Heaven and Earth

Christianity has its heaven. Buddhism has nirvana. Where do Witches go when they die? Many of them believe that their Souls go to Summerland, a resting place before reincarnation into new bodies, in an ongoing cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth.

Generally speaking, Witches and Wiccans accept the idea of reincarnation, a belief that has also existed in numerous cultures and faiths for a very long time. Some African tribes claim the Soul goes into the belly of the earth to await rebirth. In China, the Spirits of the dead are said to wait in the Underworld (which is not hell, but simply a place for Spirits). Hindus believe that the Spirit, freed from the physical body, waits to be reborn from the stars.

If your soul previously inhabited other bodies, why can't you remember your previous lives? It seems that between death and rebirth memories of past lives are veiled, perhaps to prevent confusion or to enable you to enter into a new lifetime with a fresh perspective. Many people say their memories of previous existences have reawakened in dreams, during meditation, through hypnosis or regression therapy, or as a result of some type of traumatic experience.

Perhaps you had a déjá vu experience or encountered someone you felt you'd known forever, even though you'd just met. These common occurrences are often explained as evidence of reincarnation. Indeed, a great deal of research has been conducted over the years that supports this idea. Regardless of whether you recall your past lives, the events of previous incarnations shape your present existence.