Inquirer
Last updated 06:40pm (Mla time) 11/02/2007
MANILA, Philippines?The subject of reincarnation is always one that elicits controversy, especially in a country that is seeped in beliefs from Western type religious institutions. It?s OK to watch what will unfold on the big screen when someone returns from the ?grave? into another body, but the acceptance of it happening off screen can be positively creepy for most, and just too unbelievable for the rest.
Personally, I?ve always believed in being born ?again? and again and again and again. There are too many d?j? vu moments in my own life that have led me to think that this can?t have been my first (or second) time on this earth. Recently, I?ve come across two books, which have expanded my knowledge and interest on the subject?they are both quite different in nature and their authors would probably have an endless debate if they had a face-off about their method of study and research; but the books were enlightening nevertheless.
In between the lives
The first book, written by Dr. Michael Newton who is a noted psychotherapist, chronicles almost 30 case studies in which he would hypnotize his patients to see what they would ?do? in their lives between lives.
The second book, Wheels of a Soul, was written by Kabbalist Rav PS Berg and I was fortunate enough to attend a Kabbalah Seminar on Reincarnation by David Ghiyam in Manila two weeks ago.
Dr. Michael Newton used ?spiritual hypnotherapy? and acted as a guide as he listened to his patients? descriptions of what they did after they had left a previous body and proceeded to the spirit world. Their journey and what happened to them next was dependent on their level of spiritually, literally. The younger and more inexperienced the soul was, the more difficult time it had (initially) adjusting to leaving the physical plane. But once it entered a higher dimension it was either ?met? by its spirit guide (usually in the form of a loved one during a more current past life or further back) or other soul brothers and sisters that it had met along its way (again both in the most recent past life?or an older one).
Spirits or souls (according to this book at least) actually had their own social groups and classrooms. Upon their return to the spirit dimension they had their life ?evaluated? to see if they had achieved a predetermined state of learning or even teaching (all the souls? lives on earth were apparently intertwined).
They were then given their next choice of body to occupy and to continue learning and ?teaching? other souls that would also play a part in this next life.
The book was actually a very touching albeit emotional read and I feel that anyone who has recently lost a loved one would most probably be given some relief to know (if everything in the book is indeed true) that the person they miss dearly is in a better place and the chances to be reunited with them in another human form or relationship in the future is very possible.
Round and round it goes
The topic of reincarnation on the other hand during the lecture I attended was of a more advanced level. I have only read a few books on Kabbalah and I have to admit that a lot of the teaching and subject matter makes a lot of sense, in a more cerebral and technical way. David Ghiyam had to first give a very basic ?refresher? to the first time lecture goers on Kabbalah, and I fear that if you, the reader are not familiar with Kabbalah that reading this book will make you raise one or two more eyebrows. So, I will stick to what made the most sense to me.
We come back to this earth according to the Kabbalists, for a purpose, to correct what is known as our tikkune which is probably best explained as our karmic backpack from a past life.
Adam and Eve, are represented as the first two original souls?the ying and the yang, or the male and the female. Their ?souls? in order to fix their tikkune was broken up into a million other souls, and these in turn were broken into more and more souls, all with the single purpose of eventually trying to correct the first ?tikkune? of Adam and Eve.
Basically we are all souls on earth who are trying to help one another out to eventually become whole again and return to the creator, or the source of light.
What struck me the most about learning reincarnation through Kabbalah is that if we do not correct or elevate ourselves in this life, there is a very strong possibility that we may actually be reborn as a lower life form ... yup, something that ?desires? less if we do not learn how to transform into a being of sharing rather than receiving in our current life.
I would recommend that one have a proper introduction to the philosophies behind Kabbalah before reading Wheels of a Soul.
Next stop
Yes, I know, that?s a lot of information to handle (for both the more emotionally inclined and the more scientifically inclined). What I feel is that if you are not completely opposed to the idea that you?ve been here before, chances are you do believe in reincarnation, or would like to believe at least in another lifetime opportunity.
Both books talked about healing, helping, sharing and a purpose for returning that had to be based on something bigger than just one?s individual life.
We cannot live for our purpose alone. We are always part of a bigger spectrum of lives and people that we need to reconnect with time and time again until a certain lesson is learned. Suffice to say that I would like to continue expanding my knowledge on what?s next out there for me and it?s truly eased a lot of the doubts in my life knowing that I will never be given a situation that I cannot handle.
From what I understand, I ?chose? to be here and to go through what I?m going through in order for me to learn from it, or to help lighten the load of someone who is going through something similar and may not be (at this time) fully capable of dealing with the situation alone.
I may have not been able to explain (and have yet to grasp) the full meaning and reason for reincarnation, but if I?ve been able to shed some light on why you may have gotten that ?old familiar feeling? (one too many times) then perhaps my soul train is ready for it?s next stop.
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