Critical
Thinking and Paradigm Development in the Mystical Philosophy of Reincarnation
The soul
and its vehicle are locked in opposite domains, yet living in the same wave-space. The paths of the soul ever beckon to the higher realms. As if in
counterpoise, the paths of its vehicle, the body, always remain in fascination
with the matrix of space-time. The two sides are always in disagreement. But
they manage to have a conversation. This conversation, this dialogue, this
concord is a difficult one. But it must occur if they are both to thrive in
their native domains. Having made temporary peace, they are free to pursue
their respective aims.
The one who
is born from the upper realms is an explorer of multidimensionality. He or she
or it (actually this form has no gender, but we will try to use conventional
terms for ease of comprehension) is a pure being, without assumptions, devoid
of biases, totally open to new experiences and possessed of the spirit of
wonder always. But, in order to explore the realms of multidimensionality, this
pure being must acquire and maintain vehicles of exploration. There are several
kinds of these vehicles, each suited to the plane or dimension or universe of
its current fascination. Normally, the soul that journeys within its vehicle is
not cut off from the Source. Meaning, he maintains and enjoys actual contact
with higher realms, especially with its realms of Home. There is a saying:
“Home is where the Heart is.” And indeed, it is also true in this instance. In
fact, the monad, that is locked within the temporary prison of its vehicles,
has made a massive sacrifice just by encasing itself in various case sheaths,
as it were, in its efforts to sample and explore the various multidimensional
realms. At some point, the soul will be extremely interested in the sensual
delights and other pleasures of the realm that he is exploring. This is normal,
as long as he always connected to his base, his Source, his Home.
But what
if, by some mechanism, whether intentional or accidental, the monad or the soul
is suddenly cut off from the Source, from his Home, and from the memory of his
origins? Then a very interesting existential dilemma arises! We shall go back
to this subtopic later.
Meanwhile, the vehicles of the monad or
soul are its primary expressions in the realms of exploration. These vehicles
are chosen for a purpose. They serve the goals of the Soul Curriculum which the
monad follows as a guide in its mystical adventures. The soul curriculum of
every soul defines the road-map of its journey. In the realms of the material
universe, the vehicles achieve an unusual power that is characteristic of
templates which are operating in their own elemental fields. We recognize that
the physical vehicles are children of the material universe. Thus, while souls
or monads are exploring in the material universe, their physical vehicles are
apt to attain a position of great importance. Again, the normal attitude of the
soul is to recognize that physical vehicles are simply tools for the
navigation, learning and pleasure of the exploring monad. This equanimity is at
its highest in the safety and security of the existential contours of the Deep
Self or Higher Self, which represents the core of every reincarnating being. There
arises a situation however, when the reincarnating aspects of the Deep Self,
which I call the Fractal Selves, are cut off from their Source. This situation
gives rise to what we mystics now call the “Existential Loop Dilemmas.” The
reincarnating aspect, separated from the Source and its Deep Self Core, and phase-locked
in the planes of matter, or whatever plane that has caught it as prisoner, may
come to think that his current manifestation is already the most authentic one.
The only real one. When in fact it is
only a façade, a mask, a vehicle of exploration. This propensity to exalt
the fractal over the Deep Self or Higher Self may also be magnified by any devious
system, born of negative polarity, which attempts to maintain such a state of
ignorance for its own egocentric ends and agendas. If this is a state where
you find your fractal self involved in, then you are required by the forces of
destiny and serendipity, to muster all the resources at your disposal to
overcome the boundaries of ignorance and attain the ascended state. To seekers
from the planet Earth, we now usually call this the “wisdom quest.” The wisdom
quest is the attempt of the fractal soul to realize its own true mystical
nature, liberate itself from the bondage of ignorance and willingly and
cheerfully choose to graduate from its present state. This is no easy task.
There are many, many roadblocks to
Ascension or soul graduation. The acquired tendencies of the soul may be
impediments or barriers. Negative attitudes are definitely impediments, but
also are “actuations arising out of habit.” Failure to educate yourself in any
way possible is a roadblock, too. Thus, it is incumbent upon every soul to
pursue knowledge for its own sake, as well as knowledge for practical purposes.
You never know when that bit of knowledge shall help you. Learn, learn, learn. Institutional systems, when implemented by an
invading race out of selfish intentions, may be barriers to mystical
development also. And to this morass we can also add culture. Culture is
definitely a product of the evolutionary successes of a race, but it also
possesses challenging variables which may pose as impediments to Ascension
itself. Thus, Ascension is a very, very subtle enterprise. It is the most
challenging task in any incarnation!
Like any story or narrative, the spiral
of reincarnation has its own theme, structure, flavour, timing, colour, vibration, story-line, beginning, middle and climax. Though the outline of the
reincarnation process is defined by the soul curriculum chosen during cosmic
birth; the variables, specifics and dynamics of that process itself is coloured
by the specific requirements of the Higher Self or Deep Self. In this, as in
many areas of Cosmic Life, free will and the liberty of choice are essential
parameters. The Deep Self is free to choose what narratives it wants to
explore, using his own particular paradigms of learning, in its own contexts,
using its own timing and rhythm, and occurring in environments of his own
choice. No one can interfere with this Cosmic Law. The Higher Self has
complete control of its incarnational perspectives, including the nativity and
culmination of those fractal selves. The Deep Self and its incarnational
streams are all existing in their own incarnational universes. They are
inviolate and given the ultimate freedom to decide their own narrative cycles
and progressions.
A human soul is an explorer par excellence. In
order to elicit maximum learning from its incarnational lives, the Deep Self is
invited by the Cosmos to sample and experience as many varied lives as much as
possible. The dance of the energies represented by the Houses of the Zodiac is
only a guide to the variety and multiplicity of lives that a fractal soul can
assume. At the same time, the natal astrology chart is a map that gives an
insight to the range of possible lives and incarnational streams that a cosmic
being can assume. An array of archetypes can dazzle the imagination. Child,
warrior, lover, scribe, mother, father, sage, king, queen, mystic, genius and
the like. These archetypes are the templates of assumption, characteristic of
the infinite dances that a soul can assume. These and many more archetypes are
you! You are them, in your thousands of lifetimes! You have loved before, been
betrayed before, died before, a thousand times a thousand! You have been born a
king, entrenched in the pedestal of power. You have been born a beggar, experiencing
the extreme poverty that life can offer. You have been born a queen, a
shamaness, a priestess, a lover, etc. You cannot graduate without experiencing
the male as well as the female perspectives of the universe. All of us are both
male and female, as well as beyond male and female.
And now, let us try to appreciate the
times we are living in. Prophets of the Mayan world have made precise
calculations centuries ago. These insights have been popularized by Hollywood
into the science fiction movies we all enjoy today. Technically speaking, these
prophecies correspond well with the inspired research of individual Seekers
like Terence McKenna, who elicited the wave-forms of the I Ching. They are all
warning us, of the possibility in our lifetime of an event of maximum Novelty.
This event indeed corresponds to what sages have been proclaiming as the
graduation point, the Zero Point, or the Days of Ascension. Our generation is
extremely lucky to even have the possibility of experiencing such an event. From
the point of view of reincarnation, the culmination of a narrative brings with
it all the connotations and associated meanings that are unique to such a
transpersonal phenomenon. Again as learners of the phenomenal universe, it is
incumbent upon us to contemplate the possibilities of such an event with the
utmost care. Now is the time to harness all our spiritual and mystical
resources. Now is the time to bring forth all the wisdom that we have acquired
through eons of reincarnation. Now is the time to unite, brothers and sisters. For
it is extremely imperative for all of us human souls to inquire and quest
whether we are now in the stage of culmination. Ascension, the culmination of
our quest eons ago, is our birthright. Always has been, always will be.
Reincarnation is a gift, a very
powerful gift of the Cosmos. It allows spiritual beings from various dimensions
of the Cosmos to discover the manifold realities of Life in all its plethora of
permutations. It is the fulcrum of soul pilgrimage. As cosmic learners, let us
learn to use it to our optimum advantage.
About The Author:
Sensei
Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been
fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history,
philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields.
Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he
added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from
college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he
pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time
to be a meditation teacher. Currently, he is active in organizational work,
where he is promoting advocacy programs in educational philosophy, spiritual counselling,
wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy,
ecology and alternative medicine. (He can be reached at this email:
mentorpath@gmail.com).