I assumed that, but just had to heckle a bit about the wording. ;-) It is a difficult thing to phrase, as our language has not needed to describe it very often.
I do not know that I would want to be bodily dissociated. There are enough selves floating around inside of me already; giving them even minor physical autonomy could be a bad thing, causing dispersion and separation.
As to the question.. no idea what I would want to come back as. Something peaceful and carefree, perhaps, as a nice contrast. But nature is not particularly peaceful, even without humans around...
It's probably pretentious for me to point this out, but am I the only one who thinks the question comes with a certain misunderstanding of the place of reincarnation in non-Western belief systems? Isn't reincarnation a punishment you're handed rather than a reward you pick, with the form being ascribed to you in function of your karma more like a curse based on what you're supposed to deserve? If you have good enough karma, isn't it implied that you'd rather not have to come back to life at all?
Also, octopus, because I could squeeze through openings 1/5 of my size, spit out ink, open jars, and I'd probably be smarter than I am right now.
It's neither a reward or punishment in my particular (Personal) belief. It's just what happens. You go where you are needed. Although, I admit, I really only have a very basic understanding of the process.
Well, I didn't mean to come off as someone who is or thinks he is some kind of authority on the subject. I don't personally believe (or specifically disbelieve) in reincarnation. Based on my limited understanding, I'd think you wouldn't get to choose specifically because a life would be something you'd be given as an opportunity to learn something you wouldn't otherwise - so it wouldn't be in a direction you'd go in on your own.
That is indeed one way of looking at it. I didn't mean for my tone to be hostile, if it seemed that way.
The big problem, I feel, for this world, and the universe in general, is that there never was just 'one' answer for everything. I don't think scientists will even in fact look for their one true unification, or one true origin point. The truth isn't one thing, it's many things. Even when we look at reincarnation, there is hardly a consensus on what that means, and to be sure, we can't really be sure that the words cross over between cultures, and therefore beliefs, that well.
While my beliefs can be considered a string of research and delusion (Unless, of course, you do believe that you can talk to spirits), the only true conclusion that I've been able to draw is that what you get in the afterlife is what you believe in truly deep inside you. To have others tell you otherwise is a disservice to you. I can't tell you what is going to happen to the center of you, that bit that lives between the brain and the heart that can't really be measured by physical means. Only you really know what is going to happen to you, and from my experience, people have a much clearer concept of what that is then any book or other person is going to be able to tell them.
So, you are absolutely right, if that is what you truly believe. I just wanted to share my vision of the world that my soul lives in.
It's probably pretentious for me to point this out, but am I the only one who thinks the question comes with a certain misunderstanding of the place of reincarnation in non-Western belief systems?
It's an LJ meme. How are non-western belief systems even relevant to something like this?
Over-analyzing things to death like this isn't something I do because I feel like I have to, it's only something I do because I like it. It's not intended to take away from someone else's enjoyment of the meme, and I apologize if that's how it came off. It'd made me question whether I understood reincarnation correctly or not, was all.
I don't think the answer box is working properly, but I get this feeling that I'm going to come back, and I'm never really sure where I'm going to be put. I get this feeling I'm going to be dropped in asia... so I'm probably coming back as either a dog or a seal. ... maybe...
The hard part is, of course, you don't really get to choose. You kinda end up where you are needed. It's also not as nice or easy as one thinks, from what I understand of it. It's a messy, complicated, political process.
Your really not far off the mark. If all creatures are reincarnated (ignoring simple life forms) and the possess is random meaning that its just a throw of the dice on what type of living organism you would come back as then your chances are very good indeed that you would come back as an ant, or some type of fly. Krill could be in your future. In fact it would be very rare indeed that you would even make it back as a mammal. If each reincarnation is just as random as the last then You would have a better chance of winning the lottery ten times in a row than you would ever make back to the primate family.
It's the best way that I could think of expressing my desire to be a complex collection of simple ideas.
I do not know that I would want to be bodily dissociated. There are enough selves floating around inside of me already; giving them even minor physical autonomy could be a bad thing, causing dispersion and separation.
As to the question.. no idea what I would want to come back as. Something peaceful and carefree, perhaps, as a nice contrast. But nature is not particularly peaceful, even without humans around...
Also, octopus, because I could squeeze through openings 1/5 of my size, spit out ink, open jars, and I'd probably be smarter than I am right now.
The big problem, I feel, for this world, and the universe in general, is that there never was just 'one' answer for everything. I don't think scientists will even in fact look for their one true unification, or one true origin point. The truth isn't one thing, it's many things. Even when we look at reincarnation, there is hardly a consensus on what that means, and to be sure, we can't really be sure that the words cross over between cultures, and therefore beliefs, that well.
While my beliefs can be considered a string of research and delusion (Unless, of course, you do believe that you can talk to spirits), the only true conclusion that I've been able to draw is that what you get in the afterlife is what you believe in truly deep inside you. To have others tell you otherwise is a disservice to you. I can't tell you what is going to happen to the center of you, that bit that lives between the brain and the heart that can't really be measured by physical means. Only you really know what is going to happen to you, and from my experience, people have a much clearer concept of what that is then any book or other person is going to be able to tell them.
So, you are absolutely right, if that is what you truly believe. I just wanted to share my vision of the world that my soul lives in.
It's an LJ meme. How are non-western belief systems even relevant to something like this?
What would you come back as?
The hard part is, of course, you don't really get to choose. You kinda end up where you are needed. It's also not as nice or easy as one thinks, from what I understand of it. It's a messy, complicated, political process.
Bubble people are pretty though.