Why Become Earth Bound?

[Lion Spirit Walker]

I believe that life continues beyond the lifetime, beyond the existance in the shell/body. I also believe that when some leave the body they can become 'earth bound'. They continue on this plane of existance for a period of time as spirits.
My question is why remain earth bound if there is freedom of choice?

[mary]

Would it be because of the people we loved when we were alive is still on Earth? At least I think it would be my only reason to stay earth bound if have have a choice to do so, to wait for the ones I love so we can go together...

Bless you Michael, hope you're doing OK my friend

[Kiran]

Personally I feel some choose to stay earthbound to help assist others here...others do not, they remain as they may be unaware they are no longer corporeal. Just my tuppence worth

[Narnia]

Earth and all the Spirits within it's Atmosphere i.e., Water, Land, Plants, Minerals, Animals (including ourselves) are extremely Special .... I agree with what all of you have said ....

Earth has the Ying-Yang balance of Universal laws ... Life - Death, Light - Dark, Survive - Perish, Creation - Destruction, Simplicity - Complexity, Hot - Cold, Warm - Cool, Love - Hate, etc ... we all experience these whether it be in the form of a Human or an Animal ... I think one of the reasons some Spirits become 'Earth-Bound' is because of some unfinished business from a previous Life, or because it is fimiliar, or perhaps there is a fear of the unknown, a fear of leaving the nest so to speak ....

I like to think that each Spirit, in their own due course will eventually graduate onto the next level ...

I may add more as the thoughts to come to me ...

Fantastic topic ... love it!! :D

[Lion Spirit Walker]

My sincere thanks to each of you for your shared insightfulness.

[BlueStar]

I believe things like addictions can keep people earthbound -- when their cravings and compulsions dominate their consciousness so much, they can't bear to let go. In Buddhism they speak of a level of the astral plane being the 'realm of hungry ghosts', wherein they are depicted as constantly ravenous (not necessarily for food, but for whatever addictive substances they took in incarnation and maybe for power, money, sexual gratification, etc) but unable to fulfil their lust and longing.

Also attachments I guess. Again, in Buddhism, the way to breaking the wheel of rebirth is to finally become free of all attachments. When the cords of attachment are severed, the soul doesn't need to keep coming back. So they say :)

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Interesting food for thought my dear friend. I'm familiar with the Buddhist beliefs. And for myself they make sense.
A silly thought comes to mind. I wonder if a spirit might remain simply to 'play'.?. And if so, do they then become bound to this plane of existance for a set time?
Thinking out loud...

[Rana]

the way i understand it ..is that they still have learning to complete in this plane of existence . to be with "free will "one is detatched from their ego and personality , many are not aware of their spirit through a lifetime and are still attatched to the ego and personality they think IS them therefore they remain Earth bound until further learning occurrs or until they are "crossed "over . as you know there is no feeling of time so to the spirit existing in the physical realm that passed say in the 1800's that projection is still of that time period.

[Ryan]

This is one of my theories. I’m still learning about the workings of the universe, of course. :)

As mentioned in "Why is Art Important," I discussed how we are all children of the Universe--our elemental constituencies are the crucibles of the Cosmos. With that said, I believe that after death, there isn't really a choice on where “you” and anyone else would like to go. Spirits are simply energy--not consciously active, not human-like; they're simply an energetic culmination of everything that mankind has done, and so they remain on earth where they are basically bound. That is to say, that like attracts like (especially when it comes to energy). I think that perhaps Spirits may not predominately be the remains of one person, but a collection of similar energy patterns left by people. You could have a spirit that contains energy imprints from a time you helped someone, and from a time someone several thousand years ago helped someone. That is why spirits are not discriminatory. And so, considering the fact that the Earth is an energetically powerful center (due to a specific group of 6 billion “magnets”), most spirits don't have a chance to leave Earth as they become attracted to the energy patterns of everything that remains living.

[God's Toy]

My question is why remain earth bound if there is freedom of choice?


Simple answer is the vow: 'Bodhisattva'


May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

[Rana]

even the Dalai Llama says he has many more lives to live to balance his karma...

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Generally speaking, we don't choose. We simply go on to do what must be done.?.

[Narnia]

Generally speaking, we don't choose. We simply go on to do what must be done.?.

Yes ... :)

[chateau]

Is anyone familiar with Kashmir Shaivism? My teacher sent me the book of Self Realization by Swami Lakshmanjoo. My understanding of it is that we are all divine energy. Divine meaning we are God. If we broke it down, God experiences through the constant creating, protecting and destruction of life. It goes through eternity and throughout the universe. Our energy never dies, it just goes on to recreate in another form. It is like God is the Captain of the football team and the universe (including us) are the team, field, cheerleader and etc. Yet, we are also God (the source) because we are a part of his energy. So there is a micro view of life and a cosmo/macro view. Nature is the best view of the micro view. Can't everyone see the perfection in nature? We couldn't survive as humans if nature wasn't as perfect and balanced as it is. That is us seeing God in "form". We are all created out of that same perfection which makes us all One. But then we have to realize the Universe is bigger than we can ever imagine. I read a blog about how vast the Universe really is scientifically. In the realm of reality, the earth is just a grain of sand in what we could call the ocean of the universe. Humans are then just microscopic movement on that grain of sand.

I am starting to understand that when we die, there really is no separation. Just from the body that no longer serves our experience (of God's experience).

[Lion Spirit Walker]

Is anyone familiar with Kashmir Shaivism? My teacher sent me the book of Self Realization by Swami Lakshmanjoo. My understanding of it is that we are all divine energy. Divine meaning we are God. If we broke it down, God experiences through the constant creating, protecting and destruction of life. It goes through eternity and throughout the universe. Our energy never dies, it just goes on to recreate in another form. It is like God is the Captain of the football team and the universe (including us) are the team, field, cheerleader and etc. Yet, we are also God (the source) because we are a part of his energy. So there is a micro view of life and a cosmo/macro view. Nature is the best view of the micro view. Can't everyone see the perfection in nature? We couldn't survive as humans if nature wasn't as perfect and balanced as it is. That is us seeing God in "form". We are all created out of that same perfection which makes us all One. But then we have to realize the Universe is bigger than we can ever imagine. I read a blog about how vast the Universe really is scientifically. In the realm of reality, the earth is just a grain of sand in what we could call the ocean of the universe. Humans are then just microscopic movement on that grain of sand.

I am starting to understand that when we die, there really is no separation. Just from the body that no longer serves our experience (of God's experience).
...
Good, insightful post. Tyvm.