If you could come back to life, would you?

Look, "spirituality" is such a loose term... everyone just defines it however they want. Sure, maybe if someone’s had some wild out-of-body experience and feels like they're floating between this world and whatever comes next, they might make decisions based on that—but honestly, those kinds of experiences? They're pretty questionable at best.
Anyway, whether reincarnation is a thing or not, you’re eventually going to end up in that eternal state. Every soul is basically gravitating toward that finality, and let's face it, this life is just a fleeting phase anyway. That's why I find it more likely that once a soul actually feels that state, it’ll just want to stay there forever. And you can't truly get there while you're stuck in a body... no matter how much you think you aren't tethered to it, you always are.

Michael Moore3 said:Exactly—it's just data without the weight of lived reality. Though, I wouldn't say this "absorption" was passed down to me through study, but rather through a sudden sense of clarity.
But what I'm actually curious about is whether you have a different version of this story—one born from the experience of actually existing outside that cycle.

Not quite. I haven't spent much time digging through texts or memorizing definitions; most of my understanding comes from direct insight. Consequently, I don't really lean on Eastern terminology and find myself needing to explain things using a more American cultural vocabulary.

Do you think you'd even be on this forum if that were the case?

Regardless, since this topic clearly fascinates you, I suggest you dig into the texts known as the "5 minor Upanishads":

1. The Bible
2. The Bible
3. The Bible
4. The Bible
5. The Bible

They discuss what we've uncovered in this thread in great detail and in practical terms. And then some. I suspect you'll find them quite enlightening.

ironharbor8, thanks so much! 🙂

Michael Moore3 said:I wasn't actually planning on replying to your post, as I started this thread specifically to let people share their perspectives without getting into debates, but since you directed your comment toward me, I suppose I should offer my own take:
what acts as light to one person might be darkness to another; what serves as nourishment for one could be poison for someone else; what one person considers trash is treasure to another, and what feels like a chore to some is pure joy to others.
it all comes down to perception. if you want to expand that perception, you have to step outside of every mental "frame" you hold onto; you have to free your mind from its own boundaries, because the mind is essentially limitless in how it perceives the world. here is why I say that:
light to a human is darkness to a bat; food for a person might be indigestible to most animals; what a wealthy person tosses away is a windfall for someone struggling—just look at any local flea market; and while studying might feel like a burden to some, for an intellectual, it is a profound pleasure.

I am not judging you, because the universe you've constructed for yourself may not appeal to me, but I would ask that you don't try to impose it on me—if you hadn't addressed me directly, I wouldn't have felt the need to respond, and then it would have just been your opinion.
I don't have anything against your viewpoint; in fact, it adds variety to the conversation, provided we stay within the realm where we leave the choice to everyone else.

Neo, you're getting worked up over nothing... It's better to doubt than to settle into complacency. Doubt leads you to reality; complacency eventually leads to frustration.

Morpheus: I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice. Tumbling down the rabbit hole?

Neo: You could say that.

Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind -- driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

Neo: The Matrix?

Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is?
(Neo nods his head.)

Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, or when you go to church, or when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. (long pause, sighs) Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.
(In his left hand, Morpheus shows a blue pill.)

Morpheus:You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. (a red pill is shown in his other hand) You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. (Long pause; Neo begins to reach for the red pill)

Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.

(Neo takes the red pill and swallows it with a glass of water)

Sandra Morgan2 said:Neo, you're getting worked up over nothing... It's better to doubt than to settle into complacency. Doubt leads you to reality; complacency eventually leads to frustration.

Morpheus: I imagine that right now you're feeling a bit like Alice. Tumbling down the rabbit hole?

Neo: You could say that.

Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. Like a splinter in your mind -- driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?

Neo: The Matrix?

Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is?
(Neo nods his head.)

Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere, it is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, or when you go to church, or when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Neo: What truth?

Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. (long pause, sighs) Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back.
(In his left hand, Morpheus shows a blue pill.)

Morpheus:You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. (a red pill is shown in his other hand) You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. (Long pause; Neo begins to reach for the red pill)

Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.

(Neo takes the red pill and swallows it with a glass of water)

Why do you keep coming after me directly? Could you perhaps frame this more abstractly, like a passing thought, similar to how most people here tend to communicate? Because by targeting me specifically, you trigger a response from me that you then misinterpret as anger.
And honestly, what makes you so certain you know what's "better" for me, or why you're convinced I'm just being complacent instead of questioning things? I'm not actually emotionally attached to this inquiry; I'm genuinely just curious about the reasoning behind your perspective.

Michael Moore3 said:Why do you keep coming after me directly? Could you perhaps frame this more abstractly, like a passing thought, similar to how most people here tend to communicate? Because by targeting me specifically, you trigger a response from me that you then misinterpret as anger.
And honestly, what makes you so certain you know what's "better" for me, or why you're convinced I'm just being complacent instead of questioning things? I'm not actually emotionally attached to this inquiry; I'm genuinely just curious about the reasoning behind your perspective.

Wrong answer....👎

Best,

ironharbor8 said:Two-thirds of the world's population resides in what we call "developing nations." Every single hour, every day, and every year, 4,000 people perish from starvation. Roughly 30% of the people living in these regions lack access to clean drinking water—if they have any at all. That isn't even touching on the endless cycle of warfare, violence, exploitation, human rights abuses, gender inequality, human trafficking, racism, or religious intolerance. Would I choose to be born into an environment like that? Let me think about that for a second... 🙂 🙂

Everything you said is true, but there are also things that just hit you right in the feels and change how you see everything. You know the key is living in the "now," but without acknowledging all that darkness, you wouldn't truly appreciate the light you've experienced and know you have just enough of. It's like when a single drop becomes too much and the glass overflows; death isn't the end, but it sure makes it harder to push through the daily grind. You're speaking sense, wearyhawk83, and just remember: don't just pick a life, pick how you want to taste it. 😉

wearyhawk83 said:Everything you said is true, but there are also things that just hit you right in the feels and change how you see everything. You know the key is living in the "now," but without acknowledging all that darkness, you wouldn't truly appreciate the light you've experienced and know you have just enough of. It's like when a single drop becomes too much and the glass overflows; death isn't the end, but it sure makes it harder to push through the daily grind. You're speaking sense, wearyhawk83, and just remember: don't just pick a life, pick how you want to taste it. 😉

That’s a poetic way of putting it, 🙂

I'm just not quite sold on that last part. 🤷

ironharbor8 said:That’s a poetic way of putting it, 🙂

I'm just not quite sold on that last part. 🤷

Real freedom comes from being brave enough to question everything.🙂

I don't know how many times this has come up over the last couple of years, but here we go again, Joe Black style.

We all signed a blank contract a long time ago. Open-ended. No specific terms negotiated. A few people actually signed knowing roughly when it might happen—not a date or a specific hour, mind you, just a vague timeframe, though it always feels like there’s never quite enough time. One side of the deal is usually pretty much set in stone. I can only really try to haggle over the perks. I have just one wish, though. The contract is already finalized; there’s no breaking it now. At this point, it’s basically just an amendment. It’s only been two years, maybe less. I haven't worked out the fine print yet. Maybe I should talk to a lawyer? But then again, who would represent someone walking the line? Who could possibly guarantee that the other party will be merciful or actually follow through on the agreement? Can anyone truly be lucky or certain enough to have their wishes granted before crossing over? Or do you just leave without that final request being met? There aren't any magic lamps out there. So, do you just keep hoping until the end?...

I’d like to live as long as the longest day lasts. The worms would have finished their job long ago, but I’d still be out there, stubbornly chasing that one thing that remains just out of reach. One day I’ll catch it, surely! I’d still want to hear that obnoxious alarm clock every single morning, even if I knew I was going to mess something up today, fall behind schedule, or just screw something up. Life happens to everyone, after all. Once someone finally shows me the gates of heaven and that guy with the white beard and the shepherd's staff leads me in, then I'll gladly call it quits!

I can't say I'd ever go back—though, who knows?

Michael Moore3 said:Imagine a moment where you’re facing your own end, fully aware of the finality of it all—everything you’ve built, everything you’ve owned, and the entirety of your physical existence on this planet...
And then, with that heavy realization, you’re asked a single question: Would you choose to return to an Earth like this one? You’d start over as a completely different person, free from the baggage and anxieties of your previous life, beginning from scratch with the absolute freedom to design a life exactly how you want it. The only thing that carries over is your core essence, the fundamental "you." Would you actually opt back into a material existence like ours?"

So, would you take that deal? Yes or no, and what’s the reasoning behind it? 🙂

Not sure if everyone has moved on from this topic, but it still interests me, so...
I wanted to answer you, but then it hit me: you didn't actually mention the alternative. If I'm choosing what to do, what is the other option?

jadeskipper7 said:Not sure if everyone has moved on from this topic, but it still interests me, so...
I wanted to answer you, but then it hit me: you didn't actually mention the alternative. If I'm choosing what to do, what is the other option?

hmmm, thanks for pointing that out...
Well, when I talk about an alternative, I'm really referring to whatever someone expects to encounter once they pass away—which was the whole point of starting this thread—so for me, the alternative would be existing in some sort of spiritual dimension where everything is perceived purely through the mind. It would essentially be the same as our physical reality, except you aren't tethered to matter, meaning you could go wherever you want, think whatever you want, and move however you please, though you'd be entirely alone in that experience because there's no way to know if what you're seeing is another being or just a trick of your own imagination...
from what I understand of Buddhist teachings, that’s roughly how the spiritual realm is described, and I suppose that's precisely why achieving enlightenment during one's physical life is even possible...

I would return as a ghost; if only to watch over those I left behind...

Michael Moore3 said:hmmm, thanks for pointing that out...
Well, when I talk about an alternative, I'm really referring to whatever someone expects to encounter once they pass away—which was the whole point of starting this thread—so for me, the alternative would be existing in some sort of spiritual dimension where everything is perceived purely through the mind. It would essentially be the same as our physical reality, except you aren't tethered to matter, meaning you could go wherever you want, think whatever you want, and move however you please, though you'd be entirely alone in that experience because there's no way to know if what you're seeing is another being or just a trick of your own imagination...
from what I understand of Buddhist teachings, that’s roughly how the spiritual realm is described, and I suppose that's precisely why achieving enlightenment during one's physical life is even possible...

See, I envision life after death a bit differently. My views align most closely with the idea that this afterlife is the "real" existence—our true home. We leave it by choice, arriving here on Earth to fulfill a specific purpose or task we selected for ourselves... I should clarify that I don't believe this unconditionally; I just hope it's true. I’d love to believe it, but I'm the type of person who needs to see things with my own eyes to be convinced...
To answer your question: no. With my current mental and emotional makeup, I wouldn't live here again... but I get your point. The obvious answer is that since I don't have a complete picture of myself, the world, or what comes after death, my negative response is likely just a byproduct of that uncertainty.
The worst-case scenario is what a few others mentioned: reincarnation happening automatically, without any choice involved. That feels like being trapped in a rigged loop with no exit... and I truly hope that isn't the case.
It makes me wonder why we don't have answers to these questions. If this other dimension exists, why aren't we aware of it? Perhaps our ignorance serves a purpose of its own...

Man, I’d give anything just to be human again...
Like, if I actually had a say in the matter, I’d choose to head back to the past in a heartbeat instead of dealing with some post-apocalyptic wasteland 😁

If you died, would you actually want to come back?
Hell no... it's that simple... I honestly hate my life so much right now that I’d rather just end the whole thing this very second!
What do you mean, "come back"?😢

Betty Morgan5 said:If you died, would you actually want to come back?
Hell no... it's that simple... I honestly hate my life so much right now that I’d rather just end the whole thing this very second!
What do you mean, "come back"?😢

Well, you’re the one who decides how your life unfolds, isn't that right? The question of returning isn't really about wanting to jump back into your current circumstances, but rather whether you'd choose to return to this dimension and its freedoms in general.
And since we have the agency to shape our own lives, I can't help but wonder why you've allowed yours to settle into a shape that doesn't suit you; why not just shake things up and take some decisive action to change it?

Michael Moore3 said:Well, you’re the one who decides how your life unfolds, isn't that right? The question of returning isn't really about wanting to jump back into your current circumstances, but rather whether you'd choose to return to this dimension and its freedoms in general.
And since we have the agency to shape our own lives, I can't help but wonder why you've allowed yours to settle into a shape that doesn't suit you; why not just shake things up and take some decisive action to change it?

Well, I probably wouldn't have pulled it off! At least, that's my take on it anyway...

Betty Morgan5 said:Well, I probably wouldn't have pulled it off! At least, that's my take on it anyway...

So, if you swap out that hesitant "I think I might" for a more certain "I know I can," and then apply that shift to every passing second you spend reading this, everything changes. Start by holding onto that conviction during the smallest tasks—like just washing your hands, for instance—and then gradually expand it to the bigger, more significant moments in life. It’s almost laughably simple, really; just letting that flow of positive momentum take over, and you might find your whole world shifting for the better. 👍