Each one of us decides to incarnate upon this planet at a

“Each one of us decides to incarnate upon this planet at a particular point in time and space. We have chosen to come here to learn a particular lesson that will advance us upon our spiritual, evolutionary pathway.” – Louise L. Hay

These words, spoken by Louise L. Hay, the modern mystic and teacher of self-healing, are like a whisper from the soul’s ancient memory — a reminder that life is not an accident, but an assignment. In them, she gives voice to one of the oldest beliefs known to humankind: that the spirit does not stumble into existence by chance, but chooses its place and moment in the great tapestry of time. According to her wisdom, we are not merely passengers carried by fate — we are travelers of eternity, who descend into this world to learn, to heal, and to grow. Every joy, every sorrow, every meeting and parting is part of that divine curriculum, designed to awaken the soul’s deeper understanding.

Louise Hay lived her teaching through her own transformation. Born into hardship and trauma, she suffered abuse, poverty, and abandonment. Yet instead of being broken by these experiences, she came to see them as spiritual lessons — challenges chosen by her soul before birth to cultivate compassion and strength. When she later battled cancer, she refused to see herself as a victim. Instead, she believed her illness carried a message — that healing her body required healing her thoughts, forgiving her past, and embracing love. And so, she did. Through that awakening, she healed not only herself but millions of others, becoming a beacon for those lost in pain. Her life itself became proof of her words: that every soul comes to Earth with purpose, and that suffering, when understood, can become the soil of enlightenment.

The origin of her philosophy draws from the ancient wisdom of many traditions. The Hindus spoke of karma and reincarnation — that each life is a chapter in the soul’s long journey toward liberation. The Stoics of Greece believed that the events of life are neither good nor bad in themselves, but instruments through which character is tested and refined. Even the early mystics of Christianity spoke of life as a sacred pilgrimage, where each person walks a path prepared by divine intelligence. Hay’s insight, though expressed in modern language, echoes these timeless truths. She wove together psychology, spirituality, and self-love into a single principle: that the universe is not hostile nor random, but intelligent, and that each soul has chosen its circumstances as the means to its own unfolding.

To say that we “decide to incarnate” is to affirm that our lives have meaning before they even begin. It means that the parents who raise us, the country where we are born, even the hardships we endure — all have purpose within the greater design. The soul, in this view, is like a seed choosing its soil. Some choose the fertile ground of comfort and peace; others choose the rocky terrain of struggle, for it is there that resilience and wisdom take root. Life, then, is not punishment — it is apprenticeship. Every moment, whether joyful or painful, is an opportunity to grow in love and awareness.

Consider the story of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years imprisoned for his stand against injustice. Many would see such a fate as tragedy, yet Mandela emerged not with hatred, but with humility and forgiveness. It was as if his spirit had chosen that long confinement as a crucible to forge the greatness of his soul. His life, like Hay’s, reminds us that even in darkness, purpose burns bright — that our most difficult experiences often carry our highest lessons. The prison became his temple, and when he stepped out of it, he was not merely a leader but a teacher of humanity’s capacity for grace.

To live by Hay’s wisdom is to walk through life with consciousness. When hardship comes, we ask not “Why me?” but “What is this teaching me?” When love comes, we cherish it as the reflection of what we are learning to become. To see life as a chosen path does not erase pain, but it transforms it into meaning. It gives us the courage to live fully, to forgive deeply, and to trust that even chaos serves the soul’s evolution. It calls us to stop seeing ourselves as victims of circumstance and to recognize ourselves as students of the divine.

The lesson is this: every moment, even the painful ones, carries purpose. Treat your life as sacred training for the soul. When you face loss, ask what wisdom it conceals. When you meet joy, receive it with gratitude. When you fall, rise — for even falling is part of the dance of learning. Remember that your time and place on this Earth are not random; you are here now because this moment holds what your spirit most needs to evolve.

So hear the voice of Louise L. Hay, speaking like an oracle across the centuries: “Each one of us decides to incarnate upon this planet at a particular point in time and space.” You were not cast into life — you entered it, willingly, courageously, as a soul seeking mastery through experience. Live, then, as one who remembers that choice. Honor your lessons. Walk your path with love. For every step, whether of light or shadow, is leading you toward the greater truth of your being — the truth that you are not merely living, but becoming.