life, his giving up his medical/psychiatric practice to study this phenomenon, and his works and critical responses.
Click to expand...


Oops. Sorry. Maybe a mod can merge them?
 
I have an all encompassing theory of religion. While I am Catholic and firmly believe in the tenets I also believe that religion is a test upon humans with no wrong answer, too many things tend to line up for any one belief to be correct. Even though reincarnation is more of a Buddhist and Hindu belief I think that there may be something to it for other religions, afterall Jesus himself resurrected. Here is where I stand, I think when a soul is dissatisfied with the life it lived it makes a choice, try it's hand on the higher/lower plane(be it heaven, paradise, or any other plane man can comprehend or hell dependent on judgement), the two choices being to remain on the finite plane we exist in(ghosts, specters, etc.) or try to find a balance towards doing good in reincarnation. Interestingly enough, when one reads the ghost stories of Japan one can find spiritual choices, that is they remain until they unburden themselves of that which binds them(Catholics tend to believe in "binding" bad spirits away) and it just becomes a topic of interest that there is always some way to find commonality if you look hard enough.
 
Why is nobody ever the reincarnation of an average Joe from a mundane life?
 
Sarcogito said:
Why is nobody ever the reincarnation of an average Joe from a mundane life?
Click to expand...
Interesting question. Obviously the supernatural will have "hustlers" and they do not make a living telling people they were a ditch digger or a railroad worker, however if you tell someone they were a prince/princess or other aristocrat from another life....well....that sells.
 
LaMidRighter said:
I have an all encompassing theory of religion. While I am Catholic and firmly believe in the tenets I also believe that religion is a test upon humans with no wrong answer, too many things tend to line up for any one belief to be correct. Even though reincarnation is more of a Buddhist and Hindu belief I think that there may be something to it for other religions, afterall Jesus himself resurrected. Here is where I stand, I think when a soul is dissatisfied with the life it lived it makes a choice, try it's hand on the higher/lower plane(be it heaven, paradise, or any other plane man can comprehend or hell dependent on judgement), the two choices being to remain on the finite plane we exist in(ghosts, specters, etc.) or try to find a balance towards doing good in reincarnation. Interestingly enough, when one reads the ghost stories of Japan one can find spiritual choices, that is they remain until they unburden themselves of that which binds them(Catholics tend to believe in "binding" bad spirits away) and it just becomes a topic of interest that there is always some way to find commonality if you look hard enough.
Click to expand...

Actually, there is a history of exploration of the concept of reincarnation in Catholicism. This may be because the Pythagoreans were credited with belief in it. Both Thommaso Campanella and Giovanni Batista Vico wrote of it.

In both Buddhism and Hinduism, it is not considered good - the idea is to transcend it.

My Burmese Buddhist friend (he left Burma before it became Myanmar) said that in Burma, Buddhist monks thought that Jesus Christ had attained a great enlightenment. The Resurrection seems not to be outside of the Buddhist possible, and both stories and more recent reports of spiritual healings are not hard to find in that context. Walking on water is one of the Buddhist siddhis, and flying (rising into the air) is another.
 
LaMidRighter said:
Interesting question. Obviously the supernatural will have "hustlers" and they do not make a living telling people they were a ditch digger or a railroad worker, however if you tell someone they were a prince/princess or other aristocrat from another life....well....that sells.
Click to expand...

I dunno about that. I was told I was a gunslinger that died peacefully in NY around the beginning of the century. Um.Ok.
 
choiceone said:
Actually, there is a history of exploration of the concept of reincarnation in Catholicism. This may be because the Pythagoreans were credited with belief in it. Both Thommaso Campanella and Giovanni Batista Vico wrote of it.

In both Buddhism and Hinduism, it is not considered good - the idea is to transcend it.

My Burmese Buddhist friend (he left Burma before it became Myanmar) said that in Burma, Buddhist monks thought that Jesus Christ had attained a great enlightenment. The Resurrection seems not to be outside of the Buddhist possible, and both stories and more recent reports of spiritual healings are not hard to find in that context. Walking on water is one of the Buddhist siddhis, and flying (rising into the air) is another.
Click to expand...
Taoism has no problem with the idea with reincarnation.but the quest for physical immortality is of somewhat importance.
 
Reincarnation?

No thanks. One life is crappy enough.
 
choiceone said:
Actually, there is a history of exploration of the concept of reincarnation in Catholicism. This may be because the Pythagoreans were credited with belief in it. Both Thommaso Campanella and Giovanni Batista Vico wrote of it.
Click to expand...
Interesting information. I had never heard of it before, but I guess the church maybe decided to break away from that line and I will have to check into their writings. Very interesting in deed, thank you.

In both Buddhism and Hinduism, it is not considered good - the idea is to transcend it.
Click to expand...
True, the soul must find enlightenment in order to attain Nirvana under those beliefs and it is possible to both reincarnate up and down.

My Burmese Buddhist friend (he left Burma before it became Myanmar) said that in Burma, Buddhist monks thought that Jesus Christ had attained a great enlightenment. The Resurrection seems not to be outside of the Buddhist possible, and both stories and more recent reports of spiritual healings are not hard to find in that context. Walking on water is one of the Buddhist siddhis, and flying (rising into the air) is another.
Click to expand...
I like their take on it greatly. I'm always interested in learning.
 
Enola said:
I dunno about that. I was told I was a gunslinger that died peacefully in NY around the beginning of the century. Um.Ok.
Click to expand...
Well, you do have a lot of spirit.
 
Sarcogito said:
Why is nobody ever the reincarnation of an average Joe from a mundane life?
Click to expand...

Actually, the answer I got was

I don't know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern North Europe around the year 1250. Your profession was that of a shepherd, horseman or forester.
Click to expand...

Past Life Analysis

So basically I was an average Joe. Or an average Josephine, it would seem.
 
Sarcogito said:
Why is nobody ever the reincarnation of an average Joe from a mundane life?
Click to expand...

But lots of people apparently are. That's why the Ian Stevenson research is interesting - the kids do not remember being anyone they could have learned about, just ordinary people in some other village, etc.
 
LaMidRighter said:
I have an all encompassing theory of religion. While I am Catholic and firmly believe in the tenets I also believe that religion is a test upon humans with no wrong answer, too many things tend to line up for any one belief to be correct. Even though reincarnation is more of a Buddhist and Hindu belief I think that there may be something to it for other religions, afterall Jesus himself resurrected. Here is where I stand, I think when a soul is dissatisfied with the life it lived it makes a choice, try it's hand on the higher/lower plane(be it heaven, paradise, or any other plane man can comprehend or hell dependent on judgement), the two choices being to remain on the finite plane we exist in(ghosts, specters, etc.) or try to find a balance towards doing good in reincarnation. Interestingly enough, when one reads the ghost stories of Japan one can find spiritual choices, that is they remain until they unburden themselves of that which binds them(Catholics tend to believe in "binding" bad spirits away) and it just becomes a topic of interest that there is always some way to find commonality if you look hard enough.
Click to expand...

There's a couple of references made indicating reincarnation in the Bible, and it would not surprise me to learn that the original text was much different from what we have today.
 
I believe in reincarnation.

I've always felt that reincarnation serves a couple of purposes. First, it allows a soul to have many, many lifetimes of experience, which helps a soul grow. Second (and even I can recognize this as a somewhat romanticized view) I think our souls are looking for a mate. Some other soul to share eternity with. I think it takes many lifetimes for a soul to be mature enough to recognize a mate though.

I do believe that once we, as humans though, can only move to another life that is of the same intellectual capacity/level of sentience as we are or better though. But, since I also believe in life on other planets, we could easily come back as a species on another planet, in a different solar system/galaxy.
 
lizzie said:
Something else you might be interested in checking out:
"Many Lives, Many Masters" by Dr. Brian Weiss - Book Review

I picked this book up a few years ago just out of curiosity. Reincarnation was a subject that I had visited briefly when I was quite young (early 20's), but never really found any reason to think there was anything to it. I have read many religious texts over my lifetime. Some of them the standard dogmatic stuff, and some pretty far-out and rarely known books as well. It's an interesting subject, and could explain some odd life events, strange attractions, and cases of genius in some individuals. After a few years, I pretty much put down my religious interests for the most part, but when I read Weiss' book, I must admit it gave me pause to pay attention. Since he's a man of science, and prone to skepticism, I am more likely to put stock in what he says.
Click to expand...

Same same, me! I read Soul Survivor in 2009. I read Weiss's book prior to that. Both are excellent.
 
Sarcogito said:
Why is nobody ever the reincarnation of an average Joe from a mundane life?
Click to expand...

I was! I have had 2 past life regressions done. I am certain about my most recent past life. I have never doubted it, not for a second. As far as I know I was never anyone of note. I have always believed in reincarnation as far back as I can remember. I'm not saying it's something I greatly desire, however.

I am now Zen Buddhist and have been for years. I believed in reincarnation before I knew anything about Buddhism. Also, I kind of fell backwards into Buddhism. I wasn't looking for it at all.
 
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