Question: As a doctor, I know that our body's structure is determined by the genes we get from our parents. I was wondering if there is a similar connection between a baby's soul and the souls of its parents?

Sri Chinmoy: The parents have their own souls and the child has its own soul. In some cases the souls were connected in previous incarnations and in some cases they were not. In these cases, the child's soul and the parents' souls are being connected by the Highest, by God the Supreme, for the first time. Again, if in this incarnation two souls are connected, there is no guarantee that in the next incarnation they will be together again.

It is like players on a football team. Some players will play for a long time, whereas others may not play for more than one season. Then they will go to some other club or give up playing entirely. But only very, very highly developed souls will be given permission by God to give up playing entirely and will no longer have to reincarnate. Ordinary souls have to come back again and again to learn the game and work for God.