River Cottage

Recycling. That's what I believe in. You can't destroy the Spirit, and your atoms all re-bond as someone/something somewhere after you've pegged it.

I definitely believe in the "collective unconscious"- the inheritance of archetypal experiences from generations of ancestors. As someone who practises shamanism to go and have a natter with my ancestors now and again, I'd have to believe in at least that much!

And reincarnation- I could swallow that. It just means that lots of atoms from the same being are re-bonded in a similar place next time round. How does being the Dalai Lama work? Is that a similar thing?

And there are more than a couple of atoms of ancestor cats in my present two

Interesting thread... Often wondered about this. I like the idea of it but not sure I believe in it, can't seem to make my mind up. I told mr biscuit that I thought we'd lived in our house 'before', as it just seems so familiar. Not sure who I would have liked to have been, let me have a think... I'm probably going to be thinking about this all day now!

I would love to believe in lots of things but until I have proof I must say no. It would be lovely but how many times can Cleopatra or Joan of Arc spread themselves around the world. My Uncle was a phycisist and guest researcher at Manchester Uni on Egyptology but he believed in Leprechauns cause he saw one once at the bottom of his garden! He also liked whiskey.

I don't believe in reincarnation. My beliefs about death can be summarised by John 3:16, probably not very fashionable, but that doesn't really bother me!

However if I could have been anybody from history I would probably choose somebody like Edith Holden.  

I used to think I'd been here before, for lots of reasons. Things just come back to me from time to time. And I remember things that I've not done in this lifetime... I used to think I was something quite glam like a Marylin Monroe, or a Cleopatra type. But I was probably more your comely wench in a tavern.. maybe a bit like Nancy out of Oliver.

Don't generally believe in anything related to after-life or religion.

Isn't re-incarnation related to Buddhism and Karma. I think it's based on the understanding that you carry the burdens of your current existence into your next, although in your next, you're non the wiser of your previous actions. No such thing as fate type stuff....we're all part of the master plan.....not my cup of tea, but that's another thread :)

I think you die and then that's it. No hell, no heaven.

But I also believe in 'life force' and that as a species we have a collective memory that we are all attuned to. A bit like bees in a hive.

We all interact socially without forethought.

We often joke about what the worst thing to be reincarnated as would be.

A washroom mop comes close to the top.

The OH wants to be a bar of soap....in a rugby club!!

(good job we have no mods or I'd be in trouble.... )

There's a few people who wouldn't mind being a bar of soap in certain situations... 

I've seen ghosts so ............ I would like to be a cloud next time round 

Not sure about reincarnation, but of course you get traits through genes. Our son sometimes reminds me very much of my father, not just in looks, but in mannerisms. He could have picked them up from Dad, but it may not be just that. Then he sometimes has a manner of my grandfather, who he didn't know at all. Both he and a distant cousin in his generation have gone for working outdoors after several generations of engineering, which could be a throw back to our farming ancestry.

I look and sound like my Mum, in fact most people couldn't tell us apart on the phone.

All of that is almost certainly genetic, but it gives an idea of reincarnation. I am sure if I had a previous life it was probably just as someone quite ordinary.