Last week I saw a very interesting topic I’ve had some exposure to as a blog topic in the #hivelearners community….Reincarnation. While this is a controversial or skeptical topic to those that limit themselves to orthodox religion, the sages and mystics of all our divine schools saw reincarnation as a part of the soul's eternal journey, not the body's temporary one.
What Does Science Say?
Now the question becomes, “What does the modern science say”? I love the fact we’re in a paradigm where advancements in science can help shed light on these matters.
Let's take a quick look into one of the world’s most scientifically rigorous and spiritually curious institutions, The Department of Perceptual Studies (DOPS) at the University of Virginia. Founded in 1967 by Dr. Ian Stevenson, DOPS was devoted to the study of the phenomenon that challenge the materialistic views of science and consciousness.
The institute is known for its research into:
- Reincarnation (especially children’s past-life memories)
- Near-death experiences
- Out-of-body experiences
- Deathbed visions
- Apparitions and after-death communications
- Altered states of consciousness and psi phenomena
I was introduced to DOPS by none other than 
DOPS & Reincarnation
The DOPS has been doing ground-breaking work for over half-century. With all these amazing studies under their belt, the most noteworthy has been in the realms of reincarnation.
With over 3,000+ case studies on children who vividly discussed previous life experiences, here are a few of their theories/findings:
- Children born with birthmarks or deformities often correspond directly to fatal and contributing wounds from their past-life memory. In some instances verified via medical records or autopsy reports. If this correlation is indeed fact, it explains why there is no agreed upon cause of birthmarks in the dermatology field, only a "presentational" diagnosis. Just another way of saying "we don't know what causes it."
- They have identified recurring patterns that suggests some people (souls) reincarnate into same family or social group, hinting at mutual correction or "spiritual contracts".
- The soul reincarnating with hints of past-life memory is often a result of unjust, sudden, or violent deaths.
You can find an assortment of panels, studies, and interviews on the DOPS Youtube page.
DOPS Documentary
DOPS Reincarnation Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR6fmuTWJHagi8ctolylPmoKC_jfnuhAx&si=2HCAGnDQbfP4SmpA
Dr. Stevenson also proposed that we have a non-physical vehicle of memory, or a psychophore, which carries pieces of the personal identity (things like emotion, tendencies, and in these rare cases - memory) from one life to the next.
If you are a student of Hebrew or Kabbalah you can probably see how this "non-physical memory" sounds a lot like the Ruach. These divine schools recognize the Ruach as the spirit that retains the emotional and intellectual self from incarnation to incarnation.
Their other fields of study also align with various teachings throughout the holy books. DYOR, connecting the dots will do something for you.
I'm not here to tell anyone what to believe, but don't be afraid of information that challenges your cultural or religious views. All the holy texts say that the Most High wants us to ponder and meditate on matters of the spirit, not just take someone else's word for it.
Science is constantly being utilized to show evidence of the "spirit world", that existence that is closest to God. So even though DOPS is an academic endeavor, it is still an expression of the Most High. Its a platform for Allah to peel back the curtain a little for those who are really in awe of his works.
Peace