Chapter Nine : Sending on Spirits in Transition 13

A disciple asked the Founding Master, “I would like to know what processes and states are entailed when the numinous spirit discards this body and receives a new one.” The Founding Master said, “When the numinous spirit separates from the body, normally the spirit rises from the body after the breath of the physical body is completely extinguished; however, in some cases the spirit alone rises even though the breath still remains in the body. When the spirit rises from the body, it usually stays in an intermediate state for approximately forty-nine days before it plants itself in a womb. However, some spirits plant themselves in a womb right after rising and others float around like the breeze in the intermediate state for months and years. Ordinarily, a spirit moves about as if in a dream until it receives a new body, thinking that it still retains its previous physical body. Once it plants itself in a new womb, however, the previous consciousness is extinguished and the spirit recognizes the new body as its own.”