Reincarnation Facts and Resources
15 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: consciousness, facts, frequency, nature, oneness, pastlife, reincarnation, resources, spiritual
What is Reincarnation?
Reincarnation is the concept that souls are continuously reborn in different bodies at different times and places. Many belief systems around the world embrace reincarnation, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and a variety of New Age religions. Each religion professes different beliefs about the cause and purpose of reincarnation, but some facts remain consistent. In most every case, reincarnation is a natural and very important part of the development of a soul; it is the process of struggling against some negative force, such as desire or karma, toward a higher state of being; and it applies to all human beings, if not all living creatures.
What do metempsychosis, the cycle of rebirth, and transmigration of the soul mean? Where do they come from?
Metempsychosis, also known as the transmigration of the soul, is a concept from ancient Greek philosophy. It refers to the journey of the soul from one incarnation (fleshly host) to the next. The soul is released from the body by death and exists briefly in a pure spiritual state before returning to a new body. The cycle of rebirth refers to the continuous process of transmigration and rebirth that attends the history of every soul. Plato is considered the “father” of these beliefs in Western thought; however, they are prominent in many Eastern religious systems.
Is there any evidence of reincarnation?
Reincarnation, like anything that takes place after death, is very difficult to study. The evidence of reincarnation comes from the study of incidents where people seem to remember places or people from a distant past. There is also déjà vu and the phenomenon of “old souls” – that is, people (including children) who conduct themselves with an aura of wisdom far beyond their years. Past-life regression therapy, including hypnosis and other methods, has purportedly been used to uncover memories and hidden psychological dynamics related to past lives. Purely scientific evidence is more scant. Some believers point to the laws of thermodynamics, which state that energy – perhaps even the energies of which a soul is made – can neither be created or destroyed, but must remain constant. Understood this way, the idea may support reincarnation.
How many people believe in reincarnation?
It is impossible to know precisely, but millions of people worldwide identify themselves with belief systems in which reincarnation plays a part. This includes over 300 million Buddhists, 800 million Hindus, at least one million adherents of New Age religions, and several million others, as well as many whose beliefs are held privately. Overall, it is reasonable to estimate that about a quarter of the world’s population believes in reincarnation in some form.
