Man is a child of his destiny. Nothing is in our hands. We just live our destiny. We hear all these words and often get confused about whether everything is predetermined and why we work so hard. We should leave everything to fate, sit back, and relax. Yet people make choices almost every moment. Do we use our faith in fate as a tool to calm down our minds? There is no doubt that it has utility, but I am not sure whether it is supported by reality.
If everything is destined, that means the entire theory of evolution is wrong. I have studied Astrology and carried out quite extensive research on almost all the division charts of at least a few hundred known people. My understanding is that the 9 planets in Astrology represent the 9 forces of nature. Astrological prediction is like weather prediction by the meteorological department. The horoscope of a person can tell how these 9 forces will be acting inside. Based on that, certain probabilities may be computed. For example, if the Lagna Venus is afflicted by the 12th lord Mars in the natal chart as well as transit, and Venus is weak in transit, and the person is passing through Mars Dasha, the forces indicate that there is some turbulence due to high energy and speed. It will tell nothing about the reactions of that person.
In our childhood, when the modes of transport were not so developed, every time there is rained, we would have a rainy day and the schools would be closed. With the development of the modes of transport, it is not so. Roads are good, and people can travel even in heavy rain. That's why, nowadays, the chances of schools getting closed due to rain are much lower. With growth, we have devised the ways and means to handle tough weather conditions. Similarly, as we grow aware of the larger meaning of life, we learn to handle our inner weather. We know how these forces are acting within us and know how to handle these forces. The more we are aware and the more we have free will. Krishna will never give up on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, saying that everything is destined. He will make all the Pandavas work hard, strategise, overcome their grief, and also find out-of-the-box solutions. If everything is destined, there is no use in making efforts. He should have sat relaxed, and the Pandavas would have won on their own.
Using destiny as a way to find peace of mind can be a double-edged sword. While this belief might soothe the mind, it can also lead to complacency. The mind is easily swayed to justify cowardice and inaction by attributing them to destiny. When circumstances don’t support the goals set by us with a limited understanding of life, we may give up. To protect our self-image of being brave and hard-working, we may take shelter in the idea of destiny. That feels comfortable. But once we become aware of the bigger picture, we realize those circumstances were actually growth opportunities, and we missed them. Someone might spend their whole life grieving the loss of a child. Others might find peace by attributing the loss to destiny. Some may expand beyond family and understand that natural forces are guiding them towards growth, prompting them to start NGOs and help children in need. If we are aware of the possibilities beyond our current frame of life, we can see opportunities in every challenge life presents. When we are not tied to the limited meaning of life, we are free to explore and we play with the possibilities rather than giving up in the name of destiny.
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