Do Things Happen For A Reason? And What Can We Do About It?

[Ken Benjamin]

Hi All,

I just posted a new article on my blog asking (and I hope answering) the question "Do things happen for a reason?" Here's the intro:

Things happen for a reason, or so the ancient wisdom goes. But do they? And if they do, what can you do about it?

If there is a reason, how can you understand what it is? If there is no reason, then why do things happen as they do? Where does this ancient wisdom come from?

You probably have arrived at this point in your life with a lot of unsatisfactorily explained things that have happened to you. I know I have. Let's take a look at how we got here and what you can do about it.

I'd like to hear what you think about this.

Do you believe that things happen for a reason?

I'm also interesting in knowing, if you do think things happen for a reason, what that reason is and why do you think it's better to see life that way?

Thanks,
Ken

[Merrick1]

As to me, only personal experience can truly answer these questions.

But as far as I am concerned, yes, things do happen for a reason. That reason is that we learn to live in Love, to live our true essence. So, anything we do that strays from the Law of Love brings about a reaction meant to show us where we have strayed and how. And we then get another opportunity. And if needed, still another and another... until we learn the lesson.

Why is it better to see life that way?

Well, you are no longer a victim. And the others are not victims either. We are all on the same boat, in the same school. It awakens compassion in us, as opposed to feeling sorry for ourselves and others.

Merrick

[zeitgeist]

Stuff happens and because of it you become the one you are. They say we live in the best of all worlds from the perspective that given the life we live we have the unique possibility to advance to a higher spiritual level here and now. Of course, no one can prove or disprove this theory, but you can live your life accordingly if you like to make this conjecture your life hypothesis. I at least do that.

Hope this helps and all the best,

Zeitgeist

[Ken Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Merrick1

As to me, only personal experience can truly answer these questions.

But as far as I am concerned, yes, things do happen for a reason. That reason is that we learn to live in Love, to live our true essence. So, anything we do that strays from the Law of Love brings about a reaction meant to show us where we have strayed and how. And we then get another opportunity. And if needed, still another and another... until we learn the lesson.

Why is it better to see life that way?

Well, you are no longer a victim. And the others are not victims either. We are all on the same boat, in the same school. It awakens compassion in us, as opposed to feeling sorry for ourselves and others.

Merrick

Is that happening for a reason or just learning as a result of what did happen?

I think it's more that we can learn from our experiences and those that we don't learn to accept or prevent, we tend to experience again, and again, as you say.

Once we learn to accept, to love if I understand you right, then we find peace.

I think I'm suggesting the same idea put very differently in my article. That through knowledge, which is a pathway to love and acceptance, we reach peace, compassion, and become better for ourselves and the world.

Ken

[Ken Benjamin]

Originally Posted by zeitgeist

Stuff happens and because of it you become the one you are. They say we live in the best of all worlds from the perspective that given the life we live we have the unique possibility to advance to a higher spiritual level here and now. Of course, no one can prove or disprove this theory, but you can live your life accordingly if you like to make this conjecture your life hypothesis. I at least do that.

Hope this helps and all the best,

Zeitgeist

Agreed.

I think that when you don't realize that you have the power to understand WHY something happened, you give away that power. Power you can use to live more fully in a "higher spiritual level."

[alphamind]

I believe they do, because I don't believe the universe operates randomly. If it operated randomly I do not believe it would even exist, since it requires some kind of natural order, in order to unfold. Lots of bad things have been happening lately which clouded the bigger picture. When you start to see God in everything though and how everything unfolding is but our soul's desire to experience in order to grow, suddenly there is meaning and unity in everything. We tend to be biased because of the ego's desire to experience what's beneficial for it, so when things don't go its way hell breaks loose and we're like F you god/universe/etc

[Ken Benjamin]

Originally Posted by alphamind

I believe they do, because I don't believe the universe operates randomly. If it operated randomly I do not believe it would even exist, since it requires some kind of natural order, in order to unfold. Lots of bad things have been happening lately which clouded the bigger picture. When you start to see God in everything though and how everything unfolding is but our soul's desire to experience in order to grow, suddenly there is meaning and unity in everything. We tend to be biased because of the ego's desire to experience what's beneficial for it, so when things don't go its way hell breaks loose and we're like F you god/universe/etc

Interesting point of view.

What if the universe unfolds with rules, not randomly? I don't mean planned, guided, or anything like that, just that only certain things can happen. For example, oxygen can combine with hydrogen to form water but water cannot combine with oil. Or the way magnets only attract North to South and repel when the same polarity is matched.

That appears to be the way the natural order does unfold, using rules.

It's interesting that you come to the same 'unity with everything' place that I did (see Becoming One With The Universe) where you're approach is more derived from God and mine more from nature. I wonder if we see unity the same way. I'm guessing so.

I also agree with you about our ego and biases and that we often blame a higher power for our own shortcomings or for the seeming randomness of nature. I address some of that in the article I referenced when I started this thread but for more complex stuff, I've got an article coming out on Thursday. I think it speaks to what you're saying so I hope you take a look and leave another reply.

Thanks, alphamind, for your insights,
Ken