Dynion Mwyn and Reincarnation

REINCARNATION

From a Witches Glossary at http://www.dynionmwyn.net/glossary.html:

REINCARNATION: 1) the doctrine of rebirth of the spirit. Or 2) the process of repeated incarnations (lives), in physical form to allow the evolution of the soul.

From Wikipedia:

“Reincarnation is the religious or philosophical belief that the soul or spirit, after biological death, begins a new life in a new body... depending on the moral quality of the previous life's actions.”

This doctrine is a central tenet of the Dynion Mwyn Tradition and is a belief that was also held by such historic figures as Pythagoras, Plato and Socrates. It is also a common belief of pagan religions such as Druidism....and is found in many tribal societies around the world, in places such as Siberia, West Africa, North America, and Australia.

Particular groups within Christianity, Judaism and Islam refer to reincarnation; these groups include the mainstream historical and contemporary followers of Kabbalah, the Cathars, and the Shia sects such as the Alawi Shias and the Druze and the Rosicrucians.

In recent years, many Europeans and Americans have developed an interest in reincarnation. Some university researchers have explored the issue of reincarnation and published reports of children's memories of earlier lives in books such as Life Before Life. Skeptics like Carl Sagan have stated that more research is needed.

Our belief is that you remain on the physical plane til "...you get it right" This may involve one incarnation or a thousand. It is up to the individual soul to learn. Once the soul has learned all it is supposed to on the Physical Plane, then it progresses to the next level.

A soul progresses upward (or sideward) through each level till it reaches the God/dess plane. This progression involves learning at each level until they accomplish the key to journeying to the next level. The soul rests in Summerland between incarnations.

Reincarnation involves faith and belief since there is little evidence of someone dying, traveling thru the planes and returning to tell about it. So we listen to The Old Ones, we listen to the God/dess, we listen to our spirit guides, we listen to our higher self, we listen to our teachers, we listen to science, we listen to our common sense, and finally we listen to our belief. And we find a place where we can believe and begin our journey.
Many Witches and other Occultists have attempted to retrace their past lives or reincarnations by dream analysis, meditation, or occasionally hypnotic regression. The witch Sybil Leek thought she had been Madame Helena P. Blavatsky, the co-founder of the Theosophical Society. Aleister Crowley believed he traced his reincarnations from Pope Alexander VI, renowned for his love of physical pleasures; to Edward Kelly, the assistant of the Elizabethan occultist and magician John Dee; to Cagliostro; to Eliphas Levi who died on the same day as Crowley was born. Continuing back further Crowley believed he had been Ankh-fn-Khonsu, an Egyptian priest of the XXVIth dynasty.

Most Witches believe reincarnation is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. As to the exact cyclical process there are divergent views. Some hold a view similar to Buddhists that the individual personality disintegrates at death with its characteristics forming in a pool with other traits which come together in new reincarnations. Others believe reincarnations only occur within a tribe, race, or family.

Welsh Faerie Witchcraft hold beliefs in reincarnation similar to the Druids of Caesars time: In Y Dynion Mwyn, there is a strong belief that nature operates in cycles; that life shows patterns of existence, or souls; that these souls do not cease to exist at the death of the physical body. The Welsh Faerie belief system teaches that there is a dimension called "Summerlands"; which is a place of rest before the soul is re-born into the physical world.

The Druid belief in reincarnation is confirmed by classical writers such as Posidonius (who is quoted by Diodorus): "Druids believe that the souls of men are immortal, and that after a definite number of years they live a seconed life when the soul passes to another body."

Julius Caesar also had the opinion that: "The cardinal doctrine which they seek to teach is that souls do not die, but after death, pass from one to another; and this belief, as the fear of death is thereby cast aside, they hold to be the greatest invective to valour."
Welsh Faerie Witches believe and teach the philosophy of reincarnation and immortality of the soul. We believe that the soul is born into the womb upon earth (Abred), transmigrates, dies, and is reborn into the other world (Summerland) where it will rest until its rebirth into the womb on earth. The ancients mourned at both the birth and death of a family member. At birth we mourn for the death of the soul in the other world which gives life to the new soul on earth. We regard death with joy for the birth in the OtherWorld. We believe that the soul is reincarnated into the womb upon earth until it has experienced all that there is to experience in life and then goes to rest with the creator in the Circle of Gwynfyd. With each incarnation the soul grows more spiritually complete. To experience all that there is to experience in life: this means to have been the abuser and the abused, the murdered and the murderer, the healthy and the sick, to have lived in wealth and then in poverty, etc.

This is not often something that people want to accept, but the world will always have these types of people and they are here to create balance. Every aspect of life must have a balancing counter part. Without both male and female, there could be no procreation for animal or plant alike; without positive and negative polarities, there would be no substance; without light there could only be darkness; on the same token, without evil there would be no good, and so on. This is why we are to remain impartial and not to judge those who we do not understand or agree with, due to the fact that everyone has a reason for existence and this includes those who are not socially or morally acceptable.

The following is an excerpt from The Quest by Rhuddlwm Gawr which deals with Reincarnation:

The Teacher was speaking. “There are hidden teachings within all legends and myths.”

“For example?” I said.

“Reincarnation is a good example. Within all major religions, even Christianity, is taught the doctrine of a spiritual rebirth in a physical body after death. It is there for all to see if they but have eyes to do so.
“William,” she suddenly said, “tell me what you know of reincarnation and karma.”
I began, “At death, the soul passes to Gwlad Yr Hav, or the summerplace. This is a place of rest and adjustment, of reunion with your loved ones.” the recitation was almost automatic.

“At this point, we meet with spirit guides and other souls to choose our next incarnation. The life which is chosen is one which will teach us something necessary to our development.” I paused for comment and when there was none, went on. “Gwlad Yr Hav, the Summerland, is the astral plane where the soul dwells between incarnations.
“Karma means ‘action.’ For every action there results an appropriate reaction, sooner or later. If this process is not worked out in one life, then it will be worked out in succeeding lives.

“Usually, there is no conscious memory of any previous life during the current one. The evolution of each soul continues by means of a series of human lives, until the physical plane is transcended.”

“Right. You are doing very well,” she said, smiling. This same doctrine was taught by our Celtic ancestors. As one of their doctrines, they believed that souls were not annihilated, but passed after death from one body to another, and they held that by this teaching men were encouraged to valor through disregarding the fear of death.

“The Greeks knew of it even before the time of Rome. The doctrine of Pythagoras prevailed among them, according to which the souls of men were immortal and , after a fixed term, recommenced to live, taking upon themselves a new body.”
“What other ‘hidden teachings’ are known?”

She smiled at me, seeing I suppose, a new curiosity emerge from the harder core of skepticism.

“Another good example would be the knowledge of the seven planes of existence in the universe. These have been passed down as the seven days of the week, the seven heavens, and as many other symbols. In reality, they are seven distinct planes or dimensions of existence which have their own atoms and molecules, but each plane is vibrating at a different cosmic rate. Therefore, they can coexist in the same ‘space.’ These are the physical plane, the etheric plane, the astral plane, the mental plane, the spiritual plane, the duality plane, and the celestial plane.

When your body dies or stops functioning , your soul, with your personality, emerges and immediately sets out for the etheric plane. Unfortunately, sometimes, it the soul is not properly enlightened, it will wish to stay in the physical or earth plane until convinced otherwise. We are taught that death is a very pleasant experience. For the majority, the soul transcends this physical pane, where it rests.”

“What is the etheric plane?”

“The etheric plane contains a matrix pattern of all life on the physical plane. This matrix pattern is the vital body and duplicates your body exactly in every way. This pattern is what determines your physical makeup. It is also perceived as the ‘aura.’

“The astral plane, as you have learned, is that place that the ancients called Gwlad Yr Hav--the Summerland. It is also called ‘heaven’ by some, and ‘hell’ by others.”
“What do you mean by this?” I asked curiously.

“The astral plane has various levels. The upper levels are inhabited by those souls who are following the true pathway to enlightenment. It is beautiful beyond belief and is a proper resting place between incarnations. But, the lower levels are for those base souls who not only make their own hell on earth, but carry it with them. It is a vile place, full of fear and depravity.”

“How does a soul arrive at a particular level?” I asked.

“Karma,” she replied, “as you know, is a law which states that for every action there will be an appropriate reaction, and as I stated before, this reaction may come in this life or the next, but it will come. These actions and reactions, or deeds, become a part of the akashic record which is located on the etheric plane.

“The akashic record is a pattern and records all events. But, since it is not governed by time, both past and future events may be found there.”
“How about the rest of the planes?”
“Well, the mental plane, which is above the astral, is where the masters live.”

“Who are they?” I asked.

“They are those souls who have reached enlightenment of the highest order and are waiting for the rest of humanity to catch up. We are taught that their mental power is such that they could vaporize the entire earth with their collective will. But, of course, they have risen above such things. They are more interested in helping humanity improve itself. These masters from time to time contact selected individuals in their attempt to help direct humanity to the right pathway.”

“Are these the same masters that are mentioned in various religions such as Buddha and Jesus?

“No! Definitely not,” she answered. “Those entities were reincarnated for the specific purpose of providing a host for one of the entities on the spiritual plane, who from time to time come to this plane to give humankind the message of peace and love. Jesus was such a one who provided the host for Melchezidek, the Lord of Light, also known by the Christians as Christ.
“These entities come to this plane to give us a sign and communicate directly. They are perfected beings, who although inhabiting physical bodies, are spiritual in nature. They teach us by example and reveal the mystery of love.

“Melchezidek is the Ruler of the sixth plane.”
“But what about the Lady? It seems as though most of the deities and masters that I have ever read about have been male. Where does the female come in?

“William, the universe runs in cycles and there is an attempt to karmic law to balance everything out. Of course, absolute balance by every atom of every plane in every universe. It’s the same with civilization and societies. We have been living at the end of a patriarchal cycle of this world. The new cycle is beginning. It will at first be somewhat balanced, for the first thousand years, according to our teachings, but it will gradually change to a complete matriarchy and women will rule society. But, more of this later.”

“What do you mean later?” I said with indignation. “Here you are making an important statement on the future of the human race and you stop in the middle.”

“Later, William,” she said patiently. “First things first. You asked a question and haven’t heard the answer yet.

“The fifth or spiritual plane is that which contains the deities known by some as angels and others by archetypal symbols of creation. These beings created the various planets in their solar system and each planet has an angelic host and planetary guardian. For instance, the planet, Earth, has a guardian known as Earth Mother by some and Jehovah by others.

“Above the spiritual plane is the plane of duality. This is the above of those entities known as the Lord and Lady; the God and Goddess; the male and female aspects of the Great Spirit. These are the forces who we worship, and by worshiping, give them power. Remember William that all power rises on the planes, ultimately going to the Great Spirit who resides on the celestial plane.

“Of the upper three planes, we know very little, only what the adepts and masters tell us. But, we can experience the lower four, and we do this by meditating and learning concentration. For our task is to learn all there is to know about the four lowest planes through trial and error and seeking enlightenment. The ultimate goal, of course, is being one with the Great Spirit.”

“The earth will soon undergo a cataclysmic change in its physical makeup between 2012 and 2023. Continents will become flooded and new land will appear out of the sea. The oldest religion will become the new religion. The cycle is beginning anew.
“In order to raise yourself from the physical to the astral dimension, you must give up traditional concepts of evil. You must expand your sense of love, of health, and of understanding. You must also learn to contact those parts of your being that are male and those parts that are female, for both exist regardless of the sex of your body.

“The primary aim of all those who follow our pathway is enlightenment. And, what is enlightenment? It is the realization of your oneness with the Great Spirit, but it does not come as a gift of knowledge. It comes, rather, as a mystical experience.

“The true evidence of God/dess is unknown. We see the Lord and the Lady as a symbol of our visualization of the God/dess, as a symbol of the evolution of the soul. For, humankind is eternally attempting to return to the creator and in the process of this journey one is reincarnated to learn and experience certain lessons, these lessons being important to the soul’s progression.

“To Y Dynion Mwyn, everything is a matrix of balancing opposites - - the equilibriating process. This is energy. This is life.

“In your daily life, at any given moment, you have a multitude of choices of action, some trivial and some of extreme importance. You may laugh or not, go swimming or read, talk, walk, or sit, harm someone or turn the other cheek. In your choice you fix reality by making that choice a physical action instead of a possibility. “

Here is another excerpt from The Quest revealing WHY?
THE STORY OF WHY

“Assuredly there is a price to knowledge. It is to be given only to those who can keep it and not use it. . .” - Ikrima

We gathered around as the Bard began to speak. “We are not here in order to gratify your desire for truth. We are here to show you a pathway which will lead you to that which you are seeking.”

“Why?” one of the newest ones asked.

“Why, what?” smiled the Bard as she turned to the seeker, understanding that initial frustration of each new class of seekers.

“Why can’t you gratify our desire for truth?” stammered the new seeker.

“Innocent one, listen to the story of Why!” She spoke with sparkling eyes:

* * * *

One night while sitting on the moon, I leaned over grasping the west pointing horn of it, and looked down. Against the other horn a Shing One reclined motionless and looked across at me.

Below me, the hills and valleys were thick with Cymry, and the moon swung low that I might see them. ‘Who are they?’ I asked the Shing One, for I was unafraid.
‘They are the sons and daughters of the Infinite One.’ answered the Shining One.
I looked again and saw that they beat and trampled one another and sometimes they didn’t seem to know when one of their fellow creates whom they pushed from their path fell under their fee. But, sometimes, they did look and kicked him brutally.

I looked up at the Shining One. ‘Are they all the sons and daughters of the Infinite One?’

And the Shining One answered, ‘All.’

I leaned over again and it grew clear to me as I watched them that each one was frantically seeking something, and that it was because they sought what they sought with such singleness of purpose that they were so inhuman to all who hindered them. ‘What do they seek?’
I asked the Shining One.

‘Happiness.’

‘Are they all seeking happiness?’

‘All.’ but ‘None of those have found it.’

‘Do they ever think that they have found it?’

‘Sometimes they think they have found it.’

My eyes filled with tears, for at this moment I caught a glimpse of a woman with a babe at her breast, and I saw the babe torn from her arms and the woman was cast into a deep pit by a man whose eyes were fixed on a shining yellow lump that he believed to be, or possibly to contain, I know not which, happiness.
And I turned to the Shining One. My eyes were blinded. ‘Will they ever find it?’

And he said, ‘They will find it.’
‘All of them?’

‘All of them.’
‘Those who are trampled?’

‘Those who are trampled.’

‘And those who trample?’
‘And those who trample.’

I looked again for a long time at what they were doing on the hills and in the valleys and again my eyes were blinded with tears. And I sobbed out to the Shining One, ‘Is it the Gods’ will, or the work of a devil that humankind seeks happiness?’

‘It is the Gods’ will.’

‘But, it looks so like the work of a devil.’

The Shining One smiled inscrutably. ‘It does look like the work of a devil, doesn’t it?’

When I had looked a while longer, I cried out protesting, ‘Why have they been put down there to seek happiness and to cause each other such immeasurable misery?’

Again the Shining One smiled inscrutably. ‘They are learning.’
‘What are they learning?’

‘They are learning life, and they are learning love.’

I said nothing. One man in the herd below held me breathless. Fascinated, I watched as bound, struggling bodies of living men were laid before him, that he might tread upon them and never touch foot to earth. Proudly he strode over them, but suddenly a whirlwind seized him, tore his purple robe from him, and set him down, naked among strangers. They fell on him and maltreated him sorely. I clapped my hands. ‘Good! Good! I cried excitedly. ‘He got what he deserved.’

Then I looked up suddenly and saw again the inscrutable smile fo the Shining One who spoke quietly. ‘They all get what they deserve.’

‘And no worse?’ I asked incredulously.

‘No worse.’
‘And no better?’

‘How can there be any better? They each deserve whatever shall teach tem the true way to happiness.’

I was silenced. And still the people went on seeking and trampling each other in their eagerness to find , and I perceived what I had not fully grasped before. That the wind, seemingly without design, caught them up from time to time and set them down elsewhere to continue the search. And, I said to the Shining One, ‘Does the whirlwind always set them down again on these hills and in these valleys?’

And the Shining One said, ‘Not always on these hills and in these valleys.’
‘Where, then?’

‘Look above you.’

And I looked up. Above me stretched the Milky Way and gleaming stars. And I breathed, ‘Oh,’ and fell silent, awed by what was given me to comprehend. Below me, they still trampled each other. And I asked the Shining One, ‘But, no matter where the whirlwind sets them down, they go down seeking happiness?’

‘They go seeking happiness.’

‘And the whirlwind makes no mistakes?’

‘The whirlwind makes no mistakes.’

‘It puts them down sooner or later where they will get what they deserve?’
‘This is so.’

Then the load crushing my heart lightened, and I found I could look at the brutal cruelties that went on below me with pity for the cruel, and the longer I looked, the stronger the compassion grew. And I said to the Shining One, ‘They act like men goaded.’

‘They are goaded.’

‘Who goads them?’
‘The name of the goad is desire.’

Then, when I had looked a while longer, I cried out passionately, ‘Desire is an evil thing.’

But the face of the Shining One grew stern and his voice rang out, dismaying me.

‘Desire is not an evil thing!’

I trembled and thought, withdrawing myself into the innermost chamber of my heart till at last I said, ‘It is desire that nerves men to learn the lessons the Gods have set?’

‘This is so.’

‘The lessons of life and love?’
‘The lessons of life and love.

Then I could no longer see that they were cruel. I could only see that they were learning. I watched them with deep love and compassion as one by one, the whirlwind carried them out of sight.

* * * *
As the Bard ended her story, we sat silently, each lost in thought. After a while, a sandy haired guy with a handwoven sweater spoke out.

“What you are saying then is that we should just allow the uncertainties of life to take us where it will and not do anything about it.”
“Not quite,” the Bard laughed rather cryptically, making us all ill at ease.

Cowed, the new seeker cringed and tried to hide behind the others.
“Innocent one,” said the Bard. “Have your experiences here meant so little to you?
William, will you try to pull a needle through the weave of the story.”

“Oh no,” I groaned inwardly. I felt she was testing me. I was still trying to work with memory and logic, trying to grasp details in a sensible way. “I’m not sure where to begin. There is jut so much symbolism,” I stammered.

“Symbolism, huh?” the Bard snorted.
“The whirlwind does symbolize the uncertainties of life,” I began a little stronger.

“Yes-s-s,” she said thoughtfully. “But is that the real essence of the story? Isn’t there more to it?”

“Yes,” I said. “To me, this story communicates the unknowable aspects of the Great Spirit and the God and Goddess. It shows that no matter what our action, we will receive our just reward.”

“Do you think the story proves the concept of reincarnation?” said the Bard, her eyes twinkling.

“No,” I said confidently. “The story doesn’t prove anything any more than the Christian Bible proves that the world was created in seven days. But, it does give a seeker food for thought which will help that seeker in the search for truth.”

The Bard looked at the lanky kid who had spoken first with a kindly expression. “If you remember anything, remember to look deeper into those things that may seem simple at first.”

The young novice nodded, still fumbling a bit with confusion.
The Bard turned to me. “And, William, don’t become so caught up in symbolism that you forget to feel and experience with your heart as well as with your head. The symbolism will eventually be understood.

She addressed all of us. “The meaning of the story is not simple. You must look at all actions and all incidents of life as a communication from the God and Goddess. When you have learned to understand those messages, you will have succeeded in raising your consciousness just that much higher, and your soul will experience those things which are needed for progression. Therefore, if it seems that you are getting more than your share of misfortune, don’t despair, for the lessons are more important than the incidents. Try to do only good works and you will help -to balance out the karmic debts of past lives. And ever remember the law of the threefold return - - ‘Whatever is done, returns to the doer threefold.’”

That night, exhausted from the day’s work, I lay on my pallet and thought of the story. And as our guide’s words came back to me, I began to see that although the story was only a story, the ideas that it generated were endless: Man’s inhumanity to man; the uncertainties of life; reincarnation; the concept of the Godhead; the Divine Plan. They were all represented in the story, and I began to see that our guide was correct as usual. “Feel the experience first and don’t get so caught up in the symbolism. The symbolism will come later.”

It’s been over eleven years now since I first heard that story. I have yet to completely investigate all of its many concepts.