For folks who are interested in the concept of reincarnation, this article from Psychology Today is very much a worthwhile read…. (though necessarily a bit long)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/201210/the-problem-reinca…
From a soon to be published book:
“The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self” by Dr. Alex Lickerman
Exerpt:
“Our lives are in constant motion, and to imagine that we could take a snapshot of them at any one point in time and somehow capture that which represents our essential selves strikes me as arguing that an actual snapshot of a flowing river represents its one true shape. So when people tell me they believe in reincarnation, the first question that comes to my mind isn’t about what evidence they think argues for the possibility. Rather, it’s this: just exactly what do they think gets reincarnated?”
Reality is Dharma 
The inner essence is what reincarnates, the outer personality is constantly changing and dissipates and disappears after every incarnation. The Anatman doctrine applies to the personality. The inner essence or Self slowly changes as well, but relatively seems permanent. One may be very different than they were 10 years ago, but the feeling of “being oneself” is the same. The personality does not reincarnate, and someone who believes or experiences only this material self cannot believe in reincarnation.
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Thanks for that well written reply. i quite agree that it is the “pre-essence” essence which we (and everything) arise from, seem to have, in terms of human reference, no beginning and no end, and that it is this essence which continues on…. but that the “Arisen”…. which includes all physical forms, passes back into its pre-physical form after its physical lifetime. Regarding doctrines, they make great “definition markers”, but aside from that usefulness, they tend to be limited due to the very fact that they have a definition…. all human understanding is not static. While Anatman is a useful concept, i don’t like to hold fast to any doctrines… only to “experience to date”, and to “science as understood to date”. I find no good reason to “believe” anything that does not function inside my own experience……. doctrines usefulness aside from being good “place markers” is only for folks who wish to control others thinking.
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