Reincarnation - part I
 
The study unit consists of a video talk by Ananda, followed by study notes and study questions.

Before you begin, you may like to take a moment to read the following words of Annie Besant from her booklet The Necessity For Reincarnation.
 
Reincarnation, Doctrine of Hope and Strength
Friends, if I speak to you on this tonight, it is because I know what the doctrine has of hope, of strength, of encouragement, in the face of the difficulties in the world. I know what it means for the heart-broken, who fall in despair before the puzzles of life, to have the light thrown upon it which makes life intelligible, for the misery of intellectual unrest is one of the worst miseries that we face in the modern world. To be able to understand what we are, to be able to understand whence we have come and whither we are going, to see all through the world one law as there is one life, to realise that there is no partiality, no injustice, no unfair treatment of one human soul, no unfair treatment of one human life; that all are growing; that all are evolving; that our elders are only elders and not different in kind from ourselves; that the youngest shall be as the oldest; that man has within him the developing spirit of his Father and shall therefore be perfect as God is perfect; that is the hope – nay, not the hope, the certainty – that this doctrine gives to the human soul. And when we have grasped it, we can face the miseries, the sorrows, the despairs of life, and know that, in the end, looking back upon this sorrowful world, we shall say: ‘It was from God, it came from God, and to God it returns.’1


Video Talk
To listen to the talk, please click on the white arrow below.

Study Notes

You have been listening to Ananda talk about reincarnation (part I). In the following presentation, you are given some study notes (excerpts from the talk) for reflection.
 
You may like to write some thoughts as you reflect on the words.
 
If you have any questions, you might write them down and you may find an answer as you continue with your study on the subject, or an answer may one day come to you in meditation.

To view the study notes, click on the white arrow below. 
Please adjust the volume of the music to your liking, or turn it off, as you prefer.

Study Questions

The following study questions are mostly based on the questions Ananda asks in her talk.
 
As you prepare for a study group or answering study questions, here are some general words of guidance from Ananda:
 
‘Just write from the heart - do not think only with the mind. No great intellect is required to answer these questions. Write your opinions with joy, not being afraid of answering badly or well.
 
A personal opinion is important, and to dare to voice it is important in your development as an integrated personality who is self-assured and loving of life.’
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To view the study questions, click on the white arrow below. 
Please adjust the volume of the music to your liking, or turn it off, as you prefer.

Reference
1. Annie Besant, The Necessity for Reincarnation, The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, 1920, p26 and 27

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