Hello, this is Dr. Brian Weiss, and I'm continuing
this series on questions and answers on the YouTube channel. It's been very popular; it's been quite a
while since the last one. So I'm going to just pick a few, and try to
answer these. The first is from Carlos, who asks, "Hi Dr.
Weiss. I wish to know if our physical appearance
changes through lives." This is a good question that comes up. How do you recognize someone from a past life? It touches on this question too. Of course our physical appearance does change,
because we change race, and sex, and nationality, so we do look different, because we're coming
into different genetic lines. To me, there are two lines of evolution: the
evolution that we think of in the physical sense, where we come down through ancestors;
and the evolution of the soul, where that stays the same. The body, of course, is the physical evolution,
so we look different. And we inherit the tendencies of that body. For example, if you are born into a family
with diabetes or hypertension, you might inherit those traits as well. But there is some sort of way that people
recognize themselves when they're having past-life experiences, when they're having regressions. It's sometimes a look in the eyes, sometimes
a sense of familiarity, sometimes of an energy or feeling that this person looks familiar
to you. So even though we don't look the same physically,
there is a way that soul mates can recognize each other, even though we're in different
bodies. So the answer is: both. Physical, not so much, but there's a look
in the eyes where the soul connection is made. Another question here comes from "1207Vini"
and asks, "Dr. Weiss, what's the fundamental difference between the structure which we
call the soul consciousness and the personality," which Vini describes as "transitory and dependent
on organic factors," which I would agree with. I think that the difference to most people
is that the personality is that part of the self, the physical self, the body, the brain,
the mind of the temporary incarnation that, when you leave the body, gradually diminishes
and disappears. Whereas the soul or consciousness is that
independent, non-changing entity that goes on from life to life, from body to body. So that's the immortal part of us: the soul,
the consciousness. It's the part that the mystic Teilhard de
Chardin talked about when he said that we are spiritual beings having a human experience,
and not human beings having a spiritual experience. He meant this ongoing, eternal, unchanging
soul. The personality is the temporary and changeable
part, and that is not our true nature. The last question I'd like to get to is a
combination of Vini again and "Brushes with Grace." Vini asked, "What about illnesses like schizophrenia? Are these karmic adjustments? What's your view on this?" Brushes with Grace talks about autism: "Why
would an advanced soul ever choose to reincarnate as someone with a significant disability?" This is not limited to autism, of course;
it can be cerebral palsy, or severe physical limitations or illnesses, mental illnesses
as Vini talked about, and many other types of diseases. I think too many people think of these conditions
as karmic, or karma, or punishments. To me, karma is not punishment; it's just
opportunity for learning and for growth. But many souls, especially advanced souls,
will choose to incarnate in an impaired state, whether physically or mentally or both, in
order to give other souls the opportunity to receive love, and to express love. Love has to be balanced. So these types of difficult situations really
are chosen, oftentimes -- not the result of punishment or of karma, but chosen in order
to help other souls, other spiritual beings, to progress along their spiritual paths. For example, someone with autism will need
to be loved, nurtured, taken care of, and this gives other souls the opportunity to
manifest this love. Someone will schizophrenia or severe mental
illness, the same thing. Someone with severe cerebral palsy or muscular
discoordination or impairment, the same principle. The opportunity to give others a chance to
manifest love, caring, charity, and compassion. So it is better to think of these illnesses
as often chosen by a highly evolved -- you can say advanced -- soul in order to help
other souls learning their lessons of love and compassion. This finishes the questions for now. I'd like to make an announcement that many
of you have asked about on Facebook and Twitter. Just check the "Events" page or on my website
for where I'm going to be. You'll find all the places. Also, my daughter Amy and I have just finished
a new book, a major book, that's going to be, I think, profoundly important. It has your stories in it and our comments
on your stories. It should be out sometime in 2012. We're both looking forward to this very much. If you keep your eye here on the YouTube channel,
or on Twitter, or Facebook, or on my website, which is brianweiss.com, you'll be able to
find all the details of this book, and of upcoming events, and any other news. Thank you very much. Until the next timeÉ
