Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/0786

0786 Path of the soul before earthly existence.... doctrine of reincarnation....

February 24, 1939: Book 16

The human soul has travelled its path through thousands of embodiments of all kinds over an unimaginably long period of time. This time has brought about a certain maturity which should now lead to higher perfection in the last stage as a human being. The knowledge of this should be enough to apply the utmost strength to reach the state of perfection, but it is precisely this knowledge that is completely rejected by most people. Unfortunately, there is often the erroneous view that a soul does not first have to be formed into what it is, but is always inherent in the living being in the same way and that one can only speak of a soul in a human being if one wants to recognize something that continues to exist after death. The animal is denied any soul or spiritual substance.... and it is precisely this that leads to completely false views, in that the extremely compelling necessity of all living beings apart from humans is not recognized at all. It is therefore of the utmost importance to bear in mind the varied, indescribably frequent transformation of the outer shell in order to only then become aware of the full responsibility as a human being in earthly life. If every being was only meant to have a one-time embodiment, then the conditions of this embodiment would have to be so extraordinarily difficult if they were to lead to the state of maturity required for eternal bliss, for the distance of such a spiritual being from the eternal deity is too immeasurably great that it could be considerably reduced in such a short time. This is why the creator has intended all beings to reach this one mandatory state in which, according to divine will, every creature strives towards higher development without any responsibility of its own. To live through this preliminary stage of the human soul in all its diversity is of such immense importance that only from it arises the whole responsibility that man bears towards his soul, for this soul has struggled in the most incredible way and defied all resistance.... it has had to fulfil such infinite tasks and submit to God's will in everything, it has travelled a path which was not easy.... but which was the only way to form the soul in such a way that it can pass the last great test of strength in the human being when the will to endure becomes powerful in it. Every human being is therefore as such a world in itself.... it is a work of creation that contains everything that exists on earth and is visible to the human eye in the finest miniaturization.... the human soul has passed through all these wonders of creation and now, in its final embodiment, has to endure a tremendous struggle if the millennia-long struggle up to the stage of the human being is not to have been in vain. Man should remain fully aware of this responsibility and ask God for strength to fulfil the last task on earth and thus bring redemption to the soul from infinitely long-lasting hardship....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers