posted January 26, 2004 11:36 AM              

We all know the power of sychronicity and how there are "no coincidences". How fate and karma are powerful forces, and certain things are meant to be.

But more specifically, I'm looking at which CLUES come at us which we discriminantly CHOOSE to either see or ignore. Some are put on the backburner for future consideration...

All this versus a calling to work hard and work step-by-step towards a goal, against all odds. Against all naysayers...

Please share how you balance these two things out.

.gloria

posted January 14, 2005 09:15 AM              

But yes, on the subject of fate and destiny v. free will, I believe in both. I feel that we have a basic destiny laid out for us by God. For instance, it may involve being in your church, or simply having a very empathetic nature and helping people, or you're a very talented artist. You can choose whether or not to follow through with these "callings," and you personally have to make the decision what is "right" for you. Personally I believe in following callings but sometimes it is hard to tell what is really a "calling" and what isn't. I try to keep an open mind, though. As for "fate" (I know they are synonymous, but this is how I ration the two terms in my own mind) I feel it is destiny mixed with personal choice. Destiny and fate could be the same or similar, but not necessarily. Destiny is, sorry for the superfluous statement, where we are destined to be in our lives and/or by the end of our lives. Fate is where we actually end up based on our personal decisions whether or not to choose our "destiny." Although, yes, the words are synonymous and I use them synonymously often in my life.

As for free will I firmly believe that even though we may have a "destiny" or an eventual "fate" we also have a free will to follow through. If we do follow through the rewards will be great and almost easy to achieve in most cases. If we do not and we choose another route it may be obtainable and probably just as successful and fulfilling and rewarding, but we might have to work a little harder at it.

So that's some of my musing... pretty good since I'm in a study hall right now in my school's library. Heh, heh...

posted January 14, 2005 02:14 PM              

Destiny v Free Will? This is an immensely interesting subject to me. I too have struggled and juggled with this one.

My own views on this subject are that I believe that we ALWAYS have free will, ALWAYS. Jean Paul Satre the existential philosopher wrote that in every situation we have a choice (even if we are imprisoned we have the choice to stand up and fight, plan escape or capitulate), but every action has a reaction or consequence and we should be as equally aware of those potential consequences as we are with choices that we make. Therefore we are 'responsible' for our choices and all the potential repercussions. This sounds awfully simplistic but I find its an ethos that works well for me and I see the truth in that simplicity. Its also a mantra which has been re-used in several self help books; the resulting sense of empowerment that reader realises is a primary tool for self development and personal healing. The choices of course arent always easy but they are always there to us.

Interestingly, I also believe that we all have a path to follow in life which is largely determined by ourselves but can be supported (or not supported) by the universe. I think this is where psychic experiences, intuition, a sense of destiny and synchronicity undoubtedly come into play and I have had deeply personal experiences of being guided to the right path and 'warned' if I am following the wrong path.

I blend the seemingly harsh 'we have choice and responsibilty' belief, with the 'path of life' belief quite easily. I believe that we are given gifts and a basic blueprint in life but it is our own free will, choice and our own power that allows those seeds to germinate and to make our mark in this world and this life.

On this board, I think, understandably, that we all have varying degrees of interest and knowledge of astrology. This is what makes these forums so interesting and so organic. YAY to that. What some of you may have noticed from some of my previous posts is that I am a HUGE advocate of using astrology as a tool for basic psychology but NOT as an absolute for a persons life/personality. If I meet some one I accept his or her as a person, accept that they can change under their own volition, accept their personal power and choice. Of course, I have an ENORMOUS interest in astrology otherwise I wouldnt post here and I am undoubtedly struck by the incredibly accuracy of traits to people I know and love - and not just the basic signs I mean the whole charts. I cannot deny that I use it and I have a good feel for someone based on their astrological data, but I do try very hard not to slip into the 'relating to the birth chart' rather than 'relating to the person' trap.

Essentially, these WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, ALIVE people that I am blessed to have in my life have the gift of life breathed into them by God and the Universe and the true beauty of that gift is that they are FREE to choose and to realise that POWER. As are we all.

With love

posted January 15, 2005 11:17 PM              

Take palm reading as an example. Your non-dominant hand reveals what you were born with (rather like a natal chart); and the dominant shows what you've done with your life. Particularly interesting is to compare your life lines on either palm.

I am always looking for signs. Always. And, if none are forthcoming, then I will too ask the Universe. Sometimes, I'm a little thick and may have to be shown the sign, over and over again, until I get it.

How often have I picked up a book from the library (or my own shelf) that deals with the very issues that have been puzzling me at the time. Or sometimes you are given just the right thing (whether it be a book, a website link, an email, or maybe you hear the words to a song, for the first time. Oh, you've listened to that song before, a million times, but you've never really heard it until now, right at the moment when you need to learn its message).

It is said that people come into your life at a specific time for a reason; and some will leave as quickly as they came. When the lesson is learnt, there is no reason for them to stay. And if the lesson is not learnt, they might still go, but be replaced by others that are similar - and thus the cycle repeats until it is broken - and the lesson learnt.

I think there is method in all of this madness. I believe, I believe, I believe.