Is Our Path in Life Set at Birth? | The Story of God
Daoism dates back nearly two millennia. Gods are not the focus of Daoism; the focus is the Dao, the ultimate creative energy of the universe to which we are all connected. This interconnectedness means our fate is all set at birth. So, do Daoists believe miracles are possible? To find out, I'm heading to the heart of the Chinese community in Los Angeles to meet a fourth generation DST fate calculator named Jenny Lou.
“Jenny Lou,” she says, “Moran Freeman.”
“Yes, ma'am. Nice to meet you.”
“Thank you, come on in please.”
“Thank you. So, did you do my life chart?”
“I did. We have you here as June 1st, so 61-19-37, 2 a.m. Is that correct?”
“Your life map... that's just know where over 120 stars are located at your time of birth. These stars configure a certain type of energy field that impact the quality and success of your life. So, in Chinese we don't call this astrology; actually, we call it fate calculation. Fate calculation covers your life in ten periods; you can see from age 6 to 15, is one, 16 to 25, and so on and so forth.”
“So, what's now between 76 and 85?”
“Right now, you're in your friendship sector. In your friendship sector, that star is called Wantung. This star represents scholars, learned people. These are the people that you want to surround yourselves with.”
“So far so good?”
“So far so good. And one of the reasons why maybe you have not come here yet until today is that one of the stars in your personal sector is called Lensen. Lensen is the adventurer; somebody who likes to take things as they come.”
“So if my fate is already laid out, does that leave room for like miracles?”
“Absolutely! We don't think of the astrology chart as predestined; that it's your only fate that's carved in stone. We see a life map just like we say life is a journey. And on any journey, you need to have a map. There's going to be dead ends; there's going to be multiple potholes. If you know where they are, you're still in charge of your own car. This is just a navigation system. You can turn. If you understand how you're connected to everything around you, that is a miracle waiting to happen.”
“So is this connected to Qi and Feng Shui?”
“This is based on Qi thought: everything around us is connected; everything is made of energy. We're all connected through this energy. Qi is wind; Shui is water. It's an energy that we cannot destroy or create; it's always there. But we can divert it; we can harness it.”
“In Chinese, we can ride it?”
“Exactly! I was going to say, in Chinese we say: birds do not fly; they are flown. Fish do not swim; they are carried by water.”
“We always think, particularly in Christianity, that a miracle is a result of divine intervention. In Chinese thought, everything is connected; everything has a reason for why it occurred.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you.”