Soul Contracts Under Review
Some years ago, I attended a gathering of metaphysicians. I have a tendency to keep my mouth shut, as I believe discretion is the better part of valor and I have a tendency to open my big mouth when I shouldn’t. We ended up sitting around a table drinking coffee, discussing the Universe and whatever else caught our fancy. The subject of a local tragedy came up, one in which there were several victims and the conversation became serious. The lady sitting next to me, a sweet person whom I like very much, eventually chirped that everything was fine, because both perpetrators and victims, as well as their families, had all agreed to be a part of the disaster before birth.
Before I could think, I asked, “What?” I was told later that I’d asked that question much too loudly. The lady turned to me, put her hand on my arm, tilted her head a little and gave me a sad smile, as if I were the only one in the room who didn’t completely understand life. She told me about a pre-incarnation meeting and how the tragic outcome was not only expected on some level, but a necessary part of their experience and that of the world’s. I became aware that I was glaring at her hand on my arm and so did everybody else. Fearing the loss of a finger, she quickly pulled her hand back and waited for me to say something. The table was silent for quite a while, but I didn’t feel like talking. I’d known one of the victims in the useless, senseless act of stupidity and I was feeling too much anger and pain to say a word without launching into a tirade. That was my first introduction to Soul Contracts.
Just Because You Don’t Remember It Doesn’t Mean It Didn’t Happen
I’ve often thought about Soul Contracts since then. It no longer raises my blood pressure and although I may not agree with it, I clearly see the benefit of its presence as a philosophy in some people’s lives. I would never say that the idea of a Soul Contract is definitively false. It would take more arrogance than I can manage to muster at my age to be that sure of anything. The truth is, I don’t remember what happened to me before this incarnation, the reason covered quite adequately by the social contract theory. Then again, just because they say I shouldn’t be able to remember it and I don’t, doesn’t mean that it happened.
To be perfectly honest, I have a tendency not to put too much thought into subjects that are highly conjectural. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy a good debate or healthy investigation into the unknown, but some topics don’t do much to deliver what I consider to be truthfulness into my life. If I did agree to a contract before this incarnation started, then I’ll either fulfill it, or screw it up. Either way, there’s no direct action that I can take to ensure a better and more productive life based upon that knowledge. For example, if a pre-incarnation contract includes becoming a Yo-Yo Pro to learn about the basic principles of physics and entertain others, will I have a natural interest in yo-yos because of that fact, or will I pick it up as a kid and decide that it’s something that I wish to master? An argument can be made either way, but to me it simply doesn’t matter. Whether becoming a Yo-Yo Pro was part of a pre-birth agreement or not, it doesn’t change the fact that I was a Pro once and therefore, in my opinion, makes the reason irrelevant.
I’m also bothered by the formalized religious backdrop of the Soul Contract theory. I see it as an interesting mixture of reincarnation, Dharma, Karma. a strong Christian leaning and a divine presence, with whom we enter into some sort of agreement. Some call this presence God, others call them angels and some the Universe. It’s not that I don’t believe in all of these; it’s that it borrows dogma from different sources and wraps it up in a comfortable bow. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it isn’t for me.
Of course, that falls within the subject of personal beliefs. I encourage everyone to embrace their belief systems wholeheartedly, without fear of ridicule or retribution. I see nothing wrong with fully believing in something that makes you feel good, as long as it doesn’t injure anyone else, or you.
Belief in a Soul Contract can bring great comfort and give sense to this hectic, stressed out world of ours.
It’s almost impossible to understand how some things work, especially when they seem to break down constantly. The lack of humanity on this planet is astounding. People do bad things to each other every day. There are those who follow the rules to the letter and still experience great heartache. Children’s hospitals are filled to capacity with innocents who endure great hardships. A brief glance backward in history will provide landscapes so bleak, that any attempt to explain them boggles the imagination.
Whether you believe or not, I consider the Soul Contract to be a concept worthy of researching and perhaps even fully accepting, mainly because it can give peace of mind. The philosophy isn’t for everybody, including me, but there are many who can benefit from its simple, but comfortable explanation of why things happen the way they do. It’s a benign, accepting way of looking at our lives and making sense out of the nonsensical. It certainly is no more unbelievable than some of the precepts put forth by some religions or spiritual beliefs. As long as it doesn’t keep an individual from being proactive in life, I don’t see the harm. It’s only when we believe we understand this contract fully, that we may run into problems regarding action, or inaction, in a specific situation. I’ve met more than one person who held a specific certainty about some aspect of their life and because of that mono-focus, lost out on amazing possibilities.
Finding a balance is the essence of everything and this is no exception.
I genuinely believe that even if you don’t believe in the concept of a Soul Contract, there are wonderful benefits to be taken from it.
Seven Soul Contract Ideas Worth Embracing
There’s a Lesson in Everything
We live our lives aspiring to achieve certain goals, but sometimes those aspirations fail. We’re here to learn and benefit, even by those things that don’t necessarily seem advantageous. There may not be a reason for everything that happens, but there is definitely a lesson to be learned, no matter what the situation is. Searching for that lesson often leads to a deeper and more profound sense of being and inner truth.
You Agreed to It, So Don’t Blame and Just Get on With Life
This is based upon my own inference of the doctrine of Soul Contracts. Freedom of will is written into this philosophy, something I admire. Too much time is spent in finger-pointing and finding someone to blame. This is all the more destructive when we blame ourselves. Whether it was agreed to or not is irrelevant. Time is precious, so deal with it and move forward in your life, lessons and all.
We All Have a Personal Relationship With God
How could there be anything wrong with this doctrine?
None of Us Is Alone
According to the theory of Soul Contracts, we reunite with those of us on similar paths for unlimited lifetimes, or until our specific duties have been fulfilled. This brings family members back together, as well as old friends and even antagonists. The idea of being connected to the people we know in our lives, over and over again, almost like an ensemble cast in a repertory company doesn’t bother me a bit. It gives us an opportunity to consider how we might change things the next time around. In turn, this can help us to deal with the people in our lives in the moment. The truth is that we are all connected, far beyond the acquaintances and family members we have in our lives.
Experiencing Your Life is Vital
The very thought that we made an agreement, a contract, before we incarnated gives a sense of self-consciousness and awareness that most people don’t carry with them on a daily basis. This simple realization can help to motivate us to be active in our own existence and not to allow the world around us to crush our spirit or goals. Thoughts always lead to actions, in one form or another.
Your Life is Important
Every life is important. This may be the most vital of all the thoughts that arise when I think of a Soul Contract. If we can truly believe that every person, every creature on this planet, everything that happens and exists is a part of the divine plan of which we are part, then we must have immense respect for the lives, thoughts and existence of others. If we truly believe this idea, it becomes apparent that we cannot ridicule or injure others, for they are as much a part of the plan as we are. Universal respect for each other is the foundation to a potential for peace.
Not Everything in Your Life Will Make Sense
Acceptance of this fact will change how you live.
Whether you believe in the philosophy of Soul Contracts or not, there’s much to be taken from it that can fulfill the heart and make life easier to cope with, regardless of your beliefs.
I wish you all peace and love.
About the Author
The After Effects of a Near-Death Experience
Stories of near-death experiences have existed for centuries. The subject is well researched yet the question remains: Is the origin of the near-death experience rooted in science or religion? Despite the continuous search for empirical explanations, accounts of near-death experiences and their aftereffects prevail.
Initially, aftereffects of a near-death experience can incite feelings of love while negative reports often express fear. Over time, aftereffects can stimulate psychosocial and psycho-spiritual deviations. Psychologists, school counselors and professionals in the medical field understand a need for intervention. Professionals can assist people who have near-death experiences by helping them integrate their experience, as well as provide support for family members.
The Question Remains: Is a Near- Death Experience Fact or Fiction?
Do we need to question our scientific world or spiritual space to understand near-death experiences? Stories from real people and their perceptions may shed some light upon clarifying the subject of near- death experiences.
Over several decades, many clinical cases have been recorded explaining events of people having life-changing experiences of dying, then coming back. This mysterious phenomenon has been named “near- death experience”, or “NDE.” According to the 2006 article Near-Death Experiences and Spirituality by Bruce Greyson, many stories revealed common features such as bright lights, tunnels and feelings of joy.” Furthermore, investigators collected data and found similar features including helping others more often, amplified compassion, spiritual versus religious inclination, and an overall disposition of gratitude and appreciation for life.
History of Near-Death Experiences
Stories of near-death experiences have been reported by many different cultures throughout several eras. The 2009 article Near-Death Experiences and Psychotherapy by LJ Griffith retells the story of a near-death experience: “Plato recounted a tale of a soldier who seemed to be dead, but came back to life explaining he had visited another world.” Global accounts of near-death experience stories “originate from Israel to South America,” Griffith states.
Raymond Moody is considered the pioneer of near-death studies in the mid-1970s. The main focus of his studies was to look at the actual experience and aftereffects. In 1975 Moody published Life After Life, which initiated further research and public interest. Moody’s book ignited over 50 research teams who published more than 55 studies involving a wide cultural span. According to the 2001 article A Hawaiian Near-Death Experience by Allen Kellehear, data collected on near-death stories spans the experiences of over 3,000 people practicing a range of religions.
Research on Near-Death Experiences
Research on near-death experience caught the interest of professionals in a variety of fields. According to Christian Agrillo’s 2011 Near-Death Experience: Out of Body and Out of Brain? research on near-death experiences is considered a valued subject in the field of cognitive neuroscience. The mystery of whether an afterlife exists represents an extremely important topic in philosophy as well. Additionally, Griffith discusses how researchers involved in near-death experiences include physicians, nurses, chaplains and psychologists – and some have written substantially on the subject.
Despite the amount of research on near-death experiences, a roadblock remains regarding what exactly a near-death experience is. Agrillo explains that some investigators have attributed roadblocks to the reality that the process of death and subjective manner in which we die is still a topic of limited knowledge.
Definition of a Near-Death Experience
Psychological and physiological models postulated in the past have failed to pass empirical investigations thus limiting a clear definition of a near-death experience. Research has involved exhaustive interviews resulting in categorical evidence. According to the 2010 article by KE Bell on How School Counselors Can Assist Student Near-Death Experiences, the results of interviews from several studies indicate patterns that define a near-death experience.
In Greyson’s 1999 article Defining Near-Death eExperiences, Greyson described twelve to fifteen consistent themes and features that were discovered on near-death experiences:
- An awareness of being above your body or dead
- Rise in joy or euphoria
- Entering a space or sometimes tunnel
- Seeing or feeling a very bright white light
- A sense of a being in a peaceful, beautiful or sometimes frightening place
- Encounter with loved ones who have previously passed on
- Angel type beings, guides or religious figures
- Some form of a life review which often involves experiencing deep emotion associated with ones actions
- A choice or perception that one has to come back
After effects
What happens after experiencing the near-death experience phenomenon? Often experiences result in positive, sometimes profound aftereffects such as a sense of bliss and euphoria in their lives. Many people find their personality has changed in addition to different beliefs and attitudes toward subjects in religion and death. Furthermore, Griffith explains that physiological transformations such as experiencing heightened sensation to noise or other senses, increased or decreased need for sleep and some level of sensitivity toward electromagnetic were described by people interviewed.
Religion
While examining the subject of religion, researchers found profound changes in near-death experiencers. According to Greyson’s 1999 article, interviews found the most often reported alteration in life was that of a spiritual matter. Additionally, reports of a stronger concern or empathy for others, a solid sense of purpose, closeness to God and an aversion to conventional religious practices were recorded. Not surprisingly, as reported in the same article, newfound characteristics parallel the definition of a spiritual transformation which often encompasses an authentic love for others on a large scale.
