At least 25 percent of Americans believe in life after death, or reincarnation.

What if we had scientific proof of life after death? Would we keep it top secret to protect the status quo and safeguard our religious beliefs?

According to Tibetan Buddhists, reincarnation is not a matter of “if,” but where.

They believe their priests (lamas) are reincarnated over and over; but rarely do these reincarnations take place in America.

Jalue Dorjee was born on December 20th, 2006 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.

Jalue’s mom sensed something special about her baby. She recalls him being peaceful inside her body. She never felt sick. There was ease to the pregnancy, during which she and her husband had profound dreams of lamas surrounded by tall sunflowers.

I’ll skip the part about how Jalue was discovered (visit here for that story).

Let’s fast forward a few years and upon his visit to Madison, Wisconsin, the Dalai Lama himself performed the very first haircut on Jalue Dorjee (in keeping with tradition that a Buddhist monk’s hair be no more than two inches long).

When he turns 10, Dorjee will leave his parents to study in India and his life will be steeped in spiritual tradition.

It’s one of the only times this ancient Buddhist tradition has meandered into our puritan American culture and it’s enough to make you stop and wonder.

Have you ever experienced something, someone or some place that gives you the chills—that suggests this is not your first rodeo?

For instance, my wife has a crazy fascination with Japan. I have had recurring dreams of riding a bike in Tehran, Iran. One of the very few other American lamas, Alyce Louise Zeoli, recalls a powerful fascination as a young girl with Buddhist statues.

I believe these fascinations and deep connections are worth exploring.

The history of a soul is a treasure filled with thousands of years of dormant talent, skills and wisdom. But if you are too entangled in life on the surface, your soul’s history can stay buried for many lifetimes.

As goes the quote,

“Sitting on a whale, fishing for minnows.”

The best way to probe your past lives is to explore moments, tastes, smells, artifacts, connections—triggers.

If this article is pushing your limits, remember what Einstein said:

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

One way of living is a lot more fun than the other.

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Ed: Catherine Monkman

{Photo: Pixoto.}