“We know we are in dharma when we cannot think of anything we would rather be doing with our life” - David Simon
In order for the world to function in harmony and peace, each person must play their part and follow their authentic path. We have each been placed on this earth with a role to play - a divine path that, if embraced fully, has the power to heal the world. When we find that thing that makes us tick, that gets us out of bed in the morning after a shitty night, we know we’ve found it. It may be in the peace we find on our yoga mats, the smiles on the faces of our children, the sense of fulfilment from our jobs, the warm embrace of our partner. It's the thing that we are empty without. It’s what gives our life meaning. To find your dharma is to find your life’s calling. Something unique that is your gift to the world.
I have been taking a lot of time recently to reflect on the journey i’ve been on in the last three years and I have come to realise that I have found my dharma. I know it by the feeling of contentment and satisfaction following my classes, through the deep energetic connection I feel with my massage clients, the empathy for my students and the fact that there is honestly nothing I’d rather be doing with my life. Sure, it's been three years without a permanent home, a stable community, or financial security but every day I make a difference and this gives me an overwhelming sense of peace.
When we realise and fully connect to our dharma, we naturally use it to enrich our own lives, the lives of our loved ones and the community. We also open ourselves to receiving the loving energy of others that are on their own dharma path.
It's a simple case of cause and effect. My beautiful friend Anna has a god given gift for fine art. She found her ‘dharma’ at a young age, whiling away hours painting on every available surface she could get her hands on .. including her brother’s bedroom wall. She flourished into an exceptional art teacher and guided many of her students in finding their own true path.
Although Anna was undoubtedly naturally gifted in her field, it was her mother’s support and devotion to her daughter that enabled Anna to identify art as her life path. Her mother’s dharma was her children. It was her life’s work to support them in achieving their highest potential. This is a clear case of dharma practice as it was not merely a ‘job’ but a way of life. Anna’s mother took her to galleries, bought her that easel, stuck her paintings all over the kitchen. She could never bring herself to repaint her brother’s bedroom wall.
Dharma supports dharma, just as love supports love. We all have an instrument to play in the symphony of this universe and no one dharma is ‘better’ than the next. The conductor is as crucial as the person who plays the triangle, all support each underpin each other.
As we now firmly embed ourselves in 2016, we have a wonderful opportunity to make this year a year of dharma practice. To identify your dharma begin by identifying the things that make you truly happy and ‘alive’, pay attention to synchronicity … that thing that seems too good to be true that drops on your lap at exactly the right moment? … yep, probably connected to your dharma. Follow your gut instincts, trust yourself to guide yourself, be brave and embrace the unknown. The universe provides because that is the precise reason it is here … to point us to our life’s calling.
Go forth with curiosity. Here’s to a beautiful, meaningful February.
With love, Jenn xx