December 14, 2003
This came from the movie Terminator III, Rise of the Machines, as the message on the plaque of John Connor's mother's coffin. Julia and I saw this movie on the big screen back in July.
It sent my mind into puzzle solving mode. This terse phrase represents a whole philosophy and view of reality. What does it mean if 'Fate' exists? What does it mean if 'Fate' does not exist?
Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who embraced Stoicism, wrote his Meditations between the years 170 and 180 C.E. The fifth line from Book Ten of these meditations is as follows:
it was ordained unto thee from the beginning of time."
What is this? The 'no-hand' path? There can be no 'My will be done', as in the left hand, nor can there be any 'Thy will be done'. This gets quite depressing if I examine it closely.
I don't think there are many people who believe in complete determinism. One Christian viewpoint, which probably is more common, is as follows:
"The Arminian view is that all humans are free and able to choose whether or not to submit to God. Arminianism sees no conflict between God's PREDESTINATION and our FREE WILL. Indeed, Predestination is seen as God’s foreknowledge of the way each person will freely choose to accept or reject Christ."This who hold with a view similar to this very RHP view, (just substitute Deity of your choice for 'Christ'), clearly believe in 'FATE', but that we have the power to reject it. Those who think like this are the right hand pathers who WITH THEIR FREE WILL seek Deities guidance in their choices. They are the ones who ask of Deity, ''Is this thing X meant for me?'' They sniff for external signs. (It is easy to do when one doesn't trust one's own judgment.) External signs there might be, but we must interpret them ourselves.
It is also easy to fall into the trap of thinking there is something 'meant' for us to do, as in FATE meant this particular thing. People may use this concept to bolster their own sense of purpose, and I suppose if it gets them off the couch and 'doing', then it is not all bad. But there is another way to look at it. Do we determine our own meaning in life, or do we look to others to tell us what this is? As early as five years old, I pondered the meaning of life:
(From my bio:)
I looked at my Dad in his shorts and white T- shirt. Maybe he knew. I asked, Why am I here? This threw Dad for a loop, momentarily. He stammered and stuttered,''Well, because we loved and wanted you.'' That was comforting, but not quite what I was asking. ''No, Dad, I mean, WHY am I here?'' Dad became really flustered, not quite believing a five year old was asking about the meaning of life. Suddenly, the answer came to me, with sparkling brilliance. `I'm here to do great things, to make the world a better place. Oh, I know it!' I felt triumphant with the coming of the answer. I looked forward with eagerness to all life had in store.
As I savored the sandwich, every sense so fully engaged, my mind also was engaged. Why was I here? Why are any of us here? There had to be a reason.
WHO made that decision? Five year old me said, not so much in these words, but in this intent, ''My Will Be Done.'' I decided this was my life's purpose. And it has ever since been my task to determine what those things are.
WHY did I say those words? Was I 'pre-ordained' to say those words? Was it merely from the benefits gained by my biological heritage that I was able to say those words? Or was my five year old consciousness sufficiently mature to say ''I Will''? I believe I was.
Ever since, it has my process of evolution in learning how to better fulfill my youthful desires. I can look forward to new things I might discover and by knowing I have the ability to find them, will enable that process to occur. I will have my ears and eyes open and ready for all signs on all levels of life, from the mundane to the magical in order to foster this. It is the attitude of attentive alertness that Enables.
There are many aspects of life I cannot control. I was given a particular set of genes which might presuppose me to certain leanings. But it is my Will which must act upon them. I find it most curious in the studies of identical twins that the ones raised separately tended to be most like each other, and those raised together tended to be most different. Endeavoring to create their identities, they consciously reinforced differing characteristics to assert their uniqueness. Biology is NOT destiny.
And yet I am most amused as I learn of my mother's studies of the 'Seth' books in which Jane Roberts advocates creating one's own reality and her firm conviction that our beliefs can heal us. With 'Xeper', I have just taken it one step farther. I dig deeper to the underground. Maybe it is all just the same thing, but with the one way, we are merely more CONSCIOUS of the individual steps in the process.
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And all the excellent figurings, Fog settles about our feet. Do you know any more the way?
One step at a time, Lean forward . . .
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