Do we choose to be born with a chronic illness or disability?

Hello,

A few months ago I did a work placement at a school for people with disabilities (down syndrome, autism...) and it made me wonder why these people were born with these disabilities? Would their soul choose to be born like this and why? I don't necessarily think having a disability is bad since all the people I worked with didn't seem unhappy and they were all extremely pleasant to be around. Are the disabled born into the world to teach the humans they come into contact with to become more compassionate and loving?

It will be interesting to see what others think about this subject.

Star

[HealingLight77]

From what I've come to understand, yes, we do choose our illnesses and strengths/weaknesses before each life. We choose these things for our spiritual growth and development, and of course, karmic reasons.

I'm sure there are a myriad of reasons that a soul would choose to be born with mental disabilities. Perhaps for those that you stated, or perhaps to allow themselves to spend a life learning how to 'receive' and be taken care of. I would suggest reading books by Michael Newton, as they get into detail about how and why people have chosen different issues for their lives.

[BlueSky]

I drove by a dead squirrel today coming to work. Strange choice he made!

I read of woman who was killed by her husband after the police ignored her pleas for help in the paper yesterday. Strange choice the policeman made prior to this life to ignore the call and for the husband to choose to want to kill his wife and for the wife to chose to die in horror. How did they coordinate all that considering everything else that occured in lives of the 3 involved.

The concept sounds respectfully absurd to me.
Sorry.........just being honest.

I hope you don't mind.

Have you ever hurt someone badly................I have...............and to dishonor this person more by saying we somehow agreed to do so prior to our existance is a slap in the face on top of the hurt I caused. It also wrongly relieves me of responsibilty which blows karma right out the window.
I mean, if I agreed to hurt someone, why would i have to pay back in the form of karma............
Makes no sense to me.............................James

[Internal Queries]

Originally Posted by WhiteShaman

I drove by a dead squirrel today coming to work. Strange choice he made!

I read of woman who was killed by her husband after the police ignored her pleas for help in the paper yesterday. Strange choice the policeman made prior to this life to ignore the call and for the husband to choose to want to kill his wife and for the wife to chose to die in horror. How did they coordinate all that considering everything else that occured in lives of the 3 involved.

The concept sounds respectfully absurd to me.
Sorry.........just being honest.

I hope you don't mind.

Have you ever hurt someone badly................I have...............and to dishonor this person more by saying we somehow agreed to do so prior to our existance is a slap in the face on top of the hurt I caused. It also wrongly relieves me of responsibilty which blows karma right out the window.
I mean, if I agreed to hurt someone, why would i have to pay back in the form of karma............
Makes no sense to me.............................James

the concept of "karma" is pet peeve of mine. the concept allows for a "blame the victim" social mentality since it advocates that victims chose to be victims and/or deserve to be victims. also, the "karma" concept is misery perpetuated since each victimizer must come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must to come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must come back ... ad infinitum.

so NO, IMO, people do not chose to be born into diseased or disabled bodies nor is their manifestation in a diseased or disabled body an indicator of bad karma incurred from a previous life. spontaneous Circumstance deals the cards and all we can do is play our hands as best we can with the cards we're dealt.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Internal Queries

the concept of "karma" is pet peeve of mine. the concept allows for a "blame the victim" social mentality since it advocates that victims chose to be victims and/or deserve to be victims. also, the "karma" concept is misery perpetuated since each victimizer must come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must to come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must come back as a victim who needs a victimizer who must come back ... ad infinitum.

Originally Posted by Internal Queries

so NO, IMO, people do not chose to be born into diseased or disabled bodies nor is their manifestation in a diseased or disabled body an indicator of bad karma incurred from a previous life. spontaneous Circumstance deals the cards and all we can do is play our hands as best we can with the cards we're dealt.

I hear ya but I think we can do more than just deal with circumstance. I think we are responsible for making this world better. We can restore balance.
Better to live and die as one who made a difference than to live as one who lived only to die into a better life.

[Internal Queries]

Originally Posted by WhiteShaman

I hear ya but I think we can do more than just deal with circumstance. I think we are responsible for making this world better. We can restore balance.
Better to live and die as one who made a difference than to live as one who lived only to die into a better life.

perhaps the "best we can" part of my statement includes acting on the responsibility to try to make a better world.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Internal Queries

perhaps the "best we can" part of my statement includes acting on the responsibility to try to make a better world.

Yes of course. I didn't mean to imply that it didn't. I can see how my words could have come across that way though.
Thanks for setting me straight....
James

[Chrysaetos]

Saying that's it's all karma doesn't really explain why existence is as it is. Just past lives ad infinitum. A meaningless cycle without an origin. If there's no origin than how can we judge something as good or bad? Sin is out of the question. We can't be held responsible for someone who ate a magical apple given by a talking snake.
And it's all morals and ethics, which are cultural and subjective anyway. I don't know whether our 'universe' is bothered with human morality.

If it's all about choice, ask yourself if you would choose to be born with incurable disease. Ask yourself whether you want comfort and happiness or extreme suffering and illness.
And if spirit/soul/self is 'perfect' or 'all-good', what's the point fooling around?

What is worth mentioning though is that everything we know here.. dreams, inspirations, joy, change, process, progress, learning.. wouldn't be here without the 'bad'.
You can't learn without falling. And water and fire can be nice, but you must know how to use them.
It still doesn't explain why it is that way though.

My answer is.. I simply don't know..

Originally Posted by Internal Queries

spontaneous Circumstance deals the cards and all we can do is play our hands as best we can with the cards we're dealt.

I like this approach, it may not look empowering but it is.
It makes us humans adventurers who just have to deal with what is presented.

Predestination beliefs on the other hand make us blindly accept unhappiness as if it's something we deserved. It's a constant guilt tripping game.

As I understand it, we impliment a Soul-Plan before entering in, and while we can deviate from it to some degree, for the most part the large factors decided upon before entry remain in place. There is of course "wiggle room", and because we all have free will choice we can innitiate a change to said plan if we truly desire to, but barring that, we pretty much adhere to what we've set in motion in the Soul-Plans we construct between lives, for the opportunities, learning, soul expansion, and the perfecting of certain qualities. It's we who choose these experiences. They are not foisted upon us.

That of course begs the natural question that IF we all choose our situations, is it permissable to view the physical or emotional pain of another as simply "their karma" and not offer assistance and comfort where and when possible? To my way of thinking, compassion for all living things is required of each and every one of us, and failure to demonstrate that loving trait will without question slow our own advancement as well as possibly bring in difficult circumstances in OUR next life! It's a complex process and none of us can accurately determine the specifics of why another chose the difficult circumstances of THEIR life. It might not even be for them, but to give another opportunity for advancement..! So in my understanding, it is always best to show compassion and kindness and comfort others where possible. That is the way of the heart, and it is through the heart that we access the direct experience of spirit

Originally Posted by LightFilledHeart

As I understand it, we impliment a Soul-Plan before entering in, and while we can deviate from it to some degree, for the most part the large factors decided upon before entry remain in place. There is of course "wiggle room", and because we all have free will choice we can innitiate a change to said plan if we truly desire to, but barring that, we pretty much adhere to what we've set in motion in the Soul-Plans we construct between lives, for the opportunities, learning, soul expansion, and the perfecting of certain qualities. It's we who choose these experiences. They are not foisted upon us.

That of course begs the natural question that IF we all choose our situations, is it permissable to view the physical or emotional pain of another as simply "their karma" and not offer assistance and comfort where and when possible? To my way of thinking, compassion for all living things is required of each and every one of us, and failure to demonstrate that loving trait will without question slow our own advancement as well as possibly bring in difficult circumstances in OUR next life! It's a complex process and none of us can accurately determine the specifics of why another chose the difficult circumstances of THEIR life. It might not even be for them, but to give another opportunity for advancement..! So in my understanding, it is always best to show compassion and kindness and comfort others where possible. That is the way of the heart, and it is through the heart that we access the direct experience of spirit

It seems that we both have the same understanding. I have been told that each life experience is laid out with all of the particulars thought out prior to arriving. Many that we encounter in our existences are those who have agreed to play a part in this experience. We select from amoung our spiritual friends and family who will do what and when. The appropriate signposts are set up in advance to remind us of our chosen path.

Now, do we see and respond to every signpost? Not always, depends on our free will to some extent. As I often say, nothing happens by chance. All things are set in motion. We can however miss the whole thing by being misguided. For an interesting overview of our 3 dimensional experience, I would recommend http://dragonofdrama.com/why_3d as it is a wonderful explanation of the overall 3 dimensional experience.

There are certain responsibilities that each of us have based on our individual choices. These are set up based on any previous karma that we may have encountered. (either good or bad) I for example am a Lightworker, it is my responsibility to assist others in learning about consciousness and the Source of it. Of course without affecting their free will.

There are certain synchronocities that occur when something appears to you and it has a ring of truth. What I like to call a resonation or it resonates with you. That would be your higher mind recognizing a truth. Then to follow up on what it was to find that truth. Much as you've stated in your response.