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CavemanJohnson
Real Classy

Registered: 11/11/07
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Native American Reincarnation Beliefs
#15496348 - 12/10/11 04:19 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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I am currently reading a book called Reincarnation Beliefs of North American Indians: Soul Journeys, Metamorphoses, and Near Death Experiences by Warren Jefferson.
http://www.amazon.com/Reincarnation-Beliefs-North-American-Indians/dp/1570672121/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323554994&sr=8-1
The book covers different accounts, legends and folklore regarding death/reincarnation from a variety of different North American tribes, as well as different (sometimes conflicting) traditional spiritual beliefs. It also has some info on more recent spiritual traditions (past 150 years) such as the Ghost Dance religion, and the Shaker religion.
There are few chapters that briefly cover reincarnation beliefs of the worlds major religions, Gnosticism, Judaism/Kabbalah/Orthodox, Islam/Sufi, Hinduism and Buddhism. Also a chapter about New Physics and Quantum Theory
I skipped ahead to the conclusion of the book and figured someone in here might find it interesting:
"The belief in reincarnation seems to be an early development in human consciousness and is expressed a large number of diverse cultures throughout the world. Carl Jung considered the idea of reincarnation an archetype, or primitive mental image, shared by all humanity. But the search for truth of reincarnation is like the attempt to prove the existence of God: impossible with the rational mind; impossible this side of the veil.
The North American Indians as a group are unique, for they are a constellation of cultures that have been developing somewhat uninterrupted since first coming to this continent more then fifty thousand years ago. Unlike much of Old World Europe, They were not conquered by the Romans and their cultures and belief systems met the modern era unpolluted by the Christian world view. As such, they offer researchers a rich source of information on pre-Christian belief systems and can help us understand ourselves. This is because many of the traditional beliefs of the North American Indians regarding reincarnation, the soul, and the interconnectedness of life are common to pre-modern people throughout the world, including Old World Europe.
Analysis of this historical record allows us a look back into the long distant past of human life. With insight and understanding, this body of knowledge could perhaps help us postmodern people realize our proper place in the world and supply a piece in the complex puzzle of life. It might even help answer some of the profound questions that have been pondered since the very beginning of conscious human awareness: Why are we here? Where did we come from? Where do we go when we die?
"Our normal waking consciousness, rational consciousness as we call it, is but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different. No account of the universe in its totality can be final, which leaves these other forms of consciousness quite disregarded" (James William, The Varieties of Religous Experience)"
Edited by CavemanJohnson (12/10/11 05:21 PM)
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audiophoenix
Find Peace



Registered: 08/28/09
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Re: Native American Reincarnation Beliefs [Re: CavemanJohnson]
#15496418 - 12/10/11 04:37 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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I find this interesting. I often forget that native american's culture has remained practically isolated for so long. Groups of people living like they did thousands of years ago, probably would have been better if it stayed that way.
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Kickle
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Registered: 12/16/06
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Re: Native American Reincarnation Beliefs [Re: CavemanJohnson]
#15496609 - 12/10/11 05:28 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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that conclusion seems like a whole lot of historical hubris to me
-------------------- Why shouldn't the truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense. -- Mark Twain
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CavemanJohnson
Real Classy

Registered: 11/11/07
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Re: Native American Reincarnation Beliefs [Re: Kickle]
#15496686 - 12/10/11 05:42 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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Any part in particular or the whole thing?
This paragraph stands out to me as a tad self important:
"Analysis of this historical record allows us a look back into the long distant past of human life. With insight and understanding, this body of knowledge could perhaps help us postmodern people realize our proper place in the world and supply a piece in the complex puzzle of life. It might even help answer some of the profound questions that have been pondered since the very beginning of conscious human awareness: Why are we here? Where did we come from? Where do we go when we die?"
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Kickle
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Re: Native American Reincarnation Beliefs [Re: CavemanJohnson]
#15496737 - 12/10/11 05:54 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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The whole thing. At best our understanding of history is a work in progress and not something solid. I just have a problem with people who tell a story of history as if they were certain they know how it happened. Humans cannot recall memories from our own lifetime without the current environment influencing the story told, let alone a story from hundreds or thousands of years prior. Pretending that skewing doesn't exist IMO is due to hubris.
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CavemanJohnson
Real Classy

Registered: 11/11/07
Posts: 430
Loc: NorCal
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Re: Native American Reincarnation Beliefs [Re: Kickle]
#15496831 - 12/10/11 06:14 PM (12 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Kickle said: Humans cannot recall memories from our own lifetime without the current environment influencing the story told, let alone a story from hundreds or thousands of years prior. Pretending that skewing doesn't exist IMO is due to hubris.
Valid point.
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