From: radams@cerritos.edu
Subject: Coming back as a different sex (Was Re: reincarnation in multiple bodie
Organization: Cerritos College, Norwalk CA
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 16:01:35 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.171418.15105@cco.caltech.edu>, 
jeffjc@cs.mcgill.ca (Jeffrey CHANCE) writes:

> As for the part about the soul almost always reincarnating
> as the same sex, this is my belief based on what my teacher,
> Sri Chinmoy, has said about this. I know that a lot of these
> new age teachers say that it is quite common for a soul to
> come back as a different sex. But, their words don't have
> any meaning for me personally. Not that these topics are
> particularly important, but if Im going to have an opinion
> on such things I base it on the writings of those who I
> consider to be God-realized or almost so. These include
> my teacher Sri Chinmoy, Yogananda, Yukteswar, Vivekananda,
> Ramakrishna, Aurobindo, Maharshi, and others (probably
> Meher Baba too, except I haven't read any of his works).
> From what I have read, only Sri Chinmoy has addressed this
> particular question and hence based on what he said I
> happen to believe that souls almost always stay as the
> same sex throughout their human incarnations. This makes
> sense also if you happen to believe that each soul is
> meant to manifest something particular, some particular
> quality or set of qualities, regardless of the incarnation. 
> 
> Maybe someone else has something to say about their opinions
> on this. Any references to what the above-mentioned spiritual
> master have said, that I may have missed? Again, I want to
> say that in any event this particular question isn't really
> important, but I responded because you (Pat) didn't agree.

Based on my reading of one of the above masters you mention (Yogananda)
I would say that souls changing to a different sex happens more often
than you implied in your posts. In _The Divine Romance_ Yogananda says
"Most souls born as women in this incarnation were women in their previous
existence. However, if in this life they manifest strong manly tendencies,
it is probable that they were born in a male body before. If one is a man
now and has strong manly tendencies, he will be born as a man again. If you
want to be a man in your next incarnation, cultivate reason more, and
masculine interests; and if you want to be a woman, cultivate feeling, and
interests that are more feminine. The wisest course is to remember always,
'I am neither man nor woman; I am Spirit.' Then you will rid yourself of
the limiting consciousness of both tendencies; you will realize your highest
divine potential, whether you are incarnate as a man or a woman."  My
interpretation is that most of us are the same gender as we were in a previous
incarnation but a good many of us are not (although less in number). I should
add that in this still patriarchal society, many might consider reason as
definitely superior to feeling and thus might feel offended with the above
remarks but this is only because this male-dominated society values reason
over feeling and we are taught to think so since childhood regardless of our
gender; whereas in fact reason and feeling (eg. compassion, intuition) are 
equal in importance and any imbalance between the two is unfortunate since
we are truly neither female nor male.

Another interesting reference to reincarnation from the same book by Yogananda
is the following: "I also recall my own past incarnations, beyond all doubt.
In the Tower of London, for example, I found many places that I remembered
from a past life, places the present caretakers didn't know anything about.
Because I was once an Englishman, in my childhood in India I preferred to
eat with a fork and knife. When my family asked why I wanted to use these
instead of my fingers, as is the Indian custom, I said, 'I remember this
from the past.' They didn't understand, but I knew I had eaten in this
fashion before. Such glimpses of past lives will be given to you as you
advance spiritually. God will show them to you. And when you will be less
curious about such matters, and your mind is filled only with God, you will
know even more."


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	Roger Adams
	radams@cerritos.edu               To those in whom love dwells,
	Cerritos College                  the whole world is one family.
	11110 Alondra Blvd                             A Hindu Proverb
        Norwalk, California 90650
	USA        		          292 Dwapara :-)
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