Reincarnation
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[[Image:Reincarnation AS.jpg|thumb|200px|Reincarnation in art]]
'''Reincarnation''', literally "to be made flesh again", is a doctrine or [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] belief that some essential part of a living being (in some variations only [[human being]]s) survives [[death]] to be reborn in a new body. This essential part is often referred to as the [[spirit]] or [[soul]], the "higher" or "true" self, "divine spark", or "I". According to such beliefs, a new [[Wiktionary:personality|personality]] is developed during each life in the physical [[world]], but some part of the self remains constant throughout the successive lives.<ref>[http://www.blavatskytrust.org.uk/html/wr_reincarnation.htm Theosophy and reincarnation]</ref>
Belief in reincarnation is an ancient phenomenon. This doctrine is a central tenet within the majority of [[Indian religions|Indian religious traditions]], such as [[Hinduism]] (including [[Yoga]], [[Vaishnavism]], and [[Shaivism]]), [[Jainism]], and [[Sikhism]]. The idea was also entertained by some ancient [[Greek philosophers]]. Many modern [[Paganism|Pagan]]s also believe in reincarnation as do some [[New Age]] movements, along with followers of [[Spiritism]], practitioners of certain [[African]] traditions, and students of [[esotericism|esoteric]] philosophies such as [[Kabbalah]], [[Sufism]] and [[Gnostic]] and [[Esoteric Christianity]]. The [[Buddhist]] concept of [[Rebirth (Buddhism)|Rebirth]] although often referred to as ''reincarnation'' differs significantly from the Hindu-based traditions and New Age movements in that there is no "self" (or [[Eternity|eternal]] soul) to reincarnate.
During recent decades, a significant minority of people in the West have developed a belief in reincarnation.<ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.hi.is/~erlendur/english/Nordic_Psychology_erlhar06.pdf Popular psychology, belief in life after death and reincarnation in the Nordic countries, Western and Eastern Europe]|54.8 KB}}</ref> Feature films, such as ''[[Kundun]]'' and ''[[Birth (film)|Birth]]'', contemporary books by authors such as [[Children's Past Lives|Carol Bowman]] and [[Vicki Mackenzie]], as well as popular songs, regularly mention reincarnation.
Some researchers, such as Professor [[Ian Stevenson]], have explored the issue of reincarnation and published [[Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation|suggestive evidence]]. Some [[Skepticism|skeptics]] are critical of this work and others say that more [[reincarnation research]] is needed.<ref>[[Jim Tucker|Tucker, Jim B.]] (2005). ''[[Life Before Life]]: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives'', p.186.</ref>
== Eastern religions and traditions ==
Eastern philosophical and religious beliefs regarding the existence or non-existence of an enduring '[[Self (philosophy)|self]]' have a direct bearing on how reincarnation is viewed within a given tradition. There are large differences in philosophical beliefs regarding the nature of the [[soul]] (also known as the [[jiva]] or [[atman]]) amongst Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Some schools deny the existence of a 'self', while others claim the existence of an eternal, personal self, and still others say there is neither 'self' nor 'no-self', as both are false. Each of these beliefs has a direct bearing on the possible nature of reincarnation, including such concepts as [[samsara]], [[moksha]], [[nirvana]], and [[bhakti]].
=== Hinduism ===
{{Main|Reincarnation and Hinduism}}
In [[India]] the concept of reincarnation is first recorded in the [[Upanishad]]s<ref> See {{IAST|[[Śvetāśvatara]]}} Upanishad 5.11 and {{IAST|[[Kauśītāki]]}} Upanishad 1.2. </ref> (c. 800 BCE), which are philosophical and religious texts composed in [[Sanskrit]].
According to [[Hinduism]], the soul ([[Atman (Hinduism)|atman]]) is immortal, while the body is subject to birth and death. The [[Bhagavad Gita]] states that:
<blockquote>
Worn-out garments are shed by the body;
Worn-out bodies are shed by the dweller within the body. New bodies are donned
by the dweller, like garments.<ref> Bhagavad Gita II.22, ISBN 1-56619-670-1</ref>
</blockquote>
The idea that the soul (of any living being - including animals, humans and plants) reincarnates is intricately linked to [[karma]], another concept first introduced in the Upanishads. Karma (literally: action) is the sum of one's actions, and the force that determines one's next reincarnation. The cycle of death and rebirth, governed by karma, is referred to as [[samsara]].
Hinduism teaches that the soul goes on repeatedly being born and dying. One is reborn on account of desire: a person ''desires'' to be born because he or she wants to enjoy worldly pleasures, which can be enjoyed only through a body.<ref>See Bhagavad Gita XVI.8-20</ref> Hinduism does not teach that all worldly pleasures are sinful, but it teaches that they can never bring deep, lasting happiness or peace (''ānanda''). According to the Hindu sage [[Adi Sankara|Adi Shankaracharya]] - the world as we ordinarily understand it - is like a dream: fleeting and illusory. To be trapped in Samsara is a result of ignorance of the true nature of our existence.
After many births, every person eventually becomes dissatisfied with the limited happiness that worldly pleasures can bring. At this point, a person begins to seek higher forms of happiness, which can be attained only through spiritual experience. When, after much spiritual practice ([[sadhana|sādhanā]]), a person finally realizes his or her own divine nature—i.e., realizes that the true "self" is the immortal soul rather than the body or the ego—all desires for the pleasures of the world will vanish, since they will seem insipid compared to spiritual ''ānanda''. When all desire has vanished, the person will not be reborn anymore.<ref>Rinehart, Robin, ed., ''Contemporary Hinduism''19-21 (2004) ISBN 1-57607-905-8</ref>
When the cycle of rebirth thus comes to an end, a person is said to have attained [[moksha]], or salvation.<ref>Karel Werner, ''A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism'' 110 (Curzon Press 1994) ISBN 0-7007-0279-2</ref> While all schools of thought agree that moksha implies the cessation of worldly desires and freedom from the cycle of birth and death, the exact definition of salvation depends on individual beliefs. For example, followers of the [[Advaita Vedanta]] school (often associated with [[jnana yoga]]) believe that they will spend eternity absorbed in the perfect peace and happiness that comes with the realization that all existence is One ([[Brahman]]), and that the immortal soul is part of that existence. The followers of full or partial [[Dvaita]] schools ("dualistic" schools, such as [[bhakti yoga]]), on the other hand, perform their worship with the goal of spending eternity in a [[loka]], (spiritual world or heaven), in the blessed company of the Supreme being (i.e [[Krishna]] or [[Vishnu]] for the [[Vaishnava]]s and [[Shiva]] for the dualistic schools of [[Shaivism]]).<ref>Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Translation by Swami Nikhilananda (8th Ed. 1992) ISBN 0-911206-01-9</ref>
The principal Hindu Gods are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and their consorts Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. While there is hardly any text describing reincarnation of Brahma and Saraswati, however the rest of the Gods are known to have reincarnated in various forms under different circumstances.
Lord Vishnu is known for his ten reincarnations, namely Dashavtaaras.
1. Matsya (the fish)
2. Kurma (the turtle)
3. Varaha (the boar)
4. Narasimha (half human half lion)
5. Vaamana (the dwarf brahmin)
6. Parshurama (the warrior sage)
7. Rama (the prince of Ayodhya)
8. Krishna (the king of Dwarka)
9. Buddha (the king of Kapilavastu who renounced the world)
10. Kalki (the warrior) is yet to appear
Each of these reincarnations have a specific purpose and a legend behind it.
8.
===Jainism===
{{See|Karma in Jainism|Jain philosophy}}
In [[Jainism]], particular reference is given to how [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] (gods) also reincarnate after they die. A Jainist who accumulates enough good karma may become a deva, but this is generally seen as undesirable since devas eventually die and one might then come back as a lesser being. This belief also exists in a number of other schools of Hinduism.<ref> [http://vedabase.net/tqk/18/en1 Teachings of Queen Kunti by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Chapter 18] "To become Brahma is not a very easy thing. Brahma is such a big post, and it is given to a very qualified living entity who is highly advanced in austerities and penance. But he is also a living entity like us." </ref>
===Sikhism===
In [[Sikhism]] reincarnation is subject to grace of [[Sikh Gurus|Guru]] and [[Vahiguru|God]]. Though it affirms [[Karma]], it recognises the possibility of modifying ones destiny with the blessings of [[Sikh Gurus|Guru]].<ref>[http://www.sgpc.net/sikhism/index.asp Sikh Religion, Sikhism Religion, What is Sikhism, Sikh Tradition, Religion of Sikhs, Growth of Sikh Religion, India<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The tenth Sikh guru, [[Guru Gobind Singh]], after initiating Sikhs with ''Khande di Pahul''<ref> Gurbachan Singh ''The Sikhs: Faith Philosophy and Folk'' pp.51 ISBN 81-7436-037-9</ref> (Sikh baptism ceremony) declared the Sikhs to have been freed from previous family origin (janamnaash), creed (dharamnaash), rituals (karamnaash), duality (bhramnaash) and pre-determined occupation (kritnaash).<ref> Sangat Singh ''The Sikhs in History'' pp. 66 ISBN 81-7205-275-8 </ref>
Therefore, the Sikhs hold the belief, as per enshrined by the Sikh Gurus, that they are free from re-incarnation.<ref>[http://www.sikhspectrum.com/082006/reincarnation.htm Does Sikhism Believe in Reincarnation?<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
=== Buddhism ===
{{Main|Rebirth (Buddhism)}}
According to the scriptures, the Buddha taught a concept of rebirth that was distinct from that of any known Indian teacher contemporary with him. This concept was consistent with the common notion of a sequence of related lives stretching over a very long time, but was constrained by two core Buddhist concepts: [[Anatman|anattā]], that there is no irreducible [[Atman (Buddhism)|ātman]] or "self" tying these lives together; and [[Impermanence|anicca]], that all compounded things are subject to dissolution, including all the components of the human person and personality. At the death of one personality, a new one comes into being, much as the flame of a dying candle can serve to light the flame of another.<ref>Tucker, 2005, p.216</ref><ref>[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/miln/miln.3x.kell.html#miln-3-5-05 PTS: Miln 71-72; 82-83; 84 (Pali Canon)]</ref>
Since according to Buddhism there is no permanent and unchanging [[anatta|self]] (identify) there can be no [[transmigration]] in the strict sense. However, the Buddha himself is said to have referred to his past-lives. Buddhism teaches that what is reborn is not the person but that one moment gives rise to another and that momentum continues, even after death. It is a more subtle concept than the usual notion of reincarnation, reflecting the Buddhist concept of personality existing (even within one's lifetime) without a "soul".
Buddhism never rejected [[samsara]], the process of rebirth, but suggests that it occurs across five or six realms of beings. It is actually said to be very rare for a person to be reborn in the immediate next life as a human.<ref>[http://www.urbandharma.org/kusala/revkus/5precepts.html The Five Precepts]</ref> However, Tibetan Buddhists do believe that a new-born child may be the rebirth of some important departed lama.
===Taoism===
[[Taoist]] documents from as early as [[Han Dynasty]] stated that [[Lao Zi]] appeared on earth in different persons in different times beginning from the time of [[Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors]].<ref>[http://www.shaolinkungfucenter.com/tao/cosmology.html The history of Tai Shang Lao Jun]</ref> An important scripture of Taoism, the Chuang Tzu (4th century BC), states: "Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without limitation; there is continuity without a starting point. Existence without limitation is space. Continuity without a starting point is time. There is birth, there is death, there is issuing forth, there is entering in. That through which one passes in and out without seeing its form, that is the Portal of the Divine." ([[Zhuang Zi]], 23)
The core Taoist belief on reincarnation is ''Liudu Lunhui'' (六度輪回) or the six grades of reincarnations in existence for sentient beings who were once yuanling beings. The six types varied from humans, to beasts and insects where progressively each denotes a level of more severe incarceration for beings who sinned in previous incarnates that do not yet warrant an outright damnation to [[Diyu]]. This is in the realm of the living which in practice is akin to [[purgatory]]. Humans incarnates who has successfully purified their earthly dirt in their last lives improve on their [[wiktionary:fate|fate]] or [[karma]] progressively as they reincarnate into their next level of beings, until they voluntarily clense the make-up of their internal [[Jing Qi Shen]] or until an involuntary process of absolution called [[Souyuan]].
==Western religions and traditions==
===Classical Greek philosophy===
{{main|Metempsychosis}}
Among the [[ancient Greeks]], [[Socrates]], [[Pythagoras]], and [[Plato]] may have believed in or taught the doctrine of reincarnation. Several ancient sources affirm that Pythagoras claimed he could remember his past lives.<ref>[http://www.harekrishna.com/col/books/KR/cb/chapter1.html Reincarnation: Socrates to Salinger]</ref> An association between Pythagorean philosophy and reincarnation was routinely accepted throughout antiquity.
According to Plato's fictionalized dialogue [[Phaedo]], at the end of his life Socrates said, "I am confident that there truly is such a thing as living again, and that the living spring from the dead." However, [[Xenophon]], our other main informant of Socrates' life, does not mention the latter as believing in reincarnation.
Plato presented detailed accounts of reincarnation in his major works. It may be questioned whether Plato's accounts, such as the [[Myth of Er]], which also contain many fabulous details irrelevant to reincarnation, were intended to be taken literally. [[Marsilio Ficino]] (Platonic Theology 17.3-4) argued that Plato's references to reincarnation were intended allegorically.
In the [[Hermetica]], a Graeco-Egyptian series of writings on cosmology and spirituality attributed to [[Hermes Trismegistus]]/[[Thoth]] the doctrine of reincarnation is central.
=== Judaism ===
While ancient Greek philosophers like [[Plato]] and [[Socrates]] attempted to prove the existence of reincarnation through philosophical proofs, Jewish mystics who accepted this idea did not. Rather, they offered explanations of why reincarnation would solve otherwise intractable problems of [[theodicy]] (how to reconcile the existence of evil with the premise of a good God).{{Fact|date=April 2007}}.
Reincarnation appeared in Jewish thought some time after the Talmud. There is no reference to reincarnation in the Talmud or any prior writings.<ref>[[Saadia Gaon]] in [[Emunoth ve-Deoth]] Section vi</ref> The idea of reincarnation, called ''[[gilgul]]'', became popular in folk belief, and is found in much [[Yiddish]] literature among [[Ashkenazi]] Jews. Among a few kabbalists, it was posited that some human souls could end up being reincarnated into non-human bodies. These ideas were found in a number of Kabbalistic works from the 1200s, and also among many mystics in the late 1500s. [[Martin Buber]]'s early collection of stories of the [[Baal Shem Tov]]'s life includes several that refer to people reincarnating in successive lives.<ref>Martin Buber, "Legende des Baalschem" in ''Die Chassidischen Bücher'', Hellerau 1928, especially ''Die niedergestiegene Seele''</ref>
Among well known (generally non-kabbalist or anti-kabbalist) Rabbis who rejected the idea of reincarnation are [[Saadia Gaon]], [[David Kimhi]], [[Hasdai Crescas]], Yedayah Bedershi (early 14th century), [[Joseph Albo]], [[Abraham ibn Daud]], the [[Rosh]]{{dn}} and [[Leon de Modena]].
[[Saadia Gaon]], in [[Emunoth ve-Deoth]], concludes Section vi with a refutation of the doctrine of metempsychosis (reincarnation). While refuting reincarnation, the Saadia Gaon states that Jews who hold to reincarnation have adopted non-Jewish beliefs.
Crescas writes that if reincarnation were real, people should remember details of their previous lives.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
The belief is common in [[Orthodox Judaism]]. Indeed there is an entire volume of work called [[Shaar ha Gilgulim|Sha'ar Ha'Gilgulim]]<ref>''Sha'ar Ha'Gilgulim, The Gate of Reincarnations'', Chaim Vital</ref> (''The Gate of Reincarnations'')[http://www.safed-kabbalah.com/ShaarGilgul/Introduction.htm], based on the work of Rabbi [[Isaac Luria]] (and compiled by his disciple, Rabbi [[Chaim Vital]]). It describes the deep, complex laws of reincarnation. One concept that arises from Sha'ar Ha'gilgulim is the idea that ''gilgul'' is paralleled physically by pregnancy.
Many Orthodox [[siddur]]im (prayerbooks) have a nightly prayer asking for forgiveness for one's sins that one may have committed in this ''[[gilgul]]'' or a previous one, that accompanies the nighttime recitation of the Shema before going to sleep.<ref>''Krias Shema she'al ha-mitah: Ribono Shel Olom'' contains the gilgul reference in some versions</ref>
===Gnosticism===
Many [[Gnostic]] groups believed in reincarnation. For them, reincarnation was a negative concept: [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]] believed that the material body was evil, and that they would be better off if they could eventually avoid having their 'good' souls reincarnated in 'evil' bodies.
{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
===Christianity===
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:RF a life cycle.jpg|250px|thumb|right|An illustration of the [[Reincarnation|Rebirth]] (reincarnation) process, including the ''postmortem'' existence in the [[plane of existence|supraphysical realms]] (where the so-called dead live), from the perspective of the Christian [[esoteric]] teachings (western).]] -->
The overwhelming majority of mainstream [[Christian]] denominations reject the notion of reincarnation and consider the theory to challenge basic tenets of their beliefs. Many churches do not directly address the issue, but indirectly, through teachings about [[death]] (see [[Particular judgment]]). A few consider the matter open to individual interpretation due to the few biblical references which survived the purging of texts considered to be heretical in the founding years of Christianity as a church. New Age Christians contend that reincarnation was taught by the early Christian church, but due to bias and mistranslations, these teachings were lost or obscured.<ref>[http://www.freeread.com/archives/reincarnation.php Reincarnation article], [[JJ Dewey]]</ref> Many of the philosophies associated with the theory of reincarnation focus on "working" or "learning" through various lifetimes to achieve some sort of higher understanding or state of "goodness" before [[salvation]] is granted or acquired. Basic to [[Traditional Christianity]] is the doctrine that humans can never achieve the perfection God requires and the only salvation is total and complete forgiveness accomplished through the sacrifice Jesus made on the [[cross]] wherein he took the [[sin]]s of mankind. There seems to be evidence however that some of the earliest Christian sects such as the [[Sethians]] and followers of the [[Gnostic]] [[Church]] of [[Valentinus]] believed in reincarnation, and they were persecuted by the Romans for this.<ref>Much of this is documented in R.E. Slater's book ''Paradise Reconsidered.''</ref>
A number of Evangelical and (in the USA) [[Fundamentalist]] Christian groups have denounced any belief in reincarnation as heretical{{Fact|date=January 2008}}, and explained any phenomena suggestive of it as deceptions of the [[devil]]. Although the Bible never mentions the word ''reincarnation'', there are several passages through New Testament that Orthodox Christians interpret as openly rejecting reincarnation or the possibility of any return or contact with this world for the souls in [[Heaven]] or [[Hell]] (see Hebrews [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hewbrews%209:27;&version=31;Hb 9:27] and {{bibleref|Luke|16:20-31}})
The Bible contains passages in the New Testament that could be interpreted to allude to reincarnation. In [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mathew%2011:10-14;&version=31; Matthew 11:10-14]and [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mathew%2017:10-13;&version=31; 17:10-13], [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%201:21;&version=31; John 1:21],
the Jews ask John the Baptist if he is Elijah and John replies clearly that he is not, implying that Jesus' reference was meant in a figurative sense (which is what most Christians accept). It should be noted that Elijah never actually "died," but was "raptured" in a chariot of fire. Furthermore, the prophetic texts stated that God would send Elijah back to Earth, as a harbinger of Jesus Christ. As cousins they were born respectively to barren Elizabeth<ref>{{bibleref|Luke|1:56;2:7}}</ref> and Zacharias;<ref>{{bibleref|Luke|1:7;57}}</ref> Jesus, firstborn of Mary and Joseph,<ref>{{bibleref|Matthew|1:25}}</ref> was the first to rise from the dead visibly demonstrating his power over death.<ref>{{bibleref|1|Corinthians|15:20;26}},{{bibleref|Luke|24:39}}</ref>
In any case, it is obviously difficult to reconcile the idea of reincarnation with the fundamental Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the body.
There are various contemporary attempts to entwine Christianity and reincarnation. Geddes Macgregor, wrote a book called ''Reincarnation in Christianity: A New Vision of Rebirth in Christian Thought'', [[Rudolf Steiner]] wrote ''Christianity as Mystical Fact'' and [[Tommaso Palamidessi]] wrote ''Memory of Past Lives and Its Technique'' which contains several methods which are supposed to help in obtaining memories from previous lives.<ref>[[Tommaso Palamidessi]], [http://www.archeosofica.org/en/index.php/Estratti-dai-Quaderni-di-Archeosofia/Method-to-Obtain-the-Memory-of-Previous-Lives.html ''Memory of Past Lives and Its Technique''], ed Archeosofica, 1977</ref>
Several Christian denominations which support reincarnation include the [[The Christian Community|Christian Community]],
the [[Liberal Catholic Church]], [[Unity Church]], The Christian Spiritualist Movement, the [[Rosicrucian Fellowship]] and [[Lectorium Rosicrucianum]]. The Medieval heretical sect known variously as the [[Cathars]] or [[Albigensians]] who flourished in the Languedoc believed in Reincarnation, seeing each soul as a fallen angel born again and again into the world of Matter created by Lucibel (Lucifer). Only through a [[Gnostic]] 'Rebirth' in the Holy Spirit through Christ could the soul escape this process of successive existences and return to God.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
===Islam===
Though mainstream Islam rejects the concept of reincarnation,<ref>[http://www.answering-christianity.com/reincarnation.htm What does Islam think about reincarnation?]</ref> a number of [[sufi]] groups believe in the concept of dawriyyah (cycles) which has many points in common with reincarnation, claiming that this concept is mentioned in the [[Quran]] (Koran), the central religious text of Islam:
: "How can you deny God, when you were dead and God gave you life? Then God will cause you to die, and then revive you, and then you will be returned to God." (Quran 2:28)
Most Islamic authorities rejects this interpretation of the verse, claiming that it refers to the worldly human life and the consequent resurrection in the hereafter.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}
[[Shi'a]] [[Muslim]]s als believe to [[Raj'a]] that can be understood as a limited reincarnation.
It is claimed by some [[sufi]] groups that the mystics and poets in the Islam tradition have celebrated this belief:
: "I died as mineral and became a plant,
: I died as plant and rose to animal,
: I died as animal and I was man.
: Why should I fear?
: When was I less by dying?"<ref>Nicholson, 1950, p. 103</ref>
Modern Sufis who embrace the idea of reincarnation include Bawa Muhaiyadeen (see his ''To Die Before Death: The Sufi Way of Life''). However [[Hazrat Inayat Khan]] has criticized the idea of reincarnation as unhelpful to the spiritual seeker's quest for unity with God, as it focuses the aspirant's attention on the past and the future, rather than achieving spiritual transcendence in the present moment.<ref>[http://www.gnosticliberationfront.com/sufi_message_of_hazrat_inayat%20khan.htm] The Sufi Message of Hazrat Inayat Khan</ref>
Reincarnation has also been used to reconcile the Quran's apparent identification of Miriam, the mother of Isa as the sister of Aaron and daughter of Amran, all of whom lived well before the first century CE.
Another verse of the Qur-an that may support the theory of reincarnation is:
"Thou [God] makest the night to pass into the day and Thou makest the day to pass into the night, and Thou bringest forth the living from the dead and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living, and Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou pleasest without measure." (Quran 3:27)
Some verses of Quran that seem to discount repeated lives:
* "And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah. "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not."(The Quran, 2:154).
* "From the (earth) did We Create you, and into it Shall We return you, And from it shall We Bring you out once again." (The Quran, 20:55).
* "And Allah has produced you from the earth, Growing (gradually), And in the End He will return you Into the (earth), And raise you forth (Again at the Resurrection)." (The Quran, 71:17-18).
* "Nor will they there Taste Death, except the first Death; and He will preserve Them from the Penalty Of the Blazing Fire." (The Quran, 44:56).
* "Is it (the case) that We shall not die, except our first death, And that we Shall not be punished?' Verily this is The supreme achievement! For the like of this Let all strive, Who wish to strive." (The Quran, 37:58-61).
===Native American nations===
Reincarnation is an intrinsic part of many [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] and [[Inuit]] traditions. In the now heavily [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Polar region|Polar North]] (now mainly parts of [[Greenland]] and [[Nunavut]]), the concept of reincarnation is enshrined in the [[Inuit language]]. The survival of the concept of reincarnation applies across these nations in varying degrees of integrity, as these countries are now sandwiched between Native and European traditions.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
===Norse mythology===
[[Image:Ed0027.jpg|right|thumb|Sváfa holding the dying Helgi in their first incarnation of three.]]Reincarnation also appears in [[Norse mythology]], in the ''[[Poetic Edda]]''. The editor of the ''Poetic Edda'' says that [[Helgi Hjörvarðsson]] and his mistress, the [[valkyrie]] [[Sváfa]], whose love story is told in the ''[[Helgakviða Hjörvarðssonar]]'', were reborn as [[Helgi Hundingsbane]] and the valkyrie [[Sigrún]]. Helgi and Sigrún's love story is the matter of a part of the ''[[Völsunga saga]]'' and the lays ''[[Helgakviða Hundingsbana I and II]]''. They were reborn a second time as [[Helgi Haddingjaskati]] and the valkyrie Kára, but unfortunately their story, ''Káruljóð'', only survives in a probably modified form in the ''[[Hrómundar saga Gripssonar]]''.
The belief in reincarnation was probably commonplace among the Vikings since the annotator of the ''Poetic Edda'' wrote that people formerly used to believe in it, but that it was in his (Christian) time considered "old wife's folly":
:Sigrun was early dead of sorrow and grief. It was believed in olden times that people were born again, but that is now called old wives' folly. Of Helgi and Sigrun it is said that they were born again; he became Helgi Haddingjaskati, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan, as is told in the Lay of Kara, and she was a Valkyrie.<ref>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe20.htm Bellow's translation of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II.]</ref>
==Contemporary perspectives==
=== Modern thinkers ===
During the Renaissance, a new flowering of public interest in reincarnation occurred. One of the prominent figures in the revival was Italy's leading philosopher and poet [[Giordano Bruno]], who was ultimately sentenced to be burned at the stake by the Inquisition because of his teachings about reincarnation.<ref>Boulting, 1914. pp. 163-64</ref>
During the classical period of German literature metempsychosis attracted much attention: [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe|Goethe]] played with the idea, and it was taken up more seriously by [[Gotthold Ephraim Lessing|Lessing]], who borrowed it from [[Charles Bonnet]], and by [[Johann Gottfried von Herder|Herder]]. It has been mentioned with respect by [[David Hume|Hume]] and by [[Arthur Schopenhauer|Schopenhauer]].
Irish poet and Nobel Laureate [[William Butler Yeats]] proposed a novel theory of reincarnation in his occult treatise [[A Vision]]. According to Yeats’ view reincarnation does not occur within a framework of linear time. Rather, all of a person’s past and future lives are happening at once, in an eternal now moment; and the decisions made in any of these lifetimes influence all of the other lives (and are influenced by them).
===Anthroposophy===
Reincarnation plays an important role in the ideas of [[Anthroposophy]], a spiritual movement founded by [[Rudolf Steiner]]. Steiner described the human soul as gaining new experiences in every epoch and in a variety of races or nations. The unique personality, with its weaknesses and abilities, is not simply a reflection of the body's genetic heritage. Though Steiner described the incarnating soul as searching for and even preparing a familial lineage supportive of its future life, a person's character is also determined by his or her past lives.
[[Anthroposophy]] describes the present as being formed by a tension between the past and the future. Both influence our present [[destiny]]; there are events that occur due to our past, but there are also events that occur to prepare us rightly for the future. Between these two, there is space for human [[free will]]; we create our [[destiny]], not only live it out, just as we build a house in which we then choose to live.
Anthroposophy has developed various spiritual exercises that are intended to develop the capacity to discern past lives and the deeper nature of the human being. In addition, Steiner investigated the karmic relationships of many historical individuals, from Karl Marx to Julian the Apostate.<ref>Steiner, various dates</ref>
=== Theosophy ===
The [[Theosophical Society]] which draws much of its inspiration from India, was the first institution in modern times in widely spreading the concept of reincarnation in the West. It has taken reincarnation, as well as karma and spiritual evolution, as one of its cardinal tenets; it is, according to a recent theosophical writer, "the master-key to modern problems," including heredity.<ref>[http://www.blavatskytrust.org.uk/html/wr_reincarnation.htm Theosophy and reincarnation]</ref> In the Theosophical world view the soul in man is originally pure, but it lacks self-consciousness and its powers are potential. Reincarnation is the vast rhythmic process by which the soul in man unfolds its spiritual powers in the world of form and get to know itself.
First, the soul descends from its sublime, free, spiritual realms, to inhabit a baby form. While living in a human form, it gathers experience through its effort to express itself in the world. After the lifetime is over, there is a withdrawal from the physical plane to successively higher levels of Reality, in what we call death. It involves a process of purification and assimilation of the wisdom from its past life experience. Finally, having completely withdrawn and cast off all instruments of personal experience, it stands again in its spiritual and formless nature. After that process is finished, the soul is ready to begin its next rhythmic manifestation and to descend into matter in a new effort to unfold its spiritual nature and to gain consciousness of its divine origin and nature.
From such a view point, which covers vast periods of time, what is called a lifetime is as a day in the life of the true spiritual human being. This spiritual entity moves forward on a vast pilgrimage, every lifetime bringing it closer to complete self-knowledge and self-expression.
According to [[Theosophy]], then, that which reincarnates is the part of man which belongs to the formless non-material and timeless worlds. It is neither the physical body and all of its characteristics, nor the emotional nature, with all its personal likes and dislikes, nor the mental nature, with its accumulated knowledge and its habits of thinking, that will reincarnate. That which is above all these aspects is that which reincarnates. However, when the formless essence of a human being begins its process of reincarnation, it attracts the old mental, emotional, and energetic karmic patterns to form the new personality. Thus the soul with the added powers developed during its previous lives and the post-mortem process of assimilation, deals with the old hindrances or shortcomings it was not able to work out in its previous lifetimes.
===Scientology===<!-- This section is linked from [[Whole Track]] -->
:''See also: [[Scientology beliefs and practices]].''
Past reincarnation, usually termed "past lives", is a key part of the principles and practices of the [[Church of Scientology]]. Scientologists believe that the human individual is actually an immortal [[thetan]], or spiritual entity, that has fallen into a degraded state as a result of past-life experiences. Scientology [[Auditing (Scientology)|auditing]] is intended to free the person of these past-life traumas and recover past-life memory, leading to a higher state of spiritual awareness. This idea is echoed in their highest fraternal religious order, the [[Sea Organization]], whose motto is "Revenimus" or "We Come Back", and whose members sign a "billion-year contract" as a sign of commitment to that ideal. [[L. Ron Hubbard]], the founder of Scientology, does not use the word "reincarnation" to describe its beliefs, noting that: "The common definition of reincarnation has been altered from its original meaning. The word has come to mean 'to be born again in different life forms' whereas its actual definition is 'to be born again into the flesh of another body.' Scientology ascribes to this latter, original definition of reincarnation."<ref>[http://www.scientology.org/html/opencms/cos/scientology/en_US/news-media/faq/pg016.html Does Scientology believe in reincarnation or past lives?]</ref>
The first writings in Scientology regarding past lives date from around 1951 and slightly earlier. In 1960, Hubbard published a book on past lives entitled ''[[Have You Lived Before This Life]]''. In 1968 he wrote ''[[Mission Into Time]]'', a report on a five-week sailing expedition to Sardinia, Sicily and Carthage to see if specific evidence could be found to substantiate L. Ron Hubbard's recall of incidents in his own past, centuries ago.
===Edgar Cayce===
American mystic [[Edgar Cayce]] promoted the theory of both reincarnation and karma, but wherein they acted as instruments of a loving God as well as natural laws - the purpose being to teach us certain spiritual lessons. Animals are said to have undifferentiated, "group" souls rather than individuality and [[consciousness]]. Once the soul evolves through a succession of animal incarnations and achieves human status, it is not then reborn in animal form. Cayce's view arguably incorporates Theosophical teachings on spiritual evolution.{{Fact|date=July 2007}}
===Eckankar===
[[Eckankar]] offers a mix of Eastern and Western thought and reincarnation is a basis of this teaching.<ref name=Lo2005>{{cite journal
| author = Lo, H.W.
| coauthors = Dzokoto, V.
| year = 2005
| title = Talking to the Master: Intersections of Religion, Culture, and Counseling in Taiwan and Ghana
| journal = Journal of Mental Health Counseling
| volume = 27
| issue = 2
| pages = 117–128
| url = http://amhca.metapress.com/index/GX7D7THLVGKJU4PD.pdf
| accessdate = 2008-04-12
}}</ref><ref name=Edwards2001>{{cite book
| author = Edwards, L.
| year = 2001
| title = A Brief Guide to Beliefs: Ideas, Theologies, Mysteries, and Movements
| publisher = Westminster John Knox Press
| url = http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&id=edT9ZBiroCQC&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Echankar&ots=WVCd0BkqS-&sig=86sqDx56a6JyKT3KzUL1Q-Y4zKs
}}</ref> It teaches that the soul is eternal, and that it either chooses an incarnation for growth, or that an incarnation is given to it because of [[Karma]]. Similar to early [[Christian]] thought from the philosopher [[Origen]], Eckankar postulates that the soul is perfected through a series of incarnations until it arrives at "Personal Mastery".
===Seth and Jane Roberts===
Seth, a discarnate entity purportedly channelled by the psychic [[Jane Roberts]] from 1963 to 1984, said that both humans and animals reincarnate, after which they move on to other planes of existence. He said that time is a "root assumption" of the physical plane, and that all lives are actually lived simultaneously in a "spacious present" which includes all past and future events. According to Seth, humans are multi-dimensional beings who have inner selves, outer selves or egos, and dreaming selves (among others). With each new life, a new outer ego is born which, when it dies, becomes part of the gestalt of souls which constitutes the entire self.
===Henry Ford===
[[Henry Ford]] was convinced he had lived before, most recently as a soldier killed at the [[battle of Gettysburg]]. A quote from the [[San Francisco Examiner]] from [[August 26]] [[1928]] described Ford's beliefs:
:"I adopted the theory of Reincarnation when I was twenty-six. Religion offered nothing to the point. Even work could not give me complete satisfaction. Work is futile if we cannot utilise the experience we collect in one life in the next. When I discovered Reincarnation it was as if I had found a universal plan I realised that there was a chance to work out my ideas. Time was no longer limited. I was no longer a slave to the hands of the clock. Genius is experience. Some seem to think that it is a gift or talent, but it is the fruit of long experience in many lives. Some are older souls than others, and so they know more. The discovery of Reincarnation put my mind at ease. If you preserve a record of this conversation, write it so that it puts men’s minds at ease. I would like to communicate to others the calmness that the long view of life gives to us."
===George S. Patton===
General [[George S. Patton]] was a staunch believer in reincarnation and, along with many other members of his family, often claimed to have seen vivid, lifelike visions of his ancestors.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066206/plotsummary Plot summary for Patton (1970)]</ref> In particular, Patton believed he was a reincarnation of Carthaginian General [[Hannibal]].<ref>[http://www.reversespins.com/patton.html Patton and Hannibal]</ref>
===The New Age movement===
There are people who say they remember their past lives and use that knowledge to help them with their current lives; the belief in this kind of occurrence is central to the New Age movement.<ref>[http://www.near-death.com/experiences/reincarnation02.html Reincarnation and NDE Research]</ref> Some of the people who remember, say they simply remember without any effort on their part. They simply "see" previous times and see themselves interacting with others, occasionally even different creatures besides people themselves.
===Popular western culture===
{{main|Reincarnation in popular western culture}}
Reincarnation seems to have captured the imagination of many in the West, and the idea of reincarnation receives regular mention in feature films, popular books, and popular music. A great many feature films have made reference to reincarnation, and notable films include:<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/keyword/reincarnation/ IMDb Keyword: Reincarnation]</ref>
*''[[The Three Lives of Thomasina]]'' (1964)
*''[[On a Clear Day You Can See Forever]]'' (1970)
*''[[The Reincarnation of Peter Proud]]'' (1975)
*''[[Audrey Rose (film)|Audrey Rose]]'' (1977)
*''[[Karz (film)|Karz]]'' (1980)
*''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'' (1984)
*''[[Chances Are]]'' (1989)
*''[[Dead Again]]'' (1991)
*''[[Defending Your Life]]'' (1991)
*''[[Little Buddha]]'' (1993)
*''[[Fluke (film)|Fluke]]'' (1995)
*''[[Karan Arjun (film)|Karan Arjun]]'' (1995)
*''[[Kundun]]'' (1997)
*''[[What Dreams May Come]]'' (1998)
*''[[Yesterday's Children]]'' (2000)
*''[[The Mummy Returns]]'' (2001)
*''[[Birth (film)|Birth]]'' (2004)
*''[[Reincarnation (film)|Reincarnation]]'' (2005)
*''[[Om Shanti Om]]'' (2007)
Many popular books have made reference to reincarnation. These include several books by [[Vicki Mackenzie]] and [[Children's Past Lives|Carol Bowman]], as well as others on the reference list below.
Notable popular songs or albums which refer to reincarnation include:
*''[[The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg]]'' by [[Iron Maiden]]
*''[[The Reincarnation Song]]'' by [[Roy Zimmerman]]
*''[[Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation]]'' by [[Santana (band)|Santana]]
*''[[The Reincarnation of Luna]]'' by [[My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult]]
*''[[Highwayman (album)|Highwayman]]'' by [[The Highwaymen (country supergroup)|The Highwaymen]]
*''[[Tommy]]'' by [[The Who]]
*"Galileo" by [[The Indigo Girls]]
*''[[Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory]]'' by [[Dream Theater]]
*''[[Jillian]] by [[Within Temptation]], itself a recapturing of the central story of the [[Deverry cycle]]
==Scientific research==
{{main|Reincarnation research}}
Thomas Huxley, the famous English biologist, thought that reincarnation was a plausible idea and discussed it in his book ''Evolution and Ethics and other Essays.'' The most detailed collections of personal reports in favor of reincarnation have been published by Professor [[Ian Stevenson]], from the [[University of Virginia]], in books such as ''[[Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation]]'' and "Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects Volume 1: Birthmarks" and "Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects Volume 2: Birth Defects and Other Anomalies".
Stevenson spent over 40 years devoted to the study of children who have apparently spoken about a past life. In each case, Professor Stevenson methodically documented the child's statements. Then he identified the [[deceased]] person the child allegedly identified with, and verified the facts of the deceased person's life that matched the child's memory. He also matched [[birthmarks]] and [[birth defects]] to wounds and scars on the deceased, verified by [[medical records]] such as [[autopsy]] photographs.<ref>Cadoret, Remi. [http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/162/4/823?rss=1 Book Review: European Cases of the Reincarnation Type] ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', April 2005.</ref><ref>Rockley, Richard. [http://www.skepticreport.com/newage/stevensonbook.htm Book Review: Children who remember previous lives]</ref>
In a fairly typical case, a boy in Beirut spoke of being a 25-year-old mechanic, thrown to his death from a speeding car on a beach road. According to multiple witnesses, the boy provided the name of the driver, the exact location of the crash, the names of the mechanic's sisters and parents and cousins, and the people he went hunting with – all of which turned out to match the life of a man who had died several years before the boy was born, and who had no apparent connection to the boy's family.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021001393.html?nav=hcmodule Ian Stevenson; Sought To Document Memories Of Past Lives in Children]</ref>
Stevenson believed that his strict methods ruled out all possible "normal" explanations for the child’s memories. However, it should be noted that a significant majority of Professor Stevenson's reported cases of reincarnation originate in Eastern societies, where dominant [[Eastern philosophy|religions]] often permit the concept of reincarnation. Following this type of criticism, Stevenson published a book on European cases suggestive of reincarnation.<ref>Stevenson, Ian (2003). ''European Cases of the Reincarnation Type''.</ref>
There are many people who have investigated reincarnation and come to the conclusion that it is a legitimate phenomenon, such as Peter Ramster, Dr. [[Brian Weiss]], Dr. Walter Semkiw, and others, but their work is generally ignored by the scientific community. Professor Stevenson, in contrast, published dozens of papers in peer-reviewed journals.<ref>University of Virginia, Division of Perceptual Studies, [http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/personalitystudies/publications.cfm#Reincar-articles Books and Articles by Division Staff]</ref>
Some skeptics, such as [[Paul Edwards (philosopher)|Paul Edwards]], have analyzed many of these accounts, and called them [[anecdotal evidence|anecdotal]].<ref>Rockley, Richard. [http://www.skepticreport.com/newage/stevensonbook.htm Book Review: Children who remember previous lives]</ref> Philosophers like Robert Almeder, having analyzed the criticisms of Edwards and others, suggest that the gist of these arguments can be summarized as "we all know it can't possibly be real, so therefore it isn't real" - an [[Argument from ignorance|argument from personal incredulity]].<ref>[http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/abstracts/v11n4a5.php A Critique of Arguments Offered Against Reincarnation]</ref>
The most obvious objection to reincarnation is that there is no evidence of a physical process by which a personality could survive death and travel to another body, and researchers such as Professor Stevenson recognize this limitation.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021001393.html?nav=hcmodule Ian Stevenson; Sought To Document Memories Of Past Lives in Children]</ref>
Another objection is that most people do not remember previous lives. Possible counter-arguments are that not all people reincarnate, or that most people do not have memorable deaths. The vast majority of cases investigated at the University of Virginia involved people who had met some sort of violent or untimely death.<ref>Tucker, 2005, p.214</ref>
Some skeptics explain that claims of evidence for reincarnation originate from [[selective thinking]] and the psychological phenomena of [[false memory|false memories]] that often result from one's own belief system and basic fears, and thus cannot be counted as [[empirical evidence]]. But other skeptics, such as Dr [[Carl Sagan]], see the need for more [[reincarnation research]].{{Fact|date=April 2008}} Carl Sagan asked the [[Dalai Lama]] what would he do if a fundamental tenet of his religion (reincarnation) was definitively disproved by science.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1285/is_n2_v26/ai_18082728/pg_3|title=Valentine to science - interview with Carl Sagan|Publisher=Interview|author=Lynda Obst|pages=2|date=February 2006|accessdate=2008-05-20}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portalpar|Spirituality|EndlessKnot03d.png}}
===Concepts===
*[[Afterlife]] (see also [[Childbirth|Birth]], [[Life]], [[Death]])
*[[Metempsychosis]]
*[[Preincarnation]]
*[[Xenoglossy]]
*[[Near-death experience]]
*[[Reincarnation in popular western culture]]
===Themes===
*[[Life review]]
*[[Past life regression]]
*[[Plane (cosmology)|Planes of existence]]
*[[Reincarnation research]]
*[[Soul mate]]
*[[Subtle body|Subtle bodies]]
===Traditions===
*[[Anthroposophy]]
*[[Buddhism]]; see also [[Anatta]], [[Vajrayana]], [[Mahayana]], [[Theravada]], [[Rebirth (Buddhist)]], [[Tulku]]
*[[Druze]]
*[[Edgar Cayce]], [[Edgar Cayce on Karma]]
*[[Esoteric Christianity]] - [[Cathars]]/[[Catharism]] - [[Gnosticism]]
*[[Hinduism]]; see also [[Reincarnation and Hinduism]], [[Hindu philosophy]], [[Karma in Hinduism]], [[Atman (Hinduism)]] & [[Yoga]]
*[[Kabbalah]]; see also [[Gilgul (Kabbalah)]] and [[Ibbur (Kabbalah)]]
*[[Rosicrucian]]ism
*[[Spiritism]]
*[[Sufism]]
*[[Theosophy]]
*[[Druidism]]
===Persons===
*[[Arthur Flowerdew]]
*[[Richard James Allen]]
==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
==References==
<div class="references-small">
'''Scientific Publications'''
*[[Paul Edwards (philosopher)|Edwards, Paul]], ''Reincarnation: A Critical Examination'' ISBN 1-57392-921-2
*[[Tom Shroder|Shroder, Tom]] (1999). ''Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Past Lives''.
*Stevenson, Ian (1980). ''[[Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation]],'' second (revised and enlarged) edition, University of Virginia Press. ISBN 9780813908724
*Stevenson, Ian, ''Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects'' ISBN 0-275-95283-5
*Stevenson, Ian, ''Children Who Remember Previous Lives: A Question of Reincarnation, revised edition'' ISBN 0-7864-0913-4
*Tucker, Jim, (2005). ''[[Life Before Life]]: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives'', ISBN 0-312-32137-6
*Van Lommel, Pim. (2001). [http://www.iands.org/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=84 "Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands."] ''The Lancet.'' 358: 2039-45.
*{{cite journal
| author = Braude, S.E.
| year = 1992
| title = Claims of Reincarnation: An Empirical Study of Cases in India
| journal = The Journal of Parapsychology
| volume = 56
| issue = 4
| url = http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5000166177
| accessdate = 2008-01-27
}}
'''Other Publications'''
*[[Shriram Sharma Acharya|Acharya, Pt. Shriram Sharma]], {{PDFlink|[http://www.awgp.org/books/english/the_life_beyond_physical_death.pdf ''The Life Beyond Physical Death'']|558 KB}}, 1999.
*Alegretti, Wagner, ''Retrocognitions: An Investigation into Memories of Past Lives and the Period Between Lives''. ISBN 0-9702131-6-6, 2004.
*Archiati, Pietro, ''Reincarnation in Modern Life: Toward a new Christian Awareness''. ISBN 0-904693-88-0
*Bache, Christopher M., ''Lifecycles, Reincarnation and the Web of Life'', 1991, ISBN 1-55778-645-3
*Boulting, W. ''Giordano Bruno, His Life, Thought, and Martyrdom'', London: Kegan Paul, 1914.
*Bowman, Carol, ''Children's Past Lives'', 1998, ISBN 0-553-57485-X
*Bowman, Carol, ''Return from Heaven'', 2003, ISBN 0-06-103044-9
*Cerminara, Gina, ''Many Mansions: The Edgar Cayce Story on Reincarnation'', 1990, ISBN 0-451-03307-8
*Childs, Gilbert and Sylvia, ''Your Reincarnating Child: Welcoming a soul to the world''. ISBN 1-85584-126-6
*Doore, Gary, ''What Survives?'', 1990, ISBN 0-87477-583-3
*Head, Joseph and Cranston, S.L., editors, ''Reincarnation: The Phoenix Fire Mystery'', 1994, ISBN 0-517-56101-8
*[[Max Heindel|Heindel, Max]], ''[[The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception]]'' (Part I, Chapter IV: [http://www.rosicrucian.com/rcc/rcceng04.htm Rebirth and the Law of Consequence]), 1909, ISBN 0-911274-34-0
*[[Max Heindel|Heindel, Max]], ''The Rosicrucian Mysteries'' (Chapter II: [http://www.rosicrucian.com/rms/rmseng01.htm#Chapter_II The problem of Life and its solution]), 1911, ISBN 0-911274-86-3
*[[Max Heindel|Heindel, Max]],[[The Rosicrucian Fellowship]], ''{{PDFlink|[http://sedna.no.sapo.pt/the_light_beyond_death.pdf The Light Beyond Death]|361 KB}}'', 2001.
*[[Flavius Josephus|Josephus, Flavius]], ''The War of the Jews'' (Book II, Chapter 8, Verse 14: [http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/josephus/war-2.htm]), C.E. 66-73
*[[Sture Lönnerstrand|Lönnerstrand, Sture]], ''I Have Lived Before: The True Story of the Reincarnation of Shanti Devi'', 1998, ISBN 1-886940-03-7
*Newton, Michael, ''Life Between Lives: Hypnotherapy for Spiritual Regression'', 2004, ISBN 0-73870-465-2
*Newton, Michael, ''Destiny of Souls: New Case Studies of Life Between Lives'', 2000, ISBN 1-56718-499-5
*Nicholson, R.A. ''Rumi, Poet and Mystic.'' London: Allen & Unwin, 1950.
*Nikhilananda, Swami. ''Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna'', (8th Ed. 1992) ISBN 0-911206-01-9
*[[Elizabeth Clare Prophet|Prophet, Elizabeth Clare]], Erin L. Prophet, ''Reincarnation: The Missing Link in Christianity'', 1997, ISBN 0-922729-27-1
*[[Tommaso Palamidessi|Palamidessi Tommaso]], The Memory of Past Lives and Its Technique, ed. Archeosofica, 1977
*[[Tommaso Palamidessi|Palamidessi Tommaso]], [http://www.archeosofica.org/en/index.php/Estratti-dai-Quaderni-di-Archeosofia/Reincarnation-and-Christianity.html Reincarnation And Christianity]
*{{PDFlink|[Rajvanshi, Anil K. http://nariphaltan.virtualave.net/death.pdf Death, Karma and Reincarnation]|49.7 KB}}
*Ramster, Peter, ''In Search of Lives Past'', ISBN 0-646-00021-7
*Rinehart, Robin, ed., ''Contemporary Hinduism'', (2004).
*Roberts, Jane ''Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul'', 1972, ISBN 0-553-12077-8
*[[Rudolf Steiner|Steiner, Rudolf]],[http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/KarmRelI/Karm01_index.html ''Karmic Relationships: Esoteric studies''], 8 volumes, various dates, Rudolf Steiner Press. ISBN 0-85440-260-8 and others.
*[[Rudolf Steiner|Steiner, Rudolf]], [http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/ManfKarma/ManKar_index.html ''Manifestations of Karma'']. ISBN 1-85584-058-8
*[[Rudolf Steiner|Steiner, Rudolf]],''Reincarnation and Immortality''. ISBN 0-8334-1706-1
*[[Rudolf Steiner|Steiner, Rudolf]],''Reincarnation and Karma: Two fundamental truths of existence''. ISBN 0-88010-501-1
*[[Rudolf Steiner|Steiner, Rudolf]],''A Western Approach to Reincarnation and Karma: selected lectures and writings''; ed. and intr. by René Querido. Hudson, NY: Anthroposophic Press, c1997, ISBN 0-88010-399-X
*Semkiw, Walter, ''Return of the Revolutionaries: The Case for Reincarnation and Soul Groups Reunited'', 2003, ISBN 1-57174-342-1
*Semkiw, Walter, ''Born Again: Reincarnation Cases Involving International Celebrities, India's Political Legends and Film Stars'', 2006, ISBN 81-85250-37-5
*Taylor, Michael, "Master of the Rose", Comstar Media LLC, 1997-2007, ISBN 1-933866-07-1
*Weiss, Brian L., ''Only Love is real: the story of soulmates reunited'', 1996, ISBN 0-446-51945-6
*Weiss, Brian L., ''Many Lives, Many Masters'', 1998, ISBN 0-671-65786-0
*Werner, Karel, ''A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism'' (Curzon Press 1994) ISBN 0-7007-0279-2
*[[Chelsea Quinn Yarbro|Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn]], ''Messages from Michael on the nature of the evolution of the human soul'', 1979, ISBN 0-872235-26-2</div>
*Yeats, William Butler, ''A Vision'', 1937, ISBN 978-0020556008
==External links==
{{linkfarm}}
*[http://www.archeosofica.org/en/index.php/Estratti-dai-Quaderni-di-Archeosofia/Essenes-and-Reincarnation.html Essenes and Reincarnation] article by [[Tommaso Palamidessi]]
* [http://www.scienceofsoulmates.com/loveandreincarnation.htm Love and reincarnation]
*[http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media.asp?AID=456599 Audio file of Jewish view of reincarnation]
*[http://www.lauralee.com/index.cgi?pid=3330 Carol Bowman, "Families Reincarnating Together"]
*[http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/personalitystudies/ Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia]
*[http://www.ial.goldthread.com In Another Life, reincarnation documentary project]
*[http://baharna.com/karma/mystknow.htm Problems in the Theory of Karma: Karma & Reincarnation - a philosophical examination]
*[http://www.harekrishna.com/col/books/KR/cb/chapter1.html Reincarnation: Socrates to Salinger]
*[http://www.gilgulim.com The Jewish Book of Reincarnations by Reb Chaim Vital]
*[http://www.skepdic.com/reincarn.html ''reincarnation''] [[Robert Todd Carroll]], ''[[Skeptic's Dictionary]]''
*[http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/070406_past_lives.html Study: Belief In Reincarnation Tied To Memory Errors]
*[http://www.innerquest.org.ph/secretsofthekingdom/iq3261reincarnationkarma.htm Inner Quest, “Understanding Reincarnation and Karma”]
*[http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jsuebersax/Plato5.htm Did Plato Believe in Reincarnation?]
*[http://luchte.wordpress.com/wandering-souls-the-doctrine-of-transmigration-in-pythagorean-philosophy/ Wandering Souls: The Doctrine of Transmigration in Pythagorean Philosophy, by Dr. James Luchte]
[[Category:Esoteric Christianity]]
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[[Category:Jain philosophical concepts]]
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[[Category:Reincarnation| ]]
[[Category:Reincarnation research]]
[[Category:Shabd paths]]
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[[cs:Znovuzrozování]]
[[da:Reinkarnation]]
[[de:Reinkarnation]]
[[dv:އާތަމާލަ]]
[[el:Μετενσάρκωση]]
[[es:Reencarnación]]
[[eo:Reenkarniĝo]]
[[fr:Réincarnation]]
[[fy:Reynkarnaasje]]
[[ko:환생]]
[[hr:Reinkarnacija]]
[[id:Reinkarnasi]]
[[ia:Reincarnation]]
[[it:Reincarnazione]]
[[he:גלגול נשמות]]
[[la:Metempsychosis]]
[[hu:Lélekvándorlás]]
[[mdf:Реинкарнацие]]
[[nl:Reïncarnatie]]
[[ja:転生]]
[[no:Reinkarnasjon]]
[[pl:Reinkarnacja]]
[[pt:Reencarnação]]
[[ru:Реинкарнация]]
[[sq:Rimishërimi]]
[[sk:Reinkarnácia]]
[[sr:Реинкарнација]]
[[fi:Jälleensyntyminen]]
[[sv:Själavandring]]
[[vi:Đầu thai]]
[[tr:Reenkarnasyon]]
[[uk:Реінкарнація]]
[[yi:גלגול]]
[[zh:轉世]]