Reincarnation As A Means To Overcome Duality

A common conceptual view of reincarnation is the view that we are reincarnated into a new body based on our karma or our actions within our previous lives. Depending on how "good" or "bad" you are in this life you will be placed into a life form in your next life that will be determined based off of this theory. Another theoretical view of reincarnation is that since there is no past or future and there is only the eternal present that reincarnation into other life forms isn't what is meant when reincarnation is referred to, but simply that reincarnation is happening every instant. We are constantly being reincarnated every instant and when we are able realize that, we are freed from the chains of reincarnation, or the wheel of life and death, which is the belief that you are the same person you were a second ago, a week ago, a decade ago, or even a lifetime ago. 

Duality as discussed in a previous post refers to the misperception of opposition. We see it all around us stemming from God vs. Satan. We all have perceived opposition within this human realm. The issue with the above-mentioned theories of reincarnation is they do absolutely nothing to address the misconception of duality. For the sake of ease within this discussion, we will be using a historical figure which everyone can understand for an example. We will be using Hitler as our theoretical example. It's a known fact that Hitler hated the Jewish people, I don't think very many will dispute that statement. That hatred would be carried on through reincarnation. It wouldn't matter who Hitler were to be reincarnated into since that hatred for the Jewish people would still be there. The one theory of reincarnation would argue that Hitler would be punished in all of his future lives based on his karma. We all want people to be punished for their actions, but isn't the ultimate goal to get someone to change their perspective and to actually feel regret and remorse for their actions?  

It ultimately wouldn't matter how many lives Hitler would live or how many times he was to be reincarnated, his hatred for the Jewish people would always follow him. Which would result in eternal punishment, but he would never learn from his past or come to regret his actions or feel remorse for them. Isn't that the highest level of punishment that anyone of us could ever receive? To feel remorse and regret for our actions? If a person doesn't regret their actions or feel remorse, then they aren't actually being punished because they don't believe they have done anything wrong. If they don't believe they have done anything wrong, then in their mind, they aren't being punished. Think of a personal example for yourself. When you feel regret and remorse for something you said or did, it causes you to feel like shit. You feel just awful and wish for nothing more than being able to get rid of that horrible feeling. On the other side of it, if someone says you wronged them, but you don't believe you have, you don't feel regret or remorse and therefore you feel great. The regret and remorse are the punishment.

What is the one- and only-way Hitler could ever come to understand the Jewish people, that Hitler could come to Love the Jewish people, and that Hitler could come to feel genuine regret and remorse for his treatment of the Jewish people? By being reincarnated as a Jew! That's the only way. Hitler didn't see the Jewish people as human, he didn't see the Jewish people as worthy of existing, so the only way to rectify that is by Hitler becoming a Jew himself. If Hitler were reincarnated as anything other than a Jew, he would never be punished since he would never be able to see Jewish people as human and as deserving to exist and therefor would never feel regret or remorse. If Hitler were reincarnated as a Jew, he would more than likely be a self-hating Jew for several lifetimes, potentially hundreds or thousands of lifetimes. He could even theoretically be reincarnated into one of the Jewish people that were at one of his camps. 

Wouldn't that be the ultimate form of punishment? To be reincarnated into the person or people that he hates the most. He would spend countless lifetimes hating himself and wishing for his very own eradication. Eventually after thousands of lifetimes he would start to identify himself with being a Jew, he would start to see himself and all Jewish people as human and as worthy of existing. He would come to feel regret and remorse for his treatment of the Jewish people and then that's when his true punishment would begin. He would have to live with all of that regret and remorse following him in endless karma while it conflicts with his very own hatred of himself. His only escape from the endless cycle of birth and death and the complete split within himself would be to forgive himself. As a Jew, he would be forced to forgive the past version of himself referred to as Hitler. A seemingly impossible task.

What if reincarnation is in fact the act of being reincarnated into who we hate the most? If we don't direct our hate at a specific person or group of people and constantly redirect our hate into different people, then we would be reincarnated into all the different people we hate. If we are the type of person who hates everyone, we're in for a very long haul of many lifetimes within many different people. Just take a moment to imagine yourself being reincarnated into the person or group of people you hate the most. How would that make you feel? Would you feel disgusted? I'm sure you wouldn't be feeling joy and gratitude.

Now for the good news! We don't have to wait until we die to be reincarnated into our enemies and those that we hate. We have the ability to be released from the cycle of birth and death now and not be forced to live out countless lives being punished living as our enemies. It's very simple in theory but not so much so in practice. The answer is to Love your enemies. Love those who you hate. Now you're saying "How the hell do I Love someone that I hate? Those are opposing forces!" By putting yourself in their shoes now. Imagine what it is like to be them now. Try to figure out their motivations. Use empathy, compassion, understanding, wisdom, grace, forgiveness, and gratitude just to name a few. The truth is, it's not easy to turn hate into Love, but it is possible and not only is it possible, but it is inevitable. You can either work on Loving your enemies now in this lifetime or you can wait until you have become the person you hate the most in your next life, the choice is up to you.  

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

―Christopher J. Nolan,The Dark Knight

You either die a hero (Love your enemies) or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain (reincarnate into your enemy, a.k.a. the "villain"). Love and Peace!