Friday, November 10, 2006

Cosmic Support?


This was yesterday's Daily Om, which makes me question some assumptions of the New Age community:
Cosmic Support
The Universe's Plan For You

The path that speeds us toward our dreams can be a challenging and complex one, so it's easy to get bogged down in confusion and insecurities. We often hesitate at the start of that path, questioning our purpose or our capabilities. Yet we should be moving forward joyously, eager to discover what destiny has in store for us. The universe has plans for us that eclipse anything we have dreamed of thus far. Though we must work diligently to fulfill our potential and to accomplish our individual missions, the universe is aware of both the quests we chose before birth and the goals we have formulated in adulthood. If we accept that it us watching over us and believe that it will facilitate our eventual success, the universe will provide us with the assistance and opportunities that enable us to make significant progress on our journeys of ambition.

Nothing happens without a purpose. Whether we attract success or repel it depends on our willingness to stay open to a wide range of possibilities and to embrace concepts like synchronicity. The universe is always ready to care for our needs, but we must not write off its loving attention as mere circumstance or chance. Likewise, we must endeavor to ensure that our egos do not become a barrier that prevents us from recognizing that even perceived mistakes and strife can be profound lessons that smooth the progress of personal evolution. When we understand that we only need to enthusiastically try our best to realize our objectives, the universe will take care of the details, propelling us forward in its unstoppable current. We may not always immediately understand the significance of certain experiences, but our trust will help us choose wisely at each crossroads.

The universe wants to see you accomplish your goals. No matter how long you've dallied or hesitated, it will always be there to put its plan for you in motion at the first sign of your faith. You can make the most of this aid by acquiescing to it rather than fighting it-nurture your dreams but do not attempt to micromanage every detail along the way. The universe will provide you with guidance and, if you heed that guidance, you will find your formerly stressful quest for success will become a journey of great joy.
I'm not sure that I buy that the universe is looking out for me and wants me to succeed, but I do tend to think that if I can align my life with the evolutionary flow of my life in the universe, then I am likely to be successful as long as I can stay in the alignment. To think that the universe gives a damn about me smacks of magical thinking -- a pre-rational attempt to feel safe in an unpredictable world.

This Daily Om also raises the rather common New Age idea that we choose our lives before birth -- that assumes reincarnation and the continuity of the self from one lifetime to the next. This feels wrong to me in every possible way.

I'd be curious to know what others think about this idea. Do you think we have continuity of the self from one lifetime to the next, with different outer manifestations, and that we choose our lives and lessons before hand?


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