Reincarnation: Is It Real?
68Observations By A Believer
Reincarnation is accepted as fact by a huge number of people on planet Earth, with me on record as one of the believers. Yes, I do realize this can be a controversial subject...but doesn't that simply make it interesting? I've also long believed--from birth, I suspect--in the right of each individual to decide for himself or herself whether reincarnation is myth, fantasy, or cold hard fact.
Strangely enough, I never really thought much about the possibilty of having had past lives until age 28, when I was introduced to the writings of Edgar Cayce. Known as The Sleeping Prophet, Cayce was a staunch Baptist who could hardly believe what friends told him he reported while in full trance. His "readings" presented (to me at least) a strong case for reincarnation, and I began to think.
Thinking can be a dangerous process. After all, 'twas thinking by the Founding Fathers that gave us the American Revolution and, eventually, the United States of America. Just as an example. In my personal case, one thought led to another and another. Gullible or not, it made sense to me, and I became obsessed with learning about my own past lives.
No, not to find out if I'd been some historical figure for, you know, bragging rights. I had a hunch I might not like much of what I did discover, and I was right.
Who wants to remember having been a short, fat, Momma's boy who was ridiculed by an unfaithful wife? Or a soldier who died in battle because he was drunk when the ambush hit?
These are not glory memories, my friend.
A Little Boy Remembers
A Few Furry Family Members
My wife and I have a number of relatives we suspect we've known before. However, to protect their privacy, we'll stick to a few pet stories here.
Or rather, a few pets rolled into a single story.
Pam and I hooked up in late 1996. By mid-1997, we were living on a remote acreage in western South Dakota. We wanted a kitten and, by answering a small classified ad, acquired a little gray and white fellow we named Harvey.
I don't recall just how it started, but one morning we began talking about pets we had known. My contribution to the conversation focused on Bibs, a tiny, wild baby cottontail my father had helped me catch in the hayfield when I was eleven. I was thrilled that evening but devastated the next morning.
The cage I'd build had been inadequate. Little Bibs had gotten out, hopped around the house, and promptly been killed by the farm dog we kept chained to the doghouse. He didn't eat the poor little thing, just chomped it dead and left it for me to find.
Forty-two years later, watching young Harvey kitten-playing on the bed as his humans rested one fine weekend morning, I retold that story to the love of my life. Then--stopping in midsentence, I stared at him, demanding to know:
"Are you Bibs?!?!"
The kitten looked me squarely in the eyes and and hopped straight up and down, four-legged, four times in a row!
Then, having delivered his rather obvious message, he went back to doing kitten stuff. Stunned, Pam and I stared at each other. One of us--don't ask me which--finally said,
"Well, I guess that settles that!"
Not that the pet reincarnation story ends there, or even really began there. It even ties in with our big orange and white kitty, Moe Key Man...but that is a story in itself, for another time, another Hub
Isaac Newton Reincarnated In A Cat Named Chip
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Comments
Thanks for the comment, Zsuzsy. It's interesting how much more open to this and related topics we have become over the years--in the USA, anyway. When I first began exploring the concept in 1972, it didn't take much to raise a lot of eyebrows.
I have always believed in reincarnation, too - even before I really knew what it was. I remember reading about it in my early teens and thinking, "Oh, that's what it's called." Yet I always had this sense of 'knowing' that it existed, that we simply had more than just one trip around the Sun.
I love Cayce's work, and hope you write a hub on your adventures in learning your own past lives. It's something I'd *love* to do, but have never been successful (though I've had two dreams that I am convinced were past life remembrances...they were more like mini-movies than dreams, very realistic and on a timeline instead of jumping around randomly as dreams do, they also gave me a sense of knowing and familiarity - unfortunately, upon waking, there wasn't enough info to help me research actual names or places).
Also, thanks for the first YouTube vid - a co-worker, years ago, told me about seeing that very episode on TV the evening before and I've wanted to find and watch it ever since!
I'd love to write a Hub--or an entire set of books--about past lives, but there is a reason not to do so: Spiritual Law as I understand it sort of discourages that. Not because there is anything wrong with figuring out where (and who) we've been, as knowing such things can help us realize what we're trying to work out NOW. But it's hard to present that information to others without risking all sorts of difficulties, such as ego trips or having others react to us in one two ways: Either thinking that we're out of our everlovin' gourds, or at the opposite end of the spectrum going, "Wow! You did that?!" So although I do discuss the topic with a few CAREFULLY selected friends (of which you could easily become one, I would think), it is not a super-good idea to lay it out there in print for the public.
The private journey into understanding is definitely fascinating, though. I may try writing a Hub focusing on the METHODS one can use to uncover past lives...thanks for the inspiration!
I don't know that I do or don't believe in reincarnation. Perhaps I'm more of an agnostic about it. But I am very interested in hearing accounts and reading the research and opinions.
I can tell you this: If I had your experiences with Bibs and Harvey, I would have said the same thing: Bibs?!?!
Your account reminded me of one of my favorite novels having reincarnation at its core, "Fluke". Written in 1977 by James Herbert, the novel about a man reincarnated in a dog became the movie, which I am sure many have seen.
Very interesting hub, Ghost32. Now, on to "How To Uncover Past Lives".
Well, Sally, about "Bibs": I WAS eleven years old at the time! Maybe the baby bunny had a white fur "bib" on his chest and the singular just sounded too dumb, so...don't really remember, though.
Well the thing is... the subject is so much more accepted then it was in the past, I knew many years back that these areas of Contorversy were going to open more and more as time goes on, basically because after so many personal experiences that more and more people were having it could not be denied as strongly. A skeptic can only be a skeptic until they have personal proof of the facts.
It is known the veil has thined more recently between the dimensions creating more experiences in general. In turn we all see more of this subject in books, tv and other places.
As a matter of fact a close friend sent me some books to read and my first choice was a book written 26 years ago called "Many Lives, Many Masters" by Brian L Weiss, and what I find so fascinating about the book is it was written by a Dr. of Psychiatry who also works with hypnotherapy and after unsucessful typical sessions with a woman he was working with he began to use hypnotherapy and his world then changed as this woman recalled past lives and channelled messages from masters. Awesome reading. Google him if you like, he has come a long way since then, but the thing that I found fascinating is many things in this book written many years ago mirrors many things I have heard psychic Mediums and those gifted with Channeling say about the other side and how reincarnation is.
Thanks for the hub!! *HUGS*
Mystyk, thanks for the Comment, and the *HUGS* too; back atcha! One super-cool thing your words accomplished: Got me to reread this Hub of mine, and to realize there IS a lot more I could write on the general topic...could I but find the time, that is.
Perhaps a few months down the road, Lords of Karma willing and the crick don't rise...:D
Really interesting article. I have done several regressions in my life and am also a fan of Edgar Cayce. It is lovely to read interesting stories from other people's lives. Thanks..
I believe Edgar Cayce is the source of many people's belief in reincarnation, especially in the USA. Interesting to see you're one of them.
Nice hub. I have also met a few Americans who are open to the idea of reincarnation being a possibility. I guess not all eastern ideas are old fashioned after all....LOL
all i know about this is that its not us that reincarnates...its our nagual (inner angel that helps us on our earth walk on a deeper level of conciousness)...our nagual may have been in many different bodies (male & female) before ours...i believe homosexuality is partly due to this...a confusion..an attraction carried over.....still we are immortal beings & our old bodies will return to the Earth from which it was made......reckon the most important life is the one we're livin now...& its up to us to dream up a good one...for everyones sake.....GB
Thanks for the Comment, Dave. I do have to agree that our limited human consciousness is often a step behind the latest plot hatched by the deeper self. My personal experience is that it's all me, though. Which actually underscores your point that the most important life is the one we're living now. Gotta say that Pam and I have dreamed up a couple of dandies for this go-round.
Yep agree its all us WHEN its TOGETHER...3 in 1....Trinity....but that old flesh body that recycles & enritches the Earth after separation...is not us anymore...used to be...but then just like a set of old clothes out grown & cast off...like a shed snake skin....we leave it behind & fly free back to spirit world to hang out with our love ones...in a wonderful place....WE stay there & our OLD nagual is assigned another body where it can do the most good........just recently buried my old dads BODY in a 100% recycled & biodegradable coffin/casket...beautiful white one...most wouldn't even know it was cardboard...$440 ...cheapest plain pine coffin was $1,500....crazy the $ spent of burials...i thought vets knew how to charge but undertakers take the cake....GB
Interesting. I don't remember leaving a part of myself behind to hang out with others when I came back into this body, but then again, I don't necessarily remember what irritated my ex-wives the most, either, and that all happened quite a bit more recently!
Reincarnation exsistes, but not as thouight or tought today. The Good Book exslains it to those who understand the Book.
"Let us make man in r image"....yet we in NA see MANY people. Most dont look as we. Actuel alians is what I am speaking of. Yet, what dos this verse mean? It allso says "God is 3. Father / Son/ HS ("Mom").. Litterly 3 personalitys that, combined, = GOD. The "3 in One spoken of. WE R 3 IN ONE as well ! Sqays "Body / Mind / Spirit" is what we r (made of). The BODY is what all understand. The SPIRIT is n ANGEL (we call this the NAGUAL) that Scripturs says "All are born with the Knowlege there is but One God"...(This is the angel I speak of). The MIND is the / ur SOUL. Christans r tought SPIRIT is Soul, this is not correct. MIND is.
The Body is as a "car". designed to carry Soul through life.
The NAGUAL (Spirit) is given as the "Driver" of the body...to help Steer u Safely ("in God") through life.
THIS Angel has helped drivfe OTHER "Cars" in the pat N RECALLS THSE "Trips" BLEED-OVER of those former "car trips" into UR Brin from ITS Brain (2 in us) that gives YOU the "Gee, IVE BEEN HERE B4 'Dajavew'" UR IDIAA that YOU were BORN B4.
When u pass on the NAGUAL ALLWAYS GOS BACK TO THE HEVEANS. Then RETURNES to help another (NEW) "car". U...the SOUL Remains in the "here after". ALLWAYS.
Again, it is the NAGUAL Angel that comes back...RE-INCARNATES!
It is I T S REMEMBERINGs BLEEDING OVER into UR THOUGHTS (Phy brain)that makes u THINK that YOU were "Born b4'
R u afraid of HIGHTS?...WATER?..etc.? N DONT KNOW WHY!???
It is because, IN A FORMER "CAR", that CAR died by falling from a cliff or something. WATER? the former CAR had DROWNED. BLEED-OVER Recall of the NAGUAL into UR THOUGHTS! Aho?
U (Soul) NEVER RETURNES...it is the NAGUAL ANGEL THAT DOS!
We "Have Controll over ALL ANGELS". says Scriptures. Thus U CAN ORDER THIS ANGEL TO "Keep ur thoughts to YOURSEL!"
It MUST OBAY. YOU HAVE ORDERD IT TO! The fears STOP. Aho? re
Red Elk, my personal experience does not entirely agree with your version of how reincarnation works, but so what? The Hub was written to encourage thinking and discussion, and your Comment certainly spurs that.
sounds like your really 'connected' to your nagual Ghost...this is a good thing....wonderful helper...so much wiser than us....wether u believe it was u in those past lives or not...still can learn from them thanks to nagual...can also see why 'ego' would like to be nagual too...or thinks one & the same...pretty cool havin a gardian angel when u think about it...still if ego wants to take all the credit (usually does)..& shame of past lives.. thats ok...main thing is to get this life right...& keep Pam happy:) GB
Thanks, Dave, but the way I see it, each of us IS Soul, not "connected to" either Soul or the nagual, but actually the Real Deal in and of ourselves. Only for most of us (definitely me included), when we attempt to communicate with the human consciousness (which is the only state a lot of folks even recognize as reality but which is REALLY limited)...when we attempt to do that, there are blockages and obstacles to sift through. So not everything DOES get through, or if it does, there may be a DELAY in such, and/or the end result is "filtered" to one degree or another. If the message is being passed on in the dream state, then the Dream Censor gets involved and twists the final outcome even farther from the original input.
Do I frequently miss or twist or delay what the higher ME is trying to tell the merely human me? Absolutely. Every day. But I do NOT see it as a "helper", still all ME. There ARE helpers, angels and Godmen and spiritual Masters etc. (at least that's been my experience), but that's a separate topic.
Then again, do I (in my human consciousness) often experience MY OWN information coming from the REAL ME as if it WERE from a "wiser being"? Sure. So much so that in recent days I've gotten to the point of--when such a bit of guidance has come through clearly--of saying, "Thank you" to my Spiritual Guide OR TO THE HIGHER ME, WHICHEVER! Because much if not most of the time I've got no clue which source it came from.
Yep most call Nagual Inner Self or Higher Self...or even spirit guide....thats ok Brother...main thing is your getting comms:)...most are not...human symbolic robots on auto...sure hard to communicate with them....only understand symbol talk...stuck inside boxes of thought...terrified to think for themselves....burocrates come to mind....re these comms...if they are honourable & godly...this is inner angel ...U......if they are Dark...(SELFISH/GREED/ etc.) thats not U.......as far as 'external' spirit guides go....personnally i wouldn't trust any of them....a N.A. friend of mine told me once its like 'Lookin for a light switch in a dark room full of Cobras"...better to go straight to the LIGHT....(Creator/POP)....GB
if from Higher U Ghost the comms will be Honourable & Godly.....if SELFISH/ GREED etc....this is not U....a N.A. friend told me once that spirit guides are like lookin for the light switch in a dark room full of cobras...better to go straight to the LIGHT...(Creator/Pop)....just remembered a story about a little boy & his grandfather...little boy asked why he got in trouble sometimes...His grandfather told him it was because inside us all there are two wolves having a fight...a good wolf & a bad wolf...the little boy said, "which wolf will win Grandfather"...and the Grandfather answered, " The one we feed".....GB
All good points, Dave. Tell you what, let's wrap this discussion up as far as this particular Hub goes--but don't quit writing! You've got a lot to say, and a lot of it could fit either in the Religion Forum or even fill up a Hub or three if you so choose.
I do really like the image of the winning wolf being the one we feed.
no worries Ghost...gee i doubled up on posts...first one didn't take...& now its there...weird....it's ok...old hermits tend to repeat themselves anyway:)...don't start me on religion Ghost...don't believe in it...human idea's ....not Fathers....GB
Fair enough, Dave! Totally understand your take on religion.
Hi Ghost and Dave and all! What I pick upon from what everyone is saying and from my own experiences is that.. our spiritual connection to God, Jesus, and the universe is a personal trip. One on one.. heart to heart! It is definitely spirit or nagual or whatever you choose to call it! I feel this all includes reincarnation and spirit guides and angels. Regardless.. it is a great trip! :)
I think this is a great site and it is good that all can voice their opinion! Love it! :)
I thoroughly agree with everything you just said. Including the part about this being a great site. Not only that, but the first (and so far only) income I've EVER made from the Internet came through here. When the day comes that I can earn a living wage just from this one site (HubPages), which I believe to be possible even if I've no idea of the time line, that will be a true cause for celebration ...because I'd rather be able to spend all my online writing time RIGHT HERE! :D
I'm sceptical about most religions but have always thought reincarnation made more sense than many other ideas, on the principle of conservation of energy.
However, I used to do transcendental meditation and firmly believe in Jung's idea of the Collective Unconscious, as there's no other rational explanation for some of the things that happened in group sessions. So I suppose the other alternative is that we all become part of the collective unconscious when we die - the question is whether we separate out again.
Marisa, thanks for the thoughtful Comment. I can't comment on Jung's Collective Unconscious (since I wasn't in your group sessions), but I can say that I as well as many other family members have had continuing experiences (dream states and/or waking visions) wherein we were in direct communications with others who had "left the building". Of course, any good Devil's advocate could in such cases argue that we're simply delusional....
Ghost, in this case I wasn't talking about people who had died, but a demonstrated connectivity within the group that couldn't be explained any other way (everyone has their eyes closed during meditation sessions). Nothing dramatic, just small things.
If I understand it correctly, Jung explains past lives by saying that all human experience becomes part of the collective unconscious and some of us are better at tapping it than others.
Marisa, I'd certainly have to agree that some are better at tapping it than others. Which makes sense: Some are better at, oh, say, cooking an omelet than others...or swimming...or....:D
Ghost.. speaking of dream states and/or waking visions..I sent you an email just on this subject that I wanted to share. I'm just hoping it went through? Let me know if it didn't and I will try try to send it again! ;)
It got to me. My apologies for not having responded yet. Wanted to do it right and ran out of time last night.
No problem Ghost! Just happy that you got it! :)
Edgar Cayce, will have to check him out. Fascinating hub. My kids are suddenly interested in what will happen to them when they die. We tell them they will return to the earth, and become something else. Reincarnation has always fascinated me, something I've pondered since I was a wee tot. Thanks for the great hub!
I was in my late twenties before seriously beginning to study reincarnation--but once "there", I did dive in headfirst and haven't come up yet. For me personally, one of the greatest benefits of understanding who (and/or what) I've been before is having answers to that burning question:
WHY ME?????
Knowing that my need to keep my ears covered against temperature changes is at least in part an echo retained by the body from a recent lifetime when I died from irritating enough of the wrong people and getting icepicked in the end... no it doesn't make the pain less, but it does make it less confusing.
Ghost - reincarnation explains almost everything. Ok, not everything - but it explains why things happen to a person in this life - you're paying for what you did in previous ones. By the same token, you're benefiting from all the good you did before too. I always "knew" that it was true. Probably because I was a Hindu in a past life . . .
Makes sense to me.
Zsuzsy Bee says:
2 years ago
Nice HUB. I'm a firm believer in reincarnation.
regards Zsuzsy