Some Original Greater World Teachings On 'Predestination' And 'Incarnation'
Reasons Why People Mistakenly Think They Have Had 'Past Lives' As Human Beings On Earth
*The human being having memories now in a body of flesh used to be on the earth as a spirit before in-carnating, i.e., the person currently having memories who is now in-carnated (presently living in a body of flesh on earth) - was a spirit in the past (prior to in-carnation) helping and guiding someone in a body of flesh on the earth. The individual spirit (before in-carnating) helped, influenced and provided succour to in-carnated beings long before the now in-carnated person having "past life" memories took on their once-only birth as a human being. Hence, fragments of memories of that time(s) in the past (when they were a spirit helping human beings in the flesh) held within the spiritual mind are able to sift through to the limited physical mind of someone living in an earthly body of flesh. Therefore, the assumption is made that he or she was a human being "in another life" - they mistakenly believe they were alive before as a human being in the flesh in a "past life" or "past lives".
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The spirit can travel in time especially during the sleep-state and on returning to an awakened state, memories held by the mind of the spirit are able, in part, to force themselves through.
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Disembodied spirits transmit images, thoughts and memories of their own earth life to those living in bodies of flesh on the earth causing them to think they are their own memories.
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Memories held in the spiritual mind gained in another 'state' of being (not the earth but with similarities) are erroneously assumed by the person having the memories to have been earthly memories.
Many Spiritualist and Eastern philosophies expound a teaching of ever-recurring earthly reincarnation (the returning to earth time after time in another physical body). However, while the value and symbolical meaning of such teachings are recognized, the original Greater World teachings do not see such teachings as a literal truth but expound a different message to that of 'ever-recurring-earthly reincarnation'. The spiritual beings directly involved in the Christ Mission of the Greater World's original philosophy, ask us to keep our minds open about these points.
Some Elementary Points To Contemplate...
Before any deep and profound understanding of this subject of predestination and 'reincarnation' can be gained (the word should be 'incarnation' as, according to the spiritual philosophy of certain advanced Spirit Messengers, we enter a body of flesh on this planet but once), a few fundamental points must first be considered. These points are:
1) The individual spirit has been in existence for far longer than this earth plane has been in existence, and this spirit has existed in many different kinds of bodies, some being spiritual bodies, some being material bodies on worlds in the earth-plane, some being similar to this planet.
2) The spirit has lived in a soul-body and it has worked on this planet before taking on a physical body (incarnating) for one and only one time.
3) When the spirit leaves the physical body (physical death) on this planet, the soul-body will pass into another state of being, its own place, whether a brighter sphere of being or a darker sphere of being. It does not enter into another physical body on this planet, be it a human or animal.
Understanding this is a natural progression from ever-recurring earthly reincarnation teachings from the Spirit World which are given to encapsulate a sense of the progression or devolution of the spirit’s journey.
(Please note that when a spirit in a debased soul-body enters a lower plane, that plane of being is as "material" to that spirit as the earth is material to people in bodies of flesh. For instance, "bars" in a prison in a dark plane may not be made of earthly metal, but they still have an effect of impenetrability by a soul-body consisting of those conditions.)
From God We Came And To God We Return
With regard to predestination, the Greater World teaching is that from God we came and to God we return and in a body of flesh the individual spirit appears only once. The spirit within the human frame chooses the experiences which will be most advantageous for it in the life to come, and the freewill not being interfered with, can fail the higher aspirations of the spirit, the missed opportunities being mourned by the spirit.
The Child Is Never The Parent But An Individual Fragment Of Divine Love
Indeed, the mind of the body can betray the dictates and choices of the spirit within, and here, the word "predestination" must be laid aside. As thoughts emanating from God, Man - as spirits - was made in God's Image (but in miniature as fragments of Divine Essence). But the individual children fell away from that unthinkable state of Purity and Perfection through lack of knowledge and experience (indeed, 'snatching' instead of learning and earning). Thus the freewill was abused long before the earth-plane came into being for its part in the great scheme of things. But after ages of wandering for countless individuals (each on their own path), the point of involution was reached and evolution was commenced.
'Man' Means Children Of God
Man, coming from individual thoughts of God, has been in existence for a time unrecognizable, especially to us at this stage of our evolution. NB: The use of the word 'Man' does not mean men and women in the flesh on Earth but rather the children of God since their creation long before the earth-plane came into being for God's purpose of helping Man redeem himself. This evolution is a much longer process than has generally been thought, but after all, the predestined goal of perfection and the total release of those gifts which are of the Godhead but in miniature, is not something which can come after a few thousand lifetimes.
The Limited Human Mind Cannot Truly Envision God's Gifts To Man
Let us not underestimate the gifts which the Lord God of all desires that each and every one of His children shall have - the glorious goal from which no one shall be left out - predestined to be sons and daughters of the Most High in perfect purity and knowledge - that which is of God but in miniature.
So, to God we return. And from God we came, being imbued in miniature with all of those sweet gifts, but without experience, and so God sent us on a long journey of experience. We have lived in countless bodies and worlds before this earth life, and there are many stages yet to be undertaken, with the added priceless knowledge and experience gained during the earthly sojourn.
The Spirit Has Been Busy On Earth Before Fleshly-Birth
It is important to remember that each spirit will have been working on the earth prior to incarnation, and this may have been for many, many generations until a suitable body in suitable environmental circumstances was made available (and this choice again is limited according to the release of the spirit within the soul of the individual). The spirit will have had, in many cases, much influence on the situation in earthly life, prior to incarnation. (In other lives on other planes before taking on the physical body, we will have encountered many of the individuals we actually encounter on the earth, and indeed, some of the worlds lived in will have been similar to this earth.)
Spiritual Memory Compared To Physical Memory Is Like The Ocean Compared To A Puddle
Because the spirit had been working very closely with people in the flesh, helping them, guiding them, loving them with a deep spiritual love which was possible whilst not restricted by the limitations imposed by the physical body with its material mind - it is possible that some of those memories which belong to the greater spiritual mind (temporarily submerged whilst the earthly casket is worn) are able to emerge. Indeed, before the physical garment was ready, the spirit has walked with those 'imprisoned' in a body of flesh, and has in a measure also learned their lessons with them.
This is one of the main reasons why some people recollect memories of a past age. They associate their existence in the spirit before incarnation when they were acting as missionaries on the earth plane as spirits, with a previous existence in a body of flesh, and automatically assume that they were in a body of flesh because the memories are so real.
Strength Of Sympathy Can Produce Incorrect Identification
Also, a spirit may have been working so closely in association with someone in the flesh that their sympathy with that person in the flesh (who will have long since left the physical body), will have been so deep, and their knowledge of the life of that one in the physical vehicle will have been so comprehensive - that it seems to the one with those memories that it could not be any other way except that they must have been that person.
However, this is not according to original Greater World teachings, which ask us to accept that this important earth stage - that which is designated as the material stage - is but one stage in the progressive return to that state of perfection which the individual spirit came from at the time when no personal experience had been made its own. The spirit is to return with a complete set of experiences and individuality, those experiences having been worked for, earned, and indeed, suffered for.
Personal Belief In The Next Spheres Above Is Never Interfered With
Even guides who are filled with love also have these memories, but these guides, it must be remembered, have not gained omniscience, and what may have seemed true to them in earth life, can still seem true to them until many "centuries" and even (depending upon the desire for spiritual development) "millennia" in the World of Spirit have passed and they have progressed even further into the knowledge of God. It must be remembered that the soul takes his or her deep-seated convictions across the Veil and enters the appropriate state according to the relevant stage of advancement.
Better To Try Now Rather Than Later
Many spirits find that they must come back while a spirit (not in a flesh body) to those in the flesh and seek to guide them from falling into the same pit as they had themselves fallen into when in the flesh. This is one way that unlearned lessons while in the flesh are learned in the Spirit, and such a task is not easier once the flesh has been relinquished. One thing that is brought home to those still in a body of flesh by this teaching is that it is better to do what is necessary now because it will be harder if it is left until later when in Spirit.
In view of this, the ever-recurring-earthly reincarnation teaching does not carry with it such an urgency, and a few may hold the idea that they can leave certain lessons until another earth-life, which is not particularly helpful to the desires of the spirit within the soul, which has designated that those lessons and experiences should be learned and undergone during this present time in the flesh on earth.
Some Reasons Why People Think They Remember Past Earthly Incarnations
There are other reasons why some people seem to think that they have been born before in a body of flesh, as well as that of having been on the earth beforehand as a spirit and helping, serving and guiding those who were in a body of flesh. Some of the other reasons are as follows:
*It is possible for a memory held in the spiritual mind to surface which was gained in another world (perhaps not too dissimilar to earthly life).
*The spirit travels during the sleep-state and something of the conditions visited may be remembered. Also, the spirit is not bound by physical restrictions and therefore earthly time, and according to the spiritual release of the spirit, it can travel backward as well as forward in time.
*Disembodied spirits can transmit images, thoughts and memories of their own earth life. This can lead the receiver of those images and memories to believe that they are his or her own memories. This leads the receiver of those thoughts to believe it was their own life they were remembering. Sometimes, when spirits or guides show themselves in their original earthly surroundings, this is mistaken by the one seeing clairvoyantly, to be his or her own past.
These are some reasons for the person or disembodied spirit, believing they have lived before on the earth. It is up to the individual what they will believe, of course, and if spirits return and tell them they remember past lives, it is not surprising that those who listen to them should believe them. But it must also be remembered that deep convictions are taken over with physical death, and the belief concerning ever-recurring earthly reincarnation can remain with the progressing spirit even while he or she advances through the spheres, until a point is reached where the literalism is exchanged for symbolism with regard to this belief, and a higher realization is made their own.
An Example To Show How One Might Erroneously Believe He Or She Was Once Another Person On Earth In The Flesh
Now, as has been said, many spiritualists today believe in ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation, and they have this preconceived notion, sometimes seemingly backed up by a guide or guides, that they have definitely been ‘people’ before. Laying aside for the moment that many guides are here to learn their lessons and they themselves may not have come anywhere near to the centre of the Christ Sphere with its higher knowledge, let us assume a hypothetical situation which may occur, for the sake of explanation. NB: This example is assuming that the person who thinks that they were someone else on earth before incarnation, was not a guide of the person that they have been told they were (or assume themselves to have been)...
...A person in the flesh is sure that he was a monk before this earthly incarnation. He queries a spiritual guide perhaps (when really he should ask God), and the guide enables a vision or impression, perhaps, of a monk with a green light above his head; alternatively, in response to the query, words are heard to the effect that he was a monk before this incarnation (or perhaps both of these forms of communication together). The person then assumes this is an answer to their query of whether or not he was a monk in a ‘past life’, and that this ‘answer’ must definitely seal that notion in fact.
So, in the above example, some important points arise. Why does the person assume that the vision or reference to a monk must mean this was himself or herself or indeed that this monkish-life was lived on this planet and not another condition or sphere? Why should not this monk have lived in another condition or sphere.
Another consideration is that when an idea is firmly fixed in the mind of one on Earth with an utter conviction that there is ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation, and that person is not prepared to alter that viewpoint, then it might the case that all that the guide or guides can do is pass on the basic truth that a life similar to the one that the enquirer feels he has lived was actually lived by him. To explain the whole and rather-difficult-to-grasp reality that the soul has lived in many bodies in countless worlds before coming to the relatively new earth plane for just one time only, is a reality which at this stage, the enquirer is not able to absorb nor accept.
The following aspect must also be considered, and certainly contains no disrespect to any of the well-meaning guides who seek to help mankind in the flesh. No matter how loving, bright, powerful and knowledgeable a guide may appear to those in the flesh, those who are just a few 'spheres' distant from the earth would appear loving and bright and powerful and knowledgeable to mankind on this earth which is, in comparison, in semi-darkness. Yet, the inhabitants in the sphere just immediately above those seemingly bright and powerful and loving guides, would appear very brilliant and powerful and loving to those guides just immediately below (if they have not sufficiently lowered their vibrations to the next sphere beneath) - and so on. Things must be kept in perspective. The freewill is never interfered with, and even if the guide has been in the Spiritual World for thousands of our years, if that guide or guides hold the firm conviction that there is 'ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation', then the knowledge available to those guides shall be interpreted accordingly.
The soul does not change in the transition, the philosophical attitude of mind built up, sometimes with great effort, is dominant, and such a person goes to where others with similar attitudes exists. There are no barriers to stop them coming back to use mediums on the earth plane who are on a similar level of vibration. So, one can find mediums who see no other way but ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation who receive messages from spirits who can see no other way either, because they are in a world where they live with like spirits for the time being until they have renewed the desire to learn and seek further. The same can be said for those spirits who deny Christ: they are listened to by those who on the earthly plane do not wish to accept Christ either. The Spirit World is an enormous place with literally unlimited size, and accommodates all types of attitudes as is necessary. So one must always, at all times, be aware and test the spirits.
The mistake should not be made of thinking that seemingly powerful guides are anything like omniscient, or indeed omnipotent, even if they appear to be to some on Earth. Indeed, within the soul is a spark of Divinity which is a part of All-Power, but the soul takes unthinkable aeons to bring about the release of this miniature fragment - and remember, Eternity lies in front. Note that this does not mean that these guides are not very effective in regard to healing and redeeming lost souls, but because of their many successes there is no reason for them to change the view that the experience of the 'past life' which they read of the one they wish to help, should belong to another 'world' other than the earth. This is something which occurs very frequently because many guides hold the idea of ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation firmly fixed in their minds; and as we all know, the freewill should never be interfered with, and the matter is hardly worth the attention of those higher up because so much of God's work is being done by them.
Readjusting Perspectives Is Wise
It should also be remembered that the previous existence in other ‘lives’ in other worlds, is of paling significance compared to the present and the future, and the lessons which yet remain to be learned. However, the knowledge that we came from Perfection and that we return to Perfection is definitely not insignificant. We need to know that our inheritance (both that which we now have as well as that which we shall eventually have) is in fact Divine.
Spiritual Laws Govern Countless Varieties Of Separate Creations And Creatures
Some systems of "ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation" teach that the individual can come back as an animal if the previous life has been led in a retarding way spiritually. However, this serves as an injustice to those Divine Laws which came from the Mind of God, because each individual form of life has its own path of evolution and is governed by its own set of evolutionary laws. Each form of life has its own important part to play in the Divine Plan. The souls of humanity are of a different order of creation to the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and have an individual and distinctly separate.
All life is one, but the children of God - men and women - were given charge and custodianship over other forms of creation - the elements, the humbler creations and all conditions. But man has abused his gift of freewill over the long past, and so there are those forms of creation which have suffered as a consequence. But each form of life must return to that perfect state which God has ordained, and because man has stewardship, it is man's responsibility to bring those creations to that state of perfection in which they were originally created.
'Disabled' People Basically Symbolize Past Spiritual Strength And Not A Wicked Past Life
Some (but not all) systems advocating "ever-recurring-earthly-reincarnation" erroneously teach that the next earthly incarnation (the form of the physical body) of an individual is a direct consequence of the life or lives previously lived. Personally, I could never tell a physically deformed person, who might be a more advanced soul than myself, that they are deformed because they were "wicked" in a past life; not only would this be thoughtless but it would be as erroneous as the worst error could be. Often, a deformed physical body contains a strong soul who has chosen to take on a physical body which may cause suffering and pain. This is in order that the soul can achieve (for the Divinity within) a greater degree of progression back to God - out of love for God and the overwhelming desire to be with Love Itself. True spiritual desire and the resulting choices of physical limitations are the dominant principles concerning physical and mental disability in humans in the flesh, and not 'karmic-related-disability-acquisition'.
Sometimes a soul may choose to be born into severe circumstances to bring benefit to those around, that strong soul being as a beacon in the darkness for others. And such a brave soul makes essential spiritual contributions to the shattered aura of the earth, which helps to strengthen it for the benefit of us all. As for the actual physical deformity of the fleshly body, that is a consequence of the abuse of the freewill of mankind collectively, and the innocent and brave take on the suffering as a consequence.
Please, can we really try to grasp this fact: The deformities of the physical vehicle are not the result of an individual's past life personally. But, physical or mental deformities are the result the Collective (others collectively); imperfection is the result of perversions and abuses of spiritual perfection and persistent and wilful corruption of body (physical or otherwise) and lesser mind of others collectively. Also, remember that weakness shown collectively is also applicable to the stage before the earth-life as well - the effects from other planes of being are projected into this stage of being (as well as the effects of past generations on Earth). The individual sufferer is hardly responsible for the physical state of the human frame, although the soul will have chosen a certain path to travel by when upon the Earth which may have included inhabiting a body whose deformities are the result of the abuse of the freewill of others elsewhere.
Sometimes a soul may come into a body which suffers physically to give those charged with the care of that incarnated soul the experience which they, as souls, require for future development themselves. A soul which is strong can sacrifice by being born into a weak physical body, and similarly, a weak soul may have a materially pleasing body (to the material mind of man). Physical health does not necessarily indicate spiritual health, although these two gifts were meant to run in double harness. But over the course of the aeons, much has gone amiss, and strong souls seek to carry the burdens of others by providing them with experiences necessary to promote both individual and collective spiritual evolution - to restore and retrieve what man has cast away through his weakness.
The generally accepted idea of "ever-recurring earthly-body reincarnation" portrays a different picture concerning Truth as that portrayed by taking into consideration the overall involutionary and evolutionary aspects involved with coming from and returning to God on a long, long journey, and the countless bodies and many worlds through which the soul has passed to reach this stage (which has been chosen as the plane of temptation by the spirit, which uses the soul to assimilate experiences through those many stages).
There is also one rather considerable point that needs mentioning but which is another subject entirely and is of such a spiritual nature than man with his present limitations cannot grasp it, and that is the spiritual nature of the 'duality of the soul'. This has to do with the greater self being a much larger part of the 'individual' than any earthly concepts of individuality present themselves as. However, as has been stated, this subject is far too involved to treat in depth within this subject matter.
Principles Which Explain The Age-Old Question: "Why Does God Allow Suffering And Calamities?"
As previously stated, individual physical deformity is not the result of that spiritual individual's ''past life", it is the result of consequences created by others - consequences caused recently, thousands of years ago on Earth, and aeons ago in other 'worlds' or planes of being too. Please understand that this principle also goes a long way to explain other imperfections we find on this plane, i.e. earth quakes, floods, famines, disease etc.
All suffering is caused through the abuse of freewill by God's children to whom He has given freewill (indeed, a spiritual gift) - and what God has given is sacred and He will not interfere with it or take it away. God is not the Creator of imperfection. He created His children in Perfection. But to be perfect, they must have complete individuality and total freewill. God cannot interfere with perfect gifts - individuality and freewill, which were meant to be used to help others but which was abused instead. And so we have many planes of being of all different varieties of stages of evolution and involution - some unthinkably beautiful through power culled from individual sacrifice; and some dark, hideous, devoid of goodness and filled with horrors and calamities - through neglect, greed, selfishness and wickedness.
Opportunities For Spiritual Achievement Shall Not Disappear From Earth
A subject which causes some difficulty to a number of Spiritualists can be dealt with here. The Greater World teaches that the collective human race is evolving, and that peace, harmony and essential needs shall all be achieved for the race as a whole, and that a miniature paradise shall be the result. The problem is this: "If the world is evolving and things get better for everyone, then where will people learn their lessons, because sometimes it is necessary to experience hunger, thirst and other hardships associated with the earth plane?"
The answer is to be found by looking further into the life of Christ. Even though times were hard during His earthly sojourn, He still took it upon Himself to undergo severe austerities. Into the desert He went, and consciously denied Himself of the basics for prolonged periods of time. The spiritual development and progression to be gained from willingly taking upon oneself suffering, has a greater gain than enduring the same suffering out of environmental necessity. The answer lies here in this plane of temptation - the temptation to take a life of ease and leisure, the temptation to neglect opportunities of helping others, the temptation to seek the adoration of lesser minds of other people, the temptation to acquire many unnecessary earthly treasures to draw jealous thoughts from others, the temptation for material power, the many temptations of the flesh - all these temptations and more are here to be battled against and overcome.
The freewill can be used to achieve greater spiritual advancement because the choice is there to consciously deny those things which others sometimes have denied them by circumstances. Such teaching should further encourage service to mankind with regard to the improvement of basic material requirements, for until he has universal equality, man collectively lacks the vision to foresee the spiritual advantages which shall lie before him when the dawn of sharing evolves into the full day of precious spiritual opportunity. Man shall no longer blame God for disasters and hardships, for his enlightened state will allow him to realize that it was he, man, in the stages before, that brought these things about, and now he can work hand in hand with those from the Bright Realms for the furtherance of those children in darker climes and conditions yet to turn their faces towards the Light of God.
Live And Let Live
We should not make the mistake of thinking that all of pre-existence took place upon this little earth plane in other bodies of earthly flesh. Looking at an age-old Scriptural teaching in the light of the Greater World's philosophy on Predestination and how the indwelling spirit has existed long before ever "incarnating" this one time on this planet, it is not too difficult to take the spiritual view in its highest sense...
"dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati"
"As the disembodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. This does not bewilder the wise."
Bhagavad Gita 2:13
"yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajaty ante kalevaram tam tam evaiti kaunteya sada tad-bhava-bhavitah" "Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body (O son of Kunti), that state he will attain without fail."
Bhagavad Gita 8:6
"If a man keep My word, he shall not see death all through the Aeon" ()
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