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Question: Is it possible that a soul will regress to a lower form of life when it reincarnates?

Shri Anandi Ma: By and large, once the soul has achieved the human body it reincarnates over and over again at that level until the state of God-realization is achieved, when it is free from the cycle of life and death. Or the soul may wait until the entire process of creation is dissolved; it’s something like a tsunami in which the entire consciousness is taken back, the whole process of creation is dissolved, and every soul merges back with God.

We at the human level have evolved from the state of the animal. We have the instincts of the lower beings and, at the same time, we have the inclination to rise above that. Although it is not common that a soul will regress to the lower forms, if the karma is such that the animal instincts are predominantly strong, then it is possible. But it is rare. It is more common that the soul continues in the same phase until it is finally liberated.

At times we may act like an animal, given a particular situation, and the yogis say we should control those tendencies. The seeds are all there in the chitta but which are we going to stimulate? What state of action are we going to allow ourselves? A thought may arise to kill two persons but am I going to implement that thought? That is the point where the process of control and understanding comes about.

The two lowest chakras are loaded with animal instincts, and most people have a tendency to operate from that place. But as the kundalini arises, and particularly after it pierces the manipur chakra at the navel and afterwards the heart, then there is a greater chance that it will go to the upper levels. This is what Dhyanyogiji mws referring to when He said His work was to turn stones into men and men into God.

We, as humans, are at that intermediate state and can choose to become one with God or continue being, acting, and behaving like animals. The whole process is to watch our thoughts, watch our actions, and follow that single axiom where yoga starts, the first yama, Ahimsa parmo dharma, given by  Patanjali. Our dharma, or religion, if you want to call it that, should be ahimsa, which means to do no harm to anyone in thought, word, or deed. This is not about being Hindu or Christian or Buddhist, but it is dharma, the true line of action we all need to follow. If that is adhered to, then we are truly free from the cycle of life and death.