We begin life with high hopes and aspirations, bubbling with energy, and carrying a mind-set that would know no limits, as if nothing is beyond reach. Like a free bird, free from any geographical limitations, unhindered, we all wish to make it to our dream destination. But when faced with hard realities of life, and not being able to make it to the desired destination, we realise that life does not necessarily move to our asking. We then come under pressure and often resign to fate. But a few among us, unfazed by such challenges, make history.
The question now is: Were those who created history so destined? Or that they could make it because they sincerely worked towards that end? Well, it is difficult to digest that history can be created by choice. But then focused efforts by choice and discrimination could lead to making history. Provided, such an endeavour ends up serving a meaningful purpose for the society at large.
Let us first examine how our destiny is formed. It needs to be appreciated here that human beings enjoy the exclusive privilege to guide their action by choice and discrimination. That however, is something like a double edged sword, as it carries equal probability of use and misuse. And there is nothing like a free lunch in life. We shall have to bear with the consequences of the choices made. We, thus, get trapped into a circuitous web of cause-effect chain. Following this very script, every happening is the culmination of doings in the past. And how we negotiate with the callings of the present, sets the ground on which future stands. This is the premise on which the concept of destiny works. If we look at this scheme of things on its face value, it would mean that our life is fated. Naturally arises the question: How can we escape the consequences of our own doing?
If, however, we look deep into the founding principle on which the concept of destiny stands, it will come out that we are not helplessly fated beyond the scope of reprieve. The choice option itself enjoins upon us with the freedom to make conscientious choice intended to not simply overcome the carryover effect of past doing. Also raise our awareness level through fresh educative inputs, which in turn, may help reshape the course of destiny afresh. The paradox, however, is that seldom are people found ever using this option. But those few who used their choice option in this very spirit, were the ones who could make history. For, even in the event of failure, they did not lose their nerve. They rather maintained calm and poise, geared up afresh, reaffirmed their resolve, and then made a fresh bid in right earnest towards the designated task. But not without identifying their inadequacies, which they acknowledged and then strived to overcome. They then, explored beyond the known, and equipped themselves adequately to strike upon even unchartered territory.
So said swami Vevekanand: “The history of the world is the history of few men who had faith in themselves. Faith calls out divinity within you; you can do everything. You fail only when you do not strive sufficiently to manifest infinite power within.”
Truth remains that in so far as a being’s making is concerned, potentially we carry immense mind-power, which if unfolded in full, would know no limits. The irony, however, is that being bound by cause-effect chain, we carry a very strong legacy from the past, which includes previous birth. That preconditions our mind one way or the other, depending on what short of individual specific experiences one would have had. The imprints of these experiences that mind carries from the past, defines the unique character of a being. And that finds reflection by way of our inherent mental propensities – desire trends, likes & dislikes, prejudices and obsessions, habit & attitudes, and even virtues & attributes. That clouds our vision. Consequently, we fail to access full landscape of our mind. So, in effect, our mind-power gets compromised.
It needs to be appreciated here that the choice option available with us very much enjoins upon us with the privilege to self-reflect and identify our inborn fault-lines. If we acknowledge them, and then consciously work upon to free our mind from all such limitations, the best in us will emerge. This is what swamiji’s above quoted statement implies. Even astrology can prove handy in identifying our inborn traits and with a fair amount of precision.
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The writer is an astrologer, vastu consultant and spiritual counsellor. Connect with him at
Tel: 91-11-9818037273/9871037272
