Photo by M's photography (CC BY 2.0 Deed)
Written by Raymond Salas
“Free will vs. destiny” is a concept that I have rolled around in my head for some time now. I have been camped in both schools of thought at one time or another, but never feeling fully satisfied with one or the other.
Wikipedia says “Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events.” In other words, everything is already mapped out. All I have to do is play along.
“Free will” implies that I actually have a choice and say in the matter.
So which one is it? Actually, I believe it’s a little of both.
Let me explain:
Free Will
I can remember looking out over the ocean one cloudy day. I started to focus on one cloud in particular among all of the others. I began silently repeating (with a little feeling) the thought “disappear,” as I stared intently at this cloud. As I continued with this, to my surprise, the cloud seemed to actually get smaller and smaller. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was I imagining this? Was I hallucinating? Was I “high” on something? After about ten minutes of this practice, the cloud indeed did disappear…gone…nada…nothing! Maybe I was imagining it all or hallucinating on some sort of weird natural high. Who knows?
I decided to try it again one really cloudy day, months later, while visiting the Northern California area. On this day, there were even more clouds (and the marine layer was thicker too.) So, what happened? I had the same results! Amazing!
From that moment on, I realized that my thoughts do have an impact on my world and help create or influence my reality, in some way. This was a very powerful, yet not completely understood, concept for me at the time.
Years later, after reading Ask and It Is Given, I began to experiment further with creating my own reality through the powerful Law of Attraction, with sometimes incredible results. As a result, I now know that I can use my free will to consciously create my reality as I desire, but where does destiny and fate fit in?
Destiny
I decided to let destiny have its way with me when I experimented with the power of surrender. I gave up any idea of what my life should look like. I let go and surrendered to my Higher Power, asking that my life be used for Its greater good.
What happened?
The results have been amazing to me. Concepts, ideas, and experiences I never imagined or dreamed of have occurred in my life. Some sort of grand orchestration of events, synchronicities, and coincidences that I cannot begin to understand, explain, or imagine has been set into motion in my life, bringing me more joy, happiness, freedom, and satisfaction than I ever dreamed was possible.
Now what? Both approaches have worked for me. What do I do now?
Integration
While getting dressed one morning, I suddenly remembered the quote “God’s Will for you is perfect and complete happiness” from A Course In Miracles.
As I pondered this for a bit, everything seemed to “click” for me on this “free will vs. destiny” inner dialogue of mine.
I believe that we can be, do, or have anything we truly desire. We are each powerful creators creating our own reality, either consciously or unconsciously. Whatever we focus on, we create. However, I have also discovered that whenever I am consciously creating from my heart and choosing to focus on my heart’s desires, in that moment, my will and God’s become one. Everything feels aligned. Perfect and complete happiness is the result.
As Debbie Friedman, C.Ht. agrees "You choose that which is your heart's desires, knowing that the reason you have this desire is because the Presence (God) is wanting it through you. So, you are choosing that which your Higher Self has already chosen for you."
I use to wonder if God was ever going to impose some kind of will or plan upon me that I would not like or enjoy. I know how this sounds. Logically, it doesn’t make any sense. Why would God desire for me something that did not make my heart sing or that I did not love? How would my being unhappy or suffering in any way serve God? My answer is: It wouldn’t. Instead, I believe I can best serve God by being happy, following my heart, and doing whatever feels good to me in the moment, releasing everything else for It to handle.
Some guidelines…
Here are some guidelines that I have found helpful in applying all of this:
Whenever I focus on my desires and the success I want to create, I always try to remember to request “this or something better.” This keeps me open and receptive to all of the possibilities for my perfect and complete happiness, even the ones that I do not know about or have not considered yet. I fully accept the possibility of something better existing. If something doesn’t work out the way I envisioned or desired it, I assume that there is something else that would make me happier and this is on its way to me instead, in its own time and in its own way.
The greatest shortcut for true happiness that I have found is in the power of surrender. I turn over all of my days and all areas of my life to my Higher Power and say “You decide for me,” knowing this will allow whatever is for my highest good (i.e., my perfect and complete happiness) to manifest into my life. I assume if there is anything for me to see or do at any time, I will be inspired or otherwise know to do so. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “If the Almighty wants me to do something or not, He usually has pretty convincing ways of letting me know.” I do agree.
In creating my reality and world, my sole function is to decide the “what” of my desires. The Universe, through the Law of Attraction, decides the “how” and manages all of the details involved. I cannot change or influence this equation in any way. I will only struggle and create resistance if I try. The best thing for me to do is get out of the Universe’s way and remind myself: “Of myself I can do nothing. It is God, my Higher Power, that does all of the work for me. I let go now and let God.”
The bottom line…
I believe by following these guidelines daily, I am using the maximum power of my free will to consciously co-create (with the Source Energy) the perfect and complete happiness that is my destiny and God’s Will for me (and saving myself a lot of time, suffering, and unnecessary struggle in the process.) I say “Amen” to this.
“Free will vs. destiny” is a concept that I have rolled around in my head for some time now. I have been camped in both schools of thought at one time or another, but never feeling fully satisfied with one or the other.
Wikipedia says “Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events.” In other words, everything is already mapped out. All I have to do is play along.
“Free will” implies that I actually have a choice and say in the matter.
So which one is it? Actually, I believe it’s a little of both.
Let me explain:
Free Will
I can remember looking out over the ocean one cloudy day. I started to focus on one cloud in particular among all of the others. I began silently repeating (with a little feeling) the thought “disappear,” as I stared intently at this cloud. As I continued with this, to my surprise, the cloud seemed to actually get smaller and smaller. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was I imagining this? Was I hallucinating? Was I “high” on something? After about ten minutes of this practice, the cloud indeed did disappear…gone…nada…nothing! Maybe I was imagining it all or hallucinating on some sort of weird natural high. Who knows?
I decided to try it again one really cloudy day, months later, while visiting the Northern California area. On this day, there were even more clouds (and the marine layer was thicker too.) So, what happened? I had the same results! Amazing!
From that moment on, I realized that my thoughts do have an impact on my world and help create or influence my reality, in some way. This was a very powerful, yet not completely understood, concept for me at the time.
Years later, after reading Ask and It Is Given, I began to experiment further with creating my own reality through the powerful Law of Attraction, with sometimes incredible results. As a result, I now know that I can use my free will to consciously create my reality as I desire, but where does destiny and fate fit in?
Destiny
I decided to let destiny have its way with me when I experimented with the power of surrender. I gave up any idea of what my life should look like. I let go and surrendered to my Higher Power, asking that my life be used for Its greater good.
What happened?
The results have been amazing to me. Concepts, ideas, and experiences I never imagined or dreamed of have occurred in my life. Some sort of grand orchestration of events, synchronicities, and coincidences that I cannot begin to understand, explain, or imagine has been set into motion in my life, bringing me more joy, happiness, freedom, and satisfaction than I ever dreamed was possible.
Now what? Both approaches have worked for me. What do I do now?
Integration
While getting dressed one morning, I suddenly remembered the quote “God’s Will for you is perfect and complete happiness” from A Course In Miracles.
As I pondered this for a bit, everything seemed to “click” for me on this “free will vs. destiny” inner dialogue of mine.
I believe that we can be, do, or have anything we truly desire. We are each powerful creators creating our own reality, either consciously or unconsciously. Whatever we focus on, we create. However, I have also discovered that whenever I am consciously creating from my heart and choosing to focus on my heart’s desires, in that moment, my will and God’s become one. Everything feels aligned. Perfect and complete happiness is the result.
As Debbie Friedman, C.Ht. agrees "You choose that which is your heart's desires, knowing that the reason you have this desire is because the Presence (God) is wanting it through you. So, you are choosing that which your Higher Self has already chosen for you."
I use to wonder if God was ever going to impose some kind of will or plan upon me that I would not like or enjoy. I know how this sounds. Logically, it doesn’t make any sense. Why would God desire for me something that did not make my heart sing or that I did not love? How would my being unhappy or suffering in any way serve God? My answer is: It wouldn’t. Instead, I believe I can best serve God by being happy, following my heart, and doing whatever feels good to me in the moment, releasing everything else for It to handle.
Some guidelines…
Here are some guidelines that I have found helpful in applying all of this:
- Be detached.
Whenever I focus on my desires and the success I want to create, I always try to remember to request “this or something better.” This keeps me open and receptive to all of the possibilities for my perfect and complete happiness, even the ones that I do not know about or have not considered yet. I fully accept the possibility of something better existing. If something doesn’t work out the way I envisioned or desired it, I assume that there is something else that would make me happier and this is on its way to me instead, in its own time and in its own way.
- Surrender to my Higher Power
The greatest shortcut for true happiness that I have found is in the power of surrender. I turn over all of my days and all areas of my life to my Higher Power and say “You decide for me,” knowing this will allow whatever is for my highest good (i.e., my perfect and complete happiness) to manifest into my life. I assume if there is anything for me to see or do at any time, I will be inspired or otherwise know to do so. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “If the Almighty wants me to do something or not, He usually has pretty convincing ways of letting me know.” I do agree.
- How the Universe really works
In creating my reality and world, my sole function is to decide the “what” of my desires. The Universe, through the Law of Attraction, decides the “how” and manages all of the details involved. I cannot change or influence this equation in any way. I will only struggle and create resistance if I try. The best thing for me to do is get out of the Universe’s way and remind myself: “Of myself I can do nothing. It is God, my Higher Power, that does all of the work for me. I let go now and let God.”
The bottom line…
I believe by following these guidelines daily, I am using the maximum power of my free will to consciously co-create (with the Source Energy) the perfect and complete happiness that is my destiny and God’s Will for me (and saving myself a lot of time, suffering, and unnecessary struggle in the process.) I say “Amen” to this.
