Reincarnation

[Susan Hosken]

I am doing a correspondence course on spirituality and metaphysics. We are exploring reincarnation. Do you believe in it or not. I am beginning to like the idea of being creative for numerous life times. I hope to be a wood carver in a future lifetime and a mosaicer and a potter and, and,.........I'd love to know your opinions on it.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

[Valerie]

Peg it makes me very sad when I see what some Christian faiths do to produce the guilt you and others are feeling. It also makes me sad that these people give Christianity a bad name. Catholicism, but not all Catholics, and right wing Christians come to mind but there are others. I am Christian but I don't believe as they do. Most of the Christians I know don't believe as they do. I'm sorry you and others haven't had that experience.
I don't believe mine is the only way. It is just the way for me. Like Jules, I believe that there are many paths to the same destination.

I'm reading Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh which parallels the lives of Buddha and Jesus.
In the Introduction, Elaine Pagels writes
"In Living Buddha, Living Christ, Thich Nhat Hanh expresses deep respect and appreciation for many elements of Christian tradition - not only for the teachings of Jesus but even for the concept of the Trinity and the possibilities for experiencing the love and compassion that many Christians and Christian communities offer. Fortunately for his readers, however, Thich Nhat Hanh does not take the easy way out of ecumenical discussion by ingoring disagreement. He also points out elements of Christian tradition that foster religions intolerance that have led to religious hatred."

She then goes on to talk about the ancient gospels uncovered in 1947 in Upper Egypt. They date to 20 years before the New Testament was written.

You said "I believe that there is alot that the Bible didn't tell us (or got left out on purpose by those assembling the books"

Pagels said "The books apparently were salvaged from the library of the earliest Christian monastery in Egypt after the archbishop of Alexandria ordered the monks to destroy all books he deemed "heretical" - that is, Christian sources not endorsed by the clerical authorities."

I hope you can let go of the feeling of guilt and keep following your heart. It seems you are on the right track : ) You may want to include this book in your search also.

[Beth Clark]

Hi Barb!
Thankyou for the wonderful compliment re: my artwork! That really means alot to me to have someone tell me that!!! Although I do eat meat, (I was a vegetarian for awhile, and miss it, but with family and friends, it got too hard), I do try to take that attitude that the Native American's have/had. I try to remember to silently thank the animal for the gift of nourishment that it has given to me. I never take that sacrifice for granted.

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

I got this note from the Universe (heh heh) in my email this morning :) and I must say ... I agree!

While I would actually LOVE to help every living soul on the planet remember who they were in the 4th century, why the pyramids were really built, and how their past beliefs shaped their present manifestations, I'd infinitely prefer to help them bust a move here and now, learn some new tricks, get a Life to Live, and live their dreams. Which, incidentally, is the only reason anyone ever chooses to come back.

Let's do this,
The Universe

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

and the next time I come back, I'm gonna be Rory Gallagher :)

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

[debb]

learn new tricks... live their dreams

this time around, for my new tricks, I want to be able to take pictures like Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz and Herb Ritts. I want to be able to tell/write stories like Dr Seuss, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, Douglas Adams, Alice Walker, Rita Mae Brown and SARK.

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

Then again, from below, in the great heavy stack,
Came a groan from that plain little turtle named Mack.
"Your Majesty, please ... I don't like to complain,
But down here below, we are feeling great pain.
I know, up on top you are seeing great sights,
But down at the bottom we, too, should have rights.
We turtles can't stand it. Our shells will all crack!
Besides, we need food. We are starving!" groaned Mack.

[Camille]

Ohhhh! I hope my sweet Izzy/Belles are doing well in there little heaven on earth in FL!

[Camille]

I never used to like the idea of coming back here to earth to do more suffering Susan, but now I believe in it very deeply, as earth life is a training ground for a more fuller spiritual-filled life in the many heavenly realms and in our many earth lives.

I also imagine, from various spiritual readings, that when we are in heaven, we are being trained to live a more evolved spiritual life for the next trip to earth...

I like to imagine we are here on earth to help ourselves as well as others to heal and grow, just as we are supposed to guide others into the various harmonious realms of heaven when we are there.

My feeling is that we may need to work out the kinks from past life karma and for preparing for future earthly trips untiil all the karmic issues are resolved and until we no longer have to make an earthly return because we have finally burned out all that karmic energy...but I imagine we continue to do service when we are in the realms of no return...

In books, it is said that when we return to earth, we do it not out of duress, but out of the love and desire to evolvie our spirits, in order to help others to evolve

I have read that we choose our future earthly lives while in heaven, select our own parents, friends etc to work on our burning issues and to help others with their ongoing spiritual journey, which I believe is an infinite journey that constantly expands with the universe...I have also read that even if we are finally evolved to the point where we don't have to come back to earth, some spirits devote themselves to the evolution of mankind, and choose to come back to continue to serve mankind.

I believe deep in my heart that those in the heavens are always, guiding and leading us towards wholeness and truth and that we never walk alone, although sometimes we may feel alone and even abandoned by God and his loving saints, angels and other kinds of helping entities!

That is why no matter how low I get I could never think about cutting my own life short...It means coming back again to re-encounter the same suffering again...that is a waste of a lifetime!


I am still very much in love with Christ and feel myself, at heart most comfortable, appealing to Christ and the Holy Spirit in prayers, meditation and thanksgiving!

These are my own personal views and exploring this topic may upset some people of different faiths and belief systems...I respect their beliefs, and accept them as they are...I hope they can accept those of us who want explore outside fundamental scriptural teachings as well.

I am not sure what it says in the bible about all this, but I do believe that Jesus loves the creative, outside the box thinkers (doubting Thomas, eg) , as well as those who adhere to beliefs they hold sacred...from any religion or culture or belief system! I totally and 100 percent believe in the right of SPIRITUAL FREEDOM for all!

Blessings from Dabs

[Susan Hosken]

Camille, I loved reading about your views. I believe in a lot that you do.
lots of love from susan in australia

[Camille]

Susan, you are truly a creative spirit and naturally are inclined to look outside the boxes! That is such a gift!
Enjoy it and use it well! Love Camille

[Barbara Ann Storrier]

What if we are capable of creating heaven or hell on earth? What if there is no heaven somewhere else, no hell somewhere else? What if this is all there is?