Tuesday August 24, 2010 – Day 6

Today we said a sad goodbye to our wonderful host, Joe, and drove back to the United States again.

We drove across the big bridge that took us into Canada two days ago. They call it the “Rainbow Bridge.” As I read the road signs leading to the bridge, I told Kathy, “You know...this reminds me of a Manowar song about the Rainbow Bridge.”

Once on the rainbow bridge, we waited in line to be processed by United States customs and immigrations. While we waited, I fiddled with my iPhone, looking for the Manowar song I remembered. At last I found it. The song is called “Sleipnir” on the “Gods of War” CD. As we made our way back to the United States, I played the song for Kathy and sang along:

“Carry we who die in battle,

Over land and sea,

Across the Rainbow Bridge, to Valhalla

Odin's waiting for me!”

We checked into our inn, which is the Brookside Manor Bed and Breakfast in the town near Lily Dale called Freedonia.

We went back to Lily Dale and spent some time walking around. We called around trying to find mediums available to give us readings, but because this is the last week, they were all booked solid. Someone we talked to suggested we try a medium named George Kincaid. We called him and he managed to squeeze us in.

At night we went to an open forum at the hotel where people were allowed to ask questions about the religion of Spiritualism. People asked some interesting questions, but pretty common ones. When there was a lull, I got up and asked about Spiritualism's view on reincarnation. I remembered reading years ago that Spiritualists don't believe in reincarnation, but so many still do that it created a rift and a man named Alan Kardec started his own religion called “Spiritism” which took hold in South America. The Spiritists believe in reincarnation, but the Spiritualists do not.

Well, my question created quite a stir and soon everyone in the room had something to say about it. The bottom line is this: official doctrine by the Spiritualist church teaches that reincarnation is not real. If you're going to write an official publication for the church, it better not teach reincarnation. However, individual members are free to believe what they want. And, as it turns out, about half of them believe in reincarnation and half do not.

Seems to me they should be able to ask the spirits themselves. The problem with that is—as several psychics told us over the course of this week—just because you're dead doesn't mean you have all the answers. I bet half of the spirits of the dead also believe in reincarnation and half do not.