The University of California at Los Angeles campus is located on the rolling hills of Westwood, just west of downtown LA. When visiting with friends in 1981, I was impressed with the beautiful sculpture garden, towering trees, and amazing architecture. Many of the buildings have their own unique characteristics; classical, modern, or artistic; but the one that surprised me the most was the boxy old engineering building.

My friend’s office was on the third floor. I followed him into the building, and as we entered the elevator he pushed “3” but the elevator went down. I looked at him totally confused. “Aren’t we going to the third floor?” I asked.

“Yeah!” He said with a broad smile,“Where we came into the building was the 5th floor.”

My school, the University of California at Santa Barbara is located right by the Pacific Ocean. The University Center is built on a slope that drops down to the water’s edge gently. From the main floor, we could see the beautiful lagoon full of sea birds, and when looking past the lagoon at the blue ocean, white waves, one after another, breaking on the golden sandy beach with a perfect natural rhythm. From the balcony we could take steps down to the grassy area, then all we can see is the lagoon and the island in it. The view of the Pacific ocean in the distance is totally out of sight.

Those are pretty common designs for the structures built along side of the hills or on an ocean bluff. More than likely there are different entrances entering the building at different levels, and based on where we enter, we will have different vantage point of the surrounding landscape.

Often times, reading a book is like that. What we learn depends on our own level of comprehension. Like entering a building on a different level, we might come away with totally new understanding from reading the same book 10 years earlier, or 10 years later.

This book is written as stories and conversations with a similar intention in mind, hoping to provide readers with different entrances into this metaphorical building.

As those who work in computer software development know, every system has bugs. If we ignore the problem, it will get worse and worse until the whole system breaks down. In order to fix it, the first step is to recognize there’s a problem. The second step, at least in my day, was to shut down the system and start the debugging procedure. Sometimes we need to repeat the measure several times to fully clear the bugs or glitches in the system.

Self-realization, or the progress of spiritual awakening, is very much the same. Through honest self reflection, and mindful practice with an open heart, we clear, heal, and let go of our past in order to free up space for new creations and new possibilities.

And, it’s important to understand that some of those bugs we carry in our consciousness, may not just come from this lifetime, but may have originated in a previous life, possibly from many previous lifetimes.

When interviewed by the San Francisco Examiner in 1928, Henry Ford, founder of the Ford automobile company, said:

”I adopted the theory of Reincarnation when I was 26.... Work is futile if we cannot utilize the experience we collect in one life to the next. When I discovered Reincarnation it was as if I had found a universal plan.... Time is no longer limited. I was no longer a slave to the hands of the clock.... Genius is experience. Some seem to think that it is a gift or talent, but it is the fruit of long experience in many lives. Some are older souls than others, and so they know more... The discovery of Reincarnation put my mind at ease. I would like to communicate to others the calmness that this long view of life gives to me.”

Reincarnation is commonly accepted in eastern religion and culture. More recently, much evidence has been uncovered by western researchers showing that reincarnation is part of many original texts that were compiled into what we now know as the Bible. For some western readers this may be a contentious subject, and therefore a presentation is referenced below which may be helpful.

The famous modern Chinese scholar, Nan Hua-Chin (南懷瑾) was often quoted as saying, ”If you just started to learn in this lifetime, it is too late!” Maybe, but a slow bird flying slowly is fine also. If we take reincarnation into consideration, life becomes a learning adventure and is part of a larger blueprint.

We may come into this world with a different purpose, mission, or experience, but our life experiences either from this lifetime or the past can provide what we need to learn in the way we need to learn it. For things we don’t finish learning in this lifetime, we can continue in our next life. In other words, as long as we learn the lessons we need to learn, we can move on... That’s how we progress, and in the process our perception of time expands.

Besides our story and personal experiences, most of the ideas or concepts illustrated in this book are not new. We believe we did our best to credit the authors or sources where they originated.

Belief, faith, and knowing is personal. What resonates with us may not be right for you. Choose wisely! Follow your own heart. Whatever you get from reading this book, is yours to keep. Take it with you, and have a happy and safe journey!

Sara Chou
Gabriola, BC, Canada
June, 2017

James A. Perkins - “Reincarnation for Everyone”- Download Audio