Our experiences programmed or circumstances?

[pljames]

Or we drawn to our experiences or vice versa. Are our circumstances related to us or vice versa? As, is our destiny really in our hands or someone elses? Thoughts please. pljamess

[Alexandre]

Is our destiny in our hands?

Can you make choices?

[S. Earl Martin]

Life is a series of degrees. It is very seldom an either or situation. We have limited control and knowledge. Much of what happens it out of our control. We do something and have an idea of what we expect the outcome will be. It very seldom turns out like we expect exactly. Maybe in small situations, but not in the big picture. So the answer would depend on what degree you are measuring.

Example: A number of years ago my wife and I went to a small town near here to eat and shop. We usually went to the store first. Then went to eat, but this time we went to eat first because we were going to get a lot of cold items. When we left the resturant and turned the corner the store was engulfed in flames and burned to the ground. Several people were trapped and died. So if we would have followed our usual plan we would have been in the store when the fire broke out. Our destiny was not to die that day. The decisions we made possibly saved us. Even though we were not conscious of the danger. Our actions do shape our destiny to an extent, but we are only so aware of how.

[SWM]

@pljames
our experience is a direct result of our behaviour, our behaviour a result of our emotion and our emotion a result of our thoughts, our thoughts are reinforced by our experience thus closing the circle.

when i say thought i am using short hand for cognition which includes things such as our self dialogue, our beliefs, values, mental images, and memories.

[Alexandre]

I'm going to take it to the extreme. You can commit suicide, and make death your destiny early on. That should answer the question. We have a degree of control, but of course we are also controlled by our very nature as human beings.

[pljames]

Alexande,Swm,
Excellent answer. Thanks. pl