Reincarnation Facts and Resources

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Reincarnation Facts and Resources

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What is Reincarnation?

Reincarnation is the concept that souls are continuously reborn in different bodies at different times and places.Many belief systems around the world embrace reincarnation, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism,and a variety of New Age religions. Each religion professes different beliefs about the cause and purpose ofreincarnation, but some facts remain consistent. In most every case, reincarnation is a natural and veryimportant part of the development of a soul; it is the process of struggling against some negative force, such asdesire or karma, toward a higher state of being; and it applies to all human beings, if not all living creatures.

What do metempsychosis, the cycle of rebirth, and transmigration of the soul mean? Where do theycome from?

Metempsychosis, also known as the transmigration of the soul, is a concept from ancient Greek philosophy. Itrefers to the journey of the soul from one incarnation (fleshly host) to the next. The soul is released from thebody by death and exists briefly in a pure spiritual state before returning to a new body. The cycle of rebirthrefers to the continuous process of transmigration and rebirth that attends the history of every soul. Plato isconsidered the “father” of these beliefs in Western thought; however, they are prominent in many Easternreligious systems.

About Reincarnation: Site offering information, background, anecdotes, evidence, and other content aboutreincarnation from the Buddhist perspective.

Karma and Reincarnation: Information about reincarnation from the Hindu perspective and its relationship tothe concept of karma.

Plato: Phaedrus: Brief definition of metempsychosis and its origins in Greek thought.

Is there any evidence of reincarnation?

Reincarnation, like anything that takes place after death, is very difficult to study. The evidence of reincarnationcomes from the study of incidents where people seem to remember places or people from a distant past. Thereis also déjà vu and the phenomenon of “old souls” – that is, people (including children) who conductthemselves with an aura of wisdom far beyond their years. Past-life regression therapy, including hypnosis andother methods, has purportedly been used to uncover memories and hidden psychological dynamics related topast lives. Purely scientific evidence is more scant. Some believers point to the laws of thermodynamics, whichstate that energy – perhaps even the energies of which a soul is made – can neither be created or destroyed,but must remain constant. Understood this way, the idea may support reincarnation.

Reincarnation Teachings: Information from the website of the International Kadampa Buddhist Union.

Reincarnation: Brief discussion from internationally known psychic and medium Sylvia Browne.

How can I know if my significant other and I knew each other in a past life?

Intuition helps here. If you and your significant other seem drawn to one another in a way that is uniquelycompelling – beyond even “love at first sight” – and seem to “know” each other far longer than you have in thislife, this may be considered a sign that you have met before. Lovers who have been together in previous livesare said to be harmonious and share an unspoken understanding. Their personalities tend to complement andcomplete one another, though they are not immune to the normal problems of relationships. Be aware thatloves in past lives may have been stormy and troubled, and that being re-acquainted with a past lover is no

Reincarnation Facts and Resources

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guarantee of “perfect” happiness.

Past Life Center: Information on past life research and past life regression with a focus on children who claimto recall past lives.

Vedanta Society of Southern California: Reincarnation: Information on reincarnation, its aspects and meaningin the Vedantic tradition.

How can events or memories from a past life affect people in this life?

Past-life memories are considered to have a variety of effects on the present, both positive and negative.Positive past experiences can help draw a person to places, people, and activities that are fulfilling andenlightening to them. Negative past experiences can lead to aversions and phobias that seem to have nocause in the present life. Intense experiences of either sort can lead to disturbances and “sensitivities” such asdreams about past lives, déjà vu, and other kinds of intuitive phenomena.

Karma and Reincarnation in Hinduism: Another view on reincarnation in the Hindu faith.

On Reincarnation: Information about reincarnation in the Jewish mystical tradition.

If people have lived previous lives, why can't they remember?

Most belief systems draw important distinctions between the body and soul, and between the eternal part of thespirit that continues to reincarnate and the identity or ego that is experienced in each incarnation. The physicalbody is discarded and the ego identity is “forgotten” in the period of pure spiritual existence betweenincarnations. Through exercises like meditation and prayer, the next incarnation is able to connect with the souland previous incarnations. This can take a very long time.

The Reincarnation of Souls: Article from a rabbi further discussing reincarnation in Judaism.

Reincarnation and Christianity: Detailed exploration of whether belief in reincarnation is compatible withChristianity.

Does this mean if you believe in reincarnation you can't believe in Heaven?

No. Belief in reincarnation and belief in Heaven can exist side-by-side. For example, in Buddhism, the cycle ofreincarnation ends with the attainment of nirvana, a state of bliss that ends all suffering. There is muchdiscussion about whether beliefs similar to reincarnation were held by early Christians, for whom a belief inHeaven was most definitely central to spiritual identity. Heaven can be seen as the end result of the cycle ofreincarnation, one form perfect bliss may take.

Reincarnation and Past Lives: Articles on learning about past lives and their relevance to present existence.

Reincarnation, Esalen Center for Theory and Research: Scholarly discussion of alternative interpretations ofreincarnation theory.

How many people believe in reincarnation?

It is impossible to know precisely, but millions of people worldwide identify themselves with belief systems inwhich reincarnation plays a part. This includes over 300 million Buddhists, 800 million Hindus, at least onemillion adherents of New Age religions, and several million others, as well as many whose beliefs are heldprivately. Overall, it is reasonable to estimate that about a quarter of the world’s population believes inreincarnation in some form.

Five Lectures on Reincarnation from Swami Abhedananda: Full text from a renowned Hindu teacher who lived1866-1939.

Did the Church Suppress Reincarnation?: Cited article providing evidence for reincarnation beliefs in the

Reincarnation Facts and Resources

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doctrine of early Christianity.

Do people who have been reincarnated look like their past selves?

Some modern researchers do believe that consistent facial features are a sign of reincarnation. With this inmind, one should remember that a person’s national origin, gender, and other factors that affect physicalappearance are wont to be radically different from one life to the next. Characteristics of the spirit andpersonality are thought much more likely to be related from one reincarnation to the next – for example,interests and "natural" talents.

Reincarnation: On the relationship between dharma, karma, and reincarnation. Also links to Reincarnation isMaking a Comeback, a book-length text on New Age beliefs that includes chapters on reincarnation itself.

Research Papers on Reincarnation and Past Lives: Bibliography of academic research relating toreincarnation.

Do people reincarnate as animals and vice-versa?

There is a variety of opinions on this matter. Some belief systems hold that human souls are unique and thatthe cycle of rebirth applies only to human beings. Others maintain that this cycle begins with the simplest formsof life on Earth and progresses to the first human reincarnation only after much time has passed. In someinterpretations, reincarnating as an animal can be a reward or a punishment, while in others, being humanthroughout incarnations is an important part of the process of a soul’s development.

Reincarnation Belief in Europe: Statistics and information on the level of belief in reincarnation in variousEuropean countries.

A Basic Buddhism Guide: Answers questions about transmigration and animal reincarnation, among others, inBuddhism.

How long do people spend between incarnations?

It is generally agreed that the passage of time for the soul is not comparable to the passage of time forembodied people. A person may be reborn immediately after death, or may appear in a new form many yearslater. Some modern authorities on reincarnation tend strongly to the opinion that reincarnation is almost instant,but accounts from those who believe they recall past lives do not make this clear.

What is Reincarnation?: Brief article from Theosophy, February 1928.

Approaches to Reincarnation Research in Western Countries: Overview of the history of scientific inquiry intoreincarnation in the western world, beginning in 1882.

Why can't everyone remember their past lives?

In theory, anyone can remember past lives with enough effort. However, there may be many reasons for aninability to remember past lives. In this lifetime, one may have inhibiting beliefs that make it difficult to accessthese memories. In the past, one may have experienced events that would be harmful to recall at present andmust wait until more experiences from this life have been gathered. There may be specific people, places, orevents that will help to trigger past memories, but that have not yet been encountered. Recalling past livestends to be a challenge for almost everyone.

International Association for Regression Research and Therapies: International organization aimed atpromoting and collecting empirical research on past life regression and developing therapies to promote pastlife recall.

Return of the Revolutionaries: A website discussing research and information pertaining to a book thatpresents the case for reincarnation, from a member of the IARRT. Includes a variety of reincarnation “case

Reincarnation Facts and Resources

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studies.”

Does everyone just keep reincarnating forever?

Reincarnation does come to an end. Virtually all belief systems associated with reincarnation assert that thepurpose of reincarnation is growth and spiritual development, culminating in a higher state of being beyond thecycle of reincarnation. Details vary, but it is believed this state is completely different and separate fromreincarnation and its sufferings. Therefore, reincarnation does not continue forever – only until the soul reachesa certain level of enlightenment, impossible to describe or understand fully in earthly terms.

Reincarnation Question and Answer: A variety of sources from Hinduism are used to answer specific questionsabout reincarnation.

The Question of Reincarnation: Reincarnation primer from the First Spiritual Temple, a Spiritual Christianchurch founded in 1883.

What views do major religions and philosophies take on reincarnation?

Reincarnation has a major role in many world religions. It is a central tenet of the beliefs of Hindus andBuddhists worldwide. It is also a part of Jainism, Sikhism, Taosim, and other religions. Though orthodoxcurrents of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam generally reject the idea of reincarnation, Sufi Muslims, as well asesoteric groups within Judaism and some Christian communities, do entertain the possibility.

Reincarnation Western-Style: An article from Faith & Reason discussing different strands of belief inreincarnation from a contrarian perspective.

Jainism: An introduction to the Jainist religion, including discussion of reincarnation.

Division of Perceptual Studies: Department of the University of Virginia that studies phenomena includingreincarnation, near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, and others.

Who are some prominent people who accepted reincarnation and/or appeared to recall past lives?

One of the most famous proponents of reincarnation is the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibetan Buddhists.Traditionally, the Dalai Lama has been selected through a series of tests that help to establish that he is thereincarnation of a previous Dalai Lama. However, there are many other famous believers in reincarnation.Toward the end of his life, the writings of Thomas Edison disclose a clear belief in reincarnation. Henry Fordand Gen. George S. Patton also recorded their beliefs in reincarnation. Reincarnation is strongly associatedwith the thought of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, and the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson, WaltWhitman, Henry David Thoreau, and others. George Harrison of The Beatles also affirmed his belief inreincarnation.

Reincarnation: Chapter from the book A Textbook of Theosophy published in 1912.

Taoism: Article from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Taoism, explaining the belief system andcomparing its doctrines on reincarnation to Buddhism.

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