"Within the Pefect symmetry of a circle, is held the essential nature of the universe. Strive to learn from it . . . to reflect that order"
This statement was written down in the 12th century illustrating the Celtic culture's respect and awareness toward nature's cycles. Their beliefs revolved around a reflection of natural cycles clearly visible in nature. . .
1. the cycle of death and rebirth
2. the seasonal cycles of rotation
3. the circular movement of the sun, moon, planets & constellations
4. the ebb and flow of the ocean tides
5. the migration of birds and beasts
The triscale (trisklene) was a symbol of the motion of these cycles and their continous nature---always growing and returning again to the same point on a slightly higher level---rebirth.
Being the poets that they were the following prose came about which illustrated the essential nature of this belief:
I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as a plant and rose to animal,
I died as an animal and i was man,
Why should i fear? When was i ever less by dying?
Yet once more i shall die as man, to soar
In the Blessed Realm; but even from godhood
I must pass on. . .
They felt that all consciousness was essentially the same--seperated only by their accumulated experience. In other words, humans had at one time been all of the less complex life-forms at some point in time, and the only difference between them was that their souls differed only in complexity and concentration, which was determined by their successive lifecycles. All souls were considered eternal and were in the process of expanding beyond the experiential bounds of their current state---constantly heading towards the beyond. When a soul became saturated with the experiences of its present life-form, following the cycle, it moved on to a higher concentration. Regression is impossible in this belief.
As far as the Hindu version of Transmigration. A soul can regress as a form of punishment for bad karma. And its final destination would be Nirvana.
Though i tend to side more with the celtic view for reasons i wont disclose now, either of these beliefs win me over from the concept of heaven and hell, because for one, these theories teach me to be responsible for my own actions, regardless of what they might be, two the thought of ascending to a higher realm based on knowledge and experience and at my own choice is a very pleasant way for me to deal with death, at least physical death, and three it gives my life a sense of purpose amongst all the chaos that is.