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Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul after the body's death into a new physical body. Most reincarnationists believe that the goal of reincarnation is to stop being reborn, and to go on to some other state of existence, usually a spiritual existence of perfection, sometimes described as "becoming one with the divine", or "rising to its original Source". Some traditions say that reincarnation is a never-ending process and that life on earth is actually hell.
Some theories say reincarnation happens immediately after death and some say there can be time between incarnating into a physical being, at which time the soul is living on another plane of existence.
Plato believed that the immortal soul is attached to objects of material and temporary desire and therefore is a prisoner of the physical body. He felt that the only way for the soul to attain a state of eternal bliss was to detach itself from the pleasures of the material world and thus attain a pure view of Divinity.
In India, the law of karma says that our current circumstances are the result of good and evil actions in previous existences. Only when a soul has reached the desire for perfect union with the divine will the cycle of rebirth end. Each physical existence is the soul's chance to progress, through actions and thoughts, towards this state of divinity.
Reincarnation today is more of a metaphysical philosophy that provides an alternative, but maybe not such a total divergence from traditional Christian beliefs as some would like to believe. After all it was from the Bible that we get the saying's "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" or the foreboding "you reap what you sow". Jesus spoke often of "do unto your neighbor as you would have him do unto you." This all sounds very much like the karmic wisdom of ancient societies and religions.
So if the length of time spent on the physical plane is determined by the good and evil deeds done while in the body. And if, as some reincarnationists believe, we actually choose our physical body, our parents, and even our physical death - for the express purpose of working out our own karma of which we have created, then we as evolving souls should understand that every situation in life, both good and bad, is our only chance to master our karmic lessons. Only on the physical plane can evolution of the soul occur.
Most people are not aware of what karma they have actualized from past lives nor are they aware of the karma they must work out in this lifetime. If soul evolution does not take place in the physical lifetime of a person, that person will be destined to re-live the disregarded lessons in the next lifetime; over and over and over until they get it right. Now you understand how the karmic wheel turns.