Is there a difference between fate and destiny? In some traditions fate is understood that a person's actions in this and previous states of existence determine their future existences. In Hinduism and Buddhism, this is referred to as karma. Destiny, on the other hand, can be understood as a call from the soul to live a certain purposeful and meaningful life that is often discovered and developed. Some traditions call this dharma.
Fate is a path that is often predetermined by our family, our history, our genes, and our emotional wounds – a series of events that happen to us. Fate appears unavoidable and often shows up as repeating patterns in our lives. For example, we leave one spouse only to end up in the same relationship with another person.
Destiny allows you to transcend fate and live free of negative emotional and genetic programming. By stepping into your destiny, you can free yourself from the patterns that continually show up in your life as just another version of an old story. Destiny allows you to navigate life instead of stumbling through it. When you step into your destiny, you can participate consciously in your own growth. We become the co-creators of our lives. While destiny might come as a divine calling, it can also happen without divine intervention. But it does require that we become conscious of our past wounds and respond to the calling we were born with. Then we can steer the course of our own life.
The Laika, a group of medicine people from Peru who fled to the Andes to escape persecution from Spanish conquistadors and to protect their healing techniques and traditions say that we have multiple destiny lines. They believe that we can change fate into a destiny. According to them, through journeying we can track and connect to a destiny line where we will not only heal and age differently and one where we can avoid manifesting the ailments of our ancestors or reliving our childhood traumas, but also connect to our soul’s purpose for this lifetime and co-create our lives with Spirit.
In 2008 I dream that I am meditating, and I see an orb. I know it is my orb. As I look closer I see a small image of me in this orb. As I look even closer, I notice that I disappear, and it is all pure energy. I became aware that this orb is my soul’s next manifestation. Two or three years later I am working with a shaman, and she does a destiny retrieval for me in which she tracks my destiny for this lifetime and downloads it into my energy field. When I asked her to reveal to me what that destiny was she refused saying only that it would slowly unfold and reveal itself to me over the next several years. The dream came before I began my journey into shamanism and energy medicine. The destiny retrieval was done right at the beginning of that journey. Was the dream, as Psychiatrist Carl Jung suggests, a message from my soul? Was the destiny retrieval a response to that dream, calling me to my soul’s next manifestation? Certainly, the events that unfolded, the synchronicities and the choices that I made over the next several years resulted in a life that I didn’t know existed in 2008 or was even possible.
It seems that at both the collective and the individual levels, we are at a time when we can transform fate into destiny— a changing of our minds, our hearts, ourselves and our ways of life-- by shedding our old stories and patterns and connecting to a vision for healing the world. In a recent journey to the Upper World to speak with those from the future, I heard “Open your heart. Remember at any given moment you have everything that you need to meet that moment by remembering that you are connected to Source. The vision will unfold.” At that moment, a veil opened, and I saw a vastness of unlimited possibilities and frequencies. As I placed my attention on each frequency, it took a form, and a network of scenes appeared. I saw teachers and classes, groups emerging out of those classes and energy going out from those groups connecting to other groups covering the entire planet. It seemed this energy went beyond planet earth into other realms. I heard, “It starts with one. The choice is yours to start the vision and bring it into matter. Know that we have your back and everything that you will need. And we need you to bring our dream into manifest form.” Indeed, we are co-creators with Spirit. What shall we create?
Below is a guided journey to the Upper World to explore and connect to a destiny line that is yours for this time. In the shamanic tradition that I am trained in, it is important for these journeys that we open sacred space and the Wiracocha (8th chakra) and to meet and get the permission and protection from the guardian of these realms. That is why I include the opening of the sacred space in the journeys. If you feel called and if it feels right for you, you may use this guided journey to retrieve a destiny and move from living a fate to manifesting a dream—a dream for this time.
This journey is a little longer that most journeys that I post here. I suggest that you give yourself at least 20 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete this journey. Afterwards, you may want to make notes in your journal and continue to reflect on the journey. Enjoy.
*This journey is an adaptation from Mending the Past and Healing the Future with Soul Retrieval by Alberto Villoldo.
Disclaimer
The content provided in this newsletter and any accompanying blogs or articles, including ideas, suggestions, techniques, and other materials, is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. The content is provided only as general information and is not medical or psychological advice. You understand that this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a licensed professional. Please consult with your own physician, mental health specialist, or spiritual advisor for matters related to emotional health, mental health, or spiritual concerns.
Any information, stories, examples, or testimonials presented in this newsletter do not constitute a warranty, guarantee, or prediction regarding the outcome of an individual using such material contained herein for any particular purpose or issue. On occasion I may include links to other resources. While these are posted in good faith, the accuracy, validity, effectiveness, completeness, or usefulness of any information herein, as with any publication, cannot be guaranteed. The use of this newsletter implies your acceptance of this disclaimer.
"I saw teachers and classes, groups emerging out of those classes and energy going out from those groups connecting to other groups covering the entire planet. It seemed this energy went beyond planet earth into other realms. I heard, 'It starts with one. The choice is yours to start the vision and bring it into matter. Know that we have your back and everything that you will need. And we need you to bring our dream into manifest form.'”
And your destiny, which is linked to that of your students', is still unfolding based the message revealed during a recent group journey we both participated in. I'm thankful that you chose to manifest the vision. Thanks for sharing, Sheldon.
Thanks so much for sharing the way we may engage as shamanic human beings.