I was asked the following:
Please comment on reincarnation and if children are able to select their parents when they come back. You mentioned in one of your previous blogs that some enlightened choose to come back. Is it a choice to come back?
To which I respond:
Throughout history, metaphysical and theological questions have been asked and answered by people before they have the knowledge of the fundamental understanding of life and existence necessary to answer the question. Such superficial answers are responsible for the recent rejection of spirituality and religion by so many rationally oriented people.
Recently, at a free lecture I gave in San Francisco, questions came up and some insisted upon answers when the topic was in this domain… i.e. the required background was not sufficient to understand the answer. Of course, many are offended if I tell them this. I did my best to satisfy them without betraying the depth of the topic.
Regarding the question at hand, we would need to deepen our understanding of what ‘select’ means, what ‘choice’ means, before we could comment responsibly on ‘select their parents.’ Regarding the enlightened choosing to come back, we would also need to understand what ‘coming back’ means. Strictly speaking, the enlightened are never really ‘here’ at all.
The individual asking this question thirsts for Knowledge. I love that. I respect that tremendously. At the same time I know that longing will never be fulfilled on the level such questions are asked. I intend with the blog, to inspire you to look deeper. So many have such questions. So few have the patience to do what is required to find the answers. So many ‘teachers’ (who would appropriately be students) are happy to provide simplistic and bogus answers.
It is like a child in math class who has yet to master addition and subtraction asking the teacher to teach him calculus and complex variable analysis. It cannot happen. Any answer sets the student adrift more than it instructs. Why satiate him into a false sense of knowing leaving him to float in a cloud of oblivion thinking he now has more knowledge than before?
The teacher longs to give an answer… in fact, that is the deep longing of every real teacher… to teach. Yet these things must be done in proper time and order, lest the answers mislead more than instruct.
To answer the questions asked here directly, the answer to each is the same, namely, ‘Yes and No.’ Further understanding would require deeper knowledge.
As I entitled one of my books, “Look Deeper, Live Better”.
The concept of reincarnation is particularly fascinating. Before Jake was born (before i was even pregnant), I had such a sense of him. When he was very young, maybe 2 or 3, he spoke of the time when he was an ‘old daddy’ – my old daddy. It has been very natural and easy for us to be your students.
While it may well be parental longing, it seems to me that Jake has a connection to the knowledge, the Vedas, and to you, Brhamarshi. We look forward to the children’s class you spoke of in an earlier blog. I feel as thought i have been given an incredible gift that I want to take care not to misuse.
We miss visiting the temple while we are away, but look forward to being back in time for the celebration of Mother Divine.
Wondering if you might clarify a bit for me what you mean by: “Strictly speaking, the enlightened are never really ‘here’ at all.”
Appreciate your blog postings very much.
Sometimes, for me, there is only an answer on a feeling level that cannot even be put into word form. I do not know if that is any kind of “knowing” or the inability to express things, or being prisoner of my own chit. Thank you. Jai Guru Dev.
We are so blessed to have you manifest, in our illusion, leading us back to God within. Thank you.
Jai Guru Dev!
Patrica,
There are many ways to explain what it means to not be ‘here’. Each would give another angle of insight. Suffice it now to just say that this is the world of identity. Illusion is born of identity. The enlightened are not lost to identity. The world converges to the absolute but does not overtake it. However, it does overshadow it, until one awakens to it. Still, the enlightened have a body, feelings, and emotions. If anything, they feel more deeply, not less. Yet they are awake to the depth of who and what they truly are… not here.
Donna,
Yes, you can feel the depth within… the place of all knowingness. That is why people so protect their life. their being, their world. As the cobwebs clear, the vision goes from a sense of knowing to a clear perception. Then one can express deeper and deeper truths. This is why when people here truth, assuming they are somewhat open, they know they are hearing it. The clear expression touches that sense of inner knowing and enlivens it. This is why it is so valuable to hear the words of the enlightened. It is even more valuable to be in their presence. Every action, word, movement and impulse from them is a teaching, especially for those open to learning in such sublime ways. For those not willing to do so, the message still comes through… in time.
Finally a hint of understanding of what you mean by “the enlightened are never really “here” at all.”
Jai Guru Dev
Thanks for your response — Very helpful.
Thank you… beautiful and potent.
Jai Guru Dev
Yet it leaves me feeling a bit empty in that there is so much more to it…so much more to say about it. Sometimes I feel my words only give still another notion to cling to. Yet my intent is that each of these notion, if used properly, is a stepping stone forward leading to what lies beyond all notions.
Great blog Brahmarshi!!! Seems like they are flowing very nicely theses days… Maybe in a future blog you could describe the difference between an Avatar and Avadhoot… I am curious of your thoughts on it.
All the best!
You stated on one of your previous video blogs that one needed to try hard and do your best. I think for me,
I must have the patience to do what is required to gain the knowledge. “Further understanding requires deeper
knowledge”. Thank you for providing the path to that knowledge.
This explains clearly why you refer to the teaching of the Knowledge as an art. Few can convey Its subtlety such that it touches and awakens one to that which ones already knows but has seemingly forgotten. Timing is everything!
Awesome.
More on being ‘here’:
Think of a silhouette. As the relative dances around and converges back on to the absolute, it creates a ‘silhouette’ around the absolute. An image appears. A being appears. That being is not really ‘here’. That being is pure Being, pure Absolute… not relative. It is only an illusion created by illusion in the world of illusion. The veil of illusion melts back into the Truth underlying all illusion and thereby discloses the nature of Truth underlying all illusion in a personified form. To live life on that level is your birthright as a human being. It is only yours to clean up the vessel you were given… the human physiology you have. For a bell to ring clear and true to its nature, you have only to clean away the dust that encumbers it. This is called emancipation… freedom.
I like this answer better than if you actually answered the person’s original question.