Yes, we are incarnate!

“Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.” (Ecclesiastes 3,15)

And I was a witty child and had received a good soul. And whereas I was more good, I came to a body undefiled. (The book of Wisdom of Solomon, 8, 19)

Our ancestors were wise, so learn from them. Our own time has been short, like a fading shadow, and we know very little. (Job, 8, 9)

Spiritualism and other old religions deal with reincarnation as a truth. In the silence of monasteries’ walls, within enclosed walls of secret philosophies or in different underground credos where transcendental studies were carried out, reincarnation was always the reference point for the understanding of different natural laws, amongst them the law of cause and effect. Certainly our predecessors had a lot of reasons to guard knowledge of such a complex subject from still infantile minds. The subject dealt with several times, the most being notable the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus which is recorded in John, chapter 13, 1-12. However it was up to Spiritism to lift the veil of the subject and explain it in a clear manner so that all could understand and transform themselves in view of the processes of continuous evolution. Recently science has been dealing with the subject, which has led many of segments of the media to incorporate the reincarnation agenda into its news bulletins, articles, interviews or TV shows. Understanding of this knowledge is so necessary that modern man is no longer able to be well informed.

Researchers Betty Repacholi and Alison Gopnik from the University of California in the USA recently discovered that 18 month old children are able to understand that one person can want something whilst another person wants something different. This finding is in contrast to the proposals of the 17^th century philosopher John Locke and Jean Piaget, educator psychologist from last century, who affirmed that a child is a blank page where family and family characters are written in for the formation of his or her personality. The above mentioned researchers still affirm that at 4 years of age the comprehension of day-to-day psychology of a child is still more refined. The most impressive thing yet is that children use statistics, as scientists do, to make conclusions about the world, according to the studies of Fei Xu, also from University of California, who has carried out experiments using red and white ping-pong balls, concluding that “...babies are skilful statistics analysts. Four year old children are expert in interpreting evidence to unveil causes and effects”. 

As we know, Science moves to confirm the
reincarnation process 

Studies and discoveries as these only confirm the process of rebirth. Yes, there is a previous life, or previous lives. It is known that the brain with all its complexity is a fruit of millennia of experiences in the divine monad in its varied existences from the mineral reign, as it is informed to us by the spirits. In question 171 of “The Spirits’ Book” we read that: “All spirits tend towards perfection, and are furnished by God with the means of advancement through the trials of corporeal life.

However, in His justice, for their new existences He reserves for them the fulfilment of that which they were not able to do or carry out in a first trial”

Thus, Science moves towards the confirmation of the reincarnation process. Ian Stevenson, eminent professor and doctor of University of Virginia, also in the USA, travelled around the world collecting scientific proofs of reincarnation through children’s accounts who affirmed themselves to be reincarnated, pinpointing their past families, giving details of their previous lives which were confirmed by former close families and people linked to the matter, such as neighbours and relatives. The book entitled “Reincarnation – Twenty Cases” of Ian Stevenson ought to be read and analysed by all those who are interested in the subject, both sceptics and believers. The conclusions arrived at by scientific investigators nowadays in respect of the subject; show that “Neuroscientists started to understand some brain mechanisms which enable all this leaning process”. The brains of babies are more flexible than those of adults. They have many more connections between neurons, though none of them are particularly efficient, but with the passing of time they untie the particularly unused connectors and strengthen the useful ones. The brain of a baby also has a higher level of those chemical substances that easily change the connections. The cerebral region called pre-frontal cortex is distinctively human and takes a long time to mature. The capacities for concentration, planning and efficient actions of adults are governed by this area and depend on the long learning process that takes place in childhood. It may be that even at the age of 20 they are not completely developed”. 

Childhood and dedication are fundamental for our
quality as human beings 

Here it would be worth making a commentary about the long learning process in childhood. Plato once said that: “to know is to remember the truth which is already brought in ourselves, intrinsic to the rational and intuitive apparatus which we are endowed with since birth. In this sense, to learn is really to discover that which we already know”. Thus, in the above mentioned phrase, the Spirit is carrying out the process of revival of the remembrances of the past through the knowledge of the present, everything according to its needs within the present existence. “The lack of pre-frontal control detected in children seems to be an enormous obstacle, but in reality it can be tremendously useful for the learning process. It inhibits irrelevant thought or action, which can help babies and small children to freely explore the world. Far from being mere unfinished adults, babies and small children are exquisitely projected for evolution, to change and to create, to learn and to explore. Our most valuable realisations are possible because we have already been dependent and helpless children. Childhood and dedication are fundamental for our quality as human beings. I have decided to investigate cases which called my attention and went on to publish accounts about them. An old interest about reincarnation was arisen in me”, affirms Dr. Ian Stevenson.

The teacher Dalva Silva Souza is a member of the Spiritist Federation of the Espirito Santo State in Brazil. In her book: “ Paths for Love”, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation in 2005, she tells us that “... each person is, above all, the heir of oneself, and the environment, in which the individual reborn has to do with his previous history, is determined by the rigorous mechanism of the law of cause and effect which rules the moral world.  We understand, therefore, that every rebirth represents a project of renewal and growth for everyone who is affectionately involved: parents and children”.

Dr. Alison Gopnik, a psychologist who works at University of California, in a recent published article, comments that: “small children know, experience and learn much more than scientists believe to be possible”. Dr Gopnik still adds that in the end of 20^th century some scientists already reasoned that babies must be born aware of much of the stuff that adults know about people’s and object’s behaviour. They are far from being blank pages. They learn about the world around them through their own experiences”, Dr Gopnik concludes. Ms. Susan A. Gelman from the University of Michigan, discovered that they believe that animals and plants have an essence.  

Mr Andrew N. Meltzoff from the University of Washington has demonstrated that newborns already understand that people are special and they will go on to mimic their facial expressions. 

It is impossible to know everything in its entirety and free ourselves from so many mistakes in only one existence 

Babies take longer looking at new and unexpected situations than at predictable ones. Researchers use this behaviour to discover what their expectations are. Scientists discovered that infants know about much more stuff in respect to the world around us than we think. Renée Baillargeon from the University of Illinois and Elizabeth S. Spelke from Harvard found that babies understand elementary physical relationships such as movement, gravity and containment trajectories. They look with more attention at a small car which seems to cross a solid wall than at situations that fit into day-to-day fundamental Physical principles.

Between 3 and 4 years of age, children have the basic idea about biology and a beginner’s comprehension about growth, inheritance and disease. Thus they go beyond the superficial perceptible appearances when they think about objects.

All these contributions from modern science regarding infants and small children come to meet the studies about reincarnation. Well, if an infant or small child participates in the world around her in such an active way, where does this capacity come from? Biological inheritance? Cultural inheritance? Family inheritance? But there hasn’t been enough time for such. Inheritances are acquired over time, through experiences, work, dedication and the heir’s loyalty. How can we understand the above mentioned scientific affirmations except by taking into consideration the theory of only one existence? Paul of Tarsus once affirmed that we are born only one time. Yes. One unique time that God created us and offered us the many bodily existences for our improvement. In only one existence, it is impossible to know everything in its entirety and, mainly liberate ourselves from so many mistakes and imperfections. Allan Kardec, in his calculation of instructions, asserts that reincarnation “is the return of the soul or Spirit to the bodily life, but in another body especially formed for it and that it has nothing similar to the old body”. Joanna de Ângelis in her writings affirms that “known as Palingenesis amongst the ancient people and now is known as Mentensomatosis by modern researchers; reincarnation is an expressive divine donation for the ennoblement of the Spirit in evolution”. Mr Ney Lobo, professor emeritus and respected colleague of spiritist work, in his book “Spiritist Philosophy of education”, he writes that “The biologic ontogenesis is repeated in many successive existences of each human Spirit in new physical bodies generated by the parents”. 

We ought to understand that the natural laws are the expression of the truth instituted by God 

Several questions are asked about the theory of temporary forgetfulness of past lives. Yes, many people do not understand the reason for this forgetfulness as we are already heirs of ourselves. However it is worth asking the following: And if we knew what we were previously, will it be of any help in the present process? We ought to consider that the natural laws are an expression of the truth instituted by God. Well, if God opted for us to forget temporarily our previous deeds, certainly God had several reasons for this. Considering the proposal of the “divine mysteries”, let’s try to understand. Using the writings of father Marchal, in his book “The Consoler”, we read that: “The forgetfulness of the past, this highest good of life, would be a balancing veil avoiding the natural disharmonies if we had lived other previous lives together; our present life would not be able to bear such a load of emotions that would prevent new psychological constructions. Emmanuel reinforces by writing that: “The temporary forgetfulness of the past, in this fragmentary existence and obeying the superior laws that preside destiny, represents the diminishment of the vibratory state of the Spirit in contact with matter”.

To quote a famous chapter named “Segismundo’s Reincarnation” from the book entitled “The Missionaries of Light” – Alexandre, Andre Luiz’s instructor, comments that: “The Spirit who hates or who places itself in negative standing before the Law of God, cannot create superior life in any part. There are physical fecundations and psychic fecundations.  The first ones require predisposition of the forms and the second ones take place in the luminous domains of the soul, in a wonderful process of eternity. Physical forms are descended from physical unions. Spiritual constructions proceed from spiritual unions”.

The phenomenon of reincarnation is a complex one. Thankfully Spiritism provides us elements for its study. Dogma is not enough. It is not enough to affirm that something exists. It is necessary to pass through the sieve of Empiricism.  Spiritism can confirm one’s affirmation or approximate to reality, or not. Spiritism is also a science, and goes hand in hand with science. Its postulates need to be proved so that humanity has firm pillars upon which to establish its future. 

We are beings reborn through a unique process of sintering^* of the form 

In an important science magazine, its editors wrote that “Thirty years ago, psychologists, philosophers and psychiatrists thought infants and small children were irrational, egocentric and amoral.  They believed that they limited themselves to the factual of the here and now – incapable of understanding causes and effects, of imagining other peoples’ experiences, or of appreciating the difference between reality and fantasy. They are still frequently seen as imperfect adults. Thirty years ago it was discovered that they know much more than can be imagined. They unveil the world in a very similar way to a scientist: experiments, statistical analysis and the formation of intuitive theories in the framework of the physical, biological and psychological worlds”. Once more returning to the above mentioned book The Missionaries of Light, the moment in which Segismundo is taken to the uterus of his future mother is remarkable.   Andre Luiz accounts what was said to him:” Tune in relatively to the pre-infantile form: ”Concentrate on a picture in your mind of your return to the maternal refuge of the earthly flesh! Recall the foetus organization, make yourself small! Imagine your need to return to being a child to learn to be a man! Segismundo seemed increasingly less conscious, he did not fixate us with the same lucidity and his answers to our affectionate questions did not turn out complete. With great astonishment I realised that Segismundo’s form was similar to that of a child.”

The account moves me.  We are reborn through a unique sintering¹ process of the form. Scientists from Earth recognise the magnificence of the event and tell us: “The prolonged helplessness and powerlessness of infants may be an evolutionary price, a necessary consequence of having a brain equipped for prodigious feats of learning and creativity.”

All that is always left to us is the positive quantum of the researches both in books and spoken.  How many times we go to spiritist centres and watch a lecture, seminar, a meeting about the subject and we do not pay attention to the greatness of it. Yes, we are reincarnated! This is the truth. A truth we need to definitely establish in our conscious so that we can better judge our daily actions, as everything is and will be according to the law of cause and effect and science. By strides the confirmation of reincarnation gets increasingly closer and finally we will be free of many ties and the contribution to psychology, anthropology and sociology will be such that man will see the world in a different way and will establish for himself new life and behaviour patterns.  

⁽¹⁾ Sintering: Chemistry – a process in which two or more solid particles become a clump through the effect of heating to a temperature inferior to the one for fusion, but sufficiently high to make possible the diffusion of atoms from the two crystalline networks.