Can a Person Change His Fate?

 

“Do you believe in fate? Do you believe that the events in our life are predetermined?” – my acquaintances have asked me several times already. My answer depending on the period of life and my world outlook for that period was different but I did not realize the complete picture until some certain time. And now I know what I would answer if I were asked again.

What is fate? Fate is a sequence of events which a person finds himself in to develop his capabilities, qualities, to find his true Self. What happens to us now (both positive and negative) has causes in our past, in our own deeds and thoughts. The way how we are coping with the situation at this very moment will lead to a certain situation in the future. I mean, if we overcome what life offers us with honour, if we see and remember the lesson it teaches us, the situation will not repeat in the future. If we suffer and lament over the situation, life again will give us a chance to work out the same aspect and, more likely, more severe circumstances will be created. A saying is popular among Russians (I am sure it is known to the other nations as well): “to step onto the same rake”.

Everything that has been described above is called karma in India and the repeating situations in life are called the wheel of sansara. But it is not at all necessary that the deeds which we committed once will determine our destiny all the future lives. The man IS GIVEN FREEDOM – the freedom to choose his path: whether he wants to develop spiritually or not. If the person goes along the way of transformation and growth, he can get free from the so called karma quite quickly. Everything depends on his desire to realize the negative in himself and the quantity of love he is carrying into the World.

Destiny and the Level of Spiritual Development

1) What is fate for the people living in the risk zone? For this zone the saying is appropriate: “one cannot run away from his fate”. As the person’s vibrations are quite low, he is quite far from the bright, from his own Self/spirit, from God/Supreme Power (and it is very difficult for the Supreme Power to “get in touch” with the person, to help him and guide him). In this zone, everything can happen to the man – a serious illness, an accident, an unpredicted death. And even if the person is warned about the impending danger (including the sings from above), if there are attempts to save him, his fate will still find him very quickly. So, hard karmic dependence is typical for this zone.

2) Staying in the third zone, in the state of joy and happiness, the person forms his own destiny, not by force – “I want so!” – but while cooperating with the World in a subtle harmonious way. He does not think of destiny, he just lives! In such a way he can live for a very long time, solving more and more tasks important for the World. In this zone the man’s rise can be infinite. The man’s consciousness is widening: the causes of what is happening become understandable and the person can work them out not waiting for the repetition of the situation.

But the staying in each zone may not be meant for the whole life as each person has the right to chose – to develop or not. One shouldn’t say that a certain destiny is waiting for each person which he cannot go beyond. In reality, a number of variants of our future are lying in front of us! Even in the first zone everything depends on the person’s desire and as soon as he realizes that he needs to develop, more opportunities are opening in front of him. Growing spiritually, the person can change his fate.

Thought for the day: “One’s own Spirit is the reality which is constantly present, however our ignorance transforms it into an aim which should be reached. When ignorance is destroyed, one’s own spirit appears as if it has never been absent, like a necklace, which is around your neck, which you have considered lost” (Adi Shankaracharya, Vedic Hymns and Songs).

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