Rebirth. . .?

Let me narrate a few common incidents which everybody experiences at one time or another in their lives.Some instances are:

i. a baby's cry during sleep attributed to visions of previous birth, or dreams in which fox frightens.

ii. meeting someone for the first time but there is a persisting belief that you had already met him /her somewhere earlier.

iii. so with places you visit for the first time, but you have a feeling you have already seen/lived there.

iv. newspaper reports about cases of reincarnation, identifying and renewing relationships, demanding money lent in the past birth.

As a boy of five or six, I was taken to a place called Uthukkottai near Sathiyavedu, then a part of composite state of Madras Presidency. I took a jolly ride on a cycle. The water  tank, the school building with the bouganvilla - all looked so familiar.

When I went to Madras for recruitment as a College teacher I found a handsome young man in suit  talking to other candidates, while I was with some. After sometime when we introduced ourselves he said he had seen me earlier and asked if I had ever visited Hyderabad or Sagar University. "No" was my reply. I put the same questions and was surprised to learn that it was his first visit to Madras.

Earlier while studying at MCC, Madras, I read a lot about such uncanny phenomena. Though a student of literature I called on Dr C.T.Krishnamachary, Prof. of Philosophy in his house and discussed such matters. It was then I came to know of the term 'parapsychology'.

Later, years  later, many stories about reincarnation were proved to be either hoax or a serious drama, well-rehearsed and meant to make money. This explains the fourth point on the list. [ "Nadi" astrology has something interesting to add to the discussion, and I will take it up in my next blog.]

After years of cogitations I thought I hit upon an expalnation to the second and third items of the four mentioned above. I understood the way mind works at different times and places. We have to learn something about seeing without observing , and perceiving things. When you are visiting a new place eyes devour many scenes around without your actually seeing them. But eyes, like a camera, keeps registering things in mind though you have not thoughtfully noted them. When your attention turns from one thing to another you are surprised to see the scene already registered quite unconsciously in your mind.   I did not know whether this explanation was correct. The proof came a few years ago when I opened Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult Words (in Hyderabad) my eyes caught the word PARAMNESIA, which means i.abnormality of memory, esp. forgetting of meaning of words; ii. illusion of having experienced before events which are being experienced for the first time.I was terribly satisfied.

Bye for the present, and I shall come back to you with a few more 'mysteries' and  answers to them.

Dr M.D.Jayabalan