Capítulo 12. La Selección del Cuerpo

 

Body Selection

 You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body, temporarily. WALTER M. MILLER JR.,

 You might find it hard to believe, but we select our bodies before we are born! Mind you, this choice is not completely ours. It’s actually the responsibility of our soul-selves—which can lead to problems if we’re not happy with our soul’s choice. Remember, we are much more than just our physical bodies and human personalities. Sometimes our human personality may find itself at odds with our soul’s intentions. This can affect our self-esteem and enjoyment of our physical life.

 If you are dissatisfied with your physical body, understanding why your soul chose it on your behalf can be greatly freeing. Our souls have a higher calling—to ensure our ongoing spiritual evolution—so there are always sound reasons behind the choices they make. Life is much easier when we accept our bodies, regardless of their flaws.

 Most people visiting their life between lives do not encounter the body-selection area. However, those who are guided to this unique realm find it a most enlightening experience. The following cases illustrate this point.

In the first example, Mauricio asked the Council of Elders a question about his body. The Elders suggested that he would find his answer in the body-selection area.

In the second case, Nádia’s guide took her to the body-selection area. Until then she had no idea that such an area existed. Nádia had always hated her body and suffered from a poor self-image. Her visit to the body-selection area was no accident. Her disgust with her body was about to be seriously challenged.

 In the last case, Mimosa wanted to know why she had chosen her very large, short body. Both her guides accompanied her to the body selection area in her life between lives.

 Mauricio

 Although Mauricio was only in his thirties, he had already had a bout of cancer. He was in remission after being treated with chemotherapy. You might remember Mauricio from the chapter on Healing, where he received advice on how to deal with his illness.

During the session, Mauricio joins with his soul-self. Together, they ask the Council of Elders why his body is weak and prone to illness. He is directed to the body-selection area.

 Once there, Mauricio notices a large screen. His guide asks him to sit in front of the screen, explaining that Mauricio will be shown the four possible bodies that he was offered before embarking on his present life. Accepting one of the bodies also means accepting a range of other circumstances—nationality, family of origin, talents and interests, and, of course, gender.

 The first person he sees is a dark-skinned male of African ancestry. This man looks tall, broad, strong and robust. He will be born in Germany and adopted by white German parents. In addition to the challenges posed by his adoption, he will also be bullied when he goes to school. Because of his strength, he could overcome the challenge of being bullied. Due to his natural physical prowess, he is likely to become passionate about sport and find solace in his sporting abilities.

Next, Mauricio sees on the screen a white Caucasian male who will be born in Denmark. This man has a smaller body than the African. He will be very bright and intellectual and his family is very stable. Events will flow smoothly for most of his life. He will eventually face challenges, but these will come much later on.

Now there appears a Caucasian female who would be born in Greece. She is tall with thick, dark hair and a very beautiful face and body. Her father will pass away before she is born and the lack of this bond in her early life will greatly affect her. She will actively pursue intimacy while also fearing it. This will cause her to have many male and female relationships.

 Finally, Mauricio sees a white English male. This man is small and slight. His parents will divorce early and he will not have a good relationship with his stepfather. This body is very sensitive and carries a high potential for illness. Mauricio sees that this would be a tough life.

Mauricio pauses, and reflects on the purpose of his life. He wants to create experiences that will enable him to realise his true power. His true power involves more than his physical body and more than his physical will. His true power is intuitive. It requires him to connect with his soul-self and allow this higher energy to shine through him. Once he has achieved a strong connection with his true power, he wants to use this loving light and wisdom to help others come into their true power.

 Our lives are about learning and some souls like to proceed quickly in the classroom of Earth life. Mauricio is one of these souls. He does not choose easy lives. To accomplish his ambitions in this coming life, he needs a body and background that will provide significant challenges.

 Mauricio now evaluates his different choices.

The African faces two significant challenges: being adopted by a white family, and later being bullied at school. However, with such a large powerful body, he might use his physicality to get through. For example, he might be tempted to stand up to people and intimidate them, rather than developing his compassion and wisdom. If he relied on his superior physical strength, he might never awaken to the fact that he is more than his physical body. This would mean that his intuitive abilities would be neither realized nor utilized.

 Mauricio decides that the Danish life would not serve him, either. Being born into a stable family would allow him to easily succeed in the world. The opportunity to develop his intuitive abilities would not appear until late in his life. Mauricio does not want to waste time. He would prefer to meet some significant challenges earlier in life, and then move quickly towards his goals.

The Greek woman is too pretty. Lacking a strong male role model in her life, she will hide behind her beauty, hoping it will shield her from life’s harsher lessons. As a result, she is destined to have many superficial relationships. Mauricio believes he will be better able to develop his intuitive abilities if he can forge a strong, steady relationship.

 Mauricio chooses the slight English male, believing that a frail body and a fractured family will help him achieve his goals. His guide insists that it will be a very hard life. She asks him if he understands all the implications of this choice.

 Mauricio reassures her that he is pleased with his choice, because he wants to learn quickly. Being sensitive to illness creates risks; it also presents Mauricio with opportunities to transcend his physical body. His sensitivity offers another advantage: it makes him more open to connecting with his higher soul-self.

Mauricio wants to know his true power. True power is not physical. True power is a pure, positive energy that comes from above. Whenever we open to that pure, positive connection, it flows through us. Mauricio can see that by having a weaker body, he will be driven to find non-physical sources of power. Being gifted with a strong intellect, like the Danish man, might jeopardise his chances of connecting with his higher self. Such higher-level connection comes through our intuition, not our intellect. The physical strength of the African and the physical beauty of the Greek also pose problems. Strength and beauty can focus one’s attention on the physical rather than the spiritual. The weaker, non-intellectual body of the Englishman is perfect for his purposes. Mauricio is happy with his choice.

 After the session, Mauricio said he was now happy with his sensitive body. He understood why he made that choice. He could also see why he had struggled with illness and other challenges. He was keen to use his creative powers to heal his body.

 

 Nádia

 At a critical moment during the session with Nádia, I ask her where we should go next. We are immediately taken to the body-selection area. Nádia has never read any books by Michael Newton, so she has no idea that there is such a place. She describes what she sees.

 I am in a room that looks like a fashion store. But there are no clothes. Instead there are body suits. I don’t like it here. It is grotesque. I don’t want to be here.

 Nádia’s guide stands beside her. He is trying to tell her something, but she cannot hear it. I know that this means she is not open to the information. It clashes with her beliefs and, even though she thinks she wants to hear it, there is a stronger part of her that refuses to listen.

Earlier, while she was visiting the Council of Elders, the Council gave her the gift of courage. I remind her of this gift, as well as her desire to know the truth. I ask her to open to the information her guide is presenting, even though she may find it challenging.

She listens for a minute or two, then suddenly exclaims, ‘He said I chose every piece of my body! Why the hell would I do that?’

Nádia has never liked her body and it makes no sense to her. Sadly, disliking our bodies disconnects us from our soul-selves because we focus so strongly on our physicality, and the limitations it imposes. Being disconnected, Nádia does not want to take responsibility for selecting a body that she rejects.

 This idea stops Nádia in her tracks. She is reluctant to move forward. I talk about her desire to know the truth and give her an exercise that will increase her courage. Nádia loves horses, so I ask her to imagine riding a powerful white stallion at full gallop.

About half a minute later, Nádia says, ‘I am ready.’

I ask her where she is now.

 Nádia replies, ‘We are in the belly section.’

 Again, Nádia tenses up. The belly section makes her nervous. She does not want to look that way. I gently challenge her. Reluctantly, she agrees to keep going.

 Gradually, Nádia starts receiving information. She says she chose the ‘Belly of Abandonment’ for her life as Nádia. She doesn’t know why she chose it and she doesn’t know why it is called the ‘Belly of Abandonment.’ Her natural curiosity kicks in, and she soon discovers that her paternal grandmother had the same type of belly. This grandmother was abandoned several times in her early life. Her biological mother abandoned her when she was a baby. Her adoptive family then abandoned her when she was a child. The father of her first child abandoned her when she was a young adult. This man went back to his wife in France and left Nádia’s grandmother to fend for herself in China. The child, who was abandoned along with his mother in China, grew up and fathered a daughter. This daughter is Nádia.

At a soul level, Nádia deliberately chose this belly and its emotional burdens. She describes the belly as protective. It grows bigger as one overeats. This overeating is triggered by feelings of abandonment. The emotional eating provides comfort and the large belly feels comfortable too. Nádia discovers that her father and brother have also chosen this belly. The guide explains why.

The emotional energy of abandonment has come down the ancestral line. Your grandmother succumbed to the influence of this energy. Having given in to her deep feelings of abandonment, she increased the hold this energy held over her, and over her descendants. This energy still prevails in the ancestral line and needs to be cleared. By choosing this belly, you hoped to release the pattern of abandonment that had afflicted your family for generations.

She is told how she might achieve this release. Her guide suggests she research and write her grandmother’s story. The emotional energy trapped in her maternal line can only be released physically. Writing out the grandmother’s story will enable Nádia to connect fully with the grief of abandonment. Once she connects with this grief, she will be given the opportunity to fully understand its nature, to grieve the pain it has caused, and let it go. This will not be an intellectual process. Nádia will be racked with pain. She will weep; she will cry out. While agonising, this experience is necessary if she is to transcend the deep sense of loss that the Belly of Abandonment has caused her ancestral line.

Nádia’s grandmother died of lung cancer, and Nádia is told that this will be her fate too if she cannot release this burden and break the pattern.

I ask Nádia’s guide if there is more to know here in the body-selection area, or if we should move on. I am told there is much more to do here.

 The guide tells Nádia that while she chose her mother’s nose, other features such as her eyes and chin come from her father. Nádia is quite happy with this. Now we head off to the reproductive section.

‘This is really weird,’ Nádia says, ‘Gee, you wouldn’t believe what comes in many different sizes... Oh, I’ve just been told that I chose the Womb of Wonder.’

‘The Womb of Wonder?’ I ask. ‘Why is it called the Womb of Wonder?’

‘Because you wonder why it doesn’t work properly!’ Nádia exclaims. We both chuckle.

 Nádia discovers that she also chose the narrow hips that went along with this womb. She wasn’t the only one in her family that made this choice. Her maternal grandmother chose it and Nádia feels that other female ancestors did too.

The guide explains why all these women chose the same combination.

These women are afraid they will not be good mothers, and yet the children have to be born. Their births are pre-destined. The inadequate womb and narrow hips lead to the mother’s death in childbirth. Nádia’s grandmother died in childbirth, while Nádia was saved by modern medicine. This womb and the psychological torment it represents are further burdens that Nádia is being called upon to release from the family line.

Nádia has two children. By surviving childbirth and building her confidence in her mothering skills, she is gradually releasing this pattern. Sometime after the session, Nádia’s son investigates that particular ancestral line and discovers that seven women died in childbirth.

Although Nádia expressed great reluctance when she first ventured into the body-selection area, she is pleased she made the trip there. She feels much more at peace with her body and is happier in herself. Just as we are about to leave this area, Nádia exclaims, ‘Isn’t this an amazing place!’

 Five years later, I catch up with Nádia. A few months after the session, she participated in a supportive writing retreat in France where she began outlining the story. She has thought about the book many times since but became caught up in her business. Nádia is only fifty so she has plenty of time to write her grand-mother’s story, which remains her intention.

  

Mimosa

 Mimosa is short, sweet and obese. She has been to see me many times and she has experienced several past life regressions. She has faced a lot of disturbing lives with various challenging experiences. In fact, her guides told her she is living four lives in one. This was explained to mean she has taken on four times as many challenges as most souls take on in one life.

 Mimosa wants to know why she chose her body. Her guides, Abu and Aslan, are present. Abu leads her to the place when she can learn about this choice. Here is the dialogue that followed.

Mimosa: I see a big, big white palace with domes and minarets. I am in this really, really big room. Sounds horrible but we are in a butcher’s cold room. Bodies are hanging—not on hooks, but on hangers. So weird. I think I must be crazy. There are no heads on these bodies. They look like costumes. They hang like clothes hanging on racks in a store. The racks are grouped in circles so you can walk around and look at different bodies. It is bizarre. The room is huge and there is a long table in middle of this vast, elongated space. The guides put some bodies on the table so I can look at them. The bodies are complete except there are no heads.

 Karen: How did you choose your body?

Mimosa begins to weep.

Karen: Do you know why you are crying?

Mimosa: I want to choose it and I don’t want to choose it. It seems really stupid. To carry everything I need to carry in this life, I need to choose a big body. [Mimosa is still crying.]

Karen: Is there anything specific we can know about choosing this big body?

Mimosa: I don’t know what this has got to do with it but I am now in a room with Aslan and it is so beautiful. The whole room, the walls, the drapes, everything is beautifully reflective like the icebergs, like the white and aqua blue of icebergs. Aslan is writing multiplication tables on a board. The board is the same aqua. He is writing on the board in lilac and the script appears like velvet. The thick marker he is using is gold, real gold, and all is ornately engraved. There is no floor. We are just floating here.

Karen: Why the multiplication tables?

Mimosa: Something like one and one doesn’t always make two. Things are not always clear-cut. Things are not always what they seem.

Karen: What isn’t as it seems, specifically?

Mimosa [crying]: It is about judgment, pride and ego. It is to do with the choice of the body. I am experiencing the large body, so I have the opportunity to let go of my pride, my ego and my judging behavior.

Karen: What happens if you change that?

Mimosa: Now I am getting a purple onion. It’s about taking the layers off. The layers come off once I have done what I need to do and let go of what I need to release. They are saying that we have started to take the layers off. All the past lives I have experienced have been part of that. I am getting flashes of those lives. Aslan is saying not to be afraid to ask for help. I am seeing the onion in front of me with the body there too. It still has no head. I can see layers coming off the body, I thought. For every bad thing there is a corresponding good thing. He is telling me I am still judging myself even though I know that I had to experience it all. He is saying I need to let it all go. He is showing me hands ripping up a piece of paper, then opening the hands and letting the pieces of paper drift away into the wind.

 I am not a murderer, I am not a rapist. I am not a child molester.

I have been raped several times. I have been murdered several times. I have been molested several times.

He is saying I just need to stop being so oversensitive. Let it go. I am writing it all on a piece of paper. ‘Molester, victim, rapist, victim, murderer, victim.’ Now I am ripping it up and letting it go. It is a whole feeling of unworthiness. I am not good enough. Nothing possibly good could happen to me. I don’t deserve it.

I have thought of having a tattoo put on my wrist to remind me. I have thought of it for a while. It is a dove with a ribbon in its mouth. On the ribbon is written, ‘Let it go.’

Karen: Can you imagine seeing this on your wrist to remind yourself to let go?

Mimosa: I have seen this before but I keep forgetting to do it. Just like I keep forgetting to let it all go. All my life I have the feeling of not being worthy. I thought everyone was better than me. It came from my parents. They compared me unfavorably to others. But I already carried that feeling of unworthiness. Every time they made comparisons, I felt it confirmed how inferior I was.

Karen: What would stop you remembering to let it go?

Mimosa: The old voices saying, ‘You’re not worthy. Why bother?’ Karen: Whose voices?

Mimosa: My father’s. You know, my guides are very keen for me to get past this.

Karen: What do they suggest you do to get out of staying in this unworthy victim place?

Mimosa: I get a sense that it is easier to be negative than positive. If you are negative, people don’t bother with you. They leave you alone.

Karen: Why is that important?

Mimosa: People want things from you. Do this. Do that. Everybody wants something.

Karen: So you don’t like having people near you?

Mimosa: I love being with people. It is because I can’t say no. Even when I say no, I renege and say yes later. Until I can say no and mean it I am stuck with unworthiness. It is a vicious cycle. I am unworthy so I have to say yes but when I say yes, I feel unworthy. It is a spiral.

 After Mimosa comes out of the trance, she says she going to tackle her lack of assertiveness. She wants to lose weight and be healthier. Now she knows what she needs to do.

Mimosa faced some serious health challenges a couple of years after her session. She was in and out of hospital and couldn’t walk for a long time. Twice I chanced upon her at the city hospital when I was visiting ill relatives. Mimosa was in great pain and she faced it bravely.

We had spent many sessions coming to terms with her guilt, most of it from her past lives. In our last session, about a year ago, I was delighted to discover she had let most of her guilt go. What a strong soul she is, signing up for such a challenging life.

 

Conclusion

 The idea that we choose our body would seem extremely strange to most people. Most people think they are their physical body. They have no idea that their body is not an accident; that it was chosen by their soul-self for specific and important reasons.

 From the cases outlined above, we gain a glimpse of the process involved in choosing our bodies.

Mauricio’s experience demonstrates how much care we take when choosing our body. It must suit the purpose and challenges we have chosen for our life.

 As Nádia’s example makes clear, our physical self can be in conflict with our soul-self. We, as physical beings, do not fully understand the important role the type of body we choose plays in fulfilling our life’s purpose. For example, we might have signed up to resolve conflicts and issues that have come down our ancestral line.

Mimosa’s case demonstrates how we may choose our body as a path of redemption for guilt accumulated over many past lives.

 Once you know why you chose your body you are less likely to take it for granted. Once you appreciate its important role in fulfilling your life’s purpose, you can be at peace with your body.