Is it Fate or Free Will?

“Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don’t always like.”― Lemony Snicket

Can you control your fate? Or, is the course of events in our life predetermined? Most of us ask this question at sometime in our lives.

Whilst we may be able to control our own choices and life path, none of us is immune from the influence of others, or indeed circumstances.

The Moirai or Fates, in mythology were three sisters — the spinner, the allotter and the inevitable. Freewill wasn’t accepted as a concept in ancient times, and yet in modern times, the rational amongst us rejects a pre-ordained ‘destiny’ as an option. It’s popular view is that individuals make their own choices, rather than be guided by ‘Fate’.

Modern astrology takes on a different position. The birth chart, for reasons that are not fully understood, lays down the talents, temperament, career, family dynamics and the likely path that lies ahead. Following Carl Jung’s theory — ‘that of which we are unconscious meets us on the outside as if it were fate’,

Psychological astrology says that with more self-awareness, there is greater freedom of decision and the ability to direct events, or avoid challenging and troubling times.

This raises other unanswerable questions. Can anyone become so enlightened they only live out the positive aspects of their chart, thereby avoiding fate or negative events altogether? No, I think not.

Whilst a disaster may be real, consider for a moment those who fail to board a ferry that sinks, or miss a train that crashes. There are many stories like this in our lifetimes, and if it has happened to you, your view of ‘fate’ is changed.

My own horoscope, initially was disappointing to me, it seems I wanted something more exciting and vibrant altogether.

The chart pointed to a propensity towards ‘old things’ — Old Buildings, Antiques and even Old People. Not the racy, exciting future I’d imagined.

But … it has served me well, and in my Seventh Decade of life, I realised that this did fit my personality perfectly. For over 40 years I worked in Pensions, not selling pensions, but helping others to plan, or helping them through the inevitable consequence of the death of a close family member.

One of the reasons this occupation served my character, was through the death of my son. Only by experiencing this heartbreak was I able to understand, and empathise with others, with who were living with grief.

Is it fair to blame people for attracting negative events outside their control? What could have been done differently with a little knowledge?

Why are some individuals temperamentally inclined, or controlled by events, into becoming more conscious, while others live a life stubbornly unaware that there are choices — and remain blown around by the celestial winds of their deeper unconscious.

How many times have you tried something, failed at every attempt, only to finally realise this was not the path destined for you?

Astrologers do have tools at their disposal to predict in advance what is likely to happen, within limits, predictions are about possibilities and not set in concrete, or a foregone conclusion.

Tragedies happen and it is ghoulish as well as distasteful to suggest they could have been avoided. And yet and yet, there are indicators.

Quoting Carl Jung : Freewill is the ability to choose to do what we must — puts it a different way. You are who you are. Accept it and get on with it.

It indicates that the choices you make even with difficult influences can turn positive. Well I say choices but I am not sure everyone would have made that ’choice’ and I can hardly claim credit for it.

Whatever was handed to you at birth, some would say is your destiny.

Some people have charts where several of the houses are empty of planets, indeed my own chart has no planets in the Second House of Money, or the Eighth House of Other People’s Money; which may lead some to assume I would spend my whole life in poverty.

But Astrology is not an exact science, and the empty houses compelled me to make my own fortune, relying on no-one else but myself. As a result I am wealthy, and could never have imagined the life I would live now.

Fate and freewill — a riddle within a riddle. Choices matter. But is freedom of choice, or self-awareness a given to all temperaments, never mind to individuals born into certain environments? My experience would say not.

No great conclusions except that life isn’t fair. Some are luckier than others.