Fate and Destiny, The Two Agreements of the Soul

by Michael Meade

In this highly anticipated book, renowned mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade explores the complex and mysterious territories of the human soul with daring and hard-won wisdom. Drawing on folktales and myths from many cultures and spiritual ideas from the East and West, he leads us to an undeniable truth: that the only story we came here to live is our own. Meade shows how the limitations of family and fate form the inner threads from which our individual destiny must emerge. He explains how our wounds can become doorways to our deepest gifts, and how our greatest efforts in the world are intended to lead us to a treasure divinely seeded within us before birth. Fate and Destiny speaks directly to young people looking to find a genuine path in life and trying to awaken to the dream they carry inside. It offers penetrating insights for those caught in life s inevitable struggles and shows how the wisdom of elders depends upon re-membering the spirit of eternal youth. As one story puts it, god has only one question to ask you at the end of life: did you become yourself? Weaving stories within stories, lacing pertinent psychology within cultural analysis, and mixing autobiography with myth, Meade opens the territory of fate and destiny to new interpretations and deeper meanings.

Genres: Spirituality, Mythology, Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Religion, Astrology

315 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Yelda Basar Moers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange book and I think the author may be an expert in his field but his ideas were all over the place. I didn’t feel that he entirely focused on the ideas of “fate” and “destiny” and chose to meander on a whole host of topics. In the end, I’m not sure what he was trying to say. I think the book needed a good editor and some decent organization. It’s hard to be critical of books because they take so much time to write and edit. But this book needs a lot of work. I think he needs to go back and rework it so the reader doesn’t feel like he’s wasting his time, trying to make sense of his meanderings and digressions.

If you’re interested in this topic, I’d read Osho’s wonderful book, Destiny, Freedom and the Soul.

[Julia Dvorin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked this overall. The subject matter is definitely of interest to me (the distinction between fate and destiny and why we need both), and I enjoyed the various stories/myths he used as examples/metaphors to tell his larger story. However, I found it a bit repetitive and structurally confusing--the book felt like it wandered off into odd corners sometimes, and I wanted it to be more clearly organized, more like a good narrative story with beginning-middle-end and less like a spiraling conversation (albeit with an interesting person about interesting topics). I would have liked to see Meade connect his own experience more to what he was talking about--he did this in the beginning of the book and I was drawn to that, but then he stopped talking about himself and got a lot more abstract. Also think it could have used a good copyedit--I was distracted by typos and punctuation errors more than I wanted to be.

[Mark Mathias · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my co-authored book "You Are Loved" I refer to Michael Meade several times, having had quite a bit of experience with him through the years, at his workshops and men's retreats. Speaking as a male whose father left my mom, my two sisters and I in my early teens, I have nothing but praise and respect for the work Michael Meade has done through his Mosaic Voices organization. "Fate and Destiny" contains exactly the material I most needed to hear to pull me forward through the last days of a very dark and difficult time in my life, some of which is written about in my book.

Anyone wrestling with issues of connecting to their life purpose, struggling to hear the voice of the True self, or wanting to delve deeper into James Hillman's Acorn Theory as presented in "The Soul's Code" should make a point of reading Michael Meade's "Fate and Destiny". Brilliant.

[H.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there was any way, I would give this fine and timely work 6 stars.

[Joni Sensel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Michael Meade's work, but I found this one disappointing. It's poetic indeed, but massively repetitive and WAY too abstract. It could've benefited a LOT from real-world examples or personal histories and specific tips or ideas — or even questions to ask oneself. It's all well and good to point out that we're not really living if we don't seek out and follow the urgings of our daimon, but what does that really mean in our daily world? How do we listen or recognize them? What's the difference between following whims and hearing deeper urgings? How do any of these things compare and contrast with other wisdom traditions? Etc. As a result, it felt five times longer than necessary and difficult to put into action or apply to one's current life.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE MILLION ⭐️s

I was a bit nervous listening to audio version, which seems not only abridged but live audience as well, that it wouldn’t be “as good” as the actual book.

Honestly, now I’m wondering how the actual book could possibly compare to audio version.

Michael Meade is absolutely amazing. I love his perspective.. the stories he’s found and shares.. the message and the wisdom and how he puts it all together.

At any time of my life this would have been wonderful, but especially now and especially with all that’s going on on planet.

Bless you Michael Meade!

[Rene Low · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of this book is very good,and although some of these ideas have been presented many times in many different ways it is such an interesting and important topic that it should be continually explored at different times in ones life. How you view your fate and your destiny defines how and why you live your life. Unfortunately at times this book felt repetitive and I felt myself loosing interest and at times, even worse, I felt condescended to. The positives far outweigh the negatives.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book

[Penny Gudel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful man named Rick Gutierre said, "Michael Meade is speaking in Los Angeles" and this was my first introduction to the man who wrote Fate and Destiny: The Two agreements of the Soul.

A Latin American prayer said, "To those who nunger give bread, and to those who have bread give hunger for justice." For allof those who hunber for a reality not often sopken of, Fate and Destiny should be on their list. In a world where people not only hunger for bread and justice, they hunber for a way to have a more fulfilling life.

Mr. Meade put his words on paper and came up with valuable information most people don't think about or discuss. It takes curiousity and a courage to write his vision and beliefs, and in a world that is sometimes toxic, his book is uplifting nad illuminating.

Make yourself familiar with his knowledge. His thoughts and ideas show how much richer life can be when value is place on what is meaningful. He gives cause to ask questions of ourselves and our lives.

Page after page is a powerful, insightful read.

Penny Gudel

[Clive Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought books on fate and destiny generally would be abstract which requires a person to understand the meaning in depth and symbolism if any. I was surprised that I actually ended up liking the book. I might consider reading the book again. I was glad that I bought this book to read because I could be missing out so many interesting stories. It would have been a reading loss if I do not read this book. I enjoyed reading this book from the first page that starts with the distinction between fate and destiny. As I continue reading the book, sometimes it can be confusing when some of the stories looks repetitive to me. Nonetheless, this book I think is worth reading. *I reviewed the book on 07/09/2020.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good perspective on the importance of vocation, or calling. Michael Meade shares his own story and gives us the insight on how to find our story and live a more meaningful life through a distinction between fate, aspects of our lives which we seem born into, and destiny, that which calls us out and away from our fate.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fate and Destiny, The Two Agreements of the Soul (Paperback)
by Michael Meade

from the library

this is the kind of book I will read again and maybe add some stars.lots of storytelling, and it's hard for me to get a grip on the real story in the stories.