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Fate, Karma and free Will

Why do people suffer chronic illness? Why do children have to die? Can we see any justice in birth? Are all of life’s events pre-ordained by star formations or by the Creator Himself? On the other hand, does karma mean that each has to bear the consequences of his own deeds? Can this be so when school children are murdered by terrorists? Would such evil doers thus be helping to fulfil karma? In the end, is there no distinction between good and evil? Attempts to answer questions such as these are often confused by ignorance or half truths. Many publications treat our subject “The invisible threads of fate" with complete lack of logic and a reticence that cleverly clothes ignorance with a cloak of mysticism. Yet it is readily possible to understand why God does allow these things. The Invisible Threads of Fate The question of fate should cause no undue concern to materialists because if, for example, a person suffers an illness and dies, they will explain that a germ or a defective gene was at fault. Or if death occurs through being buried alive in an earthquake or by drowning in a sinking ship they blame technical defects, human error or some “higher force". To them, everything in life is an unpredictable game of blind chance, so why should they bother to seek any deeper explanations? Should we be satisfied with the superficiality of the materialistic principle of blind chance?

Most of us cannot be satisfied by such superficial arguments because an inner sensing leads us to perceive and think in a more meaningful and purposeful way. If we ignore this stirring of consciousness within, concepts such as those of love, joy and suffering would have no place in our lives, nor would we question the need for a deeper understanding of major episodes in life. Yet in living we do strive towards higher goals, we do struggle for freedom and recognition. Surely it is normal to want to know why events arise which change the course of our lives? It is in accordance with our nature that we seek the reasons for our fate. Can we ever know them?

Is everything pre-ordained? Many of those who believe in a higher purpose in life, rather than in random chance, are still groping for plausible explanations of untimely events. Often they accept the concept of fatalism, an assumption that everything in life is pre-ordained. This theory attracts many differing beliefs. Those who accept that our fate depends upon the unalterable movement of the stars or that it can be predicted precisely by clairvoyants, share beliefs similar to many esoteric practitioners who, for instance, refer to the Akashic records – a type of world memory where all events, past, present and future, are stored. Accepting this notion means that the individual human being would be as a puppet controlled by invisible threads of fate, a plaything of higher forces that long since pre-planned everything and recorded it in comprehensive “soul chronicles�?. Some esoteric believers claim that once upon a time the entire fate of the world was recorded in the Palm Libraries (palm leaves were used as papyrus) of India.

It should be emphasised that fatalists implicitly adopt the comforting thought of not being responsible for any of their decisions. This fact alone should cause the ever watchful intuition – our inner compass for what is right or wrong – to react uneasily. Each of us possesses free will and with it the ability to choose the direction of his life. It is thus obvious that, firstly, the ability to choose incurs a personal responsibility for what follows from our choice and secondly, the future, far from being pre-ordained, is as an open book, the pages of which are to be filled in accordance with our choices. Thus every one of our decisions, whether of a personal, political or commercial nature, is not only important but also instrumental in forming the future.

Is the notion of the pre-ordination of fate therefore deemed to be nonsense? What of prophecies, dreams and other perceptions of future events? Are these just examples of mysticism? If so, how is it that the experiences of living so often show that our will is anything but free? When it appears that we continue to repeat certain behavioural patterns, hopelessly fighting our weaknesses and yet, spiritually, making no progress at all? Is this evidence of some sinister dependency?
The Forming Will In reality, the free will and the dependency on the threads of fate do not preclude each other. Both are experienced because both are part of the entirety of events. Our free will lies in the ability to make decisions, but we are liable to the consequences of those decisions. These consequences are seen as fate or karma whether they be regarded as good or bad. The concept of karma is often and unjustly viewed as a fateful burden yet it may include many opportunities too.

In effect, that which is received through fate we have sent to ourselves. The Law of Reciprocal Action, a universal law of Creation, determines that consequences of the thoughts, words and deeds for which the originator is responsible are returned to him. This Law has already been set in motion by former decisions so that the inevitability of all that awaits us as consequences or fate will be revealed at a future time. The Law applies equally to the fate of the individual and to that of entire nations. The path of returning reciprocal actions may be influenced by stellar movements and may be traced with the help of astrology. The stars do not form our fate but provide channels by which the time and rate of the return of karmic repercussions are controlled.

This view of events provides a glimpse of the all embracing justice pervading world happenings which take place not through chance or arbitrarily but by the operation of the Law of Reciprocal Action. This principle of cause and effect is familiar to us from science and is the basis of nearly all technological applications.

This view is, however, queried in some quarters. The reason is that it is one thing to observe reciprocal actions in the fields of physics and chemistry but quite another to observe the karmic consequences of how we use our free will. Also there are examples of apparent injustice when good people bear a great deal of suffering while evil doers do not necessarily experience the repercussions of their wrong doing immediately.

The objections described in these examples are readily understood since those who express them restrict their view of life in terms of space and time. From the materialistic standpoint there is no counter argument. Fate, to the materialist, remains a concept of blind coincidence.

Such a belief is not well founded. Firstly it runs counter to “meaning-oriented" spiritual consciousness and secondly it ignores the fact that all that happens in Creation is subject to “objective-oriented" Guidance. It is generally accepted that the evolution of the planets and in particular of life on earth illustrates a process of development from simple gaseous forms to the “Crown of Creation" – man himself. We can sense the process of development within as our consciousness unfolds to wider horizons of understanding. When meaning and purpose is evident throughout Creation, why should human fate be an exception? There is no valid reason to justify such assumption.

If, however, within the framework of our field of deliberations we include the non-material planes of existence and take into account that the existence of each human spirit includes many earth-lives, then the Law of Reciprocal Action reveals its validity with regard to fate. Every human being simply reaps that to which his own formative will has once given birth.
Sowing and Reaping With good reason Jesus of Nazareth insistently pointed to this unconditional and all-embracing principle of Creation. We must reap what we sow. Today perhaps the majority of people exercise the power of their free will mainly in pursuit of earthly pleasures and desires. This being so, it is not surprising that their free will becomes “bound�? by these desires to the extent that they grow dependent on them. At the some time they grow spiritually indolent and weak. Conversely, we build our own “stairway to heaven�? when our desires are directed to inner ennoblement, selflessness and neighbourly love.

While through our decisions we are the authors of our own fortune – or misfortune, at the same time there is another decisive factor. This lies not so much in the formative power of our own will but rather in the Will of God, the “furthering principle�? that is revealed when the Laws of Creation are observed. These perfect Laws of God determine the creation, development, maintenance and enlivening activity of all that exists. Without them, development in Creation would be impossible.

Of prime concern to the human being is voluntarily to adjust his will to the Will of the Creator. That is to the all-embracing working in Creation from which, without any intellectual considerations, the concepts of “good�? and “evil�? may be derived. In these concepts lie no form of complementary inevitability as it sometimes wrongly concluded through misunderstanding of the principle of polarity. Good has no need of Evil since “good" is all of that which corresponds to the furthering principle of helpful love. Evil places itself in opposition to this upbuilding and to the Laws of God. Purely and simply, whoever sows good seed will reap the good fruit of progress. Conversely he who sows evil seeds is likely to find that progress is denied.

It follows that all that has been created is, without exception, being developed through the working of the Laws of Creation. Therefore, most certainly, we are too. Since the meaning of life lies in the development of spiritual consciousness, the Laws of Creation are urging us towards this goal. Through the circumstances of life we are thus constantly being obliged to use all our abilities to unfold and develop ever finer spiritual qualities. Yet no one can ever enter the spiritual kingdom unless he has lived in selfless, neighbourly love, striven for purity and truthfulness and generally made a virtuous life his own.

But … when a spiritually decadent society professes the “ideals" of temptation, ruthlessness and encourages “living it up" as a “guiding principle" … who strives voluntarily after such values? Who is then prepared, with real will power, decisiveness and determination, to steel his will and thereby advance his spiritual consciousness?

Often enough our self-chosen paths run counter to the furthering principles of the Laws of Creation and serve not the development but rather the envelopment and entanglement of our spirit. They lead not to any unfolding but to the paralysis of our abilities and opportunities, degrading us to consumerist cripples, devoid of thoughts or feelings. It must occasion no surprise, therefore if, whether we like it or not, we are forced into a “corrective course�? through unkind blows of fate.
Culprit and Victim In summing up, it could be said that fate forms itself from out of the workings of the Laws of Creation as well as from the decisions of human beings. Having sown the seed, we have to reap the fruits which, ripening in the school of life, manifest in pleasant or unpleasant experiences. Without exception, fate is determined with justified reciprocal action and not with blind coincidence. This explains inequality of birth as well as the blows of fate experienced in later life. In order to understand the interconnections between cause and effect it is necessary to enlarge our field of vision beyond the material.

The knowledge of each individual’s responsibility has occasioned some serious misconceptions. Following the saying: “Everyone is himself to blame for everything�?, some people ignore the deprivation of their fellow human beings and may even mistakenly presume that the most outrageous evil doer is merely helping to fulfil unavoidable karma; Such an idea mocks every healthy intuition, is either overlooked or lacks coherent reasoning, and can only lead to a false view of the world.

It is always right to help and support any human being in need. There can be no suggestion that a fellow human being’s karma could condone an evil deed as such may, in any case, adversely affect his spiritual development. There is no need for anyone to be robbed, raped or murdered even where the victim himself may have committed similar crimes against his fellow man.

THE HEAVENLY REVENGE

The hermit Omar, whilst sitting on his mountain meditating on the ways of the world, watched the approach of a rider in the valley below. Seeking refreshment, the rider rested briefly by a well. He knelt down so that he could drink from the well and placed a bag, which he carried on his belt, onto the ground by his side. After allowing his horse to drink, he swung himself back on to the saddle and rode on. The bag on the ground, he completely forgot. Shortly afterwards, another rider came to the well, took a drink, saw the bag, picked it up and rode off with it.

A short while later, a woodcutter came to the well, put down his burden, bent over the water and took a drink. At this moment, the first rider returned to the well in order to pick up his forgotten bag. When he could not find it, he approached the woodcutter, called him a thief, drew his sword and killed him.

Omar the hermit saw all of this and thought to himself: “Where is there any sense in this incident? The thief gets away and fate is with him, while the innocent woodcutter has to suffer for this theft of another. The rider becomes a murderer, just because he forgot his bag…. Where, O Allah does that leave justice"?

Yet, the heavens remained silent.

On the following day, a wise man travelled over the mountains, visited Omar’s abode and ate and drank with him. Omar related to him what had happened on the previous day and asked the wise man whether he could see any sense in these events. The wise man smiled and said, “Nothing, O impatient one, is without reason. Everything that happens is determined by the controlling forces of fate and follows the laws of order and wisdom."

“I saw none of that," grumbled the hermit.

“You did not see deep and far enough," answered the wise man. “You only saw the end of a long series of incidents, saw the final repercussions of a chain of causes which are unknown to you. You did not recognise the connections. What impressed you as senseless, therefore, in truth took place in accordance with the inner laws of good order. What your eyes saw is only what is on the surface."

“If you can see more than I," countered Omar, “then tell me about it, so that I may comprehend! Thereby, you will be restoring peace to my soul."

“You have to find recognition yourself,�? the wise man protested. “Yet, since you are honestly struggling to find a meaning, I shall open your eyes for you." Upon closing his eyes, the enlightened one then fell into a state of deep contemplation. What had remained hidden was then revealed to him, as if the book of fate were lying open before him.

After a time, he opened his eyes, looked at Omar and said, “Hear this and understand. The rider who forgot the bag was a robber. He had stolen the bag but he was not meant to enjoy his booty. The man who found the bag and rode off with it was the son and heir of the man who had been robbed. The theft had thereby, robbed him of his own inheritance. He had long followed the robber’s trail without having been able to overtake him. So the Grace of Allah presented him with the money which belonged to his father."

“Then why did the innocent woodcutter have to die?�? asked Omar. “He had nothing to do with this whole affair!"

“Only not with this bag," answered the wise man, “but, otherwise, he also belongs in a similar, fateful connection. Many years ago, he struck dead a traveller in the forest. No earthly judge has ever found out about it. Yet, heavenly vengeance struck him, when his hour had come. The rider knew nothing about that. Now, however, the voice of his conscience is pursuing him and fate will not let him escape. He is now riding through the mountains as if pursued by the devil….

The man who picked up the bag and whom you thought a thief has brought the money to his father who, through the shock of losing it was being punished for his miserliness. Now they are both full of joy and the father has taken this hint from fate as the beginning of self-improvement. Although he does not have very long to live, it is never too late to turn back."

(Shortened version of a tale from “A thousand and one nights")

What is needed for any spiritual ascent, particularly if we have become deeply entangled in guilt, is a serious recognition of our wrong-doing together not only with the wish but with the firm volition for change and for inner re-orientation, a volition which demands effective action. If that were so, then not even the heaviest karma would be encountered with full force. It could be absolved by a symbolic redemption.

This leads us to a significant aspect of fate that remains to be examined. The reciprocal actions of karma do not take the form of a specific event but, rather, of a certain type of experience which corresponds exactly to the original type of decision of the will which brought about the karmic consequence, since on the spiritual plane, cause and effect meet in the closing of the cycle.

Anyone who, for instance, commits character assassination which must have painful and inhibiting consequences for his victim will, through some fateful constellations, suffer a similar experience unless meanwhile, through greater recognition, he recognises the error of his ways and changes to the extent that the full extent of the karmic consequence is no longer necessary, but merely a loosening of the threads binding him to his victim. A symbolic act such as a helpful gesture may suffice to redeem the karma and loosen the threads.

No misdeed can be justified by hinting at the karma of the victim since the working of the Law of Reciprocal Action does not imply vengeance but rather the recognition of a wrong decision. Not every murder that has been committed has to be redeemed through another murder; otherwise the chain of misdeeds would be unending. If by his intuition, thoughts and deeds one acts contrary to the furthering principle of the Creator’s Will, obstacles will have been built which form his fate.

What is so wonderful and full of grace in the weaving of the Divine Laws is the fact that in the actual experience of suffering there may also lie spiritual advancement; a necessary impetus to progress with which the “victim of fate" (perhaps one should no longer speak of victims in view of the opportunities which every fate offers) receives the opportunity to develop his spiritual powers and to grow inwardly. Since the depth of suffering always corresponds to the size of this opportunity then, in the greater framework of our total existence, we can never suffer injustice.

This still does not fully answer an important and especially popular question. Independent of self-provoked karma – can one be struck by undeserved and therefore, in a way, unjustified blows of fate. This question is probably so widely discussed because people are trying to look for a loophole by which they might partly avoid the responsibility for their actions.

Any mention of “injustice" about any happening would be wrong even when it concerns the apparent premature death of a person. For all the people who are touched by it in any way, every event that deeply affects the soul should be seen as the opportunity for help. For instance, any death, no matter how painfully it is experienced, in some way enforces a new beginning. The latter embraces the refreshing, renewing and intensifying of one’s personal experience. That is why birth and decay belong inseparably to our physical world or, rather, to a certain sector of our spiritual consciousness.

Yet, there is a further, important aspect to the observation of fateful events.

Those who understand the strict laws underlying all happenings in Creation start from the following assumption: In order that it may be triggered, any experience which an individual encounters must relate to him. This means that our degree of maturity determines the breadth of possible experiences to be met. Blind coincidence does not exist. What comes about at the origin of fate is what we already know from our observation of physical life. The more unconscious and inattentive a person is, the more endangered he is; the more self-willed and intellectual his life, the less will he be open to any loving guidance. It is we alone who conduct our lives in the way that fate has to be fulfilled. We have an affinity with every external happening; the degree of maturity of our spirit “permits" our fate.
The Threads in the Web of Fate Those events which are encountered in life, whether pleasurable, inspiring or shattering in nature are the result of a development process that - like the growth of a plant - goes on for a long time in obscurity. At an opportune time light focuses on certain aspects of fate. Just as the emergence of the plant results from a natural converging of materials, so the “emergence of fate" is subject to the confluence of influences or radiations of a like kind.

This original, invisible material that emanates from our volition develops countless “threads of fate". In the all-embracing weaving of Creation – and always in accordance with the type of volition - these connect to similar threads from other human beings and proceed to form homogeneous centres. The ever-increasing compression of these centres then produces a concentration or precipitation which leads to actions and events that induce the originator to conduct his life according to his volition. It will thus be appreciated that threads of fate are woven not only by deeds but also by the thoughts and perceptions that form our volition. Therefore invisible threads of fate are continually woven not only by those deeds which can be seen but also by the unseen thoughts and perceptions.

If observations of the sequence of world events are made solely on the basis of what is seen and heard, fate would indeed appear to be the result of “blind coincidence". But just as the acts of a human being are preceded by his volition, so is the course of world events determined by the weaving and intermingling of the innumerable threads of fate produced by mankind involved in those events.

Only by opening hearts and minds to a broader perception of life on all planes of consciousness is it possible to answer the perennial question: “Why does God allow such things"?

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