Talk:Old Souls
Children who exhibit great maturity and spiritual inclinations are often referred to as ‘old souls’. So are adults whose character shows great refinement and development. Why do old souls come into being?
Using the analogy of a theme park, a modern Hindu teacher explains,
“Even though all souls are eternal, if a soul has many desires to fulfill within matter, it is likely to be relatively young or new to the park. If they are bored with the park and ready to move on, then chances are that they are older souls who have been around for many [human] lifetimes. “Been there, done that” would be their motto and you would see them looking for the exit of the park rather than lining up for the next ride. In other words, humans are here in the park to collect a certain amount of experience, just as the soul had previously done by giving birth to the lower species.[1]”
The existence of old souls among us is often taken as another proof for the theory of rebirth,
“Aside from simply being more mature souls, old souls serve a vital function on a macroscopic scale as well, for they are the impetus behind every great forward stride humanity has taken toward its collective enlightenment. For example, the abolition of slavery may not have been possible until enough old souls jointly decided that slavery was no longer an acceptable way to treat human beings and, through the sheer force of their will alone, were able to convince enough young souls to follow them and abolish the hated practice. As such, some of the greatest abolitionists in history may have been old souls (despite their shortcomings in other areas). Human rights activists, peacemakers, political dissidents, spiritual teachers, civil rights leaders, free-ranging physicians, and caretakers along with a whole host of those who strive to make a more peaceful, just, and compassionate world are often old souls who are determined to make a difference and alter the face of society. Many may give their lives in the process; others will sacrifice careers, family, wealth, and even safety in the effort to drag society a little further along the road toward enlightenment. Old souls do not look to escape the brutalities of this world but instead, seek to change the world so that brutality disappears from its face. Though old souls often fail and are sometimes crushed beneath the heel of a dictator’s boot, their capacity to shape the direction of the society – while frequently imperceptible – is relentless and inexorable, and is frequently seen only in hindsight many centuries after the fact. But their effects are felt and will continue to be appreciated in the coming centuries as humanity strives to pull itself out of darkness and into the light of its divinity. That is only one of the positive products of reincarnation, but one of its most important.[2]”