I've drawn a verbal picture of existence. First I use the word "Soul" to
define the eternal individual--the "id", not the ego...eternal as an ideal
individual (as if there were only one person in existence and he/she were
perfect).*
Then, his ideal quantity is divided into other quantities. The value of
these quantities may be arbitrary as long as they combine to form a Soul.
This arbitrary value is the "Individual". One may say that all individuals
combine to form one Soul. One may also say that inherent in the Individual
there is a degree of Soul. If that individual were the only
individual...according to the definition of Soul and of Individual...one
would say that "Individual = Soul." Otherwise, as in classical psychology,
the individual is part id (Soul), and part something else.
Next, I introduce Spirit. Spirit is a value which I compare to Soul. It
is not, necessarily, a manifestation of the ideal soul within an individual:
But, it IS a manifestation the individual or of other individuals. "Spirit"
is the sum of the parts which make up a Soul. This quantity adds to an
ideal (by definition).
If "Karma" implies that Soul is not equal to the sum of it's parts (ie
Spirit and Soul are not equal); then, this leaves the component mentioned
earlier: I call this component "Ego". Ego is CONTRASTED from Soul and
Spirit. As Soul is the ideal individual and as Spirit refers to the group;
Spirit which manifests through the individual--and which is not Soul, is
Ego. Ego appears as a group Spirit but is manifest as an
individual...though not an ideal individual, as Spirit implies multiple
individuals and NOT Soul. Ego is therefore in error: It masquerades as the
whole when it is not. Because of this, the sum of Egos is also an error.
There is a difference between the sum of individual egos and our original
quantity, Soul. This difference is "Maya," or group delusion.
The picture I paint is this:
Ego is returned to Maya or "Reincarnated" in order to divide it's quantity
between Soul and Spirit; thus Maya is separated from Spirit. Also, because
Ego manifests as the whole, it is reincarnated in whole...returning until
Spirit = Soul. At this point, Ego is no longer error--and Maya = reality.
The goal of Ego, then, is to confirm reality. This may be accomplished
during one lifetime as Ego develops--returning as a new creature each moment
(or may not...which is not relevant).
Further, there is a possible scenerio where the Individual manifests Soul
and Soul = Spirit. In this case, Ego creates "Reality" (in this case, there
is no Maya...so the individual is "Co-Creating"--this is like a child
getting caught up in playing "adult" and actually performing acts which
he/she is not developmentally ready to perform. The occurrence of this act
in a mind/body which is not capable of this act is the basis of Ego
development, or growth.)
In sum:
1. The Soul may create that which is perfect through an imperfect form.
This leads to growth of the Soul (a process I've called "Descendence").
The Ego is therefore a vessel which manifests an attribute of The One. The
possibility exists for a perfect "error." Not incompatible with Judaism.
2. Ego which is developing simultaneously with Soul is an "Incarnation".
The possibility exists for Descendence, Incarnation, and Manifestation of
Soul through the Ego...similar to Christianity
3. Reincarnation is not incompatible with Christian ideology, if seen as
the (re) Incarnation of Soul which has Descended and Manifest as an
individual Ego.
2. Neither is this scenario incompatible with Paganism if the Ego is the
reincarnation of a previously perfect Incarnation (or a perfected error).
*the existence of this Soul is important from the perspective of logic--as a
variable in the set of "numbers" used within this equation...the existence
of this quantity as an actual being is not necessary for this equation to be
valid
Returning,
Brett