Changes

I talked in an earlier post about Neale Donald Walsch's Conversations With God series of books, and I notice that there is an opportunity to join Neale in a live teleseminar on March 31st.  Click here for details.

The subject of the teleseminar will be the last of the CWG books, Home With God. Here's some info on the book from Walsch's website:

"Death," says HOME WITH GOD, "is a process of re-identification.          
" It occurs in three stages:
                  1. Release of identification with the body;
                  2. Release of identification with the mind;
                  3. Release of identification with the soul."             
Learn about these stages...and about how we continue on in an amazing journey, re-embracing our present worldly identity, re-visiting every moment of our life in an inspiring way, and re-engaging our True Self as we prepare to return to Physicality with a new identity/lifetime, or returning to re-live this present lifetime all over again, making new choices along the way!

I haven't read this particular book, but these ideas seem to be building on what was said about the afterlife in the third volume of the original CWG trilogy. When I discussed CWG in the earlier post, I mentioned that the first of the books resonated deeply within me, that "as I read, a little voice inside me kept saying "yes!" ". I felt instinctively that what I was reading was true. When I first read what CWG had to say about the afterlife, however, my reaction was slightly different. It wasn't "yes!", so much as "if only..."

Not everyone likes the concept of reincarnation. My wife, Chris, for instance, is horrified at the idea. "But I'd have to go back to school again!" she complains. It is, however, an idea which makes a lot more sense to me than the traditional teaching of my Christian upbringing that we are "judged" on a single lifetime, whether that be a life of hardship or luxury, and whether we live to a ripe old age or die in the first few moments after our birth. (I really should write a post about this some time...)

What particularly interests me here, however, is this alternative idea which Walsch has thrown in of re-living our present life with the chance to make different choices along the way. This is something that really appeals to me! In many ways, it would be a pain to have to go back to the nineteen-fifties again, to a world without central heating and foreign food, and to have to grow up again in what I realize now was a highly dysfunctional household. And yet - like many people, I imagine - I can identify various decisions I've made in the past which I'd like to do differently if I had my time over again. Don't get me wrong - I've come to terms with these "mistakes" - what has happened in my life has made me what I am today, and the life I've lived - and continue to live - has riches of its own. But nevertheless it would be nice to have had the chance to do things differently too. To see what might have happened if only...

I wonder if you feel the same?

Comments

[Desiree]

My youth was so full of pain that even the thought of going back is something I equate with hell. I certainly hope not! I don't want to re-do my life. That would be horrible. Once was quite enough!

[Linda]

The book Home with God is probably his best one. I read it with a friend and then she died suddenly a week later! It made her death much easier to take.

I think the idea of parallel universes where every choice actually DOES get made is also a very nifty concept.

Also, since time outside the space-time continuum does not exist, all our loved ones (even the ones who are alive after we leave this particular time) are there when we arrive. It is an odd concept, but I like it.

[Mark]

Interesting, I don't believe that we re-live this human life over again. I believe it is possible that we could come back in another human form to learn lessons that we missed the first time or that we move onto another level of existance.

[Mr Zip]

I'm content with the thought that I won't be back - or anywhere else - when I shuffle off. I'm just making the most of what's here. Glad to see you've returned however.

[Sally]

Don't know what I believe on this one and that doesn't matter really. Often thought though how my life would have been had I known all I know now when I was 16.....how I would have loved to bring my children up with my current spiritual beliefs......instead of being viewed as Mum who has gone a bit New Age....or however they actually view me.
No regrets though cos all I experienced in my life brought me to where I am now.....and I feel such peace having let go of so much.I live in the moment with no fear of death and no fixed ideas of what is next. And it all feels great!

[Forgetful God]

The concept of reincarnation (or even reliving your current life) is a fun one. Although both of these ideas are actually true, we often make the mistake of thinking that these "experiences" happen before or after what we are experiencing Now.
"Time" itself is simply a concept for explaining what we perceive to be the progression of moments, but in reality only the "moment" truly exists. It's kind of hard to wrap my mind around at first, but rather than thinking in terms of "time and space" the idea of going through rapidly changing moments (or realities) makes a great deal of sense.

In a universe where only The Moment really exists concepts such as "reincarnation" no longer mean what they once did while in the perception of "time". Instead it appears that all realities, indeed all lives (present/future/and otherwise) are happening Now. This would explain things like "imagination" and "dreams". Of course, each life has a specific set of experiences and realities to travel through so the awareness of "all lives" would rarely happen. Instead we would get pieces of information from all the other aspects of Now in the form of emotion, lessons, insights, and even memories. In the end, no "reflection" of the source will be able to be aware of all moments...only the source itself.

Accepting that you're the source not only brings you closer to "God", it makes you more aware of how infinitely huge "God" is. It makes you more aware of all the possibilities that are happening in the Now.

[Simon]

Thanks for your comments! - quite an interesting spectrum of responses, I think, and it's clear that not everyone relishes the prospect of doing it all over again. Don't worry Desiree - I don't think that Neale Donald Walsch is suggesting it's compulsory! The idea seems to be that we are given a choice of what we wish to do. As Mark suggests, we may come back in another human form or move on to another level of existence. Walsch is simply presenting this additional option.

My first reaction to it was that it's wishful thinking for things to be quite so user friendly, however. Having so many choices seems very much like an afterlife for our 'have it all' society. But then I thought: why not? If we are all really One with God, why shouldn't we have unlimited choice in what happens next? Why should we choose to impose limitations upon ourselves? And the idea of living the same life over again (with the chance to make changes) seems to me to be just as potentially interesting/rewarding as living a new one. In computer game terms, it's like pressing 'Restart game' instead of 'New game'. Both options have their place.

[Simon]

A few more responses:

Linda - The idea of all these parallel universes where *everything* happens always seems a bit tiresome to me, though I know that it's a possibility which is being considered seriously by scientists these days. My personal opinion is that it doesn't actually happen, simply because it's too boring to contemplate. Can you imagine living all those endless subtly variant lives? It makes Groundhog Day seem exciting. I know that we wouldn't consciously remember all those other lives, but on some level we would surely know - and I think we'd find something better to do with eternity.

I do like the idea of meeting up when we die with loved ones who haven't been born yet, though, and of course it makes perfect sense when you consider that, as Linda suggests, time does not exist outside our universe. Ditto Forgetful God's remarks about everything happening Now. In the case of our different lives, however, I wonder if on some level of our awareness they may *appear* to take place in sequence, just as our individual lives do, even though this is really an illusion?

And speaking of the Moment, Sally and Mr Zip both point out very sensibly that none of this really matters and that it is what is happening Now that is really important. As Now is all there is, I can scarcely argue, though my mind loves to play with such ideas. Thanks, too, for your welcome back, Mr Zip, though the truth is that in blogging terms I remain a pale shadow of my former self, snatching the odd moment to post these comments between packing boxes. We move into temporary accommodation soon, the internet connection to which has yet to be negotiated. But there is always the law of attraction and failing that there are public libraries. You shall hear from me again.

[thethinker]

The opportunity to do things over again is an exciting possibility, but I'm more content to see how this life plays out. And I just accept some of the mistakes I've made as lessons on what not to do inthe future, so going back to re-do things and avoid making those mistakes would deprive me of some of the most important lessons I've learned.

[Malcolm Campbell]

I have always liked the comment in the Seth books that all of our lives are simultaneous. We are, I think, here, there and yonder right now and that "coming back" is (within the context) rather an odd notion.

Malcolm
http://knightofswords.wordpress.com/

[Brian]

I remember the 3rd book in the trilogy was the first one I read while I was going through a hard time, and it brought me a lot of comfort. Now I really don't have much thoughts about the afterlife to be honest, it doesn't cross my mind much. It's enough to try to figure out just what is going on right now...

It makes sense though, that we could return in another form to continue to grow, or to help others achieve higher levels of consciousness once we have reached a certain level. It just seems difficult to imagine CHOOSING to come back once we are free of the mind/body...but that just comes from my limited perspective I suppose.

I'm glad you are back. I came across your blog just when you were going away for a bit, but I hope to stop by often now.

On a side note, I wish my girlfriend would read these books instead of worrying about eternal damnation in hell ;)

[Marion]

Glad you're back, Simon!

[Ravindra Mundkur]

I thought reincarnation is concept suggesting what we were in the past life. I never thought about reliving the past once again as you have described. Your concept is wonderful, but is that possible?

[Simon]

Many thanks for all these latest comments and welcome Brian and Ravindra! Thanks too to Marion and the others who have welcomed me back. That's really nice. The truth is, though, that our convoluted house move is still (very slowly) ongoing and I'm finding it hard to get quality time in front of the computer, so my appearances here will continue to be sporadic for the time being. It's good that things have been bubbling on quietly without me however.

A few responses:
Thinker - Your desire to see how this present life plays out is perfectly healthy and understandable given your modest age. I hope that doesn't sound condescending! But perhaps the idea of coming back and doing it all differently is more appealing to those of us who are longer in the tooth and are starting to feel that our options in this particular incarnation are getting a bit limited. As for not wanting to lose what you've learned from your mistakes, I think that's a very good point. But I don't think that Walsch is suggesting we would lose what we learned the previous time we lived a particular life. We would, I imagine, keep that knowledge on a deeper level, but add to it further it by doing things differently next time around.

Malcolm seems to be echoing Forgetful God's contribution and I think that in terms of objective reality (if there is such a thing) you are both right: everything happens at once. But I still have a gut feeling that from our own perspective things may appear to occur in sequence across our multiple lifetimes, just as they do in the life we are leading now.

[Simon]

And a couple more responses:
Brian - I think the idea that we *choose* to reincarnate, or indeed choose to be here in the first place, can be a hard one to accept, given how much suffering there seems to be in this place. People traditionally seem to believe that this life has somehow been imposed upon us by God, who is therefore a useful scapegoat (or should that be scapegod?) when we think things are going wrong. I think, though, that you are right to point to our limited perspective. From where we are now, the world can seem like a terrible place - but perhaps we are missing something.

Perhaps you should try reading those books aloud to your girlfriend, Brian. CWG Book One is a good place to start. Or how about 'The Little Soul and The Sun'?

Ravindra - You ask if this idea of living our lives over again is possible. Personally, I don't think that it is any less likely than any other kind of afterlife. As I said before, if we are truly One with God, then why should we limit our options? Surely, all things are possible...