We tend to think of life as a straight line: birth, a span of years, and then death. But from the perspective of the soul, life is anything but linear. It’s more like a wheel, endlessly turning, carrying forward everything we’ve already learned, and offering us opportunities to correct, elevate, and expand. This is the essence of reincarnation. What if I told you that your soul is not bound to a single lifetime? That it arrives on Earth with a history—all of the light you’ve already revealed, lessons you have half-learned, debts maybe left unresolved—and all with a purpose to continue its unique growth?

It would change the way you looked at your life today, wouldn’t it?

It makes me think of the movie Groundhog Day. For those who don’t remember, Phil Connors (played hilariously by Bill Murray) wakes up and relives the same day over and over and over. He begins the film as an embodiment of ego—caring only for himself, his ambitions, and what others can do for him—but by the end, he’s completely transformed. The main people in his day, or in this case his life, remain the same. The souls that surround him challenge him and encourage him in all sorts of ways but the main lesson—to transform his soul from one of grasping to one of giving—also remains the same.

It is a beautiful metaphor for reincarnation. We “wake up” at the beginning of a “new day” and our only purpose is to grow and transform. Just like Phil, we are presented with a collection of challenges and the way we respond each time determines our experience and our evolution.

Have you ever noticed that certain challenges follow you like a shadow? Maybe you struggle with confrontation, self-worth, or trust, even though in other areas of life you shine with ease. According to Kabbalah, those sticking points (the ones that have you saying “oh no, not this again!”) are not random. They are markers, hints left by your soul. They point directly to the work you came here to do.

True spiritual growth happens when we turn toward those uncomfortable sticking points and rather than curse or avoid them, ask: What is my soul trying to correct through this?

The same is true of the people in our lives. Every interaction—whether inspiring, challenging, or frustrating—carries a thread of continuity. That “random” person who shows up needing your help may actually be part of your soul’s unfinished work from a past lifetime. The continued conflict you have with someone might be exactly what your soul needs in this lifetime. The frustration and aggravation that arises from these types of dynamics might feel personal, but the truth is we’re all one. We are all from the same root of soul and separation—as real as it may feel—is an illusion.

That definitely changes things, doesn’t it?

When you start to see life this way, “chance encounters” transform into sacred appointments. Even the most difficult relationships take on a new meaning. They aren’t punishments. They’re opportunities to repay old debts, to heal broken bonds, or to elevate not only your soul but the soul of the other person. No matter how “insignificant” they might seem. Then again, from the lens of reincarnation not a single person we encounter is insignificant. In fact, one of my favorite principles of reincarnation is the opportunity to expand our love.

Most of us reserve our deepest love for a few close people—our children, partners, or family. But spiritually, that love is meant to grow, extending outward in widening circles. The person who frustrates you, the stranger who crosses your path, the friend who unexpectedly asks for help—these souls may once have been as close to you as your own family. And even if they weren’t, they are part of the same great network of souls. When you expand your capacity to love beyond the few to the many, you step into the highest work your soul came here to do. Continuing with the Groundhog Day analogy, we watch this happen perfectly throughout the film. Phil Connors doesn’t just fall deeply in love with Andi McDowell’s character meant to be his soulmate, he truly comes to love every person in the town, even those who frustrated him relentlessly in the beginning.

When you view life through the perspective of reincarnation, chaos suddenly gives way to purpose. The difficult people are no longer enemies; they are mirrors and partners in your soul’s evolution. The stubborn challenges are no longer punishments; they are invitations. Nothing is random and everything has meaning, everything is an opportunity that may not come again.

Your soul did not come here to suffer and life is not random. It came with intention. And everything you experience—the joy, the struggle, the love, the conflict—is part of what you came here to learn, correct, and ultimately, transform into Light. Don’t get stuck in a Groundhog Day of your own, accept life’s invitations the first time they come around.

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