In this Weekly Wisdom, Gurudev shares how souls move from one lifetime to the next, and how impressions determine one’s future.
There are innumerable souls. At particular times, they manifest. A good example is electric signs, where the letters move.
A sign says, “Colgate Toothpaste.” A little later, it says, “Surf.” Surf is only four letters, while Colgate toothpaste has many more.
All the bulbs are always there. But at particular times, some bulbs are lit. Some others aren’t.
Some bulbs are lit, and then the entire board is lit. But bulbs are always there. In the same way, all souls are always present.
Death and sleep
What happens in death is a mini-sleep. What happens when you sleep? Do you know anything about it? For 6 to 8 hours, you have no idea where you are, who you are, or what you are. You hit that pillow and that’s it. Then, you wake up and come out of your bed.
When you go to sleep, observe the last thought that you have in your mind. And wake up, and notice the first thought. It will be the same thought.
The same thing happens in death. The mind, whatever impression it has, withdraws from the senses, intellect, memory, and ego. All four become one and are enveloped into the soul, like in a balloon, and escape the body. This balloon of energy remains and stays until it gets another suitable body.
Then it comes back because the soul wants to get rid of the impressions in the balloon. That is a constant goal: to get rid of impressions.
The deepest impression
So the soul comes again into the body, gets rid of old impressions, but acquires new impressions, and then leaves.
Now, when a rat dies, it eventually becomes a cat. Because the deepest impression in the mind of a rat is that of a cat. The deep fears or desires within you make you become that animal.
In the same way, often a man becomes a woman and a woman becomes a man, if that’s the deepest impression in the mind.
Suppose you don't like your daughter-in-law or your son-in-law. Then you’re bound to become like them in your next lifetime.
If you don’t like someone, or like someone very much, you’ll become like them.
In the same way, if your impression is of chicken, if you die thinking chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken, chicken, I tell you, you’ll find yourself in the poultry farm. It’s like waking up somewhere and saying “chicken, chicken, chicken.” This possibility is there.
But it's very rare. Usually, a human being is born only as a human being. However, there is a .01 percent possibility of becoming an animal. This is the mechanism.
Detachment from the body
The mind and soul detach from the body. Then, the body appears like grey matter to the mind. To the soul, it looks so horrible that you wouldn’t want to put your foot in it. Like cow dung or human dung. It’s not nice to put your foot into cow dung.
Aversion to one’s own body immediately comes to the soul. That’s why the soul can’t enter the same body again.
There are very few instances when someone comes back from death. That’s very rare.
A picture of your whole life
The entire life picture goes in front of the soul. “I did this, this, and this. But what did I learn from all of this?” How much love have I had in this lifetime?
It’s a very pleasant experience. People who die are very happy in a natural death. So that soul, again, after some time, chooses to come back for a particular period of time. This cycle goes on.
Happiness and sorrow aren’t necessarily a result of previous lives. They can also be from this life. Everything is relative.
Joy is your true nature.
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Editor’s note:
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