The Making of The Making of Human DestinyHuman Destiny

Reincarnation: Reincarnation: FACT OR FICTION?

Have we lived before? Why don’t we remember it? Are there scientific evidences

of reincarnation? How do religions view it,

especially Christianity? What are its implications in

our daily life?

Puzzles & mysteries in lifePuzzles & mysteries in life

Why are some people born healthy, while others are born blind or with disabilities?

Why do we feel instantaneously close to a particular stranger, while for others we feel unexplainable animosity?

Why are some people seem so talented in certain things, while others are not?

Where do we go after death? Heaven? Hell? Do we have chances to make amends for our mistakes and grow towards maturity and perfection?

Since time immemorial, practically all cultures have believed or espoused reincarnation:– India: Hinduism and Buddhism– Israel: Pharisees and Kabbalist– Christianity: Gospels, Origen– Islam: Sufism

Why considerWhy considerReincarnation?Reincarnation?

There are scientific evidences of reincarnation

It is affirmed by the spiritual traditions of all ages and cultures, including Christianity

It is the only consistent explanation to the many contradictions and puzzles in human life

But how about my But how about my religious beliefs?religious beliefs?

The doctrine of reincarnation is compatible with Christianity and practically all major religions

If reincarnation is a demonstrated fact (like the Sun being the center of the Solar System), then incompatible dogmas will have to be revised

Reincarnation Reincarnation in the Gospelsin the Gospels When Jesus came into the

coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Matthew 16:13-14

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? John 9:2

Luke 9[7] Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;[8] And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

Matthew 17[10] And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?[11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.[12] But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.[13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Reincarnation in ChristianityReincarnation in Christianity

Evidences of Evidences of ReincarnationReincarnationAuthenticated memories of past

livesBirthmarksXenoglossyChild prodigiesTestimonies of well-known

people

Authenticated Cases of Authenticated Cases of Remembrance of Past LifeRemembrance of Past Life

Dr. Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia has investigated more than 2,000 cases of claimed memories around the world: Turkey, Brazil, Thailand, India, Lebanon, Burma, etc.

Many involved young children from 2-1/2 to 7 years old

His researches have been considered as among the most convincing evidences of parapsychology

Examples of Examples of authenticated casesauthenticated cases

Shanti DeviShanti Devi

Shanti Devi, born 1926, began speaking of her previous family when she was 4 years old. She remembered having lived before as Lugdi Bai, who died on Oct. 4, 1925, after childbirth.

Mahatma Gandhi talked to Shanti Devi and organized a committee of prominent citizens to accompany her to Mathura and check the claims of Shanti Devi.

Shanti DeviShanti Devi

She led the group to the house and correctly identified the changes in Mathura

She was able to identify all the relatives She stated information that only she and

husband knew She stated she hid money near a hiding

place which was confirmed by the husband

Reena Gupta told her grandmother, “I have a gharwala (husband). My gharwala was a very bad man. He killed me.”

It was confirmed that there was a woman, Gurdeep Kaur, who was murdered by her husband on June 2, 1961.

Gurdeep’s parents came to visit Reena, and happily smiled “They are my father and mother.”

The former husband had been jailed for 10 years for killing his wife and her brother.

In 1975, the husband met Reena, who refused to go near him.

Dolan Mitra, born August 8, 1967, starting wearing her elder brother’s clothes at age 3. Later upon being scolded, she replied that she used to be a bigger boy who lived in Burdwan, a place 72 miles away from her hometown.

In March, 1972, they went to Burdwan and successfully found her former home there, and correctly identified members of the family and possessions of her mother of the previous life.

BirthmarksBirthmarks

XenoglossyXenoglossy

the ability to speak languages that are unlearned in this life

Child ProdigiesChild Prodigies

John Stuart Mill Mozart Blind Tom

Testimonies of Famous Testimonies of Famous PeoplePeople

Gen. George Gen. George PattonPatton

Henry David Henry David ThoreauThoreau

“I lived in Judea eighteen hundred years ago, but I never knew that there was such a one as Christ among my contemporaries.” Letter to Harrison Blake

“An Hawthorne, too, I remember as one with whom I sauntered in old heroic times along the banks of the Sacamander amid the ruins of chariots and heroes.” Letter of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gustave FlaubertGustave Flaubert Author of Author of Madame BovaryMadame Bovary

I possess memories which go back to the Pharaohs. I see myself very clearly at different ages of history, practicing different professions and in many sorts of fortune. My present personality is the result of my lost personalities. . . . Many things would be explained if we could know our real genealogy.

Dalai LamaDalai Lama Tibetan leader Chosen on the

basis of test of his memories as the previous Dalai Lama

Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Why do we not Why do we not remember?remember?

To understand memory, we must understand – the different vehicles of

memory– the different kinds of memory

Remembrance Reminiscence

Vehicle Function

Spirit; Atma

Spark of the Divine; True Self within

Spiritual Soul (Buddhi)

Seat of spirituality and true intuition; where illumination and enlightenment occurs

Higher Mental

Abstract thinking; formless

Lower Mental

Concrete thinking; with forms

Emotion Seat of feelings

Physical Etheric Dense

The double; vehicle of prana or ch’i Physical, liquid and gaseous

Causalbody

Desirebody

Levels of Levels of consciousneconsciousne

ssss

The Process of ReincarnationThe Process of Reincarnation

Causalbody

New desirebody

NORMAL CASE OFREINCARNATION

SPECIAL CASE OFREINCARNATION

Accident; murder; suicide

Desirebody

Implications in Our LivesImplications in Our Lives

Despite the temporary setbacks, there is always hope in life

Death is just a pause between two earth lives

Our present circumstances are the result of our past actions; we reap what we have sown

While we will suffer the consequences of our hurtful acts, we have the opportunity to make amends and to grow into perfection

Life is a process of growth towards perfection through experiences, learning and reincarnation

The message of rebirth is embodied in the principle of cause and effect– To avoid pain, we must creating causes that

will bring us pain– To attain happiness, we must also thoughts and

acts of kindness, benevolence and service

True liberation is freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth, through the spiritual life

"A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall

bear me." Kahlil Gibran