How To Find Your Life Purpose – Your Dharma

Finding life purpose is a quest that many embark on, seeking meaning and fulfilment. At the heart of this journey lies the concept of dharma – your true nature and inherent purpose. 

Finding your life purpose comes from knowing your dharma, your true nature. It is a process of self-development that engages thinking, feeling, knowing, and doing.

In this article, we explore how understanding and living your dharma can lead to a more meaningful and harmonious life.

What is Dharma?

Dharma can be translated as any purpose that is harmonious, virtuous, and supports all beings. The word dharma comes from the root dhar, which means ‘stability and sturdiness’. It refers to the laws of nature that uphold the universe. In Indian philosophy, dharma is defined as actions performed according to one’s nature, called swabhāva in Sanskrit, which bring harmony. Swa means self, and bhāva means feeling.

A dharmic action arises from and is in harmony with your authentic self. These actions support and uphold you, ensuring the right use of everything. Finding your dharma is a major spiritual achievement. When this occurs, you feel the joy of being your authentic self. You feel confident in your decisions and actions.

When your dharma is only a vague idea, you feel disconnected from yourself; you feel conflicted about your identity and direction. You feel lost in the world. Time and energy leak out, and years pass by with little change. You waste your precious life force.

A few lucky souls are born with an innate sense of their dharma from an early age. They act on their purpose as soon as they become autonomous and do not need to search for it—think Mozart. Most people need to engage in a process of self-development under the guidance of teachers to find clarity within the maze of competing thoughts, feelings, impulses, desires, and ideas that arise within their minds and are misaligned with their dharma.

Understanding Dharma: The Key to Finding Life Purpose

Dharma is more than just a philosophical concept; it's a practical guide to living a life aligned with your true nature. When you understand your dharma, you uncover your life's purpose, leading to a path filled with joy, fulfilment, and harmony.

Living your dharma can transform your everyday experiences and align you with your true purpose. When your actions are in harmony with your authentic self, you feel a profound sense of satisfaction and direction.

4 Steps to Discovering Your Life Purpose (Your Dharma)

1. Self-Reflection: Spend time in quiet reflection, asking yourself deep questions about your passions, strengths, and values.
   
2. Seek Guidance: Find a mentor or teacher who can help you navigate your journey towards discovering your dharma.
   
3. Engage in Practices: Meditation, journaling, and mindfulness practices can help you connect with your deeper self.
   
4. Take Action: Start incorporating activities that resonate with your true nature into your daily life.

Overcoming Common Obstacles to Finding Your Life Purpose

Finding your life purpose can be a challenging journey, filled with obstacles. Common barriers include fear of failure, societal expectations, and self-doubt.

To overcome these obstacles:

• Acknowledge Your Fears: Understand that fear is a natural part of growth. Embrace it and move forward despite it.
• Ignore Societal Pressures: Focus on what truly makes you happy, not what others expect from you.
• Build Self-Confidence: Celebrate small victories and trust in your abilities.

Finding your life purpose is often easier with a supportive community. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who encourage and inspire you. Join groups, attend workshops, or find online communities focused on personal growth and dharma. Sharing experiences and insights with others can provide valuable perspectives and motivation.

The Role of Passion and Skills in Finding Your Life Purpose

Passion and skills are critical components in discovering your life purpose. Reflect on activities that make you feel alive and fulfilled. Consider your talents and how they can be utilised to contribute to the world. Aligning your passions and skills with your dharma can lead to a more satisfying life.

For example, here are some student stories from our Find Life Purpose course:

Amelia's Journey: Amelia, a corporate executive, felt unfulfilled despite her successful career. Through our Find Life Purpose course, she discovered her dharma was in teaching. She made a career switch to education and now feels more content and purposeful.

Mark's Transformation: Mark struggled with identity and direction. After engaging in self-reflection and mindfulness practices, he realised his true passion was in environmental conservation. He now works for a non-profit organisation, aligning his work with his dharma.

Finding Your Life Purpose FAQ

Q: How long does it take to find my life purpose? A: The journey to finding your life purpose varies for everyone. It can take months or even years, depending on your level of self-awareness and dedication to the process.

Q: Can my life purpose change over time? A: Yes, your life purpose can evolve as you grow and change. It’s important to regularly reflect on your goals and passions to ensure they still align with your dharma.

Q: What if I don’t have any clear passions or interests? A: Start by exploring different activities and hobbies. Sometimes, discovering your passion requires stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things.

Q: Where should I start? Big Shakti offers an online course to guide you through the steps of tuning into and finding your life purpose. The course also includes meditations to support this journey. Find out more: Find Life Purpose Course.

A multidimensional approach to finding dharma

You cannot find your dharma through books that only feed the intellect. Searching through thinking alone leads to confusion because it is empty of feelings. This approach ultimately becomes mechanical and meaningless. To rely on the limited thinking mind is to search for answers in the areas of your life that you already know.

You also cannot find dharma through emotion alone because emotion and passion alone take you away from the realities of life. Likewise, meditation alone, sitting, breathing, and chanting mantras, hoping for blessings or revelations, may keep you waiting for a long time.

To discover your dharma, you may need to search outside your normal ways of seeing and acting to gain a more accurate perspective of who you are and your nature. This requires a multidimensional approach, one that engages thinking, feeling, knowing, and doing.

Foster an expansive relationship with your unconscious mind

Much joy and release from anxieties comes from discovering your deeper Self and the unknown aspects of you.

Much joy and release from anxieties come from discovering your deeper Self and the unknown aspects of you. To find your dharma and your life purpose, you need to forge a powerful relationship with your unconscious and with your higher, knowing mind called buddhi in Sanskrit.

Activating buddhi sparks your deeper intuition and your connection to your highest self. When you step outside your comfort zone into the subconscious and unconscious areas of your being, you discover aspects of yourself that you previously could not imagine existed. You tune into dormant desires, hidden strengths, and talents.

Beginning as an inkling, fresh insights and energy emerge from the darkness. When this happens, you experience a release from the anxieties of not knowing. Joy comes from discovering the unknown aspects of your deeper Self. And when this happens, your purpose becomes clear.

We have guided hundreds of people towards clarity of their authentic dharma and through our Find Life Purpose course. Some students have made dramatic career changes, others have made major adjustments to their lifestyles and relationships, while others have gained newfound clarity within their purpose. No matter the external changes, all have reported a heightened awareness of their spiritual path and propelled their evolution.

Looking for guidance to Find Your Life Purpose? 

Start our online course today: Find Life Purpose Course