In response to the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, someone asked, "Can we do anything to stop such tragedies? Can I, as one person or even a group, make a difference?" The person asked those questions before the mass shootings that happened this past weekend. Eighteen people died; seventy-two others were injured.
Perhaps from where we sit, change for the better may seem hopeless. It reminds me of the line in the song, The Message, from the 80's rap group, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, "It's like a jungle sometimes. It makes me wonder how I keep from going under." But not all events that take place are pre-determined to happen, nor will they resolve themselves independently. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail,” wrote, "Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability."
Still, the question arises, how much control do we have over what happens? Caroline Myss, author, medical intuitive, and mystic, had an interesting take in her talk, "The Mystical Science of Co-Creation." Myss discussed the distinction between "Fate" and "Destiny.” Fate, according to Myss, is what unfolds when we don't dare to make the bold choices necessary to alter the course of events. As a result, we turn over whatever eventually happens to chance or fate. She gives the example of a person or a child unable to decide what to wear. Because of a failure to decide, someone else goes to their closet and picks an outfit for them. If someone chooses not to make an effort to determine what they want to wear, fate decides for them.
On the other hand, Caroline Myss claims there is something called "Destiny.” Destiny occurs when we co-create and help determine what the outcomes will be. The key to Destiny is we must put in the effort. For example, if we want to lose ten pounds, we must make the effort to get that result. Such attempts may include changing what we eat, walking every day, going to a gym, or hiring a trainer or nutritionist. To make a difference, we must try. Fate takes over when we don't.
We can assess how much impact we have on our Destiny by determining which decisions have power, and which decisions do not. If an individual believes they can resolve disputes or be safe by getting a gun, and causing harm to another person, that is an act of co-creation. And that consciousness will spill over into the collective awareness, because we are participating in the energy field of fear. Similarly, if a person does not practice critical thinking and ends up buying into lies and unfounded conspiracy theories, they are supporting the absence of "Truth."
Caroline notes the best gift we can give ourselves is to discern what we believe, because our beliefs matter. Moreover, it is essential to pay attention to the consequences of our decisions, because even the smallest of decisions have the power to affect Destiny. She also points out we need to be our own best friend because we are the person we talk to more than anyone else. Since we speak to ourselves so much, paying attention to our conversations is vital. Those conversations influence our beliefs, which affect our thoughts and actions. In the end, what we do - both individually and collectively - creates our Destiny.
Peace and Blessings,
James