Focusing on your Purpose

What has focusing on your purpose to do with yoga? Why does it matter?

Having a sense of purpose is an important key to self-worth. Without purpose – or direction if you like, life can become one long slog of sleep, food, work and play. Have you ever wondered why you are here?

Your life purpose

In the yogic tradition it is said that the purpose of life – dharma, as it is known – of the sun is to shine, the dharma of a river is to flow and the dharma of human beings is to uphold that which is true to our higher nature – our life purpose. Your life purpose is yours to do in this life and yours alone – to stand up and have the courage to follow it may be one of the most challenging, yet satisfying, things to do.

So – what does ‘living your purpose’ mean on a day-to-day basis? How do you know if you’re doing it? How does all this relate to your yoga practice?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Am I excited about my day when I wake up in the morning?
• Do I feel joyful when going about my day-to-day tasks?
• Do I have a sense of gratitude for everything and everyone around me?

What are your answers – Never? Sometimes? Always?

What is it to live your purpose

Wouldn’t it be amazing to wake up with total passion for your life? To appreciate and value the people around you all the time and to feel a deep sense of joy in everything you do?

When you are connected and in alignment with your path, you’ll experience symptoms such as joy, peace and even euphoria. Yoga is about connection – connection between the body, the mind and our greater sense of self. Your yoga practice helps you align yourself with you. Or it should do.

The easy route

Through physical postures and breathwork you enable the body’s energy pathways (nadis) to become clear and energised, bringing a great sense of peace and clarity. This enables you to distinguish between the expectations the world/other people are putting on you what is really important in your life, and really true for yourself! The choice is then yours… Do you follow your bliss and allow yourself to live in your power or do you allow yourself to forget all about your purpose and return to a life less fulfilled? Which now seems the easier route to take?