Our Living Way: The Cycle of Life and Death and Reincarnation
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Our Living Way: The Cycle of Life and Death and Reincarnation
A common belief is that human life is the pinnacle and death signals ‘the end’ and the subject is usually pushed out of our conscious thoughts, although it’s frequently there in the background activating a ‘make the most of life’ and ‘enjoy it while you can’ attitude to life.
Or alternatively, at the other end of the spectrum some live under the weight of burdens and remain fixated on their personal struggles in the belief that ‘life wasn’t meant to be easy’ and their focus is on just getting through each day. However, the matter of death and dying cannot be indefinitely swept under the carpet and while we may not realise it, the position we take with this subject has huge implications on how we live our life.
Our response to death and dying is deeply personal, but our beliefs, ideals and expectations have been socially structured and sanctioned along the way, often without us even realising or questioning it.
Most are subject to the pull of the media and its portrayal of death, dying and the afterlife through movies, books, stories from people who have had ‘near death experiences’, and those who claim to have visitations from people, often family members and close friends, who have passed already. Culture, religion, science and philosophy also play a strong part in determining beliefs regarding what happens as death nears and after someone passes.
As a result of all these influences, there are those, such as atheists, who believe that death is the end of everything for that person and that nothing further happens beyond the decomposition of the physical body. Some, but not all in this category, disregard any type of accountability for their actions and feel entitled to live in the comfort of their chosen lifestyle. Another group of people hold religious beliefs that depict the deceased as going to heaven, hell or somewhere in-between. The fear of going to hell can be a strong driver for wanting to do good deeds throughout life as a way of ensuring they are on the right path to pleasing God and therefore will be allowed to enter heaven when they pass. Others are ambivalent about what happens after death and so can switch from side to side depending on how they are feeling and what else is happening in their lives at that time. Lastly, a considerable number of people either fully accept or are open to the possibility that we reincarnate and come back in a human body or some other type of creature form.
However, while our perspectives may vary from one individual/family/religious/community group to the next, we are all subject to certain social norms regarding what is deemed acceptable in terms of how one mourns and the permitted timeframe for public displays of emotion and or raising the subject in conversation. But what if we find ourselves questioning what we have been taught and therefore find it difficult to conform to the rules, both spoken and unspoken, that we are expected to follow? Perhaps we have always felt that there was something more to death and dying, but had no one prepared to have an open conversation with us about this topic. How then does one sort through all this plethora of information and viewpoints without becoming overwhelmed, confused, or filled with fear or anxiety and in reaction, simply shut down any further curiosity or questioning? In other words – numb themselves and avoid going anywhere near the subject.
Can we take a moment here and with an open mind, body and heart sit with the possibility that life, death and the post-death period are all part of a bigger cycle than we may have previously realised or been taught?
Few would argue that, in addition to having a body and a mind, we have energy moving through us. But it is easy and common to dismiss the energetic aspect, despite it being pivotal in our lives because at the heart of things it means that we are all subjects of energy. Put simply, everything we think, do and feel happens because of energy and this includes how we approach death and dying.
When we apply the science of energy, the focus we bring to our lives becomes holistic rather than lineal. It is as if we are in a helicopter looking down and observing our life, rather than fighting for oxygen amid the various dramas and complications we otherwise find ourselves caught in. We will undoubtedly feel challenged from time to time with what crops up, but we are able to more easily see where and why the pitfalls exist and we become more adept at recognising the warning signs along the way.
As part of adopting this way of living, we are being asked to truly care for and nurture ourselves – which is something most struggle to do, preferring instead to stimulate or numb ourselves with food, alcohol, drugs, sport, television, making more money, gaining more qualifications, and even through self-sacrifice. These types of behaviour, and the attitudes, beliefs and expectations that go with them, have gone unquestioned for aeons and have been normalised as ‘that’s just the way it is’.
We keep going along, trying to make life fit the picture/s we hold about ourselves, others and the world around us, knowing that death is inevitable, yet pushing the topic out of our mind because it seems like it is signalling the ‘end of the line’. For many, any awareness of there being anything more is crushed under the conviction that there is something unpleasant or even sinister about death. Anyone passing away before they are elderly is generally viewed as having had their ‘life cut short’ – but is this true, or is it a perfectly designed life cycle simply coming to completion and making way for a new cycle to begin?
We have all heard the term ’Soul’, yet if asked to describe their relationship with their Soul, most would struggle to find the words. Some would opt for a spiritual New Ageism type of answer, another group would speak in religious tones, while others would deny that there is such a thing as a Soul, or simply look blank or confused and struggle to respond. Furthermore, the terms ‘Soul’ and ‘spirit’ are often used interchangeably, yet what if they are at different ends of the spectrum? And, if so, how may each relate to our lives in the here and now, and additionally, what are the possible implications for when we pass over?
The whole spectrum of life takes on a different meaning when we take energy and spirit and Soul into account because they inevitably interlink with our beliefs about death itself and what happens after death. It’s a subject that is particularly relevant now that Voluntary Assisted Dying (i.e., personally requested euthanasia) has become legalised in parts of the world. As mentioned earlier, there are a range of beliefs around passing over and what happens next, yet for a growing number of people, the usual temporal explanations leave more questions than answers. Those in this group who feel there is something more yet find it difficult to put that ‘something more’ into words, if asked say the term ‘reincarnation’ resonates in some way with them.
If what is presented above feels like it has any semblance of truth, does this not suggest that reincarnation is something to be taken seriously and that the themes and patterns that keep playing out this lifetime could actually be thousands of years old?
If all our beliefs and ideals around being a woman or a man and the roles of a mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister etc., have been shaped through experiences accumulated over many lifetimes, does this not reveal a depth and breadth to us that we likely never knew existed? We are left vastly short-changed when we think that who we are can be summed up by the good or bad deeds and outcomes or failures ‘achieved’ in this one single lifetime.
Opening ourselves up to the implications of reincarnation can totally change our perception of ourselves, the world around us and the manner in which we live our lives and prepare for the next cycle awaiting us when we pass over. The purpose behind why we do what we do and the way we undertake various roles and activities takes on a completely different meaning and level of responsibility.
Looking at our life now, we enjoy the lovely moments where everything is going well but all too often it can feel like we are being punished somehow when challenges get thrown our way. This is where our past lives come to the foreground because a message is delivered that asks us to consider what areas of our life need refining; the precise underlying details of which will have a trail back to both current AND previous life events. Whatever is happening is not a condemnation; it is a loving reminder that we have wandered off track somewhere and have now been offered an opportunity to re-evaluate and change course. We are also being given continual reminders that everything we do in our present life counts and will have an impact on our future lives.
It may be that what is offered here is dismissed outright, but if not, it confirms any sense we may hold of our beyond human existence, i.e., that we are multidimensional beings. We are reminded that there can be no true settlement, rhythm, order and flow in our lives until we read life and act from an ‘energy first’ perspective. When we choose to align ourselves with our Soul and its pure love, we set the basis for the quality of energy that passes through our body and mind and we are Universally equipped to understand and meet any challenges that come our way. It may feel as though a lot of hard work is involved in changing how we live life, and while it is true that commitment is needed, it really is a case of letting go of the layers of protection we have built up, thinking that they will somehow provide us with security, safety and a measure of control over our lives.
At our core we are innately grand beings; thus, to truly maximise all that is on offer through the cycle of life, death and reincarnation requires a willingness to take responsibility for our lifestyle so that any aspect of our being that is out of kilter can receive true healing.
Shifting from a lineal to a multidimensional perspective means that each person has a responsibility to be accountable for their thoughts, words and actions on a 24/7 basis. While all this is going on, the cycle of reincarnation continues and as one life ends the background has already been set for the quality of the next. The spirit is set to come back in another human body and so too, our Soul is there, ready to be called in and be of service when the moment arrives. Even now, both are constantly communicating to us, but what messages we hear depends on which energy we give precedence to.
Our attention to how we face and attend to life and death also matters because we are part of a worldwide community and although we can see the physical impacts of how we are living, what is even more potent is the energetic quality we apply to our lives and the subsequent ripple effect out onto others. It is not about us exhausting ourselves in an effort to keep everyone else comfortable. Part of our responsibility is to observe what is happening in the knowing that others are also more than human and have had many, many lifetimes previously through which their behaviours have manifested. We are not being asked to save anyone; all that is required from us is to be a living example of how it is possible to face life front on, while living the energetic truth of who and what we are.
Right from the start every child has a spirit and a Soul and each aspect knows exactly what it is doing, even though it may not be so obvious to us. It is the same for everyone, regardless of gender, age, culture or ethnicity.
We may not get everything we have set our sights on, but when we know that everything is part of a greater design than just this human world, the pressure is off us to fix everyone’s problems or prove ourselves through our achievements. It is both humbling and empowering when we realise that we need only focus on ourselves and that such a way of living leaves ample room for self-compassion, self-acceptance and self-love to flourish.
What do we want to come back to next life – the same lingering issues and dramas that have been draining our lifeforce for lifetimes – or vital and fit, ready to meet life with a foundation of greater love, wisdom and intelligence than what we may have enjoyed for aeons? We have been gifted with free-will, so that choice is ours to make and everything will follow from there.
"Upon the end of each life, death provides for a new beginning, an inauguration of a yet greater you. This repeats over and over until such time that each of your births is to assist all others to attain the same enthronement."
Serge Benhayon Esoteric Teachings & Revelations Volume II, ed 1, p 448
Filed under
Death, Energy, Soul, Spirit, Truth
