The “Fate vs. Free Will” debate is an interesting topic in astrology, and there is no explicitly right answer. Western philosophy espouses that we create our own destiny. Particularly in America, which was founded on the ultimate principle of free will: freedom. Having the resolve that you can be anything you choose to be is the most embraced concept of free will. Hard work, determination and potentially good luck can grant you any wish you may have – you just have to be dedicated. While I cannot completely disagree with this sentiment, maybe because I am an American and love a good triumphant, boot-strap story, the more I study astrology, the more I am resigned to the concept of fate. Fate is determined by the birth chart and free will is determined by how you interpret that fate.

This is not a counter argument to my post about feelings. Feelings, I believe, are the truest expression of spirit. They go beyond fate or free will. Existence is its own reward, as we are far more than just our personalities, our talents and our contributions to the world. All life on Earth has value in this regard. Humans, however, are in the unique position to structure our lives in more complex ways than just survival. We build shelter, gather food, form communities, make art – but of course we aren’t all the same. Each one of us has a unique expression. Though, much like Meyers-Briggs has helped to improve the social psychology of the workplace, we each ascribe to particular archetypes. This leans more towards fate than free will.

The blueprints we were born with cannot tell our life stories, but they can show us our internal design. Like actors moving through the plot of a play, circumstances and relationships present themselves that have likely happened before, hence our ability to relate to them. Archetypes show us that, even though we are individuals, there are a finite number of adaptations in the human experience. Just as DNA needs to replicate a specific pattern in order to propagate our biology – so do metaphysical expressions. The alternative is chaos – with no pattern recognition, no similarity, no community and no structure.

An over-reliance upon free will is, in my opinion, the source of most misery. Telling someone that the only thing stopping them from an achievement is the fault of their will is downright false and even cruel. We can only control how we feel about a failed goal – not the goal itself. I remember when I was applying to colleges. There was only one college I had my heart set on, though I applied to four. When I was accepted to two of the four and my dream school was one of the rejections, I was heartbroken. I attended another great school and after about six months, I completely forgot about the school that rejected me. Had I held onto that rejection as a memento of not being good enough, or that my will wasn’t strong enough, it might have been a case for the abolishment of free will. Thankfully, I embraced the fateful ideology that it wasn’t meant to be and that I could still have a great college career. I’ve experienced rejection many times since then and I bounce back more and more quickly every time, even when it hurts.

Hellenistic Astrologers Demetra George and Chris Brennan have educated me about the fateful aspects of time lord techniques and how valuable they are in our lives. While we can’t devote ourselves entirely to data and transcripts, we can learn a great deal about why events happen when they do and why they don’t. I have free will in choosing to be upset about something I wanted that didn’t happen, or choosing not to be upset. Its working with the grain rather than against it.

For example, I feel no pressure at all to be married. There was a time when I did and it caused me a lot of misery. If we are fortunate enough to live a full life of 85-90 years, there is plenty of time for things like marriage. I’ve had a few long term relationships that felt like marriages anyway. As far as career goals, I’ve recorded a handful of albums as a singer/musician. At 43, I’d like to think I have the second half of my life to record many, many more. Don’t believe any B.S. you hear about not being able to do something past a certain age. Ok, so maybe giving birth to a child from your own womb has an expiration date, but parenting can happen at any age.

Conversely, I also don’t subscribe to the concept that you are supposed to wait around for fate to bring you what you’re destined to receive. We still have to move towards what we love. My fascination with astrology has felt a lot like free will, but it is actually very outlined in my chart. My Midheaven, Uranus and North Node all conjunct in Scorpio in the 10th house – plus I have Uranus opposed my Sun, Jupiter and Moon. With Pluto as the modern ruler of Scorpio, seeking depth and uncovering secrets, and Uranus being obsessed with thinking outside of the box, it makes perfect sense that I would be drawn to astrology. My 3rd house stellium also points to writing and communication as a focal point of my life.

I am arguing the case for fate, I guess. Not that we are fated to have great or terrible lives; fated for success or abject poverty. Just fated to be where we are karmically. Evolutionary Astrology shows us what our strengths and struggles were in the past, how they affect our lives now and how we are evolving. Free will decides how we want to interpret this and what we choose to do with the information.