Expert: Richard Salva - 11/25/2008

Question
Dear Mr. Salva,

I was so fascinated reading your article online.  Abraham Lincoln and his reincarnation.  Would you please teach me how did u find about Lincoln?  Could you please tell something about me?  I always had that on my mind could people born in different religion if they are from another religion.  Could American born in India?? How does Universe work?? would you please answer my questions?
Thanks
Jitender Sahni

Answer
Dear Jitender,

Namaste. Thank you for your questions.

How did I find out about the reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln? A great master of yoga--Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the classic Autobiography of a Yogi--said that Abraham Lincoln had been an advanced Himalayan yogi in a past life, and that he was reborn as Charles Lindbergh. I read Yogananda's statement about 30 years ago when it was published in The Path, written by Yogananda's direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda. About ten years ago I was inspired to research Yogananda's statement and discovered nearly 500 fascinating similarities and connections between Lincoln and Lindbergh, and more connections between both men and the ancient spiritual science of yoga. I published those findings in Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh, available through my website, www.LincolnReincarnation.com and elsewhere.

You asked me generally to tell you something about yourself, then added specific questions. I assume those specific questions are connected with you, so I will answer them and hopefully that will answer your general question as well.

Certainly, if reincarnation is real, then many people have reincarnated in countries with different religions than those they experienced in their most recent past lives. Therefore, if you feel out of sorts in the religion you are being raised in, you may feel more in tune with another religion. You may wish to study other religions to see which one you feel most connected with. Or, it may be that you have been born into your current religion in order to open your mind and heart to other possibilities. Each of us has to answer questions like these through deep meditation and introspection.

You asked whether an American could be reborn in India. Absolutely. And, vice versa. In fact, Yogananda said that many Easterners and Hindus are being born in America and many Westerns are being born in India and the East in order to bring balance to the world. In the past, the West has specialized in material efficiency and the East in spiritual growth. The best path, Yogananda said, would be a combination of the two.

Your question about how the universe works is much larger than can be answered here. Instead, I would recommend several books by Yogananda that will answer your question far better than I can: 1) Autobiography of a Yogi; 2) Revelations of Christ; and 3) The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita. If you live in India and have trouble finding any of these books, you should be able to receive them by contacting the Ananda Sangha in New Delhi, via www.anandaindia.org

I hope these answers are helpful to you. I wish you all the best.

In Divine Friendship,

Richard Salva
Author of Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh
www.LincolnReincarnation.com