Reincarnation

[Shana-chan]

Not sure where else to post this but, reincarnation, is it real or not? I ask a simple yet VERY hard question to answer since obviously, this requires proof. Now WHY am I asking such a simple but hard to answer question? Good question indeed. Truth is, I myself have a few memories which just flat out ISN'T possible for me to have unless a few things were the case and one of those is that of reincarnation. Sure these "memories" could have been a dream, maybe I made them up? Or perhaps somehow I got them from someone else. (They aren't my memories but somehow I'm seeing their memories and this is different from reincarnation since I'm me and they're them) I'll tell you the memories I have.

1. I have some memories here and there of a place I believe to be Japan yet I've never been to Japan and other than "possibly" a "few" shows I watched which had scenes of Japan, I can't explain why I have these memories. Yet I heard that most Americans see the man on the moon while most Japanese see the Bunny on the moon, I see the Bunny and only once saw the man on the moon. I happen to love Japan too. Coincidence? I can't say for sure so I don't know.

2. I remember talking to someone who I believe to be God because I asked that being to make me a boy. (Or let me be born a boy) I was clearly a female at that point and why in the UNIVERSE I'd ask such a thing!? I honestly have no idea but boy if that really did happen, I wish I hadn't been so stupid! >_< (Obviously I want to be a female and do away with this male body)

3. Later on I remember taking a shower, again as a woman. I believe this was on Earth (Though can't be 100% sure) and the shower looked kind of modern I guess. (Though the lights were dimmed pretty good)

4. I honestly don't know if this is just me thinking this is how it'd feel if a girl felt that way in terms of doing certain things such as kissing and so on but I have had a few times where I felt that way. Really this is a different type since it's not a memory in the head but my body actually felt those same feelings but again, not sure if this is just me thinking that's how it'd feel since I know how it works/looks and such and therefore somehow tricking my body into feeling those things. (Though there's a chance I might be intersex so maybe that explains it?)

5. I think that's it, other than I might have some memories of London but again nor sure there and I'm thinking it couldn't have been more than 50-100 years ago for that shower and these "possible" memories of London which have become quite blurry to the point I don't remember them but know I once remembered them.

So all this, and yet, that's not enough proof for me nor can I say for sure any of that is real. What say you all? I'd like to hear what you have to say on this matter and of course, if you can offer any "proof" such as someone clearly remembered certain events from who they once were and later met up with the older sibling and told them those memories and as a result the older sibling could say that's what happened and might have even photo graphed (Taken a picture) that event and to better back up those two people, they took a lie detector test and so on which proved they weren't lying. So proof like that or proof aside from just saying I remember these things.

Now I'd like to say something here. I'm NOT crazy nor do I claim to be someone who was reincarnated, all I'm saying is I have these memories which I shouldn't have and hope to get to the bottom of them.

[Kia]

I'm always a bit skeptical about reincarnation, not that I don't believe it but the vast amount of evidence for it are experiences like yours. While these may be legitimate memories of your own or someone else it's important to recognize that the mind and the imagination are vastless and amorphous. You know how you have a dream and you're in your house, only it looks nothing like it the rooms are different, etc. But you know it's your house! The mind is a strange creature, I've had some extremely strange experiences during my spiritual practices. I see these as massive exercises of the imagination, and just because something is imagined does not mean it is fake, imagined experiences can still evoke emotional and psychological changes in the person.

I say for the moment let them lie, you could explore these memories with meditation or some form of hypnosis though in these states the mind is highly suggestible and you may not end up with any "facts". Experiences like these are good moments for questioning, the universe is a strange and wonderful place and past lives, spirit possession, alien abductions, and such open our eyes to just how strange and wonderful it could be.

[Shana-chan]

Trust me, I haven't underestimated the brain and such. I know it all too well but while I know this, I don't "think" they're fake. Even so, I still can't say for sure. Also I'm not one who likes Hypnosis because it can be suggestive and not to mention it could do you a TON of harm if you're not careful.

[Shana-chan]

Yeah, I said I don't "think" or don't "believe" they're fake, that doesn't mean I don't consider all the possibilities for what they could be.

[franie]

I have had past life regression done on two occasions.Both were very believable and  coincided with what  I have experienced in this life.
That said, it doesn't matter wither we  believe in it or not, that doesn't make it so or not so.

[Jess42]

Reincarnation is just another dynamic of human spirituality in which faith plays a part. Whether it is an actuality or not is no more or less important than anything else in differeing religions. A lot of religions have believed in reincarnation and even early Christianity supposedly believed in it until the 6th century. Little hints are still in the Bible. The sinner dying a thousand deaths and the blind man that Jesus and the desciples met on the road are two of them.

If you are interested in reincarnation Shana-chan, the best book that I can point you to is called "Journey of Souls".  I've read a lot about reincarnation and this one, in my opinion, is the most informative well rounded book that I have read on the subject. This is the first one that I suggest to anyone that is curious about reincarnation because it takes six different people out of so many from the newest Soul to the older Soul and compares how their their physical lives are in relation to the advancement of their Soul. It tackles the situation of suicide, being born like we are and so many other things. I also suggest it because it is on a psychological level instead of a religious level and yes God is mentioned in it but not on any worldly regious view. Even in the state between lives we have no idea what or who God is, just that It is there and is Pure Unconditional Love.

"I remember talking to someone who I believe to be God because I asked that being to make me a boy. (Or let me be born a boy) I was clearly a female at that point and why in the UNIVERSE I'd ask such a thing!? I honestly have no idea but boy if that really did happen, I wish I hadn't been so stupid! >_< (Obviously I want to be a female and do away with this male body)"
This part you wrote is extremely interesting and is actually addressed in pretty much every book or paper I have looked into on the subject when we are between physical incarnations. Not necissarily the "God" part but choosing to be born a certain way with certain limitations is all a learning process. Being born physically male and feeling Spiritually female is one heck of a limitation and painful circumstance to me. So, stupid you were?, probably not. Just another limitaton or uncomfortable or painful circumstance you have to deal with on a physical level in order to perfect the Soul on a Spiritual level.

Yes, the subconscious can play tricks in the fill in the blank game. With past life regressions though, these memories supposedly come from higher than the plain old subconscious. I have heard that the superconscious (the next level above the subconscious theoretically) is where the past life memories reside and then glimpses of them filter into the subconscious and why we get glimpses or have dreams but not the full force memories.

There are differences between memories and fantasies and/or false memories. Usually in memories everything coincides and you can recall specifics such as times, currencies, clothing, fashion and so on. With fantasies or false memories these will be mixed up and jumbled around for example, you may be "remembering" being in Japan but using a foriegn currency to purchase something. Or remembering being in WW2 in Europe and wearing Nike tennis shoes. In other words if the memories may truly be real, everything will be timeline or geographically specific.

Anyway, there is a ton of stuff pertaining to reincarnation on the internet. Some are actual studies and so on and others are just side show type stuff.

I have heard everything from genetic memories to false memories to nothing more than fantasies pertaining to reincarnation. Is it an actual dynamic? Who knows but one day we will find out. If Einstein was right and the past, present and future are happening simultaneously then we are also living these lives simultaneously with our present self in possibly the multiverse theory right alonside ourselves now but at different vibrational levels. Is reincarnation just a delusion and wishful thinking that we exist on after our bodies have reverted back to the planet? No more or less than any other Spiritual belief that is prevailent throughout any religion in which you have to use Faith to believe it.   

[Jasriella]

Just because it cannot be scientifically proven doesn't mean it cannot or does not happen. Kinda like a saying I made for myself when I was little to justify dragons could be real lol "perhaps there's a reason you cannot prove that something does not exist."

I for one do believe in reincarnation and kinda have "feels" for certain things or really vivid dreams of another place and time but nothing I'd put any solid truth to.

[Danielle Emmalee]

I used to think that maybe I was a woman born in the 1920s.

[barbie]

Yes. This topic was discussed before.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,127465.msg1005402.html#msg1005402

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59106.msg376134.html#msg376134

barbie~~

[DriftingCrow]

Not sure where else to post this but, reincarnation, is it real or not? I ask a simple yet VERY hard question to answer since obviously, this requires proof.

Why does it require proof? This is something that cannot be proven without dying.  Religious/spiritual beliefs are something that can't be proven, it's all about faith.

I do believe in reincarnation for multiple reasons, it's just what makes sense to me, I feel a connection to that thought. It makes more sense to me that either my soul/energy just disappearing when I die, or sitting there in the ground with me until the Day of Judgment. It's part of the reason why I decided to follow Sikhi. Having life cycles where you're continuously growing and learning from your mistakes is something that I feel works better for me on a spiritual level, and seems more compassionate than "here's your one shot at life, you better not screw it up".

I also have some "memories" of a "past life". Of course, I don't know if it's a real past life, or if it's related to being trans. I remember being a male, driving a car, smoking a cigarette, and wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and a jean jacket. I think it's the '70s or '80s (I was born in the later '80s). So, memory of a past life or just some form of my brain trying to make sense of being a male in a female body, a kind of fantasy? There's many times when I subconsciously start grabbing for a cigarette or think "I need a cig right now" even though I've never been a smoker (although I have tried a cigarette before and loved the taste), so more leftovers from a past life or was the cigarette companies really effective in getting their products into my head? I don't know the answer, and I am happy not knowing the answer. I think life is a joyous mystery and it wouldn't be so fun if we had the answers to everything. 

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

What is it that's re-incarnated ? If it's a soul, does this mean a soul has a memory ? Then one must ask the big question....What is memory ? In scientific terms memories are neuropathways forged in an organic brain (that succumbs to decay) This would mean parts of the old decayed brains matter (That once stored the memories) have been 'recycled'...Scientists are also aware that recycling is a natural part of Mother Nature's plan...

Also on a more 'spiritual' level ( spirit level to 'level' things off, so to speak  ) memory is stored through out the physical body in the form of sensations that arise and are collected from the continuous stream of sense data bombarding the physical body...

The more one delves into it the more interesting/fascinating it becomes...And I'm all for recycling in whatever form it takes...

Metta Zenda

[franie]

Kia Ora, I  love   your thoughts on reincarnation  i never though of it as recycling but  that  describes    what reincarnation is. 

[Anatta]

Kia Ora Franie,

To the lay person the Buddhist concept of rebirth and the Hindu concept of re-incarnation look very similar , however there is a big difference...(I've just "re-incarnated" this from a dead post  )

At first glance rebirth appears to imply there's a 'soul' or another form of eternal/permanent 'self',(some thing that passes/goes from one life to the next 'unchanged') but this is not the case...If one transfers the flame from a lighted candle to an unlit candle, the new flame is contingent on the old flame for its existence but they are not the same flame. There is continuity between the two but they are distinct. Re-incarnation would mean that the old flame is exactly the same as the new flame. Rebirth recognises there is a contiguous relationship of one life to the other but each is otherwise distinct.

Metta Zenda

[Shana-chan]

Why does it require proof? This is something that cannot be proven without dying.  Religious/spiritual beliefs are something that can't be proven, it's all about faith.

I doubt many people could prove if it's real or not, if at anyone. I was hoping someone had some sort of proof. That way I can better know if these memories I have might be real or not. Without proof it's something you have to believe in. I don't doubt reincarnation and or rebirth is possible but it's not like I'm going to say for sure it exists. So proof as well as hearing what everyone believes on this subject is why I created this thread. I even posted my own memories in hopes that others who had memories like me might post. Plus I wanted to have a stronger reason for creating this thread. (I don't know how to say what I just said there better than that)

Like me you have memories and feelings and such that I have but also like me you know it could very well be because of something else such as the cigarette companies really effective in getting their products into your head might be the reason why. Even I cannot say what's the case there.

[Danielle Emmalee]

I'd caution against looking for "proof" to your beliefs by asking for stories from other people on the internet, no matter how trustworthy the people on this site may seem to be. 

[DriftingCrow]

I doubt many people could prove if it's real or not, if at anyone. I was hoping someone had some sort of proof. That way I can better know if these memories I have might be real or not. Without proof it's something you have to believe in. I don't doubt reincarnation and or rebirth is possible but it's not like I'm going to say for sure it exists.

Are these memories concerning to you? If you're really worried about them, talking with someone knowledgeable in psychiatry or spirituality might be helpful to figuring out if these are something created by your brain or not. But, you shouldn't worry. Just take your time reading about different spiritual paths to figure out if reincarnation/rebirth is something you believe in. Finding a spiritual path comes from within, so you're only going to find what you need by doing a lot of reading, internal dialogue, and visiting various congregations.

I have mainly concluded that any "memories" I have aren't from a real past life, it's just something my brain cooked up, perhaps during a dream and that dream just stuck somewhere. I don't think memories of specific events travel from life to life, just the core being of the soul/energy which makes up a persons character.

[Shana-chan]

@Alice: That's why I said proof. I wasn't just referring to people sharing their experience as proof. Documented proof is more reliable proof but even then you got to be careful.

@Hand: No it doesn't bother me other than that memory of me asking someone who I believe to be God to let me be born a male. Obviously that one does bother me a bit because I don't know if these memories are true and therefore I find myself not knowing for sure whether to say why would God make me this way or to say he made me this way because I asked him. See a bit conflicting there.

[DriftingCrow]

Maybe you did ask God to make you born male. Perhaps you were looking to experience life being trans in order to learn something you didn't previously. 

[Jasriella]

Maybe you did ask God to make you born male. Perhaps you were looking to experience life being trans in order to learn something you didn't previously. 

I'm wondering the same thing myself. Though if that were the case I was just curious what living a life as a male would be like and had no clue I'd despise it this much. I have a habbit of doing stuff like that lol so that wouldn't be out of the ordinary for me.

[suitsme]

I have had memories and feelings/experiences over my lifetime that I once flew a Lancaster Bomber in WW2. (I know, it sounds nuts). I am an incredibly spiritual person and have had a life long interest in all things paranormal. I used to play the organ in the spiritualist church (although I'm not religious) and gained an insight into the work of mediums for those 3 years that I was there. Also I have out of body experiences. I tend to believe (this is just my belief and nope, there's no proof) that I have to experience life as a female even though I feel very male! Reincarnation is a fascinating subject. I don't know if you're interested in reading on the subject but I have read quite a few books on the subject, more recently I have read books by Dr Brian Weiss which I found really interesting. Here is a link to his website  http://www.brianweiss.com/