In our weekly online Family Joy sessions, we embarked on a captivating exploration of the profound theme of ‘Reincarnation.’ These sessions unfolded over two meetings, transforming not just into great entertainment, but also a journey of expansive enlightenment.
To grasp the essence of reincarnation, we employed the versatile medium of play dough. Witnessing its malleability, we observed how the same formless dough could take countless shapes and sizes, much like the soul’s journey. A crucial insight emerged: to create anew, the old must give way, a fundamental principle echoing throughout existence. A young participant challenged us to mold trees from the play dough, revealing the beauty of individuality as no two trees bore a resemblance.
The metaphor continued as we delved into the world of batteries and the tools they empower. We likened the battery to the soul, the true animator of the object. Swapping batteries from one toy to another illuminated a profound truth: the soul remains unchanging, while the body metamorphoses, an ephemeral vessel without the soul’s vitality.
Within the pages of the ‘Autobiography of a Yogi,’ the tale of ‘Kashi reborn and rediscovered’ captured our minds. Following the guidance of the great Master, Paramhansa Yogananda, we identified qualities to carry forward to our next lives. This concept sparked a transformation within us, urging us to embody these virtues in our current existence, ensuring their passage into our future incarnations.
A pivotal moment emerged during our discussion on forgiveness within the context of human friendships. We posed the question to each child: How many times would they forgive a friend’s repeated errors? As captivating answers flowed, a brilliant extrapolation unfolded—a journey from human interactions to the divine. Our young minds astutely recognized that, unlike our limited forgiveness for friends, God’s mercy knows no bounds. His boundless compassion grants us endless chances, even countless lifetimes, through the profound mechanism of reincarnation.
Reincarnation, as we now understand, is God’s embodiment of forgiveness and love, an unending opportunity to refine ourselves in His likeness. Our children’s wisdom reconfigured my perspective entirely. Life, they taught me, is the canvas where we paint our love for the divine. If we falter, the benevolent cycle of reincarnation ensures we continue our odyssey toward the divine, steadily progressing on the path of Godwards.
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