The Connection Between Reincarnation and Recycling

When you think about recycling, you think about those little blue or green boxes that people put out at the curbside every week with aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and the like. There is a lot more to why recycling is important than just the weekly recycle pickup.

This article contains an interesting proposition for people from all backgrounds regardless of their views about reincarnation. Reincarnation is concerned with people living future lives in human form. Recycling concerns the reuse of materials after they have been consumed. The connection between these ideas is that, if you are living in a future generation in a different body, your life will be affected by the eradication of Earth's natural resources. Not to mention, your karma might be negatively impacted by wasteful practices in this lifetime.

In addition, human overconsumption in the twenty-first century will affect the quality of life of your children and grandchildren. What are you doing about recycling and why should you care?

Merriam Webster offers a great definition of reincarnation: the "rebirth of a soul in a new human body." If your soul is reborn, your future self will care about the quality of life that is available on Earth at that time. The funny thing is that you may not remember this lifetime or learn why the changed world of the future developed that way.

Reincarnation is not a new concept. It is a common belief shared by early cultures, including Asian civilizations and Native American tribes. Since most human cultures believe in some type of an afterlife, it is possible that your afterlife will be spent here. Do you look into the future and see a bleak reality like the sci-fi movies of this generation? Are you ready for anything when you die? Wouldn't you like to come back and live a comfortable life?

Recycling is an opportunity for you to give back to the Earth. Your small contribution of household products to the effort to save the planet will make a difference. You and your soul can take comfort in doing your part. Conservation is also about reducing your consumption and donating decent household items to charity so that they can be used again.

If you think about the life cycle of Earth (and perhaps the life cycle of your soul), it is easy to accept how recycling benefits all humans in this life and the next. Reincarnation aside, you should start doing your part today.