Understanding Fate
We have seen that the basic formula for a belief in destiny is that all things in motion have a destination, each destination then sets off a reaction, each reaction begins the next movement, renewing the cycle. This is antithetical to the notion of causation and motion, which is built upon the belief in linear time, whereas we view this as cyclical. There are no true beginnings or endings in a circle, for any point of that circle can be viewed as a beginning, an end, or neither.
Linear thinkers have been stacking hypothesis after hypothesis to justify their theories for centuries, seemingly out of reverence to the monotheist models that must have beginnings and endings as points of reference. But once the lines are replaced with ovals or circles the problems are solved and the model becomes so much simpler. You cannot have motion without causation, meaning that something cannot be set into motion by something else that was not set into motion itself. Any argument against this defies logic and reason, so cyclical existence is the only possible explanation for why things are and how they came to be. Creation takes place all the time in the universe, and is a fundamental tendency within its matrix, just as destruction is, but the universe itself is eternal in the sense that it has always been, and infinite in that it never ends. Its constant is that it is always changing, always fluxuating, and always compensating for its continued development.
One way we can further discredit causal theory is by demonstrating that evidence for change does not represent evidence for origin. We can discover proof for the possibility that the universe is expanding, but does this prove that at one point there was a state of non-existence? Or even if there was a point of non-existence, or of the ultimate chaos of Ginnungagap we have described here, does this somehow prove that there was no existence before then? The fact that scientists today have had to invent their own myths, such as dark matter and dark energy (neither of which have ever been discovered in reality) in order to try to fill the holes in their theories of causation, i.e. the "Big Bang," shows that we truly need to rethink the entire approach. If we can make a clean break from the monotheist mindset that was forced upon our psyches for generations, completely start over with a new model, and seek to understand nature on nature's terms, there is no telling what we might discover. In our world we see cycles of life everywhere, and if we follow the Hermetic maxim "as above, so below," thus expanding our view of the microcosm onto the microcosm, it is likely that we will find that this is the key to understanding the universe.
To understand fate is to understand the connection of all life, the intricate weaving of existence that both brings us together and tears us apart. My life, my time in this world involves me heading in a certain direction, one that I have very little control over. During my navigating through this existence I will encounter others, each with their own heading, and these encounters will steer me in new directions with new ideas and new tools. It may not even be an actual face-to-face encounter with the person affecting me, for I may be influenced by them through their work or actions on various levels. They could have invented something I use frequently, or I may have witnessed an act of heroism they performed, a law they passed may have protected me and my family from danger, or I may just be entertained by them. Their actions, their personal experiences with convergence or entropy become something higher than even themselves and this influences the overall collective. The idea of having such power to inspire or move others is what led some of the ancients to believe that men like Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great were, in fact, Gods. Humans can influence people in much the way as the Gods in heaven can, but the dominion of true divinity is much greater and their powers of creation much, much stronger.
I think that those who reject fatalism either misunderstand it, or simply cannot accept ot for what it is. They want control, they want to think that they have power over their destiny because they can make decisions regarding it. As we have seen, to think so is the same as thinking that you can control the wind, the movement of the stars, or the tides of the sea. Life is what it is, nothing more, nothing less. It is neither perfectly good, nor perfectly bad, it just is. "He who holds what should, shall ever regret what is" say the Hugrunes (8), which is the enlightenment we gain from accepting fate. With acceptance comes inner-peace, for then we know that we are playing our part in the great fabric of reality. We know that we must act within it, but the outcomes of our actions are out of our control, and that is okay, for then we will release; we will let it go. The Hugrunes speak beautifully on this idea: "Freedom is momentary. It arises in the impeccable act and releasing that act from care. Send out my choice, create, detach it from myself" (19).
Acceptance and Duty
Of course, there are moral implications involving a belief in fate, which in turn involves the power of choice. If I believe that my choices are mine and that they are not guided, driven, or predetermined, then the responsibility is mine and mine alone. But iBut if my choices are predetermined, then whatever determined them is responsible, not me.
Again, this is based on the false presumption that fatalism must be viewed from a monotheist perspective, and therefore their god is directing everything and guiding everyone towards his will and his "plan." But if we view fate as a neutral force, and karma or urlag as an innate aspect of that force, then morality becomes something different altogether. There is cause and there is effect, you do something and there is a response to it. You either work alongside the powers of convergence or those of entropy. It is that simple.
The Gods are there to show us the way, to inspire us in following a higher path, and to teach us the laws of faith and morality; but in the end fate will have its final decree. This is why it is said that Urd and her sisters "established laws, allotted life to the sons of men, and pronounced urlag" (LIII.45). The Norns are the highest representatives of fate, which is a power even the Gods are subject to.
Our acceptance comes in realizing that things are the way they are, and our duty comes in standing up against what is harmful to others. This is always going to be the downfall of those with utopian visions, for they cannot accept reality and they believe that they can control the hearts of men. We have brandished these ideologies as Unification Theories, because they are all built upon the principle that they will unify the planet under a single ideal, when this is an impossibility. In the meantime, they have covered the world in an ocean of blood when atrocity after atrocity continues to take place in the name of making us all "one." They have never improved the planet, and they never will, no matter how many fantastic dreams and lies they conjure up in order to serve those hungry for power. They only make things much worse, while the terrors committed by their monstrous regimes will long be burned into the human psyche. Any successful social model must always be built upon an understanding of the human mind and curtailing our weaknesses and even our malevolence. Had the peoples in the lands affected by the Unifiers understood this principle and did their duty in protecting others from harm, such atrocities might never have occurred.
The struggle itself is an acceptance of fate because it is inevitable, or I should say constant. In fact, it is the most permeating example of the fatalistic formula we have been discussing. You can take any action, anything you do during the day and categorize it as either convergent or entropic, even down to a molecular level. Doing something healthy regenerates cells and boosts energy levels, while unhealthy behavior helps the body age and decay. Relieving stress by maintaining inner-peace will actually increase your life span, while chaos and strife raise stress levels that will kill you. Bringing family together and working with your community benefits everyone involved, while isolation and misanthropy help no one. Playing with your kids, doing a good deed, helping others, making love, relaxing to soothing music as you drive to work, so many things we may view as mundane tasks are actually a part of our connection to the powers of convergence. Laziness, greed, crime, anger, and hatred are all a part of chaos and only serve to bring destruction to the self and to others. Each step, each measure of your life's thread is either connected to the Gods and decency, or to the Etins and corruption. Even though we make the choices as we play out our life story, each choice has already been formulated and woven into the fabric of the web.
In the lore Odin and Frigga are the primary forces of convergence and Loki and Gullveig of entropy. Odin and Frigga are married, have several sons who form the core of the Aesir-clan, and they care for the well-being of the worlds and of humanity. They want us to have peace, wisdom, and love in our lives, and they work diligently towards protecting and blessing us. Loki and Gullveig, on the other hand, are not married, though they have several monstrous and illegitimate children together. Their offspring: Fenrir, Jormungand, and Leikin will be the primary heralds of Ragnarok and will help to destroy the worlds. Loki represents anger, deception, cowardice, and unbridled lust; Gullveig represents greed, seduction, corruption, and impiety. They are all personifications of the choices we make, for good or ill, and we will either be on the side of right, good, and order, or the side of wrong, bad, and chaos.
One can join Odin either as an individual who follows the law and does right, which is certainly honorable and correct, or they can take it a step further and actually defend the order from the destructive elements to become a hero and make their way to Asgard. In either case, as those blessed and loved by our divine family it is up to us to make the right choice and live by their decrees.
Odisbook: The Book of Odr
