A Meditation about Reincarnation

 

Last week's post brought together Edgar Cayce channeled readings about 'Ra-Ta.'  The transcripts contain lessons or warnings as in this excerpt from the transcript of channeled reading 5748-3 of June 1, 1925: ". . . this fleshly carnal force brought destructive elements to the entity.  In the present plane we find still that same urge to be overcome in the entity . . . keep the forces of mental and spiritual development ever to press onward to the higher forces."

 

In a passage of 440-4 (December 19, 1933), the communicating intelligence that spoke through the entranced Edgar Cayce on this occasion evoked the name 'Ra Ta' with the statement "Ra-Ta would counsel again with thee."  The discourse included: "In giving purposes for entering, and giving soul developments and the attaining to the use of the soul or psychic faculties of the self, may there be sufficient of the precautions given thee also.  And may there be found in this experience that which from this day forward, throughout the sojourn in this present experience, may be turned to oft for counsel, for the paralleling of thine experience, as ye advance step by step through this sojourn."

 

Among the 14,306 preserved Edgar Cayce channeled readings transcripts are 2,500 'life readings.'  In his biographical book about his father Edgar Cayce Venture Inward (1964), Hugh Lynn Cayce wrote that these life readings in particular offered "psychological and philosophical information so completely incongruous with his conscious ideas . . ."  Hugh Lynn Cayce offered his perspective of reincarnation that he developed through reading the channeled communications: "Through a series of incarnations in matter in human form the soul can learn to cleanse itself of the selfish desires blocking its more perfect understanding and to apply spiritual law in relation to matter . . . sex changes in various incarnations according to development . . . During one lifetime souls are associated with others with whom they have been connected in past lives, or with souls whose development in similar."

  

Having read a variety of different transcendental sources (including about past life regression through hypnosis) providing accounts of lives from previous epochs, I was left wondering in some instances if the associations being made have a metaphorical basis rather than being something meant to be accepted literally.  Especially where famous names from previous ages are mentioned.  The most idiosyncratic aspect of a human personality and mentality is difficult to satisfactorily express in words.  Extant historical records often result with what might be called 'pastiche beings' or prosaic figures apt to be more correct in a metaphorical comparison.

 

Nonetheless, there are documented cases supporting what might be called 'individual physical reincarnation.'  What makes this topic so complex to consider is that it is extremely rare for a person to retain memories of a former life.  One case involving memories of a former life was the subject of two previous articles about James Leininger.  Another article considered the case of Jeffrey J. Keene, whose intuition was a factor in making associations leading to the conclusion that he had lived a former life as Brigadier General John. B. Gordon (1832-1904) who in photographs closely resembles Keene.

  

Similar to Keene, I was confronted with an artifact showing a close likeness of myself while I was living in Echo Park in 1996.  One day I noticed several Egyptian antiquities at an antique store several blocks away from my condo.  Among these was a small object resembling an amulet or large coin that presented a side view of an individual attired similar to a pharaoh.  Having previously recognized the similarity of my pen name and life circumstances with some of the things known about the ancient 'Bel-Marduk,' I joked that this Egyptian figure resembled me and then when I closely looked at the medallion I realized that the figure actually did resemble me to an astonishing degree.  All these events are recounted in the nonfiction case study Testament (1997) and a photograph of the medallion can be seen accompanying the October 21 article of this blog.

 

Around fifteen years ago, I obtained two bound editions of mimeographed transcripts identified with "I.R.F. SUPPLEMENT INDEX From AUGUST 1957 thru December 1968."  The portions of these books that attracted my attention were headed "RA-TA PERIOD: EGYPT, PREHISTORY (Historical Basis for E.C.'s Power)."

 

The transcript of channeled reading 294-149 (July 27, 1932) mentions " . . . this ill-forgotten Ra-Ta in this experience" suggesting that there have been many individuals functioning metaphorically as a spiritual mediator being mindful of 'Christ Consciousness'; or as described in 294-150 of July 28, 1932: ". . . the influence is reckoned from all experiences of Ra-Ta . . . set, not by Ra-Ta — but expressed in the development of Ra-Ta, that these do affect — by the forces as set upon all — not only the inhabitant of a given sphere or planet, but the effect all has upon every form of expression in that sphere of the Creative Energies in action in that given sphere, and this particular sphere — or earth — was the reckoning in that period."

 

Also to be considered is a passage in 294-151 of July 29, 1932: " . . .  this priest may develop himself to be in that position, to be in the capacity of a liberator of the world in its relationships to individuals in those periods to come; for he must enter again at that period, or in 1998."

 

In 1998 I recognized parallels between details about the life of 'Ra-Ta' found in the Cayce channeled reading transcripts (including passages mentioning the Great Pyramid) with what I had read about Bel-Marduk/Amun-Ra (as described in the October 21 blog article).  I could only surmise that myself as the reincarnated Bel-Marduk/Amun-Ra am a 'Ra-Ta' and on August 12, 1998 I published the following statement at the testament.org website:

 

In July 1932, Edgar Cayce predicted that the ancient Egyptian priest he called Ra-Ta ("Sun-Earth") would return to the world in 1998.  TESTAMENT is a case study showing how I became aware of my earlier incarnation.  Reading TESTAMENT illuminates the lost knowledge of the relationships of man and the carnal world with those changes that fade or fall away in their various effect, making plain the interpretation of death.  The reader's consciousness is expanded; thus the 'uncovering' of the Hall of Records.

 

This week I listened to a CD recording of Yada di Shi'ite that included statements about reincarnation, in some ways corroborating other transcendental sources on this topic.  One previous blog article on this subject is "Channeled Reincarnation Scenarios".  Here are some transcribed excerpts of an October 31, 1961 deep trance lecture by Yada di Shi'ite of The Inner Circle through Mark Probert.  The lecture was given the title "Reincarnation."

 

Regarding the mediums and the 'spirits' that speak through mediums, it will be discovered that even on the so-called other side of life it is still a controversial subject.  Many, many beings that pass from here not knowing the nature and mechanics of rebirth naturally do not know it in their world because they did not know it here.  There is something very wonderful about that and that is there are so many opinions about everything. 

 
. . . all seems to be opinion.  [It] is like my colleague the Maharaja Natcha has said, "All is opinion."  And one question seemingly makes for another question, not an answer for the moment you answer something, being that there are so many answers to that thing, it simply poses many other questions.

The transmigration of the soul has always been a very intriguing subject to man.  Naturally we want to know where we are going but in order to do this properly we have to know where we come from.  We also have to know what we are doing here, why we are here, how did we get in here?

 
Coming into the world we come here unconsciously, meaning we do not know our origin because there is — the mind is closed off — the memory pattern of what we were is closed off the moment we enter into the physical world . . .

 

During the discourse, Yada reminded that dreams sometimes are forgotten upon awakening yet an individual may later recall some aspects of a dream.  He compared this with memories of previous lives: "Sometimes this happens to peoples here.  They will suddenly remember a life before.  Strange however that very few of us remember . . . the astral life."  

 

Another channeled source dealing with reincarnation is Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's series of 'Michael Teaching' books chronicling communications from the 'mid-causal teacher' known to her research group as 'Michael.'  Here are excerpts from Michael for the Millennium (1995) on the topic of reincarnation: "Each fragment [soul], from first incarnation to last, is experiencing a unique life, with overleaves chosen to enable the fragment to accomplish the task chosen for the life . . . All insights are valid and no evolution occurs without the insights being recognized.  But we assure you, the most 'mundane' lives are as apt to be filled with insight and intimacy as the most creative, driven ones."

 

The subject of reincarnation was addressed in the channeled book Health: Its Recovery and Maintenance (1929) by Abduhl Latif through Eileen Garrett.  Latif seemed to have acknowledged reincarnation on other spheres but knew of "no reason why we should come back to the earth." 

 

R. H. Saunders was credited as the editor for Health and implemented a Q&A style for the book.  In a previous book, Healing Through Spirit Agency by the Great Persian Physician Abduhl Latif ("The Man of Baghdad") and Information Concerning The Life Hereafter of the Deepest Interest to All Enquirers and Students of Psychic Phenomena (1928), Saunders had chronicled conversing with Latif through five Direct Voice mediums.  Saunders included several seance room perspectives on reincarnation from communicating beings termed 'spirits' in the book.  Although the 'Spirit control' of Mrs. Wriedt, Dr. Sharp, considered "reincarnation is a man-made theory" and David Dugoid, the control of Mrs. Roberts Johnson, said he didn't know about it and since passing over hadn't met anyone "who had been with ye any previous time," Saunders reported:

 

One of the best reasons for this theory I heard from a Spirit who had been speaking of one who passed over many centuries ago.  "He was a great and good man on earth," said the Spirit, "and has done much good to humanity since his entry here.  If there is anything to reconcile me to the idea of Reincarnation it would be this—the love for mankind of that Spirit is so intense that he remains near earth, and would willingly be re-embodied in an earthly frame to help the suffering on earth, although he himself is in an advanced Sphere.  I don't say there is Reincarnation, because I don't know, yet there are some here who maintain it is so."

 

In another extensively documented case of transcendental communication, Direct Voice recordings of medium Leslie Flint's guide 'Mickey' include his having remarked during one seance: "Reincarnation is so obvious that I can’t understand intelligent people doubting it!"

 

The annals of Instrumental Transcommunication provide further confirmations about reincarnation.  Here are excerpts from Conversations Beyond The Light (1995) by Dr. Pat Kubis & Mark Macy.

 

The Technician, a Light Being from a higher plane and mentor of Timestream Lab says, "Reincarnation is a Spiritual Law."

 
The Technician goes on to say that "The human soul returns back to Earth often enough to learn all human life experiences . . ." before moving on to other dimensions.

 
He says there is no "backward evolution.  The human soul does not return to Earth in the body of an animal."

 
Spirit Scientist Swejen Salter was asked by the Luxembourg experimenters how people on the third plane go about reincarnating.  Isn't it hard to leave the families and friends they live with, and do these people decide by themselves how and when they incarnate?

Salter answered:

In many cases, people decide themselves.  In some cases they are also told by higher beings.  Nobody is forced to return.  To many, the process is like an inner voice that reminds them of their duties and lessons that are still waiting for them on Earth.  They may delay these tasks for many years, but know they cannot avoid them forever. 

 

Surveying accounts of possible reincarnation will result with a diverse variety of cases and associations.  In his recently published The Big Book of Reincarnation, Roy Stemman wrote in the Introduction: ". . . there is a huge body of evidence that has been accumulated over the past fifty years that suggests very strongly that life does continue beyond death, and that, in some instances at least, individuals have been reborn with memories of their previous earthly existence."

 

Books published in recent years on the subject of reincarnation also include Life Before Life: Children's Memories of Previous Lives (2005) by Jim B. Tucker, M.D. and New Clothes for Old Souls: Worldwide Evidence for Reincarnation (2006) by Guy Lyon Playfair.

This illustration is from The Science of Self-Realization (1968) by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who wrote about transmigration of the soul: "The energy of the soul is spread all over the body and this is known as consciousness . . . The soul is individual, and he is transmigrating from one body to another, just as a person transmigrates from babyhood to childhood, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youth, and then to advanced old age.  Then the change called death takes place when we change to a new body, just as we change our old dress to a new dress."  Transcripts of channeled sources of information about reincarnation contradict the notion found in this book that humans could ever be "forced to transmigrate to the lower species of life by the laws of nature."