One can believe in fate. It was Bershert (Herbrew word) meaning It Is Written.

There are several ways of navigating to different times. Claire just fell in the first time with no destination. She ended up where she was because as she was tumbling around she saw sparks, lights and shapes. Some felt threatening some felt neutral. One of the lights she saw was a golden/reddish color and it felt and looked welcoming so she reached for it, aimed for it. We are led to believe that was Jamie's life spark or something like that. Since he was there, within about a mile of the hill at the moment, it popped her out right then. It had nothing to do with Culloden. It had to do with Jamie. Claire had insulted some of the "fates" ruling the passage by peeping on the dance ceremony so they led her into bad situations. Other "fates" gave her good situations to counterbalance that. It's always a push and pull game between such entities.

@@Blue-rl5dp Oh, interesting! So the book describes her first trip where she basically goes toward Jamie's aura? So, basically, she and Jamie are magically-linked. Crazy coincidence that he was living at the same time as her husband's ancestor--and is the one who killed him!

@@quibily It's not so much 'magically' linked, but fate-linked. Yes, the book describes the trip. She says it's terrifying, dark, with 'things' like hunting creatures in black water and she was trying to swim helplessly. The book doesn't come right out and say it, but it's certainly hinting that spark or aura was Jamie.