Free Will vs. Fate -- Story of Three Spiritual Aspirants

The fate vs. free will debate involves three main points of view. Either you believe everything is fated, nothing is fated, or somewhere in between.

Below we outline the three general belief systems regarding fate vs. free will represented through three separate spiritual seekers.

1. The first seeker believes there’s nothing she can do to improve her lot in life. She contends that everything in her life is fated so why bother trying to make it better? Unfortunately, she’s also pessimistic and completely fatalistic.

Of morbid disposition, she spends her free time alone watching TV and hoping she has better circumstances in her next life.

Based on some of the feedback we receive, we’re misunderstood as this type of spiritual seeker. In truth, we’re very different from this type.

2. The second seeker is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the first seeker. He believes anything is possible, no matter what, and shuns the notions of personal fate, karma, and immutable personal adversity.

He is a regular inspirational seminar participant and his library is full of all the New Age best-sellers because the authors of those books, like him, mostly reject the idea of predetermination and immutable personal adversity. It’s all sunshine and rainbows; “You can do it!” We love inspiration, but only if it’s rooted in reality.

Unfortunately, this seeker eventually faces the real world when life happens to him. Circumstances beyond his control destroy his lofty ideals, he feels like a failure because he wasn’t able to create whatever he wanted, and he lives the rest of his life depressed, with a victim consciousness.

Those of this group who do manage to achieve great success display a lack of humility by insisting their will alone manifested their dreams, instead of humbly admitting it was also because fate and karma were on their side, this time.

3. The third seeker embraces the philosophy that most of the key circumstances and events in everyone’s life are fated, acknowledges that everyone has their own unique personal adversity and free will to react to it in a positive way, and that there are many things in life that you can’t change no matter how inspired you get.

But he plays the long game. He believes that those dreams he can’t manifest in this life may very well be reachable in future lives, so he keeps working hard and dreaming. He sees this life as one of many, just like the many years in your life. Keep striving, he believes, and he will get there, in time, and at the very least, reap other benefits along the way.

Being of detached mind and accepting what he can’t change, few things faze the third seeker. Ironically, he is more inspired than the second seeker, in part, because he sees this life as an enormous opportunity that many souls on the other side would like and is grateful for every single day.

Considering the philosophies of fate and reincarnation, in which more than half of the world’s population believes, are valid (these theories have yet to be invalidated), which spiritual seeker will get the most out of life? Clearly, the third one, in our view.

You have nothing to lose by embracing the philosophies of free will, predestination, and reincarnation (only the hopelessly idealistic reject the notion that everyone has unique, unavoidable personal adversity), but you do have much to lose if you take the hapless approach of the first two seekers.

Below we list three ways that will help you make the most of your spiritual journey.

1. Realize what you really want by getting to know yourself better, including your subconscious personality, which is outlined wonderfully by handwriting analysis. Subconscious memory exploration through hypnosis mp3s also works wonders. Once you have self-knowledge, including knowing your timing (outlined excellently by comprehensive astrology and numerology), you stop fighting the path most natural for you.

2. Take the essential steps to reach your goals and work on your discipline if necessary. Katharine Hepburn said, “Without discipline, there’s no life at all.” Your health, relationships of all types, work, and of course achieving your goals all require discipline. Meditation is a good practice that helps you increase your discipline. Subliminal MP3s for self-discipline can give you an extra push if you feel you need it.

3. Make time to dream every day, without limits. We call it “dream-castling” and you can be as outrageous as you want--it’s your imagination. While always keeping in mind your realistic everyday and long-term goals, go wild with your imagination about what things would be like in the best-case scenario.

For example, say you want to write a best-selling book. Imagine what it would be like to help people with what you’ve learned (the hard way). Think of what it would feel like to sell millions of books and improve countless lives, and of course enjoy the money and credibility that would come with it.

While you may not be able to achieve every extravagant desire in this life, there’s always your next life, and what matters most is the experience and what you learn along the way.

Copyright © Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo