All About Reincarnation
I believe that it is essential to appreciate our potential as human beings and recognize the importance of inner transformation.
—The Dalai Lama
To be born into a physical body, to live and die, and then to be reborn into another physical form: this is the central concept of reincarnation or past-life belief. The belief in this process of transforming is fast becoming a part of the culture of Western society as more people awaken within themselves. The theory of reincarnation has been accepted in Eastern society for thousands of years; in fact, it forms the core belief in Hinduism and Buddhism. This is one of the reasons why many people in Western countries are now embracing Buddhism.
Reincarnation—the belief that you have lived before—answers many questions that pertain to your reason for being here on Earth. It helps put your life into proper perspective and gives you a better understanding of the cycle of life and death.
Many believe we have an eternal soul that enters the physical body at the time of birth, and that the soul resides in this material form during a lifetime. At the moment of death, that very soul, your soul, then leaves the body (the shell) and journeys back to Heaven. If you accept this concept readily, why not the concept of reincarnation? After all, if the immortal soul can come down to Earth and join with a physical body once, why not a second time?
Some people think that once you are dead, you are dead. As far as they are concerned, your body rots in the ground and there is nothing afterwards. You become a meal for the earthworms and fertilizer for the soil. I feel that to believe that you are here only for a few short years and pass into oblivion or nothingness at the end of that lifetime is a very sad way of looking at the wonders of living. This attitude toward life hinders the soul growth of that person. When a person has this attitude, the soul is held back slightly and is not allowed to grow. This belief puts up a slight block and interferes with the enlightenment of the human soul.
Ironically, the soul will end up returning to Earth for another learning lesson—a lesson, one hopes, that teaches the person that the human soul is immortal and of value.
When you become more awakened and follow a spiritual path, you will be aware of your own immortality.
In the days of Jesus, reincarnation was considered common knowledge; it was accepted as part of life. The original teachings of Jesus also involved the theory of reincarnation. Unfortunately, many of these references to reincarnation by Jesus and other great spiritual teachers were carefully deleted from ancient texts that were considered part of the Bible. (It is believed that Emperor Constantine, during the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, wanted any references to reincarnation removed from the Bible. No one knows for sure exactly what happened, but the ultimate goal was to have control of the population. As a result, many books were removed and never made it into the current Bible.)
In her groundbreaking book, Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity, author Elizabeth Clare Prophet makes the case that Jesus taught reincarnation. The author traces the history of reincarnation in Christianity—from Jesus and the early Christians through Church councils and the persecution of so-called heretics.
In 1945, near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, a collection of ancient books was discovered. These books are known as the Gnostic Gospels. These included the Secret Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Mary, which contained the words of Mary Magdalene. Gnosis, or the knowledge of God, was taught within these ancient writings, writings that held a different philosophy than the books that were eventually approved as books of the Bible. Hence, all of these ancient texts were removed.
Most of the bishops and leaders of the early but rapidly growing Christian Church removed several books from this sacred literature, including these writings, in the hopes of removing any and all references to reincarnation (at the Council of Nicaea). These men were striving for power, and they wanted to control the population and ultimately the known world of the time (i.e., the Roman Empire). By eliminating the idea of birth to rebirth from their doctrine, replacing it instead with the idea of only one lifetime per person followed by either eternal hell or Heaven depending on the person’s actions, their belief created a greater need for the Christian Church as a salvation from death.
This concept of Heaven and hell has been lessening its grip on people as they seek a more spiritual path, discovering on their journey the real teachings of Jesus and the teachings of the mystery schools that existed back then. Jesus taught healing techniques that involved the laying on of hands, reincarnation, the removal of negative energy from the human soul, and much more.
Despite the early Church’s attempt at censoring, there are some specific references to reincarnation still found within the pages of the present Bible. In the New Testament, in the Book of Matthew, an intimation is made to John the Baptist as the returning prophet, Elias:
For all the prophets and the law have prophesied until John.
And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elias who has come.
Matthew 11:13–14
A similar intimation is also mentioned again in Matthew 17:10–13.
The Nature of Reincarnation
Mystical wisdom and esoterically hidden messages were described as they appear within the Bible. The mention of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit itself in the Bible has a connection to the theory of reincarnation. Let us discuss this. When early Christianity borrowed the doctrine of the Holy Trinity from teachings derived from ancient Hinduism, it also created a hidden, mystical message in this idea.
The ancient mystery schools and healing temples taught the concept of reincarnation under what was called the Law of the Triangle or the Law of Three. They taught this belief for hundreds of years. Jesus also taught this to his many disciples, both male and female, during his lifetime.
In his book The Secret Doctrines of Jesus, H. Spencer Lewis, the late imperator of the Rosicrucians, refers to this:
That among the one hundred and twenty members were not only those who were later known as the Twelve Disciples and who constituted the secret executive committee of this secret society, but also others who were interested in the mysterious, secret work of the society, including the mother of Jesus and his brothers and sisters.
This Law of Three was a reference to the theory of reincarnation. The early Christian fathers—the more enlightened ones—blended the Holy Trinity of Hinduism with the Law of Three from the teachings of Jesus, creating the Holy Trinity that Christianity now recognizes.1 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit refer to the soul, the body, and the Universal Energy or life force.
It must be understood that the immortal soul enters the physical body at or before birth, and that spirit energy, life force, or Universal Energy is needed to help keep body and soul connected. This energy works like a magnet, maintaining the human soul within the physical form. Three essences are needed to manifest life: soul, body, and life force.
This Universal Energy is everywhere. It is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in all living things. Even rocks and trees contain this spirit energy. Without it, we and our world would not exist. It exists in Heaven as well and works its way down into our physical realm.
The same principle holds true at the time of death. As a person dies, the life force leaves the body and its quickly depleting aura, returning to the universe. When this energy leaves, the immortal soul cannot keep itself within the body, and journeys back to the heavenly fields shortly afterwards. Death has now occurred. This process repeats itself over and over until you eventually break the reincarnation cycle and return to the heavenly realms permanently.
There are two conditions that can affect this cycle of life and death in reincarnation. These conditions are called karma and dharma.
As used in Buddhism and Hinduism, karma refers to the actions taken by someone during a particular lifetime. These actions, good and bad, will sometimes determine that person’s destiny in present or future incarnations. According to this belief, if you were cruel and abusive to your spouse in a previous lifetime, you would return in a future lifetime and possibly experience the roles in reverse, whereby your spouse would now be abusive toward you. For many people who are suffering hardship and trouble in this life, it may be because of actions from a past incarnation.
Recognizing this karma or karmic debt in your present lifetime and then changing your patterns now will result in a release of this debt. Realizing a past life can help you start to break the cycle of birth to rebirth because you have learned your lesson. This is part of your spiritual growth or evolution. The quicker you break or release these karmic debts, the quicker your soul growth and your return to the heavenly fields where you will remain.
Dharma, on the other hand, is just the opposite of karma. It specifically involves good thoughts and good actions. People who dedicate their lives to service to humanity are creating dharma, or “scoring points in Heaven.”
Love and kindness shown to others will help you to break the cycle of reincarnation much faster than if you simply went through life doing nothing at all, simply coasting through this incarnation.
Dharma also represents a great cleansing to “wipe the slate clean” as they say. Karmic debt loads can be eliminated in a very short time when you help others unselfishly. Your motives should be pure and good.
With this understanding of karma, dharma, and the process of reincarnation, always be aware of your thoughts and actions and try not to judge others too harshly. Create thoughts of love and peace in your heart and mind. This will aid you in your spiritual growth, allowing you to become a better person and a kinder human soul.
Explore your past lives and learn who you truly are. Discover your past and embrace your present life. Reincarnation is the key that will open the door to the wonders and beauty of your eternal soul.
Also, know that as you explore your previous lives, angels and high-minded spirit guides will be there to help you on your spiritual journey. All of this will be covered in detail in chapter 3.
You are unique. You have chosen to return to Earth at a momentous time. You have a great opportunity to explore your previous lifetimes and allow your soul to become more enlightened. Delve into your past and enjoy your life here now on Earth.
Embrace the past, love the present, and cherish the future. You hold the key within. So, open the door and explore the wonders of your eternal soul.
1. Some of the background information in this chapter and in chapter 3 also appears, in a modified form, in my book Ancient Teachings for Beginners, published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2000.