The Story of Reincarnation, the Continuity of Life:
Background:
Reincarnation is the story of how we have lived many lives on earth and that in any life, we are what we have made ourselves in former lives - under the law of cause and effect or karma. We are not born only once, as a clean slate, as some would suggest. Ask any parent of children and they will tell you! Our strengths and talents we have earned over many lifetimes; as well as our flaws and shortcomings. Similarly, what happens to us in life - if we believe in law and not in chance - is also our own making. In other words, we are ourselves, and from day to day and from life to life we are making ourselves into what we will one day become, in this and future lives! I like to see Earth as a classroom. We each have our own lessons to learn; like getting along, healing, forgiving, and loving each other.
History:
The topic of reincarnation, while very dominant in the collective imagination of Eastern traditions, remains marginalized in Western society. Recent scientific research on the topic, however, is reintroducing this age old belief into Western popular culture, with interesting therapeutic applications in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and astrology as well as alternative health. Psychiatrist Dr. Brian Weiss, through the use of past-life regression in his clinical practice and psychiatrist Dr. Ian Stevenson, through his ground-breaking cross-cultural reincarnation studies, are revolutionizing our modern understanding of the soul’s journey through time and space. Jeffrey Green, through his research with the Pluto symbology has us looking at Astrology in a new way, and Evolutionary way of Past Lives. What if we weren't limited to a single life on earth? What if our soul had many lives to experience the physical world, before journeying back to a unified field of consciousness? My brief explanation seeks to clarify some of these age old questions, by putting reincarnation back into its proper historical context.
Reincarnation was once a very respected belief, in ancient times, before being removed from early Western discussion by the advent of modern Christianity. There has been a gradual reintroduction of reincarnation, in the latter half of the 20th century, by such forward thinking pioneers, as the aforementioned psychiatrists.
We know that Eastern religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism- all adhere to the karmic laws of causality. But it’s interesting to note that The Egyptians, the Druids and the Greeks – starting with Pythagoras- were all believers in the concept of reincarnation as well. In fact, all of Western antiquity was familiar with this principle. The reincarnation of the soul is found as a central theme in at least three masterworks of the Greek philosopher Plato, including the Phaedo, The Banquet and in the 10th book of Plato’s Republic: The Myth of Er The Pamphylian. The story of this soldier who dies on the battlefield, only to be brought back to life, in order to tell of what he saw on the Other Side is a powerful testament to the ancient belief in the cyclical nature of our soul’s voyage between physical and nonphysical realms. The Pharisees and especially the Essenes, disciples of Plato, believed in reincarnation. The Jewish people, as a whole were waiting for the return of the prophets, and especially of Elijah. The Jewish Zohar speaks of reincarnation, the Kabbalah of rebirth that allows men to be purified.
Reincarnation and Early Christianity:
Among the early reincarnationist Christians after the death of Christ were the Gnostics, who claimed to possess Christ's inner, more spiritual teachings which had been hidden from the general population and reserved for those who could understand them. The Gnostics' religious practice centered around enlightened spiritual teachings and the personal experience of God rather than membership in an organized church. The orthodox taught that salvation could be granted through the Church. When the Roman emperor Constantine became a supporter of Christianity in the year 312, he supported the orthodox view of salvation., perhaps because he thought it would lead to a stronger, more organized society. Between the third and sixth centuries, the authorities of the Church and state gradually eliminated the reincarnationist Christians. Convened by Constantine, in 325 the Church council at Nicaea produced a confession of faith called the Nicene Creed, elevating Jesus' divinity as the only Son of God, also limiting discussions of reincarnation from taking place. Later in 553 the Fifth General Council of the Church rejected reincarnation once again from the Church. This was at the manipulating hands of Roman Emperor Justinian. Even though Pope Vigilius refused to sign the a papal decree condemning reincarnation, Justinian had him arrested and put in jail. The fact that the doctrine had been a part of Christian theology for over 500 years did not sway the emperor. This happened around the same time as the churches acceptance of the idea of original sin and Man's Soul of depravity!! The story goes on .....................................
Even Jesus, did not deny the concept. While reincarnation does not explicitly appear in the Current Gospels of the New Testament, its presence is nevertheless implicit in at least 3 circumstances. 1st: when Christ speaks of Abraham, “The Jews unto him, ‘Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? ‘ Jesus said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.’”- Bible: John (8:58) (implying that Jesus was eternal, having lived before)
2nd: the episode of the blind new-born baby. As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. So his disciples asked him, saying, ‘Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but the works of God should be made manifest in him.”- Bible: John (9:1-3) (implying the man had to have lived before to be born blind)
And lastly, 3rd: it is announced to Zachary that his son will come forth “with the spirit and the strength of Elijah”. Christ clearly states that John the Baptist is Elijah. “`But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.” —Jesus, (Matthew 17:12, 13)
These are but a few of many references still in the Bible. Many Books with strong reincarnation references from that time period are also missing from the Current Bible.
The Bottom Line is that Reincarnation was part of the early Christian Church for at least 300 years after the birth of Christ!
Summation:
Reincarnation forms a pivotal part of my belief system because it allows us all another chance. Most of us have not committed serious crimes in this life. But many of us need further opportunities in which to resolve painful situations and complete our learning experience.
Reincarnation is an opportunity, both to learn from our mistakes on Earth and to pursue God. It is key to understanding our Soul's Journey. I invite you to journey with me through a Past Life Regression Session or an Evolutionary Natal Chart Analysis, as we explore your Soul's purpose for this incarnation and your past lives.
My purpose here is to inform and not convince you the reader of any particular belief system. Seek out your own truth.
Nevertheless, you do not have to believe in reincarnation or karmic justice for past life therapy or evolutionary astrology to work for you! As long as you can hold an open mind to the experience, your belief system does not prevent you from being a good subject for this technique. We can approach the material that comes up as a wonderfully powerful story or metaphor for whatever issues we’re exploring in your life. It is up to you to decide whether you wish to regard this material as a "real" past life, or something else. It does not matter as far as the effectiveness of the technique. I have been successful recovering past life memories with people from widely different spiritual traditions and belief systems.
Thank You,
Dave Kalkanoff
"I am confident that there truly is such a thing as living again, that the living spring from the dead, and that the souls of the dead are in existence."
~Socrates
