Corresponding Manual for Teachers Section

Chapter 5: Student / World Questions

6. Is Reincarnation True?

In the ultimate sense, reincarnation is impossible. In Reality there is no past nor future, and the idea of the mind being born into a body has no Meaning either once or many times. Reincarnation cannot, then, be true in any real sense. Our only question should be, “Is the concept helpful?” And that depends, of course, on what it is used for. If it is used to strengthen the recognition of the eternal Nature of Life, then it is helpful indeed. Is any other question about it really useful in lighting up the Way? Like many other beliefs, it can be woefully misused. At best such misuse offers preoccupation and perhaps pride in the past. At worst it induces inertia in the present. In between, many kinds of folly are possible.

Reincarnation would not, under any circumstances, be the issue to be dealt with now. If it were responsible for some of the difficulties the individual currently faces, their task would still be only to resolve and thus release themself from them now. If the individual is laying the groundwork for a blessed future, they can still work out their awakening only now.

To some there may be comfort in the concept or memory of reincarnation, and if it heartens them and otherwise isn’t misused, its value is self-evident. It is certain, however, that the Way to awakening can be found by those who believe in reincarnation as well as by those who do not. The idea cannot, therefore, be regarded as essential to our curriculum. There is always some risk in perceiving the present in terms of the past. There is always some good in any thought that strengthens the Idea that Life and the body are not the same.

While the idea of reincarnation may prove valuable in an individual’s learning of awakening, it would be most helpful in the context of teaching and sharing the Goal of the Curriculum of awakening for the Teacher of the Divine to hold inwardly their personal belief about reincarnation – whether this belief is resonant or dissonant with the idea – rather than taking a definite outward position on the idea to the exclusion of other beliefs about it. A Teacher of the Divine should be as helpful to those who believe in the concept as to those who do not. If a definite outward position on the concept with regard to our Course were taken or asserted by teachers, it would merely limit their usefulness to all students of awakening as well as their own decision-making as teachers. Our Course is not concerned with any non-essential concepts that some students of the Divine would find unacceptable because of their formal beliefs. Their ego will be enough for them to cope with as they begin to undo the world of illusions, and it is not part of wisdom to add the sorting out of disputed beliefs to their task. Nor would there be an advantage in a student’s premature acceptance of the Course merely because it advocates a long- or deeply-held belief of their own.

It cannot be too strongly emphasized that this Course aims at a complete transformation of mind and resulting reversal of the world’s thought system. When this is accomplished, issues such as the validity of reincarnation become moot. Until then they are likely to be merely controversial. The Teachers of the Divine are therefore wise to step away from all such issues that remain theoretical unless directly experienced, for teachers and students have much to teach and learn apart from these issues. They should learn and teach that giving undue emphasis to issues that have not been experienced directly merely wastes time, draining it away from its appointed Purpose. If there are aspects to any concept or belief that will be helpful, Spirit will tell you about it. You will also be told how to use it. What more need you know?

Does this mean that Teachers of the Divine should not believe in reincarnation themselves, or discuss the idea with others who do? It certainly does not mean this. If a teacher does resonate with the idea or have a direct experience of it, it would be reasonable of them to continue working with the idea unless their Teacher, the Holy Spirit, advised otherwise, and this is most unlikely. They might be advised that they are misusing the idea in some way that is detrimental to their own learning or that of the students in awakening journeying with them. Reinterpretation would then be recommended because it would be necessary.

All that must be recognized with regard to this question, however, is that birth was not the beginning of our experience of Life and death will not be the “end.” Yet even this much is not required of the beginner. They need merely accept the Idea that what they believe they know is not necessarily all there is to learn. Their journey of awakening has begun.

The emphasis of this Course always remains the same: that it is at this moment that complete awakening is offered you, and it is at this moment that you can accept it. This is still your one responsibility. Atonement might be equated with total release of the past and total lack of concern about the future. Heaven is here. There is nowhere else. Heaven is now. There is no other time. No teaching that does not lead to this Truth should be of concern to the Divine’s Teachers. All true beliefs will point to this if properly interpreted. In this sense it can be said that their truth is in their usefulness. All beliefs that lead to progress toward awakening to Truth should be honored. This is the sole criterion this Course requires. No more than this is necessary.