Partial reincarnation

[Robert Z]

My sb has suggested a twist on reincarnation that I've never heard before. She is suggesting that souls are not quantized - they don't come in discrete units. Rather, the essence of a previous life can be shared by many people.

She goes on to suggest that people who share a special connection - what many might call a soul mate - can be people who share a common essence from a previous life; that this is the special bond that they feel.

 

 

I don't know what has led her to this belief but I thought it was interesting.

[Smilecharmer]

I have heard this before...the sharing of essence by a group of souls. I think it is very interesting too. I would go even further in theorizing that certain souls need to learn something about life or about the universe and can be in the same reincarnation loop with the same souls over a long period of linear time and be learning something different on a different plane with another group of souls.

[M30USA]

"...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment..." (Hebrews 9:27)

[Robert Z]

I have heard this before...the sharing of essence by a group of souls. I think it is very interesting too. I would go even further in theorizing that certain souls need to learn something about life or about the universe and can be in the same reincarnation loop with the same souls over a long period of linear time and be learning something different on a different plane with another group of souls.

 

It sure puts a different twist on past life regression.

 

 

I don't really believe in this stuff but at the same time I am open to the possibilities.

 

 

We are the universe becoming aware of itself.

[Anela]

I read about something like this is "The Field" or "The Intention Experiment". That past-life memories might be something that someone taps into in the field. I really need to read those books again.

[Robert Z]

On a whim I tried past life regression. I had a chance and jumped. It was definitely an interesting experience and I did see alleged "past lives". At one point I was even filled with emotion based on a memory of a traumatic event. But I wasn't convinced that these were actual memories. It could just have easily been my mind creating a story in response to his questions.

 

Still, there were specific details of the remembered experiences that I can't shake to this day. They are so clear and crisp that they seem as real as any other memory. In one case it is the strongly contrasting colors - white sand beaches against the most intensely deep blue sea and sky I have ever seen. In another, the sounds of horse hooves clapping on the road. In another, the roar of the ocean in a raging storm. Even now, over twenty years later, these and other details of certain alleged memories seem as real as my clearest memories from childhood.

 

I'm glad I tried it. But the experience raised more questions than it did answers.

[writergal]

The Buddhist monks that I spent time with when I lived in southern China told me that reincarnation happens with everyone and its 1 soul to 1 body. As an Atheist I have a hard time believing in an afterlife, let alone reincarnation. Plus I think psychics are scam artists, who claim they can talk to the dead. No one can contact "the other side" b/c there is no other side (and until there is definitive proof, I believe this life is all there is). But I do believe that energy is recycled once it breaks down, so I take a more scientific approach to death than a spiritual one. The only people who know the real answer aren't alive anymore, so there's no way to know what's true. All anyone can do is guess and rely (or not) on a belief system to ease their anxiety about death. I'd rather focus my energy on my life as it is, than worry about what happens after.

Edited July 19, 2014 by writergal

[Robert Z]

The Buddhist monks that I spent time with when I lived in southern China told me that reincarnation happens with everyone and its 1 soul to 1 body. As an Atheist I have a hard time believing in an afterlife, let alone reincarnation. Plus I think psychics are scam artists, who claim they can talk to the dead. No one can contact "the other side" b/c there is no other side (and until there is definitive proof, I believe this life is all there is). But I do believe that energy is recycled once it breaks down, so I take a more scientific approach to death than a spiritual one. The only people who know the real answer aren't alive anymore, so there's no way to know what's true. All anyone can do is guess and rely (or not) on a belief system to ease their anxiety about death. I'd rather focus my energy on my life as it is, than worry about what happens after.

 

What about intellectual curiosity? For me it isn't a matter of worrying. It is a fascination with the human condition and what it means to exist.

 

 

If some of the claims made about children possessing impossible knowledge, are true, then we seem to have a real mystery. So to me, the question is not whether we have a scientific model that could explain reincarnation. The question is, does evidence exist that suggests we need a new model? I follow the evidence, not the theories.

 

Have you ever heard the story of how the Dalai Lama was selected?

Edited July 19, 2014 by Robert Z

[Anela]

On a whim I tried past life regression. I had a chance and jumped. It was definitely an interesting experience and I did see alleged "past lives". At one point I was even filled with emotion based on a memory of a traumatic event. But I wasn't convinced that these were actual memories. It could just have easily been my mind creating a story in response to his questions.

 

Still, there were specific details of the remembered experiences that I can't shake to this day. They are so clear and crisp that they seem as real as any other memory. In one case it is the strongly contrasting colors - white sand beaches against the most intensely deep blue sea and sky I have ever seen. In another, the sounds of horse hooves clapping on the road. In another, the roar of the ocean in a raging storm. Even now, over twenty years later, these and other details of certain alleged memories seem as real as my clearest memories from childhood.

 

I'm glad I tried it. But the experience raised more questions than it did answers.

 

I had two, but didn't get much out of them. I want to try again, but I wish it could be with someone like Brian Weiss, although he says that it took him a long time to experience anything like his clients.

[writergal]

There's nothing wrong with intellectual curiosity. I support that 100%. What bothers me I guess, is that some people are determined to believe that we can still exist after our bodies perish and that's just not scientifically possible. I don't think evidence exists to prove reincarnation. I think there's evidence of a strong belief in reincarnation, a willingness to overlook the practicality of science to believe in an idea that can't be proven because there's no scientific model to prove reincarnation. Just people's strong belief that it exists.

 

What about intellectual curiosity? For me it isn't a matter of worrying. It is a fascination with the human condition and what it means to exist.

 

 

If some of the claims made about children possessing impossible knowledge, are true, then we seem to have a real mystery. So to me, the question is not whether we have a scientific model that could explain reincarnation. The question is, does evidence exist that suggests we need a new model? I follow the evidence, not the theories.

 

Have you ever heard the story of how the Dalai Lama was selected?

[Robert Z]

There's nothing wrong with intellectual curiosity. I support that 100%. What bothers me I guess, is that some people are determined to believe that we can still exist after our bodies perish and that's just not scientifically possible.

 

We don't know that. Science has nothing to say about an afterlife except that we have no scientific evidence for it.

 

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence - SETI.

 

I don't think evidence exists to prove reincarnation. I think there's evidence of a strong belief in reincarnation, a willingness to overlook the practicality of science to believe in an idea that can't be proven because there's no scientific model to prove reincarnation. Just people's strong belief that it exists.

 

There is certainly no scientific evidence for reincarnation. But plenty of things exist for which we long had anecdotal evidence, and lacked scientific evidence. One classic example is that of the great apes. If the history of discovery has taught us anything, it is that we are very bad at anticipating what is possible.

 

 

The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine - Eddington

Edited July 19, 2014 by Robert Z

[Priv]

That is pretty much Jung's thesis on collective unconcious applied to reincarnation. It is a beautiful thesis and Jung is my favorite psychologist.

 

 

I don't believe in reincarnation, nor collective unconscious. But there is a beauty in both thesis that I would like to believe. Maybe in another life

[OpenBook]

hahaha When I read the title "Partial Reincarnation" I got images popping up in my head of certain warped aspects of my personality being reincarnated in various forms. Like my tendency to be dramatic, infused into a hedgehog. It's cracking me up. :laugh:

[Allumere]

I have always found this to be such an interesting topic. From the Christian side, general position is "ah...no" but then I have read a few articles that evidence could exist in the Bible (i.e.; John the Baptist is Elijah). Of course discussions further split to ask was John Elijah reincarnated or was he in the Spirit of Elijah (that was from CARM). I simply am not knowledgeable enough to have a firm position. And some of that is probably the fact that I actually love the mystery behind God's presence and power so therefore have a hard time letting go of the fact that with him anything is possible.

 

The concept of shared essence could tie into some of the recent science that looks at our souls as energy. It isn't destroyed at our physical death but dispersed. There has been some research in recent years but I don't have those articles at my finger tips. They were geared toward tying to the existence of God/religions from what I recall. God did not bless me with recall!

[Tbisb74]

There IS no 'Partial Reincarnation'. It's total.

 

I have absolute undeniable proof.

Here it is.

[Anela]

There's nothing wrong with intellectual curiosity. I support that 100%. What bothers me I guess, is that some people are determined to believe that we can still exist after our bodies perish and that's just not scientifically possible. I don't think evidence exists to prove reincarnation. I think there's evidence of a strong belief in reincarnation, a willingness to overlook the practicality of science to believe in an idea that can't be proven because there's no scientific model to prove reincarnation. Just people's strong belief that it exists.

 

Well, to those who do believe, that's their right. Nobody is trying to convince you of anything. I'm not sure about anything in regards to this, but I'm certainly open to the idea. Why the need to crush any sort of belief for another person?

[Robert Z]

Well, to those who do believe, that's their right. Nobody is trying to convince you of anything. I'm not sure about anything in regards to this, but I'm certainly open to the idea. Why the need to crush any sort of belief for another person?

 

 

If one could use science to crush beliefs like this, I would be the first to do it. But it is an inappropriate application of scientific knowledge to claim that these sorts of things are not true. All that can be said is that we have no scientific reason to believe they are or could be true. But even the physics we know is incomplete. And the cutting edge theories that we do find are bizarre in the extreme, where all notions of common sense go out the window. Also, the deepest mysteries about consciousness remain just that. So the way that I see it, all bets are open. Given strong anecdotal evidence for a claim, in my view, one has to stick to the evidence and assume that we could be in territory where the science completely eludes us. It is possible that we just don't have the proper theories in place to explain what is potentially [allegedly] real.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Robert Z

[Anela]

If one could use science to crush beliefs like this, I would be the first to do it. But it is an inappropriate application of scientific knowledge to claim that these sorts of things are not true. All that can be said is that we have no scientific reason to believe they are or could be true. But even the physics we know is incomplete. And the cutting edge theories that we do find are bizarre in the extreme, where all notions of common sense go out the window. Also, the deepest mysteries about consciousness remain just that. So the way that I see it, all bets are open. Given strong anecdotal evidence for a claim, in my view, one has to stick to the evidence and assume that we could be in territory where the science completely eludes us. It is possible that we just don't have the proper theories in place to explain what is potentially [allegedly] real.

 

Why would you want to crush another's belief, though? I'm open-minded, and agree with the rest of your post, but I also know that the idea of it being real, makes me a happier person. I'm most likely going to have to put one of my dogs down next week, and I feel better thinking that I might see her again, when I pass, that I'll be surrounded by the pets I've already lost, as well as my cousin, friends, and other family members.

 

I do wish that more people would post about odd things happening, or their beliefs in this regard, but I understand that they wouldn't want to be mocked. A woman was brave enough to mention here, the other day (on LS), that she'd had her cat put to sleep the day before, but she could hear her scratching at the door for her food (I think it was), and that the mail person heard the cat another time, but the cat wasn't there (or wasn't supposed to be).

[Robert Z]

Why would you want to crush another's belief, though? I'm open-minded, and agree with the rest of your post, but I also know that the idea of it being real, makes me a happier person. I'm most likely going to have to put one of my dogs down next week, and I feel better thinking that I might see her again, when I pass, that I'll be surrounded by the pets I've already lost, as well as my cousin, friends, and other family members.

 

Honestly, I have struggled with this question a great deal: Is it best to dispel false beliefs when we can with certainty? On one hand, it is the recognition of logic and science that drug us out of the dark ages. Suddenly we began to suspect that the universe has a mathematical structure and wasn't just created through magic. We learned that disease is caused by bacteria and viruses and parasites, and it isn't a punishment from God. We learned not to burn epileptics at the stake as witches. And we stopped bleeding people to rid them of the evil spirits. So, it is easy to make the argument for allowing science, and logic, and mathematics, to guide people's beliefs; to dispel beliefs rooted in mysticism. Doing so has raised the human condition and the standard of living, globally, and dramatically. It has benefitted the entire human race more than any other pursuit in human history.

 

However, it is easy to take this too far. Science has limits, as has been discussed. Beyond that, I think we have a responsibility to each other. Most of us don't want to go around destroying other people's lives. And to dispel a belief can be emotionally traumatic. I even suspect that most people need mysticism to be happy. We need the element of doubt to get through the day - that there is more to life than work and sitting in traffic.

 

 

So I try to gauge each situation on its own merit. If one person is touting claims that are not only fictional, but potentially harmful to others in some fashion, I tend to speak my mind. If it is strictly a matter of personal beliefs, then I try to keep my mouth shut.

 

 

For example, it would have been good to dispel the false beliesf of the victims of the Jonestown massacre. But I wasn't about to intellectually beat the Catholicism out of my mother.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

The danger with a belief in the afterlife is that it tends to diminish the importance of the life we actually have. What if this IS it - when you die, you're dead. Would you live your life any differently?

 

 

I threw away a good part of my life because, I believe, I believed in a bunch of nonsense. I do tend to speak up when I see other people going down the same path. I feel it did me harm... a great deal of harm.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Robert Z

[Anela]

My Great Uncle wasn't a believer in anything like this, and then he died on the operating table. This was about twenty years ago. He said that he was floating, and felt peaceful, and wanted to go wherever he was being taken. He apparently tried to hit the guy who brought him back. He didn't want to come back.

 

I'll take his experience, over people telling me that I won't see my loved ones again - that they're just buried, and that's that, no more for them. I don't care if they think it's magical thinking, I'd just prefer that they not decide that they know better than I do, about any of this, or what's better for me to believe.

[Haydn]

I do like the idea of reincarnation. Makes much more sense then believing in a deity. Its like spiritual recycling.

 

Can i come back as Shakira`s hips?