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Purpose, As Something We Already Have

By  Vanessa Webb | 

 

I don’t really know that it could be called a LIFE Purpose.  As well, a Purpose isn’t necessarily a money-making idea (that’s something commercialism has capitalized on). Purpose is really about having a meaningful life. Such an alive, dynamic, and changing aspect of an individual’s life, for some, might be one purpose which grows, with branches that subtly inhabit all aspects of one’s life.  And then there are those people who land on a Life purpose, and that stays as the sole passion moving forward from that moment. Who knows. A person’s Purpose is so deeply personal and inexplicable to anyone else that, I believe it can come down to “what is my purpose right now?”.  


Regardless, our Purpose is not a one size fits all, so we should not be looking for something we recognize or presume it to be. It’s more subtle than that, and it’s such a part of us that we could probably trip over it right now. Its only hint is how it threads through everything that we do. Unfortunately, our society provides such little guidance on how to cultivate and nurture our Purpose, that we end up relating to it as an object, we end up desperate for it, reaching out for it in a time of begging and pleading, wishing for a sign. But we long for our purpose for the very reason that it is already there. It’s not so much about needing to find Purpose, but instead, choosing it over the stuff that’s covering it.  That’s the kicker. This unpredictability and intangibility is part of what life on purpose is like.

image credit: awakenedsoullove

1) Quiet down: Quieting is essential. Quieting is a humble aspect of our nature. Approaching the altar of Life with this request for help with our Purpose, from a space of quiet, can be a challenge. When we’ve asked for help, we need to be humble enough to be Quiet…verbally, mentally, emotionally.  From being a person who talks a lot, to a person who needs the last word, to a person who strives constantly, to shutting down the rambling mind, we need to stop Doing and Trying, and just be quiet. When we can quiet ourselves (and this does take discipline on our part), this Quiet state knows how to penetrate itself more deeply within us.

 
2) Ask: Even if you think you don’t know what to ask for.  A genuine heart and pure intent holds the silent Ask that Life can hear. Life understands the language of a heart that is chock-full of pure intent, this is asking enough for whatever higher life form you believe in.  What are you asking for? Life’s guidance on next steps.  It’s the steps…those tiny, seemingly inconsequential steps, that reveal what might be an unknown Purpose.

image credit: ursulasweeklywanders

3) Listen: With the openness of a child.  A lot of listening is about surrender; and, it brings the vulnerability of a child. Listening means you might need to drop what you thought you needed, or pick up something you never considered. This is learning a new language. This comes from the Ask.  Following the steps as they’re revealed means that you will suddenly realize, you’re walking what you’ve asked for, making more suitable decisions from where you’re at now (not where you used to be) in any given moment. I read a quote recently: “the reason children see magic is because they believe in it”.


I love to work with individuals through the Yamas and Niyamas, for the very purpose of helping others unite with their own Purpose.  Discovering our Purpose is an exciting venture really, when given the perspective it deserves. Perspective takes the fear, desperateness, and overwhelm out of it, changing your Purpose from being something foreign to feeling like something quite natural.