Life, What Is It But A Dream?

[poliphilo]

My daughter woke up one morning laughing her head off because she'd remembered that life on earth is just one big game of let's pretend.

I've never had a revelation quite like that, but I've had dreams in which I could fly, or in which I returned to the old homestead and knew- just knew- that this was the true reality.

We are spirits- and we pass into incarnation on a regular basis to pursue our education- or maybe just for fun. The self is a suit of clothes.

I was reading an article in a newspaper yesterday which deplored the fact that we go through life hardly ever thinking about death. We? Who exactly is this "we"? I think about death all the time.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Do you have beliefs about it?

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I don't know what to think. During my formative years the idea of heaven and hell were firmly pounded into my head, and I wasn't exposed to any other viewpoints. About a decade ago when I finally faced the fact that a lot of what I had been told about spirituality by the people I trusted simply wasn't true, I no longer knew what to believe...and I still don't.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Hell is a wicked idea. And a god who maintained a hell would be a wicked god. I was lucky to be brought up in a tradition (Episcopalian) which dismissed the idea of eternal damnation as unEnglish.

I go with Reincarnation for a couple of reasons. Firstly because it seems to make sense- and be fair and equitable. And secondly because there seems to be rather good evidence for it- for example the testimony of children who know things they couldn't possibly know unless they'd been here before. I once knew a little boy (barely past toddling) who knew all about tanks- and could recount the story of how he'd died as a German tank commander in WWII

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

That's incredible! I have heard stories about people like that toddler, but I have never known someone like that. I've never known what to think about that, either. As a kid I dismissed it as "demons" (the typical pentecostal/evangelical explanation for something that cannot be pushed off on God), but now I just shrug and say I don't know what causes that.

The idea of reincarnation upsets me, though. Since I had so much pain for so much of my youth, I don't like the idea that the pain won't truly be over after this life is over. I hate the idea of coming back again and again and again. The idea that we are joined to a collective consciousness and never comes back is far more comforting to me.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I hated the idea of reincarnation at first (mainly because it meant my precious self was only a temporary performance I was putting on) but I've been wrestling with it for decades now- and it's grown on me.

I don't think we're forced to return. If we've really had enough of life on earth we can opt out and do something else. If most of us choose to come back it's because living in the material world is the fast track to wisdom. You learn more and you learn quicker when you're dealing with the obstacles incarnation throws up than you do if you're floating around in the frictionless world of spirit.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I don't think we're forced to return. If we've really had enough of life on earth we can opt out and do something else.

I like that idea!!!!! I always assumed we were forced. Thanks for presenting a different theory.