Dharma:
living on purpose
by Marla Durden

What is your unique calling?
Each of us has something that we do better than or unlike anyone else. It is the thing that makes our heart sing and gives us a sense of purpose and meaning. It is right livelihood and beyond. We would do it even if we were not paid. We love it so much it feels like play- at least most of the time. This is our Dharma, the thing that is most nourishing for us to do, that feeds our soul and gives us great satisfaction and joy. It can also challenge and frustrate us- it is the place that pushes us to our edge, naturally. Dharma is a Sanskrit word of complex meaning that can be described as truth, life path, spirituality or authentic vocation. Deepak Chopra eloquently defines it as follows:

Dharma is a Sanskrit word that refers to the natural path a person is intended to follow through life. Your Dharma is your destiny- but it is destiny without any hint of compulsion or force. On the contrary, your dharma is the path of least resistance. It is the course that is most right and most nourishing- that brings you the greatest fulfillment and the most happiness.


The act of following the call of our spirit will lead us to our greatest possible contribution to the planet, our communities, families and ourselves. It has the power to move us above beyond the place of struggle to the elusive state of flow. Getting on purpose is the ultimate sense of responsibility and calls for great courage to turn off the cultural messages long enough to hear ourselves; courage to leave the familiar, no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable it may be and venture into the territory of our spirits- the place I call home.


When recognized and followed- Dharma can lead us to places we never thought possible...
whether it is some exotic land on the other side of the world or a state of love and compassion more profound than we have ever known. Our lives and world unfold before us and what's next for us to do is apparent. Oprah, a wonderful role model for living on purpose summed it up in a speech to Salem College, Winston-Salem, N.C. graduation:

"There is a sacred calling on your life, the question is: Will you spend your life flittering and fluttering about or take the time and really heed that call and create your own path to your highest good?… You cannot let other people define your life for you. You are the author of your own life…. Real power is when you are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing, the best it can be done. Authentic power. There's a surge, there's a kind of energy field that says, 'I'm in my groove, I'm in my groove.' And nobody has to tell you, 'You go, girl,' because you know you're already gone."


Authentic Vocation
Dharma is about right livelihood/authentic vocation and more. It is about meaningful, spirit-filled juicy work that makes your heart sing and your toes tap, and it is about the entire path of life… walking your personal Truth and making wherever you are and whatever you do an opportunity to be of service, to grow, and to make a difference in the world. When you make this choice, you are saying to yourself and the Universe, "I know that there is something that I can contribute- use me." The very decision alone has a way of raising one's self-esteem and we begin to remember more of our native divine heritage.


Start where you are. Got a job you hate? Haven't got a clue what your purpose could possibly be? Don't think you have anything special to offer? Make every act an act of service. See everything in your life as an opportunity to learn and grow and then note what brings you pleasure. Work like you are doing it for your Beloved. Give with a full heart and squeeze every ounce of learning out of it. See yourself as a light in the environment bringing in joy and uplifting your little piece of humanity. Genuinely and sincerely be of service. Allow the situation to be your teacher and to lead you to your greatest good, which it will, if you let it.


What if we transformed our ideas about work and life?
What if we truly endeavored to build companies, communities and societies where we all could flourish and spread our wings and fly- using all of our creativity? What if we could be authentic at work and show up as our "whole" selves? What if we were nurtured as children to follow the things that came most naturally to us, the things we love to do? What if we knew at our core that by following the call of our spirits, by listening to that still small voice in our hearts, that we were moving into a greater, more fulfilling life expression? And what if we had the courage to follow it? What if as parents and teachers we nurtured our children's gifts and taught them skills that support them in moving into their fullest possible life expression? What would our world be like if we did?


Free yourself from the tyranny of work.
Stuart Wilde calls it "tick-tock". Get out of "tick-tock" is his rallying cry. We are raised to grow up and get a job and be good citizens- pay our taxes, send our children to schools and generally work to keep our communities livable. These are good goals and for the most part we grow up to do just that. However, have you ever asked yourself is there more? It seems that more and more of us are waking up everyday and deciding that we are dissatisfied with the mundane, mindless, go to work, fix dinner, watch TV, go to bed to start all over again monotonous way of living. What's wrong with this scenario is that we are not in it. We are often on autopilot simply "tick-tocking" through life like an automaton. Choose to become and remain conscious about your livelihood and the rest of your life. By numbing out around work, we are actually robbing ourselves of the possibility of a sense of accomplishment and an opportunity to walk our authentic life path.

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." - Mother Teresa

Consider This
Prominent psychologist William Marsten, asked 3,000 people, "what have you to live for?" The results revealed that 94% responded by saying they had no definite purpose for their lives- 94%. Don't let this happen to you! If nothing else, make your purpose for living to discover your purpose- you assure yourself a fascinating journey in the search, if nothing else.
Source: Unstoppable by Cynthia Kersey


Affirm Daily
I live a life of meaning and purpose. I know what I want to do and I do it, with grace and ease. I am always guided to my highest, most nourishing Good.

Ask Yourself (the answer will come in time):
How can I heed the call of my spirit, and walk my highest, most nourishing life path? How can I make every act, an act of service today?

Act Now:
Tips for Getting on Purpose

Decide to live a life of purpose Deciding is perhaps the most powerful thing you can do in any situation. Our decisions determine our actions. Make the conscious decision to live a life of meaning and purpose. Make it a sacred contract you make with yourself.


Take time to commune with your spirit
Take time everyday to nurture your soul and listen. Sit in meditation at least 15 minutes daily. Ask the question and listen. The answers will come in time.

Follow your bliss
Joseph Campbell summed it up eloquently with this statement. When I was young, I didn't get what he meant. Now I do. Do what feels good, really good. Make notes of what makes your heart sing. Do more of that. While engaged in the blissful activity, ask yourself, "what is it about this that makes me feel so good and how can I have my life be infused with more of this feeling?"


List everything you love to do
Carry a small notebook around with you if necessary. Note how certain things make you feel and why.

Be gentle with yourself
We are here to learn. Coming into dharma is an act of self-love and discovery that can take a lifetime. If you don't have it now, that's OK. Be patient, do the work of self-discovery and continue to ask

Ask your friends
Ask friends you can trust to give you feedback about where they see you shine. Often, our friends see and know more about us than we think. Take note of their observations and see if they ring true for you.

Try something new every week
Personally, I love this one. Sometimes we just need to break out of our familiar world to get a new perspective. Be a tourist in your town or do something unusual for you.

You may be surprised at what you discover.

Write out your ideal day
A wonderful tip from life purpose guru Barbara Sher is to write out your ideal day. Imagine it as vividly as you can and then write. Do this for 7 days in a row then go back and re-read it. Notice subtle changes in it over the course of the week. Then re-write the optimal one and read it to yourself everyday to "seed" it in your subconscious. Give yourself wings.


What are the things you have only dreamed of?
You know, those things that gently haunt you. Is it to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, or sail around the world? Do have a hankerin' to do a road trip across the country or stand on stage as a jazz diva? Do you long to sit in some distant monastery or win the NASCAR? Listen, your spirit is telling you something.

Ask yourself the perennial question
What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow and could do anything you wanted? Really consider the question carefully. I suggest that you ask yourself this question often, listen for the answers, then act.


Make every act an act of service
Go into everything you do as an act of service. Taking this attitude can make even the seemingly most horrendous situations meaningful. Hold a consciousness of service (not martyrdom) and notice how things begin to open up and change for you. Intentionally go out and serve someone.


Set your personal standards
What will you allow and not allow in your life? What kind of person are you? Are you a kind of person who is always on time; who always puts her best foot forward; who lives in a clean and orderly environment? Decide then act accordingly.

Honor your uniqueness
Make friends with your quirks and foibles. Being yourself is necessary to be on purpose. Give yourself permission to stand out in a crowd, to wear those "weird" colors and to be uniquely yourself.


Pay attention to your dreams
Someone once said that an unexplored dream is like an unopened letter from our subconscious. What are your dreams telling you? Before bed ask for guidance and state your intention to remember your dreams. Keep a journal next to your bed and record your first thoughts every morning. I have received powerful and sometimes surprising guidance doing this.


Ultimately, the purpose of life is to remember your Divine nature and to express it fully, eloquently and gracefully in service to humanity.

This is the fulfillment of Dharma. Enjoy.

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