Does Everything Happen For A Reason?

“The unapparent connection is more powerful than the apparent one.” -Heraclitus

Topic #170 Prompt:
They say “everything happens for a reason” – Do you think this is true?

How one answers this question will differ depending on whether spirituality is something embraced or dismissed.  For me, life is mysterious rather than concrete and obvious.  I think of it as a dance- a duet- between the inner and outer worlds. There is a constant flow of energy, ever shifting as our intentions change.  Sometimes it’s difficult to understand events as they occur, but I think every interaction is meaningful.  Each situation presents an opportunity to discover something new, if we’re willing to look deeply at ourselves. Self-transformation is linked to the unfolding of the universe. Therefore I think it’s true that everything happens for a reason.  

Perhaps that sounds irrational to some people, but I’d like to propose that our thinking and judgements have become unbalanced.  We know that our brains are divided into the left (logical, measured, ‘masculine’/ ‘yang’) and right (intuitive, metaphorical, ‘feminine’/ ‘yin’) hemispheres.  While the left brain focuses on separate parts, the right brain sees the whole picture.  Both serve a purpose and are equally valid.  

Western culture emphasizes the importance of a scientific, rational model at the expense of a more holistic viewpoint.  Duality is part of our conditioning from an early age; whether watching cartoons featuring heroes vs. villains when we’re children, or listening to priests at church preach about good vs. evil, we are encouraged to see people and situations in terms of opposing opposites.  This approach is limited and at times downright detrimental.

Totality makes more sense to me.  I’m drawn to Eastern philosophies because of the underlying principles of interconnectedness, encompassing rather than polarizing opposites.

Though I believe everything happens for a reason, I’m not saying I ascribe to fate or think that destiny is predetermined.  We each have free will and our responses can change over time, as we learn from previous experiences.  

The choices I make and how I behave affects others, and the reverse is also true.  Though I am a separate individual, I am always relating to the greater whole.  In this way, all of life is connected.  Each of us has the potential to perceive a sense of ‘oneness’ at any time, simply by tuning in. 

What do you think?  Is life random and chaotic to you or do you believe there’s an underlying order?  How can we achieve balance between linear thought and intuitive perception?

I’ve successfully given myself a headache from thinking too much!  It’s time to have a cup of tea and watch the sun set, one of my favourite ways to connect with the mysterious cosmos.  Thanks for reading my contemplative ramblings… I hope you’ll share some of yours too.

Big hugs,

Robin