The Music We Are

By Jelaluddin Rumi (1207 - 1273)

Did you hear that winter's over?  The basil

and the carnations cannot control their

laughter.  The nightingale, back from his

wandering, has been made singing master

over the birds.  The trees reach out their

congratulations.  The soul goes dancing

through the king's doorway.  Anemones blush

because they have seen the rose naked.

Spring, the only fair judge, walks in the

courtroom, and several December thieves steal

away.  Last year's miracles will soon be

forgotten.  New creatures whirl in from non-

existence, galaxies scattered around their

feet.  Have you met them?  Do you hear the

bud of Jesus crooning in the cradle?  A single

narcissus flower has been appointed Inspector

of Kingdoms.  A feast is set.  Listen: the

wind is pouring wine!  Love used to hide

inside images: no more!  The orchard hangs

out its lanterns.  The dead come stumbling by

in shrouds.  Nothing can stay bound or be

imprisoned.  You say, "End this poem here,

and wait for what's next."  I will.  Poems

are rough notations for the music we are.

--translation by Coleman Barks

Academic Research On Reincarnation

I recently came across a great article on "Reincarnation" and the possibility that "consciousness" may be independent from the brain.

Dr. Ian Stevenson, a Psychiatrist and the (former) chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Virginia, began investigating the possibility of reincarnation in 1961.  He started the Department of Perceptual Studies in 1967 to concentrate on this field of research.  Ian published numerous academic books and articles about his findings.

Dr. Stevenson and his colleages at the Department of Perceptual Studies discovered that memories of past lives were much more common than anyone had ever known before.  Their research has catalogued compelling accounts from all over the world, from subjects whose recollections/stories correlate with factual lives of people who have passed away -- often in continents and countries on the opposite side of the world.

Physics claims that energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed.  Medicine People, since the ancient times, have been teaching that "thought is energy."  If both are true, then consciousness is indestructible.  The data gathered from the research being conducted by the Department of Perceptual Studies seems to also be pointing to the possibility that consciousness is independent of the brain (which of course dies with the rest of the body).  In my opinion, this is ground breaking research with far reaching implications for science, religion, medicine and spirituality (consciousness). 

Here is the link to the FULL ARTICLE:

http://noetic.org/noetic/issue-twelve-july/childrens-memories-of-previous-lives/