Do we have freewill or do we have a destiny?

Do we have freewill? Or do we have a destiny? 

The answer is – we have both. Let’s understand what each of these means.

Destiny is defined as “the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.” 

Freewill is defined as “the ability to act at one’s own discretion.”

Ultimately, our destiny is freedom. We are here on Earth to evolve and the more that we evolve, the freer we become: free from our own limitations and eventually even free from the cycle of rebirth.

We are able to make our own choices so therefore we have freewill. But depending on our choices, we can use our freewill to either move closer to or further away from freedom, our ultimate destiny. 

“It is the petty freewill, the foolish likes and dislikes of mankind which have imprisoned him. While he is ruled by these, he cannot know Freedom. He must be prepared to give up his petty freewill in order to know Freedom.” – Dr. George King in “The Nine Freedoms.”

In “The Nine Freedoms,” Mars Sector 6 tells us that the way to overcome our petty likes and dislikes is to focus on Service: 

“If you would burn up your lower Karmic aspects, you would serve.
“If you would, at this very moment, begin to build tomorrow’s temple upon the sure foundations of today’s right action, you would serve.
“If you would be free from the materialistic prison cunningly devised to enslave you, you would serve.
“If you would be detached from your own petty worries, you would serve.
“If you would enjoy better health, you would serve.
“If you would prepare yourselves for the New World, you would serve.”

So by focusing on serving other people, we not only help the others but ourselves as well, even though that is not our motive.

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It is not always easy to focus on helping other people when we are still wrestling with our own feelings and emotions. 

If we feel very sad or angry, then naturally we want to resolve that feeling before we focus on helping someone else. But the very act of focusing our attention on helping others, takes us away from our own problems. 

Spiritual practices can also help us have better control over our minds, which in turn help us have better control of our emotions and reactions.

Something you can try
When you catch yourself having a negative thought or emotion, try to detach from it. Let go of the thought right there and focus your attention on something more positive. 

You can try the affirmation “everyday in every way, I am getting better and better and better.” Or “I am one with the light of God which never fails.”

If you are interested in more spiritual practices, Dr. King gives over 40 in the book “Realize Your Inner Potential” which I highly recommend.