Exploring Reincarnation And Past Lives

Anyone who has studied physics knows that energy can neither be created, nor destroyed. We, our souls, are no different. The life we are living is just one in a series of many. As the universe is infinite and exists on multiple dimensions, so do we. This is the concept of reincarnation, or literally, a soul being born into a different body.

Many of us have heard stories of people, especially young children, who recount details of past lives which seem impossible for them to have learned in the present day. This experience is universal, across cultures and ethnicity.

When we experience a strong sense of déjà vu, or having seen something before, chances are, we are remembering experiences from our past. We may also bear markings, such as scars or birthmarks, in the same positions as before. In some cases, we may even remember a language that we never learned in this life!

The virtues we acquire, which develop slowly within us, are the invisible links that bind each one of our existences to the others – existences which the spirit alone remembers, for Matter has no memory for spiritual things ~ Honore Balzac

What is the purpose of reincarnation anyway? Some traditions teach that this life is the only one we get, and that our actions determine what happens to us in the afterlife. With an increasing amount of evidence through science and spirituality alike, this seems less likely.

Could we truly ever learn all the lessons necessary, or experience all the multitudes of the great universe, in a single lifetime? Of course not. Multiple lifetimes are needed. Chances are we will need to experience differences, such as gender, ethnicity, or social standing in order to truly complete our spiritual self.

Some people strongly believe they are the reincarnations of historical or famous figures. This may be the case, but think of all those whose names we were never taught in school. All of them were reincarnated too. If you were a king or queen in one life, perhaps you’ll be a servant in the next, or vice versa. And who’s to say we all won’t be royalty in some incarnation along the way?

There is also the idea of karma – the spiritual equivalent of a ledger of good and bad deeds. We shouldn’t think of karma as either rewarding or punishing us. Every one of our reincarnations has something to teach us, and has a positive, as well as negative side.

I did not begin when I was born, nor when I was conceived. I have been growing, developing, through incalculable myriads of millenniums. All my previous selves have their voices, echoes, promptings in me. Oh, incalculable times again shall I be born ~ Jack London

It is possible to discover something about our past lives. In many cases, our dreams can be recollections of the past, reliving events through our subconscious. A dream journal is an excellent way to start seeing patterns emerge. Try to write in it immediately upon waking, when your dream recall is the strongest.

Also, you may feel connected to times in the past, such as the Civil War or Ancient Rome, through books or media. If this is the case, try immersing yourself in that world as much as possible. You’ll see certain details start to emerge, and perhaps an idea of who you were in that time.

Even after this current life is over, we will all experience many more of them as time goes on. Try to live your present life as if you will have something to pass on to your future incarnations, because you certainly will.