User blog comment:MrHatNClogs/Shinigami origins???/@comment-44061-20100517011618

Asking about Origins is like asking about the meaning of life. Its a question that cant be properly answered. What your asking is more of a religious question. In the world of Bleach its based on eastern concept of reincarnation. Where the beginning is in a circle is hard to determine. I dont know how they can explain where things begin it just would seem to have always been. what we do know is that those that die are brought to soul society through soul burial and live there for a time until they are reincarnated back into the world of the living as a different person with no memory of their previous life. At the same time life in soul society is like living an actual life of a human on earth. One can also have a family and be born there. Nobles are always born in soul society and they have greater spiritual power than normal souls. The difference between a Shinigami and regular soul is just the amount of spiritual power. A soul with a high spiritual power admits themselves into the academy and trains to become a Shinigami. A shinigami is just a soul with high spiritual energy that allows them supernatural powers. Its important to know the point of shinigami is to maintain the balance of the universe. They control the soul migration and the continuation of the circle of life upon the wheel of reincarnation. Both your assertions are right to a point with both taking place. There are those born and those brought there upon their death. Anything is baseless speculation cause nothing else was stated or insinuated. Soul Society while spiritual entirely is based similar to how life on earth works there is no higher power that they know of other then themselves.