Past Lives, Future Lives, Parallel Lives… Whose Life Is It Anyway?

I imagine, to some degree or another, most of us are familiar with the idea of reincarnation and “past lives.” According to some religious and/or spiritual beliefs, our current lives are supposed to be ”fixing” or “atoning” for misdeeds or errors or sins we committed in previous lives. Some people see that as “karma.”

Me, I see reincarnation as similar to going back to school. Each life we choose (and I do believe we choose every one) is another chance to learn new things. Sometimes we fail to fully learn them, so we come back in yet another life, to try it again.

I have also come to understand, via various sources of supplied wisdom that all rang true for me, time does not really exist, but in our current physical existence we need to see things as linear, as a cause-and-effect system. So then, even though we may think so otherwise, all of our “past” lives are actually happening in a constantly unfolding “right now.” And if that is true, then all of our “future” lives are also happening “right now.”

And now let me add something else to the mix: some belief systems suggest we have “probable” or “parallel” lives. There is a theoretical scientific concept often referred to as the “Many Worlds Theory” proposing that every time we make a decision, we create another parallel world. There are spiritual beliefs that echo the same concept. So, as an example, if in your current life you decide to move to another town to pursue a career there, there is another parallel and probable life wherein you stayed where you were and forged a career there.

So everything you do, here and now, in “this” life, ripples out across all of your other lives, past, future and parallel. And that ripple influences all those other “yous.” And the same things happen when “they” do something. This to me is what “karma’ really is. All our lives are connected. All of our lives, past, present or parallel, depend upon each other, and so our best, most evolved behavior will not only help the individual life we are currently focused in, but all of  “us.”

As a more concrete example from my own life, I found it extraordinarily easy for me when I learned astrology, because in one of my “other” lives, I was/is/will be an astrologer… so I already had a study partner. And some part of me already knew astrology. And I feel there is a parallel life of me as a successful writer, and so I believe I can write quite clearly and succinctly, even though I never studied writing.

A friend of mine asked me recently, What was the point of all this? Why have so many lives? And I think it is because all our other lives support each other. We add up to much more than just that person that we see in the mirror.

Now all this talk of time-not-existing and parallel lives kind of confuses me. Sometimes I “get it” and for a few moments I clearly understand, but then I try to describe it and I’m lost again. Perhaps you too are confused or overwhelmed, trying to figure it all out. Fair enough. Stop thinking about it. Thinking won’t help here. Just accept that these concepts are true, and let go of them. Aim to live the best possible life you can, and remember how big your spiritual family truly is.
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SPECIAL NOTE: On Sunday, September 30th, 2012, from noon to 6pm, I will again be co-hosting another of the ongoing Practical Mysticism Expos here in NYC at One on One Casting, 34 West 27th Street, 11th Floor, NY NY. There will be lectures, a seance/message circle, a discussion group and available readings from astrologers, psychics, tarot card readers and mediums. The Practical Mysticism website is currently being updated, and more info will be posted here at my blog as it becomes available.