Life can often seem like a complicated mystery. To make sense of it all, humankind has spent a great deal of time and energy crafting thousands upon thousands of religions. In many of these religions, the concept of rebirth is important. Though some spiritual groups believe the soul departs for unknown destinations upon the death of the body, there are a large number of belief systems that state otherwise. Many, like the followers of Hinduism, believe the soul is reborn time and time again in new ways.
Reincarnation can often seem like a fascinating concept. To get a better understanding of it and what it is all about, you might want to explore some of these interesting facts surrounding the idea.
Unfinished Business
The concept of a ghost with unfinished business lingering around the living is quite common in Western culture. Most horror films are about restless spirits who did not have the chance to finish their business while alive. The concept of reincarnation in Hindu belief systems is somewhat similar, though there are key differences. Followers of this religion believe a person is more likely to be reincarnated if he or she had wishes while alive that have not been fulfilled. The main difference here is the intent of the returned spirit.
While Western films and stories tell of ghosts who haunt the living and lead to all kinds of disaster and mayhem, those who have been reincarnated for unfulfilled wishes are a bit different. These spirits are still said to return as phantoms and apparitions, though they do not have the same ill intent. Instead, the reincarnated souls are looking to fulfill their wishes in the hope they might move on to the next stage of existence.
Remember
The concept of memory is quite important when it comes reincarnation beliefs of the followers of Hinduism. Many who practice this religion see memory as a tool of the living, something that holds back the soul when it is trying to leave the body. To help shake away the soul so it might ascend to the next plane, the living take a few precautionary steps while preparing the body of the deceased. In most cases, people preparing the body will smack the head a great deal, attempting to loosen memories so the soul can escape.
The idea here is a bit more complicated than it might seem. While the concept is about freeing the body from memory, the idea of memory is still quite important in the religion. Instead of relying on the memory from the body, the successfully reincarnated spirit is able to tap into all memories of all living creatures since the dawn of time. Before this can happen, the spirit needs to be removed from the memories of its corporeal vessel.
Round and Round
Karma is another important component of reincarnation in the Hindu belief system. The soul is not immediately reincarnated after the body dies. Instead, it is judged against the Wheel of Karma and the person’s deeds are weighed out. If the soul is still chained down by the ego, then the soul will be reincarnated into another living being. This pattern continues until a soul is eventually able to break the pattern and get free from the ego. Upon this, the soul will ascend to the next plane of existence and leave behind the constant cycle of death and rebirth.
Being given a chance to start over again can seem exciting. Still, the idea of rebirth is not always as straightforward as one might allow. At its core, the idea of reincarnation tells people to look beyond the world of flesh and bone and strive for something beyond the power of the physical. By constantly reaching for a higher plane of existence, people are able to evolve and grow in fascinating ways.