Moments That Shape Personal Destiny

Every life has defining moments—points of choice, times of change, events of significance. Some are forced upon us, such as the death of a loved one, a natural disaster, or loss of a job. Other moments may awaken us with inspiration to change our lives whether from seeing a breath-taking sunset or hearing an uplifting story. Still other choices come after years of careful consideration like changing careers or leaving a marriage.

These are powerful times because the decision made may have impact for years, even lifetimes, to come. Indeed, in my study of past lives, that is precisely what I often witness. The life today has, in certain ways, been defined by decisions made in other times and places. We don't necessarily have to look at past lives for this effect, but just earlier times in our present life and the decisions we've made along the way.

An important consideration to keep in mind is that the real defining moment is not the event which takes place—no matter how tragic or wonderful—but our response to the event. Although the event itself may be a powerful catalyst, our response is what makes it a defining moment.

For example, a mother loses a child at birth. In that moment, she may decide 1) to never again try to have a child, 2) to adopt a child, 3) to get pregnant as soon as possible. Additionally, the attitude and emotions behind any decision will be equally important. The first may be accompanied by a) peace or b) bitterness; the second may create a) excitement or b) resentment; and the third could be dominated by feelings of a) hope or b) desperation.

Each of the above choices (or other options not listed) will set things into motion. Each stems from a different belief system and each creates a different reality. Some defining moments seem quite singular in their focus, power and impact--thus influencing the future for an indeterminate amount of time. The decision is similar to the ripple effect created by throwing a stone into a pond. It is influenced by the intensity of emotion with which the decision is made (like the size of the stone) and by the use of free will to modify earlier choices (like an object interrupting and redirecting the ripples).

Using the example above, the woman might remain bitterly childless throughout the life or make more constructive choices in her attitude and approach. This represents a healthy and wise use of free will to choose again and not stay frozen in past behaviors and beliefs.

A Past Life Reading or Regression may reveal decisions made in the past that are still having impact. Having that information can be extremely helpful. But we can also practice making choices based on what we know now. Thus, it is beneficial to practice looking for the defining moments in this life and understand how those decisions may still be impacting us--whether positively or negatively. This is one way in which we become more conscious of how we create our own reality. In fact, the more we cultivate our ability to choose our responses, the more defining moments we can see in our everyday experiences.

Here's a suggested exercise: Review some defining moments in your life--events as well as your responses to those events. Did you make choices that proved to be constructive or destructive to yourself and others? How are those decisions still influencing areas like relationships, career, prosperity, health, and peace of mind? What new decisions can be made to enhance the quality of your life now?

Any moment can be a defining moment. We have the capacity to choose differently and to re-define ourselves now.

© 1997 Rhonda Leifheit – All Rights Reserved