Amor Fati - A Love of Fate (28 days to learn to love fate)
I am going to go all philosophical in this one. Maybe I will end up speaking about a completely another topic than Amor Fati. When I get started for real I am unstoppable. Grab a coffee and explore your own mind and personality.
Amor Fati - Nietzsche's expression of a love of fate, where the idea or habit if you will, is to not just accept what happens, but love everything that happens....
That is a tough one.....
Read it a couple of times and let it sink into your mind. Take time to reflect on it and what it really means.
What popped up in my mind, when I read about Amor Fati, was what about natural disasters, killing life in huge numbers, what about your loved ones getting killed or dying due to disease?
Yes, in some situations it can be used with success and I can see that. But it is a very difficult concept for me to "love" a catastrophe, whether it is personal or not.
We are in mid-February and it is time to dive into another side of stoicism. I got 28 days to learn to love fate.
28 Days To Explore Amor Fati
The Month of February is in the frame of Amor Fati. What happens in your life, happens for a reason. The reason might not be clear, but there is something behind every
I truly believe that all the events in my life are no coincidence. This statement raises a lot of other questions and dilemmas on an existential level, which is not the topic for this short blog post. But thinking about it helps me to get out of the ditch and direct my energy into actions that benefit me or my family, friends and colleagues in the best possible way
Fate is not good or bad. It is what we make it. We can change the energy we pour into our fate to "good or bad" energy. It is all up to us.
Fate builds character. Why delve into what has already happened, and let it drag you even further down the dark hole. You can´t undo what has already happened. We have to accept it and then learn to let it go.
Sonia Ricotti a personal growth coach has said it well in one of her books:
- Surrender to what is,
- Let go of what was,
- Have Faith in what will be
If things seem to go wrong in your life try repeating the 3 sentences above several times with intent and meaning. They will change your mood quickly. I have them printed out and pinned to the wall in my office.
Roy
"Learn, Build, Share, Grow"
Recent Comments
15
Great post, Roy! It is important to let the past go...however, I often wonder how one is to deal with difficulties or tragedies when the constraints are well beyond their own set of controls or mindset. Make one wonder what the deeper meaning is. Thanks for this share.
Susan
A very good point, Susan. I believe it is a great starting point to get on with working on your mind and mindset. No one can take your mind, it is yours and only yours if you stand guard and watch out for what you let into your mind.
But by all means, it is not an easy task to train yourself to become resilient in the face of seemingly invincible challenges.
There is a famous Jewish author that has written a book about this in relation to being a prisoner in a concentration camp, but I cannot remember his name.
Roy
Thanks for writing this post, Roy!
I'm a firm believer in: "everything has it's purpose."
Along the lines of your title, "Amor Fati," I see that everything that happens, does so for me and not to me.
With this concept, every incident, whether tragic, comic or wonderful, happens so I can grow towards my true and authentic best self.
My go to self talk when a challenge of any magnitude comes along, is:
How will this help me love myself, my life and the folks that cross my path unconditionally. For me this is the prime directive, and everything else is commentary.
Keep writing wonderful things, and keep thriving!
Al
This makes so much sense to me! I see your point about disasters that one can't avoid--not just natural disasters, but also being a crime victim, for example.
Muslims believe that anything that happens in a person's life is completely unavoidable and a matter of fate, and I connect with that concept, too.
My perspective on this concept is this: I feel that "God" or "the Creator" (or however you want to call the entity that's responsible for all of creation) is a being of unimaginable wisdom, far beyond anything we humans can possible fathom. And in all that wisdom is justification for anything "good" or "bad" that may occur to us in our lives. In addition, I feel that the challenges that come to us can be preparation for future difficulties--helping us to be strong enough to endure them.
Thank you for this thought-provoking post 👍
Margaret
I agree. The events that happen to us are put there intentionally to help us grow and help us make the choices that are best for us.
Bruce Lee said it well;
"Don´t pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one"
Roy
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Roy, I think that, in essence, we can be the authors of our own fate, my friend!
Jeff
Well said, Jeff. That is my perception too. We can't control certain external factors. What we can do is to control how we can turn the impact from the external factors to our benefit and as such to something positive.
The late Bob Proctor said it well with this quote:
" I'm so happy and grateful now that I am the artist of my reality. Every choice, action and feeling, contribute to my beautiful life.
Roy
Yes, indeed, Roy! A very powerful quote here, and so appropriate as it relates to each new day that we are given!
Jeff