I don't like the thought of destiny and everything happens for a reason ideas, If there really was a destiny wouldn't there be some way to read it? Everything is random, why do particles act two different ways when we observe them or not? you can turn around and expect something and it not be there. We cannot see the future, it hasn't happened yet. And if it hasn't happened yet how can we define it with destiny?

There's this theory.. I can't remember who said this but it goes something like:

If we could know the spin, the direction, the velocity and acceleration of every sub particle (either with mass or massless), couldn't we somehow calculate accurately where they're going to be next? Isn't this the same as looking at the future?

But of course, there is NO way you can accurately know all the properties of these sub particles, as you can't freeze time and study them one by one.

Then we fall on the "If a tree falls and no one is around, does it make a sound?". These particles ARE moving, we can NOT measure them, but this doesn't mean the future is written.

But "what about free will!" you say. Let's remember there's no such thing as random, just like there isn't such thing as coincidence.

Hope you can understand what I mean, english is not my first language.

For me Destiny is a predicted future.

for example one is a princess in a few years she will be queen. i predicted the future.

for example one is a farmer in a few years he will still be a farmer.

but the word predicted here is not fact but an hypothesis. one can always assume/predict what may happen in the future from what path you choose today

one might question destiny if one's life is always the same, day in and day out. but it will be always who will write our destiny or our future.

one can always change his destiny if they have chosen the right choices

one example is a farmer in south america who becomes a president of his country Guess who.

I think that something called Destiny does exist. It just doesn't related directly to the physical realm per-se. I also believe it is possible to see through the veil of "time" into the future, and predict outcomes that have not yet occurred.

My beliefs with destiny presuppose the concept of archetypes, the mental plane, etc. Basically, that what has happened, what is happening, what is going to happen all exist in one timeless conceptual state of awareness. Just pure being. As far as destiny goes, it can exist on this level because we do away with the idea of "time," which I just believe is human conception.

With predicting the future, I believe this is also possible. Please do not refer to chaotic events as random, or pure chance. Chaos has a semblance of order, and yes, reality does work by chaos. (Ever studied chaos mathematics or chaos magick? Do so.) There is a predetermined course of events based on the momentum of previous events. It is possible with a strong enough exertion of willpower to change this momentum into a different direction, or to use your own "higher powers" to see through and know where the river goes, so to speak. It has happened that certain individuals have won the lottery twice. Surely this must be beyond the realm of pure chance?

As far as Einstein's ideas go, E = MC^2, and so forth, I personally believe that this 'macro' view of reality is a "for all practical intents and purposes" perspective. We label things as we see them. As we have come across science such as Quantum Mechanics, we find that reality works very differently from our normal conceptions. Have you ever heard of a book, The Holographic Universe? You should check it out some time, as it is very enlightening.

But as destiny goes, I'm not a fatalist. I believe that anyone can change their lives by doing and believing certain principles.

Here's a metaphor that's sometimes used within the realm of Christianity, that paints a picture of this paradox of destiny quite well:

A person, standing in a sea of white light, sees a gate before him, golden in appearance. The gate is open. He decides to walk through. After he has walked a few steps through the gate, he hears it close behind him. He turns back. Marked on the gate is the word "CHOSEN."

So did the gate choose him or did he choose the gate? It's both.

That's why reality is a mix of opposites: you choose what happens, yet everything that will happen has already happened, on one plane of reality.

I always use to wonder, if i could have sent my life on a completely different path, just by using a different toothpaste, or something stupid. (not because of the few milliseconds diference i might make, but just because im like that!).
But now i think the ony wy you really change your life greatly, is when you do something lie. Choose to get married, choose which subject you want a degree in, or get a job.

So i think destiny does not really decide where we are going from the start, but change around us.

Although you could say that our genes, or genetics are really our destiny, as they choose wether we will be clever, or very good at sport ect, which will change your life.

Who or what has a destiny?
Normally we say there is a destiny for all living things. I'm not sure on this statement. But the my vision is nothing can predict perfectly. There may be a lot of variations on a event which we consider. According to the Christianity there is no rebirth. But according to the clues I found I can't believe it. Some time it may mean another idea rather than the word meaning of "rebirth". In Buddhism it has a totally different concept as there is no rebirth but have an circular existent of spiritual. If there is a destiny for each and every one they should be stored in the spirits of each(but this is true only in my point of view since I hope that there is no creator other than the natural science). But the problem is if there is an destiny why anybody couldn't tell what will happen next 100% correctly. In another hand there is an ambiguous event I heard and experienced also.

That is in Sri lanka there is a fortune telling center quite different from the other fortune tellers. Once a person ask from them to tell his or her past, present and future, they take a hand print and tell a date to come back. And after the person come, they read a document which is actually a palm leaf. The wonder is the teller tells the surname and given name of the person. then the age when of the person when he get to know about his destiny(yes it's current age the person). Then the full names of fathers and mothers, occupation, number of children, about the spouse(name, occupation, deceases having etc.). The past and present details are 100% correct. Normally they say definite things such as names, ages, how the name of the person formed(it's a miracle). When we consider about the future all the definite information such as events in specific age kind of things are 100% correct. But other indefinite information such as occupation, deceases kind of things not correct 100%.

These people say that they found these printed palm leaf from India. and they say that these information were written by hindu monks who has special power to see the future. The stuffs were owned by a Maharaja in India.

I did lot of researches to solve this ambiguous while standing on religious and nonreligious (theories of modern physics) concepts. Finally I found a solution which satisfy me more than fifty percent.

In Buddhism, it says that all the things happened for a reason. It is called as patichchasamuppaadaya (if you are not a south Asian don't try to pronounce it ). The things happen falls to five category as uthu (whether), beeja (birth and related stuffs like seeds), kamma(Known as "karma" the things we done using our mind and through our body but also with mind), damma(the sciences of nature), chiththa(the mutability of mind).

The fortune teller I said before is reading about the stuff which falls to the category of kamma only. Therefore their prediction may be wrong according to the other four criteria. For an example it is proved that we cannot do perfect whether forecast ever.
So I realized that all have their own destiny and it is changeable on some criteria and a destiny of a living thing creates according to its own activities. If somebody can be without doing any activity which effects to his or her destiny then he or she can end their existence. But I have no idea about a person who has no a destiny.

Well I think destiny doesn't exist. Why? Because for destiny to exist, the knowledge of the future has to exist, and that can not possible be in any archive, in any divine mind or plan as each of our actions are what determine the future. I believe that destiny was an idea that pacifies the soul. To think that there is a future that we can not avoid can often make us feel better in a tense situation. For example, if you were to have made a bad business decision and looked back on what you had done, it would be easier to face your failure by consoling yourself with the idea that your destiny had already been determined. This eases some of the weight of your choice off of your shoulders and onto that of the general plan of the world.

Ravimal, as you said, Buddhism says things happen for a reason. People usually look at this sentence, smile and nod, and believe. But I tend to look at the reason behind this statement. Why would someone say things happen for a reason? Simple, to make the general population less stressed. If you were walking home and a bird pooped on your favorite shirt, it's easy to smile and say, "Oh well I'm sure it happened for a reason." But when you think about it, the whole 'reason' ideology was made to make people feel better about life. So that people can live without fearing every incident or mistake, Buddha's ideas preach a greater scheme of life.

Ravimal, your example of the Sri Lankan fortune tellers is very hard to believe. This in no way discredits those who you appraise but as an atheist who sees no base in profound seeings of a man. I find it is impossible and only after seeing it or obtaining credited footage can I begin to formulate an opinion on such a thing. One thing about fortune telling is that through ambiguity they often gain the trust of their client. For example if I was a fortune teller and someone offered me cash to tell them the future I'd say something like:

"You are nervous on the inside but show a strong exterior. You are not satisfied with what you have but soon, in about a month you will begin to find happiness."

If some Tom, *BLEEP* or Harry hears that they would smile and nod, then pay the cash and leave. It's the use of such a general prediction that we often begin to trust in the supernatural. I think destiny is not real and it was made so that we weren't so scared by the weight of every choice that we make. This is probably because I am a very down to earth person who doesn't often waiver into the realms of the occult, or I just haven't seen enough to believe.

-Just my opinion.

what we do now, our present actions make us our destiny its smthing we can change