A friend of mine and I started talking recently about the difference between Karma and Fate, which really made me sit back and think. We each have our own opinions and who really knows what the TRUTH is, or if there is TRUTH, but this is what I believe….
In my humble opinion, Karma is what comes back to you as a result or consequence of your actions. Rather like Newton’s Third Law- For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this age of ‘no consequences’ we don’t like to think about Karma, but I believe it exists….even if it takes years to come back around to you.
Fate, on the other hand, (again, IMhO) is something that happens that was ‘meant to be’. For example, I was born to be creative. I’ve been imagining and making up stories and pictures since I was old enough to babble (lol some things never change!) and hold a crayon. Some people are born leaders (like Martin Luther King) and it’s their fate….or their destiny…to fulfill that purpose. I believe each life does have a purpose. Each soul when it takes on corporeal form has a purpose to enact, a lesson to learn or teach, or a providence to share. It’s why we exist.
I believe each one of us, human or animal, have a soul or essence that makes us unique and who we are. I believe this essence starts elsewhere…the universe we’ll say… and, before it takes physical form here on Earth, it agrees to a purpose/destiny/fate that it will strive to achieve. A reason for existence, as it were.
Now, it may succeed, it may partially succeed, or it could not succeed at all and will, in time, try again (Thus, reincarnation), because LIFE happens. Life itself is random. It has to be because it’s a jumble of everyone’s choices and the consequences of those choices. So sometimes the purpose for our life becomes shrouded or we simply don’t have the means to fulfill it, but that doesn’t mean the purpose isn’t there. And, regardless of fulfilling that reason for existence, we can always learn, grown, and (most importantly) make a difference in the lives of those around us.
If we are a young spirit/soul, we may choose a fairly simple, straightforward purpose. Something like being an artist and touching other lives through the inspiration of our art/words/music, etc. If we’re an older spirit, we may choose a more difficult path, but one that is even more inspiring to others and may have an even more significant impact. Such as Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, or Nelson Mandela. OR if we’re an experienced spirit, we may choose a truly difficult path. We may come to earth with a handicap; we may be abused/neglected/exploited; we may be murdered or have some other horrible thing happen to us, BUT our life may be truly inspiring. (For inspiration, look up Marshall Stewart Ball)
So maybe I’m confusing the word destiny/fate with purpose, but the way I look at it, it’s one in the same thing. We can choose to go down a different path, but we cannot elude our purpose, the reason for our existence. It will always be there. Whether or not we fulfill that purpose is a completely other story.
I’d love to hear what you think. What do you believe is the difference between Karma, Fate, and Purpose?
Art and Thoughts by ~Morgan
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I’ve spent a lot of time in my life thinking about such things. Yes, I believe in karma. We reap what we sow, and all that. But karma, I think, can reach beyond one life and be carried over to another.
It’s not only fate and purpose, though. I think we are here to learn. Some souls have learnt a lot as they’ve been around many times, but younger ones still have much to learn. I’m sure we all know a wonderful person who is full of kindness and wisdom, as well as a brash person who rushes to things without thinking about the consequences.
I recently read the idea that we have to choose the life we are to lead. Perhaps it was here, I can’t remember. Anyway, the post said that we must, in our many lives, experience all possibilities. Hunger and plenty, rich and poor, abused and being the abuser, etc. Each time we are going to be reborn, we must choose.
Many people wonder what we can’t remember past lives (except through regression hypnosis). But imagine dying, then coming back as a different person and remembering. Wouldn’t you waste a lot of your life trying to find those you had loved previously? Or even to get back at those who had harmed you.
This is an interesting post.
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Sorry I haven’t been here in a while to respond. Life takes over 😦
I’ve seen a series called “Surviving Death’ which was very very interesting. In it, they dedicated an entire episode to reincarnation and the studies that do exist of people (Most of them very young children) who DO remember past lives. Yes, it’s usually very difficult for them, remembering, which perhaps is why we dont.
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Remembering past lives would be traumatic. People often say, ‘If there is re-incarnation, why can’t we remember our past lives.’
But imagine. You’ve lived a life with family and friends. You loved your parents, children, spouse, friends etc.
Then you are born again into a new body. You remember that past life and the loved ones. Would you not spend a lot of time seeking them out?
I’m not so sure about fate and destiny. Fate has the feeling that we have no choice. That everything we are to experience is set out ahead of time.
Destiny comes from the same root as ‘destination’; the place where we are going. We might be destined to be a writer, but take a different route from the usual. Hence the people who come to writing late in life. (Like myself.) There are many ways to get to your destiny.
Karma, yes. That is plain. You reap the rewards or punishments from your actions. The karma, I believe, can be carried over from one life to another. This explains why some people seem to have an undeservedly difficult life. Karma carried over from a previous existence.
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I agree with you. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts an enhancing the post 🙂
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