Other than my recurring dream ( http://allfaith.com/Mystory/dream.html), my introduction to the notion of reincarnation was that one person takes on one birth at a time. This is the common belief. I have been told by masters east and west that this is the only way it ever works.
However, I have also been told something different.
Before sharing this, let me recount what you read. In 1991, as recounted in my autobiographical section (http://allfaith.com/Mystory), I went to India and there met my gurudev from my previous life. He told me that in that past life I had been in two different bodies, the first, he
said, with no prompting from me, was as a Jewish boy who had died in the Shoah (the Nazi Holocaust), the other life, which had occurred simultanieously, had happened in India. In that life, I had been one of his disciples at the time of the struggle for Indian independence. Against his counsel, several of his disciples, including me, left his ashram to
join the Mahatma (Ghandiji). Many of us died in those actions. Swamiji vowed that for our spiritual benefit he would not accept the 'relief of physical death' until all of his disciples returned to him to receive his forgiveness and further instruction.
This holy Sadhu and true acaryaji set things up so that I would visit India and come back to him. How he did this is recorded in this section of AllFaith.com.
I have therefore heard from him and other holy sadhus that sometimes (at least) it is possible for the jiva (the individual soul) to take on more than one rebirth at a time.
As I now understand it, what we might call the OverSelf or the "True I", i.e. our true Self, is "composed" of seven "layers" or "souls". It is from this seven-fold unity that the OverSelf "emanates" or sends out the individualized living jiva or self that is born of mortal fabric. This sending forth of souls is done in terms of karma, dharma and marga, as we've discussed. I was told that for the most part, perhaps in all cases, the life-lessons of each jiva are the same. In other words, in my previous life my lessons had to do with dying young for being "who I was," and so in one I was a Jew, in one a nationalist Hindu... In your case, assuming this is true, I would expect the other "yous" would be quite similar to the you I am speaking with. The idea of a "good you" here and an "evil you" there does not seem to be plausible, as I understand it (not that you suggested this). Each simultaneous life gathers information and wisdom on the same topics.
It is said by this view that the OverSelf can send forth up to six "jivas" at any given time in its acquisition of experience, to send out more (all seven) would be to leave the existence of Akasa ("Akasha" or PureLand) all together. Should this happen, one would be eternally trapped within the material manifestation. It has been argued, just to mention it, that this is the origin of demons.
So then, I believe this is quite possible. It is my understanding that one lifetime at a time is the norm. I have no reason to suspect this not the case with me this time around, but who knows :-).
Om Santi,
Questioner: Premjit
Subject: Dual Births Follow-up
Question: Dear Acharyaji,
(For part one of this question, Click here
You had mentioned in your previous reply that "you returned to your guru in India to receive his forgiveness and further instruction".
What was the instruction that you received and how did it help you in your spiritual quest?
Thanks and best wishes,
John of AllFaith's reply
Hi Prem,
Basically, he confirmed and explained things that been troubling me for a long time. For instance, at that time my idea of the nature of God was still very "literal" or materially based. I knew that many Hindus and most Buddhists believed in the "Mayavadhi" philosophy of nirguna brahman, that ultimately everything is one and that neither God nor the individual beings exist, that all differentiation is maya or illusion. At the same time other Hindus, Christians and others believe both God and the individual soul exist as eternally separate beings.
This troubled me a lot because I felt certain that both views are accurate, but that could not logically be the case. He explained the doctrine of acintya bheda bheda tatva to me in a way I had never heard nor understood before. With this insight, everything fell into place for me.
We also discussed my dreams, visions etc. and he helped me to understand various points.
This happened shortly after I became ill and I was still stumped about what my illness meant, why had it hit and what I should/could do now. Again, he helped me come to terms with my situation.
Quite often we receive teachings and don't fully appreciate them until time passes. I continue to realize more of his teachings as time goes by.
Peace,
