How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
I'm looking forward to a brand new life when I pass on, and was hoping I had some modicum of control over who I would be. Mostly, I was hoping I could incarnate into the life of a young man left in foster care so I could learn the tenents of compassion, charity and self-reliance, then start a life of travel and service for the remainder of the life.
What do you all think? Would I be able to elbow-nudge the ol' higher self enough to get my next life wish granted? Could we come to some sort of compromise between the HS' soul desires and my own desire for boundless freedom and service for others? :)
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
Start with lucid dreaming and meditate often. At least from the point of view of several branches of Buddhism, learning to control your dreams is a way to practice for death and a good indicator of what you can look forward to.
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
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Originally Posted by Wallbridge
I'm looking forward to a brand new life when I pass on, and was hoping I had some modicum of control over who I would be. Mostly, I was hoping I could incarnate into the life of a young man left in foster care so I could learn the tenents of compassion, charity and self-reliance, then start a life of travel and service for the remainder of the life.
What do you all think? Would I be able to elbow-nudge the ol' higher self enough to get my next life wish granted? Could we come to some sort of compromise between the HS' soul desires and my own desire for boundless freedom and service for others? :)
I am of the belief (and have no proof that this is or isn't so) that having the desire to do this in the first place comes from your Higher Self to begin with, so I'd think it probably will pan out.
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
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Originally Posted by CFTraveler
I am of the belief (and have no proof that this is or isn't so) that having the desire to do this in the first place comes from your Higher Self to begin with, so I'd think it probably will pan out.
Do you remember the things you wanted 10 or 20 years ago?
Could you imagine being stuck with them now, having grown and changed and moved on?
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
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Originally Posted by Tom
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Originally Posted by CFTraveler
I am of the belief (and have no proof that this is or isn't so) that having the desire to do this in the first place comes from your Higher Self to begin with, so I'd think it probably will pan out.
Do you remember the things you wanted 10 or 20 years ago?
Could you imagine being stuck with them now, having grown and changed and moved on?
Actually yes, but that's not the point- the point is that the desire to help others will more than likely shape what his future life will be, the details are not really what's important. If it's his ego that wants to do it it may be another story, but if the desire to do it is coming from the HIgher Self to begin with, what his ego decides isn't that important anyway, it seems to me.
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
The question was about being able to map out the specifics of the next life. Yes, there was a purpose in mind behind that manipulation, and yes, that purpose is more important than the details.
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
Thank you both for your responses. Thinking it over today, I found that I don't really mind what circumstances I'm born into (though, as I said, I have preferences). In actuality, I want to be born into similar circumstances my next life so I can continue the things I'm not able to in this one. That is to say, I want to come back as a similar person, but with different options and a different life path. So I guess my two new questions I would like everyone's opinions on are:
1. Is Earth a popular enough place for training souls to develop that I might not be able to come back, or at least not be able to come back for a long time? I want to return as soon as possible after I die so I can continue, basically, My Life Part 2... just as a new guy.
2. Can a situation arise where even after I come back, I will completely lose who I am today and become something utterly different? For example, I want to travel and help others, but could I come back as an office worker with no desire to see the world? Could I lose the wanderlust and desire to be charitable that I wish to act upon, simply because I am a new person? How much of the soul/ego of the person I am now can survive, or be lost, in the transistion?
Thank you again for any and all insights!
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallbridge
Thank you both for your responses. Thinking it over today, I found that I don't really mind what circumstances I'm born into (though, as I said, I have preferences). In actuality, I want to be born into similar circumstances my next life so I can continue the things I'm not able to in this one. That is to say, I want to come back as a similar person, but with different options and a different life path. So I guess my two new questions I would like everyone's opinions on are:
1. Is Earth a popular enough place for training souls to develop that I might not be able to come back, or at least not be able to come back for a long time? I want to return as soon as possible after I die so I can continue, basically, My Life Part 2... just as a new guy.
2. Can a situation arise where even after I come back, I will completely lose who I am today and become something utterly different? For example, I want to travel and help others, but could I come back as an office worker with no desire to see the world? Could I lose the wanderlust and desire to be charitable that I wish to act upon, simply because I am a new person? How much of the soul/ego of the person I am now can survive, or be lost, in the transistion?
Thank you again for any and all insights!
Do you know what lessons are you supposed to learn in this life? When you incarnated, why did you choose your present life in the first place.
I don't have a define view about reincarnation, but I think it might be possible that when you die your perspective will change and your next incarnation might have different goals than the goal you are now choosing for your next incarnation.
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
Re: How much choice is involved in the process of reincarnation?
When I was a little kid, starting out in kindergarten, I kinda sorta had a feeling in the back of my mind that we are here on earth to learn. It was just something I knew in a sense, without thinking about it. I guess it could've been from my subconscious or soul.
Here's a real story: before I was born, my family had a cat that jumped on top a telephone pole across the street from their house. I remember this happening, although my parents insist I wasn't born than and it only happened once. I remember how their front door was kinda messed up by the opening handle, and how my mom brought out food to get the cat down. I remember this happening, though they say I wasn't born than and have never been in the house.
To this day I'm not sure what to make of that. But if my soul was actually lingering around their house, there would be a very good chance I choose to reincarnate on my own.