Karma, destiny and free will, the Anti-Secret (part two)

July 17, 9:59 AMLA Occult & Paranormal ExaminerRyan Omega

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Everyone has a destiny but destiny is not immovable. People talk about fate or destiny as if we could do nothing about it and yet it is the laziest approach to life. Destiny is only short for the word destination. You cannot get to your destination without using your own actions to get yourself there.

Let's day that your destiny is to be a teacher. It's not necessarily because that is what is in your head and what you dream about, but it's more like the road signs of the Universe put it into your direction. You may find that when it comes to jobs, most of them that strike you deal with instructing others. You may find people you know, including relatives, are already teachers and you get along with them very well. You may even have qualities like patience and liking the glint in a student's eye when he or she understands something. Your destiny to be a teacher means that your life has the propensity to move in that direction and your life comes equipped to make it easier to become one.

Yes, this means what you wish to be and your destiny are not always the same thing.

Now, let's say that you don't want to be a teacher. Your dream is to be an actor. It is what inspires you and it's fine and dandy that you want to become one. But if you take a look at your life as it is, your life is not predisposed to making you an actor. If it was giving you that direction, you'd find that people would find you and suggest that you do theatre, or join their production, or you would find that your school had a drama class and you did very well, or you would have relatives in Los Angeles that would invite you to stay for a week. All of the signs of the Universe would point it out and give you nudges.

If your life is not predisposed to being an actor (even if you want to be one), you would find that you have to seek productions by looking extensively. You would go on many auditions and it would be hard to get successfully cast. Even if you were to do a production, an emergency would come up that would prevent you from performing. You don't get along with the group of actors that are doing theatre. In other words, if your destiny does not fall in line with your desire, everything going in that direction will feel like effort and a struggle, like an uphill battle.

BUT if you use your will to do this long enough, your destiny will change. After struggling for a long while, you will find people who you can get along with in a production. You will feel inspired to start projects on your own with actor friends. You will find mentors that can coach you, saving you money from acting classes. You may find a person who likes your look and would like to do photos of you for her portfolio. Of course, you may find it interesting that in the process, you'll find it easier when you are teaching new actors various techniques... because it was related to your original destiny of being a teacher.

Now this is where karma comes in.

Let's say in a new production of Romeo and Juliet in a big theatre, after tons of struggling, you managed to get the lead role of Romeo. You used your will and struggled to get there and you got it.

In the process, someone who was destined to get the role of Romeo doesn't get it. He's been knocked out from that destiny because you used your will. Because he does not get the role that would have furthered his career, he now does something different. Let's say that he has to occupy his time by being a bartender at the local bar.

The person who was supposed to be the bartender of the local bar is now knocked out of that position and he has to find something else.

And so on and so on.  In a way, this process could be considered the "Anti-Secret." If one reads "The Secret," it comes from the standpoint of an individual making visualizations and attracting things to him or her. The problem with the viewpoint is that it is egocentric. It does not talk very much about actions, their consequences or living in the world with other people. Not everyone can be Romeo.

Meanwhile, you now have a new destiny that starts off by being Romeo in this production. Great, right?

Now at some point, for affecting that kind of change, the Universe has to readjust itself to "normal" or "neutral" and that means your life will need to be readjusted and paid back. That part is karma.

In this case, I've used an example where karma occurs because you wanted a change in your life. Most people associate karma with horrendous things, like stealing a car or murder, and that the Universe will want a payback.

The method is the exactly the same. With revenge, retribution and a sense of "justice," it is more obvious for people because people understand the concept of "an eye for an eye" when it comes to karma because it is payback for "something that should not have happened."

But karma also happens when you change your destiny, because technically your new destiny is "something that should not happen" either. No matter how much you benefit from it. One can think of this as changing your life comes with a cost. That cost is karma.

It also does not mean that you should not change your destiny, either. Sometimes getting what you want requires paying your dues, sacrifice, and overcoming many obstacles. Sometimes that cost would be well worth it.