Dogs, Destiny and Free Choice
abracad, · Categories: purpose, spiritualityEver wondered what you have in common with a pet dog being taken for a walk on an extendable leash? The dog has a limited freedom, sometimes greater than others, but the overall pathway is always determined by his master.
One of life's most perplexing questions is whether we really have free choice. Experience tells us that we make numerous choices every day - what to wear, what to eat, what tasks to prioritize...
And society - with its laws, democracy, and market economics, is built upon the very assumption of free will. But science, which has so successfully described the working of the universe, is based upon rigid laws that have no place for the role of human will.
But science, in the form of quantum mechanics, does recognize a degree of uncertainty in the behavior matter at the very smallest levels. And this uncertainty at least opens the possibility of influence from some external, non material (Spiritual?) source.
Accepting that we have some free choice, clearly - like the dog - that choice is limited. We might choose to be a rock star or sport champion, but unless we're endowed with the necessary talents, our choice won't be fulfiled.
Our freedom is limited firstly by our own limitations. Incarnation is like being dealt a hand a poker, some are stronger than others, all are different, and the player's job is to play the given hand to the best of their ability.
Our freedom is next limited by the freedom of others. We are social creatures and rely on interaction for our very survival. The choices made by others inevitably affect the choices and outcomes available to us, just as our choices affect others.
Finally, stuff just happens that isn't due to any conscious will; eg a storm blows the roof off our house, our car breaks on the way to an important interview, or our lottery numbers come up.
There's a widely held Spiritual belief that before we're born we agree the purpose of our life, and the lessons we'll try to learn. Might the various restrictions we face be our teacher?
Though our freedom is subject to numerous constraints we should treasure the significant free choice that we undoubtedly possess, and use that power to the best of our ability to live a fulfilling life.
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