Reincarnation, Rebirth & Embodiment
Showing 1–12 of 19 results
Causality, Origins, & Reincarnation #81
The subject of reincarnation reveals its depth and importance in this rendering of cause and effect that goes far back into the origination of all beings and principles. Traditionally there are teachings about the material and the efficient causes of manifestation. This chart shows the Escalons of cause and effect running deep into the subtle levels of consciousness, with their correlatives in manifested and unmanifested nature as well. Knowing that all exterior things connect to their respective causes, and how they do so at gradated levels, gives the spiritually ascending soul all the knowledge and resolve necessary to meditate within and take the final involutionary journey to the Source.
Dasabhumikas — The Ten Pure Lands #102
The subject of rebirth and reincarnation is usually presented and examined from the standpoint of souls who are attempting to transcend suffering and desire for rebirth entirely. But what happens to souls who reach the end of their need to reincarnate, and who still want to return to relative planes of existence to help others attain such unprecedented Freedom? Whether these planes of existence are called lokas, akashas, bhumikas, or kingdoms of heaven within, these elite hosts of illumined souls may choose to continue to incarnate for the highest good of all living beings.
Desire, Karma, Samskaras, & Rebirth #197
The presence and existence of desire on the world scene is so prevalent as to seem natural to living beings. Conscious and intelligent beings, however, do not necessarily think so. To moderate desire is best, and even to give it up completely is a viable option. To fulfill desire is good, but difficult, even impossible, without dharma. This wisdom chart shows why this is the case, and how ill-considered acts perpetrated out of selfish desire culminate in mental complexes and suffering later in life, or in other lifetimes. Soon, people are being born “the way they are” later, having no key as to why they are that way, and that they, themselves, formed themselves that way. To curtail the mind’s tendency for desire-based projection, then is the solution.
Dharmashrama — The Four Stages of Life #302
As an excellent companion for chart #301 on the Four Castes of Life, the Four Stages of Life bring yet another illuminating light on the ancient Indian way of conducting life in the world. As the castes are a way of contributing to society as one makes ones way in the world, the ashramas encourage individuals to make progress in matters that are more moral and spiritual in nature. Of great import, and rarely seen in other cultures, is the high station of sannyas wherein the soul renounces the world and attains Enlightenment — revealing that realization of Brahman is ultimately the true Goal to aim for.
Lokas, Nadis, and Transmigration of Souls #20
Lokas are vast inner realms, described as kingdoms of heaven within, akashas, and bardos, etc., by illumined beings who sport a well developed internal life. Nadis are the abundance of channels running through all lokas, along which course departing and arriving souls in and out of a complicated confluence of concourses, borne here and there by the flow of dynamic spiritual energy called Kundalini, or Shakti. If the outer physical world is replete with an endless series of paths, roads, highways and biways, how much more vast and spralling are the inner worlds, which are truly like “Chambers in our Father’s Mansion.” The intrepid spiritual wayfarer meditates in order to come to know these blissful worlds, all nestled in the Great Mind of God.
Phases of the Soul in Relativity #22
As the Great Soul, Swami Vivekananda, has reminded us in these modern times, all beings are not created equal. This is true not just of their lives; their mental makeup also varies, often in the extreme. And though the philosophy of Nonduality tells us that change is nonactual, that transformation is a myth, these changes that the soul (mind) passes through in relativity serve a purpose of not only gradating the millions of beings embodied in form, but also of supplying a way of ascension up and out of form when the soul is through with it. Finally, this inward ascension introduces us to advanced souls who enter our lives, and lifetimes, often unasked, but always for the betterment of all involved.
Rebirth and the Refinement of Consciousness #45
Teachings from the Bhagavad Gita transmitted by Sri Krishna are as valid and beneficial today as they were in ancient India. To become aware of one’s past lifetimes is to step halfway inward towards Enlightenment itself. Further, it is helpful for the aspirant after realization to come to know the stages of the rebirth process in terms of how the soul refines itself using spiritual practice lifetime after lifetime until perfection returns.
Samskaras in the Human Mind #128
Subtle deposits springing from all the thoughts and actions of our lifetime, as well as from lifetimes lived previously in other bodies, are called samskaras in Sanskrit. Positive, negative, and mixed, these collections of impressions are responsible for how beings think or do not think, what they are attracted to and what they are averse to, and in what modes they act — by which they reap, enjoy, and suffer their karmas from such
actions. Bringing these composites of thought and action to the surface for inspection via spiritual practices, the aspirant after freedom can render them ineffective to ever negatively influence mind, energy (prana), senses, and body again.
The Five Akashas of Vedanta Philosophy #59
With the major emphasis being on outer space in this scientific day and time, the realms of inner space have all been forgotten and abandoned. Indian seers have long known that these “many chambers of my Father’s Mansion” are the places of origin for all transmigrating souls who take a form to earth, as well as the abiding homes of peace and bliss for the gods and higher beings. Called akashas in Sanskrit, also lokas, they are
to be envisioned as being interconnected and dependent upon one another, like five Russian dolls that each reside within one another, partaking of the bliss of the “Oneness in diversity.”
The Five Sheaths of the Adhara System #64
Classic to the Vedanta Darshana, and utilized by so many religions and philosophical systems in one way or another, India’s ancient presentation of the five sheaths of human awareness over the eternal Atman has far-reaching ramifications for the embodied soul’s understanding of its innate spirituality. Coming to know of the overlays of form over formless Reality is, for many in this day and time, a completely healing insight, affecting as it does both the intrinsic perfection of one’s true nature, and the ability to slough off all such false superimpositions and be free. At the same time such understanding helps to render life in the realm of form beneficial, helping to deify body, energy (prana), mind, intelligence, and the ego — the five sheathes, or koshas, clear and pure. Gaining freedom from them and living in the Atman then becomes a matter of natural course.
The Illusory Ego’s Projection Via Rebirth #262
Within the story of Sukra, in the revealed scripture, Yoga Vasishtha, can be found some rich and somewhat astonishing happenings which shine a light upon the human mind’s powers of mental projection. When one, indivisible mass of Consciousness breaks into parts, apparently so, individual souls begin their play or sport in the worlds of “make believe,” much like children playing outdoors away from their fathers. All manner of stories get conjured up at that time, all replete with heros, villains, deeds — even mocks deaths. It is all pretend. In like manner, Sukra dreamt himself into many lifetimes in various forms when he fell to earth, forgetting his true, birthless, deathless nature. This wisdom chart reveals how this strange phenomena occurs.
The Makeup of a Samskara & Samskaraskandha #129
As a closer look into the consistency of a samskara, and as a partner dharma chart with #128, this teaching takes apart the contents of a mental impression to reveal what it is made of and what gives it its power over the human being. Further, a skandha, or conglomeration of samskaras, is examined as well, shedding light upon what prompts the embodied soul to take bodies, specific genders, families, lifestyles, careers, and why those souls with heavy karma tend towards bondage in samsara and never seek knowledge, peace, bliss, and freedom.