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.
