Reincarnation

I'm just about through with Depak Chopra's book, Life After Death, This book connects quantum physics, research on near death experiences, Vedic Rishi's, Buddhism, Christianity and many more ideas to describe what happens in the Afterlife. Overall, it is a book about consciousness, not only ours, but the universe'. He talks about the cosmic fields that bind us all together through big bangs and all. There are so many profound things in this book that it would be hard for me to sum it up in a few short paragraphs. In the end he talks about how our own consciousness creates what will happen to us in the afterlife. Our consciousness continues on post death and who we are still plays a part. In other words, if we believe that we will meet Jesus in heaven, our brains will download that image and play it for us. If we believe in nothing, this probably what will happen. If we believe in hell or that we are going there, there is a good chance that we will end up there. And so on....

From there he goes on to discuss how after we pass through that first phase we will pass into a phase of touching on eternity. Chopra from what I can tell through various readings, is really passionate about eternity and or continuation of it. After we have our time tuning into the great cosmic oneness we will incarnate again. He also references the Bardos for those that are familiar with Buddhism. Again, this book blew me away. Read it if any of this intrigues you.

I first encountered the idea of incarnation when I was in elementary school, somewhere between the 2nd and 6th grade. I think that I was watching Leave it to Beaver. It was the show where Don Knox is a sheriff in a small town. Is that Leave it to Beaver? Don Knox makes some sort of off hand silly comment about reincarnation. The thought of it sent thrills through my little body. Until then there had only been heaven and Jesus. What? my little brain tried to work it out. Initially, I was totally against the idea, if not totally fearful. Who would have thought that an old comedy would have been a stepping stone into the world of esoteric.

I could go on and elaborate on this whole subject. I have stories and stories to tell. Those will just have to wait for other posts. This one struck me in the same silly sort of way.

A year ago, I took my daughter to the McDonald's on Hiawatha. You know, the one with the playland. This McDonalds features a playland with big story foot tall plastic tubes that a kid can climb up and slide down in. It smells like stale grease and honestly, is a scary old thing. Sylvia flirted with the idea of actually going in it. I can't remember if she made it all the way up inside. She kept trying to coax me into it. I was very pregnant at the time and it would have been impossible to squeeze through one of those gerbil maze tubes. To reassure me she says, "Don't worry Mom, if you go up in there and die, you will be reborn again a baby and you can try again." In a more general sense, I was reassured. I think I will wait until my next lifetime to try to climb inside one of those things. Maybe by then McDonald's will be extinct.