it seems to me that we are free to make choices within the structure of our context - at a mundane level, that means I grew up speaking English, not French, kept in school (initially) through high school instead of left in the streets. Choices that others make may alter my context temporarily or permanently, creating a new context (ie, I'm hit by a drunk driver and disabled). On a broader level, I don't have gills and will never swim like a fish.
But within those constraints my world is my choice and responsibility.
As I said in the comment related to your poem on the subject, I'm with Kathleen (and Ramana) on this. I'll add that if we have any power at all, it's the ability to place our attention: we can place it on ephemeral objects, material or mental (although objects are always mental, really), rarified or mundane; or we can place our attention on the basis, the root of it all, the Source, our True Nature. And that's what Ramana was getting at in Kathleen's quote there.
Hi Don, it seems inevitable, we are not free to determine what we are, whether we have good eyesight or bad, whether we have a ful head or bald, whether we lose our teeth or not: we do not 'choose' to be born we do not 'choose' who to be born to we do not 'choose' our DNA make-up we are not even Masters of our own destiny, our careers, our loves, our health, our fates, ...
but we have 'free will' we can determine who we are: how we react to fate how we react to love & travails how we react to careers & loss how we react to pleasure & pain how we 'live' our lives
what we do with the life we have what we do with the body we have what we do with the mind we have
in other words what we do with who we are not what we'd like to be, but what we are not what we'd like to do, but what we do not what we'd like to think, but what we think not how we'd like to live, but how we live
Wishing you a great week, wishing you a mighty fine day!
I believe that God gave us free will to experience what we already know (because I think we have all knowledge already inside us) in the third dimension. Our free will allows us to make the decision to return to God or to act as extensions of God (of which we are all already a part). It wouldn't be authentic if it was chosen for us beforehand. We may not "control" what happens in the world, but we have free will to choose how to respond to the world around us.
Hey...thanks all! This is one debate that is likely to continue, and not one resolved by a po-em. It's an important personal issue for each of us to confront.
it seems to me that we are free to make choices within the structure of our context - at a mundane level, that means I grew up speaking English, not French, kept in school (initially) through high school instead of left in the streets. Choices that others make may alter my context temporarily or permanently, creating a new context (ie, I'm hit by a drunk driver and disabled). On a broader level, I don't have gills and will never swim like a fish.
ReplyDeleteBut within those constraints my world is my choice and responsibility.
Hayden...thank you for sharing your very insightful comments. They are much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAs I said in the comment related to your poem on the subject, I'm with Kathleen (and Ramana) on this. I'll add that if we have any power at all, it's the ability to place our attention: we can place it on ephemeral objects, material or mental (although objects are always mental, really), rarified or mundane; or we can place our attention on the basis, the root of it all, the Source, our True Nature. And that's what Ramana was getting at in Kathleen's quote there.
ReplyDeleteHi Don, it seems inevitable, we are not free to determine what we are, whether we have good eyesight or bad, whether we have a ful head or bald, whether we lose our teeth or not:
ReplyDeletewe do not 'choose' to be born
we do not 'choose' who to be born to
we do not 'choose' our DNA make-up
we are not even Masters of our own destiny, our careers, our loves, our health, our fates, ...
but we have 'free will' we can determine who we are:
how we react to fate
how we react to love & travails
how we react to careers & loss
how we react to pleasure & pain
how we 'live' our lives
what we do with the life we have
what we do with the body we have
what we do with the mind we have
in other words
what we do with who we are
not what we'd like to be, but what we are
not what we'd like to do, but what we do
not what we'd like to think, but what we think
not how we'd like to live, but how we live
Wishing you a great week, wishing you a mighty fine day!
As you know our desires (be they basic or commendable) enslave us. In as much as we gain control over these desires we become free.
ReplyDeleteMy spiritual teacher said, "Choose to choose or choose not to choose -either way you have to choose!"
We are all this. So there is free will and determinism.
ReplyDeleteI believe that God gave us free will to experience what we already know (because I think we have all knowledge already inside us) in the third dimension. Our free will allows us to make the decision to return to God or to act as extensions of God (of which we are all already a part). It wouldn't be authentic if it was chosen for us beforehand. We may not "control" what happens in the world, but we have free will to choose how to respond to the world around us.
ReplyDeleteLife is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.
ReplyDelete-Jawaharlal Nehru (Indian Prime Minister. 1889-1964)
Hey...thanks all! This is one debate that is likely to continue, and not one resolved by a po-em. It's an important personal issue for each of us to confront.
ReplyDelete