You’ve probably seen videos on YouTube or TikTok with the self-proclaimed gurus who make reincarnation seem instantaneous – like you die in one life and instantly pop into another body. But between what those videos show and what actually happens, there’s a difference. The truth is that reincarnation takes some time. But how long is “some time”?
Some souls need decades or even centuries to rest and reflect in the afterlife before re-entering the cycle of rebirth. Older, more advanced souls tend to have longer intervals as they have more wisdom and experience to assimilate from their past lives. Younger souls, on the other hand, are often eager to take on a new incarnation quickly.
The time between lives is not an arbitrary waiting period. Your soul uses this intermission to evaluate your previous incarnation, learn valuable lessons, shed attachments and desires, and plan your next life with the help of spirit guides and the higher self.
Reincarnation: The Process of Rebirth
Reincarnation is the belief that when you die, your soul is reborn into a new body. But how long does the process really take?
The Intermission Between Lifetimes
According to many Eastern religions, reincarnation usually takes between 2 months and 200 years – it isn’t instantaneous.
In between lives, there is a transition period. This period is sometimes called the “bardo.” During the bardo, the soul lets go of the past life and gets ready for the next one. It can last anywhere from a few days to a few decades.
In the bardo, the soul looks back at what happened in the previous life. It thinks about what it learned and what it still needs to learn going forward. This helps the soul decide what type of new life would be best for continuing its spiritual growth.
Finding The “Right Conditions” For Rebirth
Once the soul is ready, it is reborn into a new body. But the specific conditions for rebirth depend on the spiritual progress of the soul. Souls at an early stage may reincarnate quickly into circumstances similar to their previous life. More advanced souls may reincarnate in a very different body, culture, or era to gain new experiences.
The time between lives also depends on the availability of a suitable family and body for the new incarnation. That’s why it’s really hard to say how long this might take. Some souls may even choose to remain in the spiritual realm for extended periods before the right conditions arise for their next physical life.
Lessons To Learn
The ultimate goal of reincarnation is spiritual enlightenment over many lifetimes. So, the length of time between incarnations can depend on the lessons a soul still needs to learn and the experiences it desires to have to progress spiritually. This is a very individual process that varies for each soul.
There is no fixed schedule for how long reincarnation takes. It is an ongoing cycle of death and rebirth that continues for each soul until it reaches its full enlightenment and liberation. The time in between is highly variable and personal.
What Determines Reincarnation Timing
The time between incarnations can vary greatly depending on several factors. Some souls reincarnate quickly, while others may wait hundreds of years before taking on a new physical form.
Soul Readiness
The soul’s readiness and desire to reincarnate is a primary factor. If a soul feels it has more to learn or experience in the physical realm, it will likely reincarnate sooner. However, if a soul needs time to rest, process its previous life, or enjoy the spiritual realm, it may wait longer.
Each soul can take as long as it feels it requires to recharge its batteries before making the choice to take another turn around the wheel of life.
Karmic Lessons
The soul may need to reincarnate quickly to work through unresolved relationships or karmic lessons from its previous life. On the other hand, if a soul achieved enlightenment or learned the major lessons it needed in its last incarnation, it won’t feel the pull to reincarnate as fast. They’ve earned a chance to rest and reflect on all they’ve realized before choosing another path.
Availability of A Suitable Family
The soul must find a suitable family in which to be born that matches its desired learning and growth opportunities. This can sometimes take many years of searching to find the right match.
The idea is that our soul knows what lessons it needs to learn and what experiences it needs to have in order to keep growing. So, it searches carefully for a family that will provide just the right opportunities and challenges. That’s a lot of responsibility for a soul to take on!
Reincarnation In Buddhism
According to Buddhism, the length of time it takes for reincarnation to occur depends primarily on the strength of one’s karma and spiritual attainment. For most ordinary beings, reincarnation occurs shortly after death, sometimes within minutes or hours. However, for those with strong spiritual attainment and who have weakened their karmic ties, reincarnation can take much longer.
Highly attained beings known as arhats may choose to delay their rebirth for extended periods, sometimes thousands of years, before taking rebirth to help other beings. This is known as “conscious rebirth.” The time between death and rebirth also allows beings to experience the “bardo,” an intermediate state where they work through their karma before taking on a new body.
Reincarnation In Hinduism
In Hinduism, reincarnation is a continuous cycle with no fixed time period. The time it takes for a soul to reincarnate depends on a number of factors. When a person dies, their soul leaves the body and begins a journey. The soul first goes to Pitriloka, the realm of ancestors, where it dwells for a period of time. Then, it moves on to Swarga, the heaven realm. Here, the soul enjoys the fruits of good karma from its past life.
After exhausting the good karma, the soul descends from Swarga and enters the cycle of rebirth. The time spent in Pitriloka and Swarga can vary from a few years to several lifetimes depending on a person’s spiritual merit and karma balance from their past life. Once the soul enters the cycle of rebirth, it is reborn as a plant, animal, or human based on its karma. The soul continues to be reborn and accumulate karma until it achieves moksha or liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
Summing This Up
Your soul has to rest, recover, evaluate your previous life, and prepare for the next one. The timing depends a lot on you and what your soul needs to evolve to its highest state. The most important thing is not to worry too much about when you’ll come back but instead focus on living this life fully, learning your lessons, and becoming the best person you can be.
