Living in a Parallel Universe

[guohua]

If you look around, you will see shapes been used again and again, "nature" is just lazy.
If something works it get used again.
Now an interesting question is does the soul ( I dont mean the soul as used in religion but as in the spark of life) get reused ?

Good question and my answer is in accordance with my belief (Buddhist) Yes, your (魂, hún, soul, spirit) immortal soul, can be detached from the body and continue to learn through Reincarnation.
But that is my belief, it is the Spirit that make you who you are in each life, the question now is this, has or could the next life be in another Dimension or even Time. 

Does your Spirit alway become reborn in the Current Dimension or can you be reborn in a Parallel Earth, Current Time, Future or Past?

A very very interesting concept Guohua, but why dont we have greater knowledge of other worlds if our souls have been there ?
This also raises the questions is there only a limited amount of souls that they need to be "recycled", can a human be born without a soul, whats the differents between a person with a soul and without a soul?  good and evil?
Your question fills my mind with questions, and I like that

@"guohua",  as for being reborn in different dimensions, I think our soul remains on whatever level of awareness/enlightenment/dimension we are on at the time of our physical death. 
Ascension occurs as we become more and more enlightened with truth and goodness. If we reach a point of enlightenment that justifies we incarnate into a higher dimension when we leave this world, then the answer is Yes... we can be reborn in a different dimension. 

As for incarnating on a lower-level dimension, that would be as a volunteer to come back to help others who still need some guidance  to ascend.

As for past or present, I'm not sure. Some people say yes, that's possible. I'm not all that knowledgeable about this. It would be hard to do if what the experts say is true... that past, present, and future are all happening at the same time.  

@"Wallfire",  most people don't remember their past lives because it would interfere with lessons they need to learn this time around. However, some do, or at least some portions of it.  If you ever get a strong "feeling" that you have known someone before that you just met, or know your way around an area that you have never been to before... most likely are memories bleeding through from a past life.

The souls that need to be recycled are those who didn't learn the lesson(s) they came here to learn; they will need to redo another life and try to get it right next time.  It doesn't have to be on Earth; it can be on any world that is the same level/dimension they were on when they "died".  Those who did learn their lessons will go on to another higher dimension to continue learning and ascending up the levels of dimensions until one day they reunite with Source/Creator.

A human without a soul is not "human".  Some in the Christian religions would call this a demon, but a demon can't be born as human. They have to possess someone who is already in a human body. The demon will eventually take over the human body unless it is removed through an exorcism.

Anything "born" as human, has a soul.  Anything  without a soul is called an androiMystic

@"Mystic Wanderer" 
Dear, I've translated some thoughts on Buddhism for English Speakers.
This would be a guide line to help understand the 10 Realms.


Traditionally, Buddhism teaches the existence of the ten realms of being. At the top is Buddha and the scale descends as follows: Bodhisattva (an enlightened being destined to be a Buddha, but purposely remaining on earth to teach others), Pratyeka Buddha (a Buddha for himself), Sravka (direct disciple of Buddha), heavenly beings (superhuman [angels?]), human beings, Asura (fighting spirits), beasts, Preta (hungry ghosts), and depraved men (hellish beings).

Traditionally, Buddhism teaches the existence of the ten realms of being. At the top is Buddha and the scale descends as follows: Bodhisattva (an enlightened being destined to be a Buddha, but purposely remaining on earth to teach others), Pratyeka Buddha (a Buddha for himself), Sravka (direct disciple of Buddha), heavenly beings (superhuman [angels?]), human beings, Asura (fighting spirits), beasts, Preta (hungry ghosts), and depraved men (hellish beings).

Now, these ten realms may be viewed as unfixed, nonobjective worlds, as mental and spiritual states of mind. These states of mind are created by men's thoughts, actions, and words. In other words, psychological states. These ten realms are "mutually immanent and mutually inclusive, each one having in it the remaining nine realms." 

For example, the realm of human beings has all the other nine states (from hell to Buddhahood). Man is at the same time capable of real selfishness, creating his own hell, or is truly compassionate, reflecting the compassion of Amida Buddha. Buddhas too have the other nine realms in their minds, for how can a Buddha possibly save those in hell if he himself does not identify with their suffering and guide them to enlightenment.
(From a Pamphlet at our Temple)
 
Now this is something most people don't know and ask.
What is Reincarnation?
The principle of reincarnation is where the soul of a person, or creature, transfers, or transmigrates, to another body after death. This does not need to be instantly, souls may wait many years before being born again into a different body.

Now it must be understood that Buddhism comes from Hinduism and in that form of Buddhism, they do not believe in a Soul, we are made up from a Energy with our Consciousness.

I practice the Old Chinese form of religion known as Ancestor Worship mixed with Buddhism.
Some of my family will tell you that Taoism is more inline with our form of belief.

ANCESTOR WORSHIP,  AND TAOISM.
Family is viewed as a closely united group of living and dead relatives. 

Ancestor worship is a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living.

Unity of the group is reinforced through ancestor veneration, offering of various kinds help to keep the ancestors happy in the spiritual world, who, in return, will bless the family.


Ancestor worshipping is not asking for favours, but to fulfil one’s filial duties. The act is a way to respect, honour and look after ancestors in their afterlives guaranteeing the ancestors’ well-being and positive disposition towards the living, as well as possibly seeking the ancestors’ wisdom, guidance or assistance for their living descendants. 

One has to pay respect and homage to the ancestors, honour the deeds and memories of the deceased, since the ancestors are the ones having brought the descendants into the world, nourished them and having prepared the conditions under which the descendants grew up, hence ancestor veneration is a pay back of spiritual debts.


Being an important aspect of the Chinese culture, the social or non-religious function of ancestor worship is to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty, and continuity of the family lineage.

I'm not part of the norm, I have mixed beliefs, Ancestor Worship, Taoism and Buddhism all rolled into one  .
Maybe that's why I'm so confusing,,,,,