The Creative Dance of Reincarnation

In Western cultures there appears to be much resistance to the idea of reincarnation. Many do believe that we are immortal, but to allow for that immortality to have a beginning in previous lives, before our birth into this life, is difficult for many to accept. The belief in reincarnation, most commonly associated with certain Eastern cultures and religions, is not only an ancient belief but has been widespread throughout the world. Modern scholars have discovered that the idea had wide favor throughout the early Americas, both North and South, in Europe, and persisted into the Christian Era. Scholars can point to many examples of early Christian and Jewish thought centered around the idea of re-birth. Apparently the early Christians, somehow threatened by the idea of rebirth or reincarnation for the common man, had most references to it removed from the Bible.

Many of our more-contemporary great thinkers, philosophers, noted writers and poets, educators, and scientists have acknowledged reincarnation as the most sensible paradigm for human immortality. And the shift of paradigm in the Western world appears to be gaining momentum as evidence to support the idea comes forward from various avenues of serious study. It is an idea that will benefit from more exploration.

For myself, it has been part of my belief system for as long as I can remember. It just seemed to be logical and reasonable and a part of spiritual reality. Proof? I personally don't need any more than I already have gathered in my experiences and research. To me it is a fact of life. In some ways, I am still that young girl of seven or eight that knew I had been here before, and in all probability, would be again. Many of my experiences throughout life have only confirmed the fact for me. Especially Don, (my late husband) with the incredible love bond we had; knowing, recognizing each other the moment our eyes met across a room; and always knowing each other in the deepest sense of the word throughout our years together. Soulmates, you bet.

So is reincarnation part of our creative dance? I think so. Dr. James Martin Peebles (1822-1922), a leading Spiritualist in the 19th Century, wrote about the knowing of another soul in his 1869 book, Seers of the Ages. He penned, "Souls require no introduction. The recognition is intuitional. Meeting a noble soul that knows our soul, we indulge the pleasing truth to us, that we knew the loved one in a pre-existent state, and delicious were those delicate experiences in the sweet realms of blessedness."

Pre-existent state? Might I ask, where and when and in what form? A soul is a soul, is it not?–whether wrapped in the garment of the current physical dimension, or the etheric finery of the other dimension, or the garment of a past life that is delicately hidden away in the recesses of the soul's mind only to come forward in new and subtle awareness from time to time throughout the eternal journey.

The creative dance of the spiritual self personifies a succession of endings and new beginnings which go on throughout our human life–and forevermore.

But we are always filled with wonder–What is life all about? Who are we? Why are we here? Does life truly go on? When a loved one passes from the body and continues on their own journey, it feels very much like they have left us behind. But have they? Are they really out of our reach? Those answers are found inside our hearts, in our experiences, in our faith, and in the understanding that we are spiritual beings, only encased in a physical body for a short period of time.

Dr. Peebles wrote in his 1880 book, Immortality, "The soul is ever a questioner. From its earliest recorded experiences it has interrogated itself and the surrounding universe for a solution of the mystery of its being and the momentous changes that necessarily await it."

The creative dance is a dance of change and new beginnings.

~Linda