The history of science teaches us that no single theory explains all

aspects of any phenomenon, and there is always more than a single

theory that claims to account for the observable facts. It should be

possible, then, to honour past life experiences and come up with

alternative explanations that do not include the theory that souls

survive death or that there is a continuity of individual consciousness

form one lifetime to another.

***

Actually, we do find at least two alternative explanations in spiritual

literature. In the Hindu mystical tradition, for example, the literal

belief in reincarnation is considered to be an inferior interpretation of

karma. This theory suggests that all boundaries and divisions in the

universe are arbitrary. In the final analysis, only the creative principle

of Cosmic Consciousness exists. Only it incarnates, that is, takes

physical form. From this point of view, the entire universe is a divine

play (lila) of one Supreme Being (Brahman). Anyone who grasps this

concept will see that karmic appearances are just another level of

illusion.

***

Another explanation is that the entity that incarnates is the entire field

of human consciousness. This field, which can be called the Oversoul,

includes all human life; spread over the entire planet, and all time, it

assumes individual identities in order to explore and learn about itself.

After the death of an individual, the unassimilated portions of that life experience return to the Oversoul, where they become building blocks

for future incarnations. Like the image of the multi-chambered

Nautilus shell, the theory of Oversoul incorporates the concepts of

separation and continuity in a way that transcends both.

***

(page 134, The Holotropic Mind by Stanislav Grof, M.D. Harper

Collins, 1992.)