In one of my blogs, I mentioned my belief that each of us chose to be born into our incarnation with a particular purpose. I want to explain that.

First, I believe in reincarnation. As divine or soul beings, we live many lifetimes. Each incarnation is an opportunity to enrich our soul’s development.

At the end of each incarnation, during our non-incarnated time, we reflect on that life, and with the help of others, identify those choices that limited our growth and those that increased it. We also evaluate if and when to incarnate again and what kind incarnation might best serve us. Included in this, the soul considers what it wants to learn and how it wants to grow, based on previous lifetimes. Then, the soul explores what situation would best provide the possibility for that growth, including the time period, country, family, as well what the soul’s race, gender, and orientation might be.  An important part of this exploration is learning about the people with whom you will interact, especially family, because their beliefs, struggles and personalities, might influence the soul’s ability to live out his or her purpose.

I don’t believe in predestination or fate. The soul preparing to incarnate is aware that there are no definites in what the new life will be like. Yet despite knowing that she or he may face hardships and suffering and may even forget their purpose because of it, the soul courageously chooses to be born into the uncertainty. She does know though that she is not stepping into that life alone, and can turn to her guides and God to help her remember who she is, and to make choices accordingly.

So that’s my understanding. We choose the incarnation into which we are born, with the awareness that it might not be perfect, but with the belief and hope that by living through it we will remember and live out of our purpose.