Souls

As i stood in the courtyard of the family temple and watched all the women of the family placing their offerings at all of the altars, i tried to understand what exactly is supposed to happen at this ceremony. just then my friend walked over to me and i decided to ask him what it is all about.

"my brother has a soul. before that soul was in my brothers body, it was in another body, and maybe one day that man vowed to God that when he finishes building his big house, he will make a big offering in praise of God. But maybe that man died before he was able to actualize his vow. then that soul has a debt in this world. and when it entered my brother when he was conceived, it became my brothers debt. so now my brother is making this big offering in order to clear the soul of his vow to God, be released from the responsibility of it, and to be able to get on with his life. until now my brother felt a heaviness in him. things were not smooth and flowing. when my mother went to the balian with him, the balian said that my brothers soul has a debt that needs to be paid. so that is why we are doing this ceremony today."

"so each one of us has a soul somewhere up there in heaven?"

"the souls linger here too in the family temple. a soul can have many bodies, not only enter one. but usually it is connected to former family members and stays in the clan. when i was born my mother took me to the balian and he told her my soul is my grandfather on my mothers side. i feel my soul is young. there are young and old souls. a young soul has a lot of energy and reacts extremely to things, is excited, and energetic. old souls are like little children that like to just sit and look around, and are more quiet."

"so how does that influence you once you know what soul is in your child or you?"

"it helps me have an intention of respect and honor for the child or even myself. to accept and care for this soul. maybe they only have one more incarnation before they reach moksa (release from rebirth). so they have been reborn now and have a correction to make in this lifetime, and then they will be released. i am here in order to help them be released, "

"so is that why you are all so loving and gentle with the children and feed them sweets all the time, and are so nice to each other?"

"yes, we try and make it as comfortable for them as possible so that they will have good karma and not have difficult times. when my wife was pregnant with our son, i asked the balian who the soul of the child is. he said that it is an uncle of mine that had a sharp temper and was very strong and powerful. that really is my sons' character, as you see him at age 3. sometimes the soul of a woman can be reborn in the body of a man, and then you see many feminine characteristics in the man; like putting on aftershave, and certain movements. "

towards the end of the ceremony, his brother had to take a coconut and crack it on the ground into two. this would symbolize the breaking of the debt that he had to his soul from the past. next he and his wife were told to pull their index finger through a long palm leaf, and when they finished the priest did the same and then crumbled it up and burnt it in the small fire offering that the priest has going during the ceremony. this symbolized the tearing up of the parchment of the debt and end of the vow.

i declined from asking him what happens if his brothers' life does not change for the better after this big ceremony. i realized it was opening my mouth to the devil. i don't think they even have such thoughts come to mind. for them it is evident that this is what has caused the lack of happiness and abundance in his brothers' life and now it is over! i realized that this approach towards everyone allows a new type of tolerance towards everyone and everything. we are all just who we are, and there is no justification to judge or condemn anyone since each of us is just somewhere on our path with the soul that we are, doing our best to live a life of compassion and love towards all of gods' creations.