Is Reincarnation Possible, and Why Should We Care?

(By Eldad Ben-Moshe ✨ Reading Time: 3 minutes)

Loved ones ❤

The belief in reincarnation is almost automatic to those who follow spiritual paths.
But should it be?

A Course in Miracles answers the riddle of life after death in a surprising way,
and more importantly - teaches us a practical way with which to look into
reincarnation and any other spiritual idea.

This is a great time to contemplate life and death, this world and the next -
subjects that affect our lives profoundly, consciously and unconsciously.
And they're also fascinating, aren't they?

But how do we keep that issue practical?

How can learning about that help me
deal with my day-to-day life here on earth?

I’m so happy that you’ve “asked” 😁😉🙃

To answer that, I’ll use one of my favorite parts of A Course in Miracles:
A section called “Is Reincarnation So?”

Beyond being absolutely brilliant, one of the reasons I love
this section so much is that it’s an excellent example of 2 of
the main traits of the Course in Miracles:

1. It gives you the truth - even if it’s uncomfortable, unpopular, or tough.

Why?
To be helpful and useful in your journey.
This relates directly to trait #2 - 

2. It keeps things practical, helpful, and useful.

In spite of being a massive book with many words
and an extensive theoretical section,
the information is only there to assist your transformation.

In the words of the course:

“This is not a course in philosophical speculation, nor is it concerned with precise terminology. 

It is concerned only with Atonement, or the correction of perception.”

- A Course in Miracles, clarification of terms, introduction, 1:1-2

I chose to highlight parts that demonstrate the course’s telling of the truth
and the parts which remind us to keep things practical, helpful, and useful,
to favor usefulness over being ‘right’ and ‘knowledgeable’.

The parts about reincarnation speak for themselves.

I find the course’s approach to reincarnation fresh, exciting, and super helpful
in my journey and the journey of those I get to work with.

I hope you find it to be so as well. 

Feel free to message me or leave a comment,
asking any questions or sharing any thought or
feeling about reincarnation and the post itself.

Enjoy! 

P.S. -

As discussed in my post about Love’s forgiveness vs. the ego’s forgiveness,
remember that the Course uses Christian symbols but is very far from being religious,
and it gives different meanings to those words.

So do not be put off by words like salvation, atonement, teacher of god, etc.

As the course clearly states: 

“words are but symbols of symbols.
They are thus twice removed from reality.”
(A Course in Miracles, M-21.1:9-10)

Is Reincarnation So?

"In the ultimate sense, reincarnation is impossible.
There is no past or future, and the idea of birth into a body
has no meaning either once or many times.
Reincarnation cannot, then, be true in any real sense.

Our only question should be, “Is the concept helpful?”
And that depends, of course, on what it is used for.

If it is used to strengthen the recognition of the eternal
nature of life, it is helpful indeed…

Like many other beliefs, it can be bitterly misused.
At least, such misuse offers preoccupation and perhaps pride in the past.
At worst, it induces inertia in the present.
In between, many kinds of folly are possible.

Reincarnation would not, under any circumstances,
be the problem to be dealt with now.

If it were responsible for some of the difficulties the individual
faces now, his task would still be only to escape from them now.

… To some, there may be comfort in the concept,
and if it heartens them its value is self-evident.

It is certain, however, that the way to salvation can be found by
those who believe in reincarnation and by those who do not.
The idea cannot, therefore, be regarded as essential to the curriculum.

There is always some risk in seeing the present in terms of the past.
There is always some good in any thought which strengthens the idea
that life and the body are not the same.

For our purposes, it would not be helpful to take any definite stand on reincarnation.
A teacher of God should be as helpful to those who believe in it as to those who do not.
If a definite stand were required of him, it would merely limit his usefulness, as well as his own decision making.

Our course is not concerned with any concept that is not acceptable to anyone,
regardless of his formal beliefs.
His ego will be enough for him to cope with, and it is not the part of wisdom to
add sectarian controversies to his burdens.
Nor would there be an advantage in his premature acceptance of the course
merely because it advocates a long-held belief of his own.

It cannot be too strongly emphasized that this course aims at a complete reversal of thought.
When this is finally accomplished, issues such as the validity of reincarnation become meaningless.
Until then, they are likely to be merely controversial.

The teacher of God is, therefore, wise to step away from all such questions,
for he has much to teach and learn apart from them.
He should both learn and teach that theoretical issues but waste time,
draining it away from its appointed purpose.

If there are aspects to any concept or belief that will be helpful, he will be told about it.
He will also be told how to use it.
What more need he know?

Does this mean that the teacher of God should not believe in reincarnation himself,
or discuss it with others who do?
The answer is, certainly not!
If he does believe in reincarnation, it would be a mistake for him to renounce
the belief unless his internal Teacher so advised. And this is most unlikely.

He might be advised that he is misusing the belief in some way that is
detrimental to his pupil’s advance or his own.
Reinterpretation would then be recommended, because it is necessary.

All that must be recognized, however, is that birth was not the beginning,
and death is not the end.

Yet even this much is not required of the beginner.
He need merely accept the idea that what he knows is not necessarily all there is to learn.
His journey has begun.

The emphasis of this course always remains the same;
- it is at this moment that complete salvation is offered you,
and it is at this moment that you can accept it.
This is still your one responsibility.

Atonement might be equated with total escape from the past and total lack of interest in the future.
Heaven is here. There is nowhere else.
Heaven is now. There is no other time.

No teaching that does not lead to this is of concern to God’s teachers.
All beliefs will point to this if properly interpreted.

In this sense, it can be said that their truth lies in their usefulness.
All beliefs that lead to progress should be honored.
This is the sole criterion this course requires.
No more than this is necessary."

- A Course in Miracles, Manual For Teachers, 24: Is Reincarnation So?

Final note: You can do this! 

Choose the thing(s) that inspire you the most. 
Don’t over-do it, keep it simple and joyful.
Take one baby step at a time. 

Remember -

1. Implement.
2. Baby steps.
3. Joyfully.

To your better life,
with tons of 💖

Eldad Ben-Moshe
Founder, Teacher, and Coach
Better Life Awareness Center