Reincarnation
From RationalWiki
Reincarnation (literally, "becoming flesh again") is a supernatural idea common to many religions and many forms of New Age like thinking. It is an idea that relies on mind-body dualism, in that it necessitates a soul separate from the body.
[edit] In religion
The idea varies from religion to religion. The idea is most prominent in Hinduism, which believes that the soul moves through a life-death-rebirth cycle known as samsara. The exact form and status in which a person is reborn is decided by his or her choices in the previous life, a concept called karma.
Buddhism believes in a similar form of reincarnation of all beings, until and unless a state of soul-perfection (nirvana) is reached, and Taoism also includes such a concept.
[edit] Past lives and memories
Since a soul is understood to be the human identity, and human identity relies on memories, true reincarnation would involve total (or near-total) recall of the previous life. Some hypnotherapists claim to be able to "regress" patients into past lives, essentially claiming to unlock these unconscious memories. However, no one has objectively demonstrated memories of a previous life, such as knowing a closely-kept secret known only to Napoleon's family, for example. The result is that even if reincarnation was true, it would be pointless, because it would be the same as a person suffering total amnesia and starting their life over.
Whatever the case may be for the rest of lifeforms, it is a well known fact that cats are reincarnated eight times before going not gently into that dark night.
