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Study of Manual for Teachers 5-21-12

Day 140
24. IS REINCARNATION SO?
1 In the ultimate sense, reincarnation is impossible. There is no past or future, and the idea of birth in 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. Is any other question about it really useful in lighting up the way? 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.

There is so much I just do not know. I get that reincarnation is not what I thought it was. That’s ok, because I’m no longer in love with the idea that anything has to be a certain way. It seems that I have multiple experiences and none of them are real, just thoughts in the mind. I’m not born into a body, nor do I die from a body. This only seems to be happening.

And who is “I” anyway? It’s a good question, and asking it helps me open to the realization that I don’t know the answer and that I want to know the answer. Because I am coming from a place of complete unknowing, it is obviously not up to me to somehow get this information. The only helpful thing I can do is to acknowledge my ignorance. I am making room for something true in my mind by letting go of the idea that I already know. The only other thing for me to do is to desire knowledge. As I let go of trying to think this out with my little mind, I will be given knowledge.

There is no past, nor future. This understanding has been given to me so I know it is true as far as it goes. It is true to the extent that words can describe it and my limited view allows me to see it. I seem to have had experiences, and my understanding is that all of these experiences happened at once. It seems that I can access those experiences through placing my awareness there. I can use those experiences to awaken us if that is my choice. And all of that may simply be a metaphor for what happens. I don’t know.

If it is just a metaphor then it is a useful one, and if I need to understand differently, then that will be given me. It’s the same with the idea of reincarnation. It can be a useful metaphor as long as I don’t misuse it. If I use it to stay focused on the past I will fail to use this story, my present experience, to heal my mind.

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