Topic: Many Lives

[jethro]

I've just read a book called ' many live, many masters' by a bloke called Weiss (American shrink) it's about life after death, reincarnation etc. he says that we live many lives to learn lessons here on earth?

Has anyone else read it or am I just a sad bu**er? and do you think he's right?

[aquilegia]

I've been dabbling a lot with Buddhism lately, but I'm still not convinced about reincarnation in the literal sense.

I see it as a metaphor. We never die - or at least the energy in our bodies never dies. Energy cannot be destroyed, only changed into another form. So the physical aspect of us turns into worm food and becomes part of the earth again.

As for the psychological essence of any human being - well I don't believe in the soul. When we die we will live on in the memories of those that knew us. I don't believe my spirit/soul/whatever will be reborn as another living creature.

If we believe in reincarnation, that means we are more aware of the long term consequences of our actions. Not just the consequences within our own lives, but for many many years in the future. We all have a responsibility for maintaining the balance of not only our society but of all this planet for it's entire future. I think reincarnation makes us much more aware of this.

I already feel like I've lead many lives and am not the same Aqui as I was one year ago!

I am probably not making much sense as a lot of these thoughts came to me down very long paths of meditation and in a lot of the cases I've forgotten how I got there, so find it hard to explain.

[jethro]

Hi Ozzy if you read the book it's not the shrink who's living the lives it's one patient called Catherine. She's only been slaves (no-one important) and has even gone back as far as the cavemen.

Hi Aqua if your into Buddism you should really read this book it's quite interesting, but that is just my opion mind. I was Christened a Roman Catholic but put my notice in when i found out that the priests re-wrote the bible after the library of Alexander the Great was burned down and they decided to change it to suit themselves. Now i'm in no religious group and as happy as Larry, well it hought so till I read this book now it's got me thinking?

[aquilegia]

Jethro - I was pretty much the same - christened CofE with a lasped catholic dad. I never really took it seriously. Then became very anti. Since I started reading into Buddhism I've realised I have pretty much always been a Buddhist, but didn't know it. So many aspects of Buddhism are the same as what I believe anyway. I'm not sure if I am a Buddhist or not, though!

[Doris_Pinks]

Jethro I first read that book about 14 years ago! And have since recommended it to many.I find it fascinating! Another one I enjoyed was the Celestine Prophecy, it is another one I recommend! You have reminded me, time to pull them both out again and give them a re-read!  Glad to see you are back :-)  Dottie P.

[jethro]

Hi DP, it's good to be back, missed you lot soooooooooo much, nobody to talk to no laughs just sheer bl**dy boredom (sad or what?) well i've read all of the Celestine prophecies (all 7)didn't really care for them tho.

Hi Ozzy my man, that book sounds interesting, no book too tough or heavy for me i'll try anything and everything, i'm just an ink blotter (soaks up everything) when it comes to reading so i'll give it a go and get back to ya on it  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

ooooooooo I'm a right misery.  I believe that when you jump of this mortal coil, you is worm food and thats the end of it.  I figure we live on in the minds of others we have had the privileged of knowing.  I have no religous beliefs and have not sought comfort in any greater being.  If I had any beliefs, I can assure you, when dad died when I was 8 months pregnant with his grandson, they would have vanished from me there and then.  I try to live each day to it's fullest, take the time to look around, look at the sky, listen to people, notice the little things and pass on this useless information to my kids, so they carry on living for me, when I am fertilising the daffs.

[SueT]

Jethro, for what it`s worth I`m inclined to belive there is more to our lives than this.  I too was a Roman Catholic as a child and I was also confirmed at the age of seven, no choice in the matter!  I haven`t practised my religion for a lot of years because I believe it is stifling.  I am not entirely an unbeliever, there must be something/body out there, but what?  I do think that people have lived other lives though I don`t know if I have, I`ve never quite had the courage to look into it!

[campanula]

ej, i am with you there - i despair at this mass delusional hallucination which is infesting the human spirit. Seems to me that past lives and reincarnation is just more of the whole bread and circuses,opium of the masses, religious mumbo-jumbo to keep the plebs oppressed. There, I have said it - astrology is rubbish too. Still, whatever floats your boat.....

[Mimi]

Doris, Im with you just loved The Celestine Prophecy.  Read it in one sitting, just couldnt put it down.