Past-life memories research and karma

[Ninshub]

A key, interesting question for me, Typoz, following what you've said, is: does doing that psycho-spiritual work, in whatever way, through whatever means, pertain to our spiritual evolution past this lifetime? (Admittedly this is an extremely large topic requiring its own thread !!!). Is it the "duty" or is it necessary, in whatever way one conceives necessity, for the incarnate soul/psyche to work on itself - to work or be mindful of the "grooves"? This is implicit (or explicit) in all the Indian traditions. We can argue that it's probably the case for the Western religious traditions as well (some sort of attitudinal or belief or behavioural transformation, like, for example, the Christian who progresses because he recognizes Christ as Lord and practices loving his neighbours as him or herself).

Now does the survival data, for example near-death experiences, indicate this is work that has to be done ultimately (or that life will arrange for us to eventually be motivated to get it done), or is just about experiencing with no ultimate lesson? (For example, the notion that a higher self would somehow be separate from those "groove"-laden reincarnating "selves", and that it's all somehow just a play in consciousness - real enough on one level, say human or immediate discarnate, but at higher level ultimately only apparently real.)