I had died, and was being transported to heaven in the egg shell belly of an airplane. No luggage, no snacks, nor much conversation as I recall. This would one of my VIVID dreams!

Resenting this mightily, I took my turn. Turned out, we all had to be interviewed and fill out long application forms. What had we done right? Whom we had wronged, what did you regret?  You get the idea. DSHS, NSA and Homeland Security had infiltrated Heaven too.
I must have done something wrong, because I was on a return flight the very same day. It was to be a non-return flight. Passport revoked.

My other dream of re-incarnation was more bizarre. I was this bat-like creature (taking up little room) and I was hung up on a door hanger. I told Jim – like on a meat hook. Sometimes I embellish my dreams. I was in a long cabinet with many others and we were all waiting for something.

A new body! Slaver and drool, this was my chance. Like bees to honey we left and flew back to earth. The fastest flier won the soul lottery and the rest of us returned. There are only so many chances in re-birth and I would return to my meat hook.

Now that dream, must have remained dinging in my sleepy mind because I began asking the WHY? WHAT? and IF? questions and  wondered how a population of 4 billion could exist, if it only started out with two souls.  Many theologians would argue that there were a few other souls about, nonetheless there weren’t that many to start from. Where did the rest of us come from?

There are only a few reasonable answers. Most of us don’t really exist or the fact is that we may have been duplicated, God using a photocopier. I sometimes cheat, so if I am made in God’s image. He may also have taken a shortcut or two or used the wrong ink cartridge.

My ex-wife and children related to me after they had ditched me, that they had run into someone in Santa Cruz CA. (my home town) that was freakishly like me. A bald head, same look, body type – the whole thing. Worse yet, he was a gardener. l like to think that he was a bad copy of me, but one never knows. I might be a bad copy of him.

In my own life, I have only met two totally mind blowing spiritual souls. One was a person who practiced Fire Yoga and incorporated yoga into his school for autistic children. I worked in that field for a while, as well as at Agnew State Mental hospital. More on that later. On one summer Felton day, two of us knocked on his door. Upon entering, I felt as if I was walking through a room of gold warm liquid honey and felt like a fly caught in slow congealing amber. My friend John was so upset, he left. Later, I came to help this professor and today I often wonder what happened to this Boulder Creek school and his kids.

My other “superior being” experience was an Aikido teacher at U.C.S.C. I was a strong and audacious buck at that time and thought I could do anything. Not! He was also my Religious Studies professor and between him and Paul Lee I got a quarter of Independent Studies. Off to Boston – and further adventures.

He invited any of us to tackle him. The foolish grasshopper accepted. I literally bounced back from his standing form. My girlfriend also joined that class. She was into modern dance and was so articulated that she could bend her fingers back to her wrist. Whenever she did that, it was a sure stop to any argument. Worse yet she could beat the heck out of me.

Since then I have met few such souls. Most of us are just middle of the run photocopies. The rest are copies like me, most likely to be found misfiled under the desk or lost in the garden until we are vacuumed up, or leaf blown away. YIKES

This is late night whimsy: I am thinking of my future re-incarnation or resting place. The blog began with:

Accepting an alternative religious belief. If you are re-incarnated, would you come back as a man or a woman? State your present gender please and reason for change or reasons why. Failing coming back in a humanoid or chosen gender status, which other animal (also God’s creatures) would you like to come back as. Why? One person suggested I should re-word the question to be, “what animals we would be in respect of our personality.” The same applies to the next question. Failing that order of animal re-incarnation, we are left the plant world. Am I to be an Oak, a Eucalypti, or a Willow? Or am I doomed to be a sub-shrub? A Mahonia or God forbid as a short lived weed.

 

Please note that I have left out insects. I doubt any indiscretions in our present lives would punish us down to the dung beetle stage.

You re-awaken to the original post and a green burial reference that I had forgotten to include...
Personally, I want to be returned to the earth, and would wish to become a pile of nutritious compost! Failing this, I would love to be an oak, as this tree supports the most varieties and numbers of wildlife. OK, just plant me under an oak tree and be done with it!

I really liked that idea. A few Scottish biologists or horticulturists were buried (or at least their hearts were) and then some tree was planted  above. Personally I would like it to be a Redwood or Sequoia. Then I know my bones or ashes would have some long lasting and restful peace. 

My own wishes might come back to bite me. Being bald, I really would like to be re-pelted. Not just with a toupee, but all over. Chinchilla fur would be wonderful and like the Selkie I could shed water and retain body heat. This is a serious issue in the Pacific Northwet.

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 Now back to the dog, or cat. One element would be the tail. I see it as getting a second language, signing with a tail would be wonderful. If God, were to redesign the package I am in, I would be fine with luxurious fur and a tail.

Getting into ones pants might take a bit longer, but the advantages would be worth it. Flirting with a tail would be fun. Of course everyone else would have to come back that way as well. One wouldn’t want to stand out.

As for soaring birds, eagles and such. You ever seen a bird molt? Having feathers never did tempt me.

I do remember having a dream in which I was a parent frog trying to get its child to swim. I hope that isn’t a sign from the Almighty as to what is in store for me. Once again I am NOT a water element, but as a seal or Selkie! … just think of all the abalone I could eat. I still have not gotten many good tree suggestions.

The compost idea did intrigue me. Jim, was an avid supporter of wildlife re-habitation, esp. fish habitat. He once suggested that his preferred burial would be to be put into a construction of ‘holey’ concrete and be tossed into the ocean. The fish would have food and the openings would provide for habitat. Ain’t going to happen Jim. Not allowed.

He remains residing in the storage room with the paint cans.

I had many responses.

 

 Most readers, did not believe in re-incarnation. I received many suggestions to read the Bible and Revelations in particular. A lighter one was: “I am sure that you have wrote this blog in the best of jest Skyline, but don’t forget it is our Heavenly Father that you are offending, but having said that, he is not without a sense of humor, after all he did create the duck billed platypus.  lol and i am sure that you will be forgiven.“

One lady did post this response.  “Why have you left out Insects? I haven’t seen many butterflies this year and I haven’t seen a ladybird for several years. I think I’d come back as a Ladybird- But as a male.

Another contacted me privately and for reasons posted before did not volunteer a choice, but it had to do with being an albatross and the ability to soar. I told her that I too, always preferred the water and being flightless wouldn’t mind returning as an otter.

However, in the U.K. or in Tasmania there is something allowed called “Green burial.” One’s body is not filled with crap, but simply buried in a cardboard coffin. A tree is planted above. Simple as that. I believe that this option should be allowed. I suppose the caption or edit of this blog should have been “What tree would represent you, if you were buried beneath one?”

As the poster, I should  have answered my own question? ‘On  coming back as a man or woman.’ I would go with the other gender, since I like them so much. Do I get to choose to be a Phylicia Rashad or a Jaclyn Smith – I suspect the Creator would return me as a Phylis Dyler or a Roseanne Barr.

Sea Otter or as a Selkie. I would be so unhappy to come back as a badger or a mouse. Plant: I am still leaning to the Garry Oak.

 

I had picked some beautiful woman, not even Halie Barrie.

I think the karmic review board would give me a double bonus, for choosing the other gender and then for a different race. My ascension may have been stunted because I always came back as a white male. I figure it this way – I only have a few more to go.  At that point I might have some hope of finally high hurdling those high breastful Gates.

Should I ascend, I fully expect ‘eternity’ to include some Photoshop editing on my body. Fascinating link!

(c) Herb Senft in the year 2009 -2014. who strangely enough is a fire sign and still wishes that Jim’s wife would finally give his ashes a river planting.  Dog that I am, my eyeballs returned to that comet Halle.