I have a tattoo on my right arm that reads, “B.M.J. All My Love, All My Lives” I’m often asked, first what B.M.J. stands for (my three children’s initials) and then why “Lives” and not “Life”? I then explain that I choose to believe in reincarnation. I do not believe in heaven or hell. Usually I’m asked if I’m Muslim (Muslims don’t even believe in reincarnation). For those a little more informed on religious beliefs I’m often asked if I’m Buddhist. Otherwise I receive an eye roll and a quick retreat.
I am neither Buddhist nor do I practice any other Eastern religion. I am Wiccan/Pagan and I have chosen to embrace the concept of reincarnation. Wicca (unlike other religions – and yes, Wicca is a religion) does not have a doctrine or specific set of beliefs. So that it isn’t uncommon for people who consider themselves Wiccans to have different beliefs. Reincarnation is also referred to as the “Transmigration of the Soul”. Although many people here in the U.S. may not recognize reincarnation as a valid belief, globally there are more people who believe in reincarnation than do not.
Reincarnation, to me and many others, is more of a way of life than a religious belief. It grounds me and reminds me that what I do in this life will affect me in my next life. Wiccans believe in personal growth and transformation. Keeping this in mind makes me choose more conscious decisions before acting upon them. This is the basic concept of Karma. In other words, what goes around comes around. You reap what you sow. Witches and Wiccans belief that whatever energy you send out into the Universe will come back to you Threefold. Good or Bad. This is known as The Law of Three. We are in this life, learning lessons and always striving to be better, more enlightened souls. This explains why “bad things happen to good people” because it’s quite possible that this person did something bad in a previous life and is now paying for it in this life. Bad Karma can be a nasty thing.
Wiccans do not believe in a Heaven or Hell. There are no demons or devils waiting to burn us for all eternity. Most Wiccans believe in a place called “Summerland”. This is a place where an “Old Soul” (a soul who has decided it has learned all the lessons of life) goes to a final resting place. Summerland can also be a place where an Old Soul (in this case a soul who’s had numerous lives) can rest in between incarnations.
To Wiccans, reincarnation is all a part of the life cycle. You live, you die and are reborn. Just as The Goddess lives, dies and is reborn (The Maiden, The Mother and The Crone). The seasons have cycles. The Earth lives, dies and is reborn as well.
**This post and all others (including new posts not published here) are now on my new blogging site: http://www.mylovesleftovers.com. Thanks for checking it out!
