The universe seems to be purposefully initiating constant change, growth, and evolution. We witness its purposeful motion in nature and in our lives. The energy and consciousness within an apple seed propels and guides it to grow into a flowering plant. The same energy and consciousness propels an embryo to develop, a child to grow into an adult, and a creative project to manifest.
The human soul is also a seed. Its purpose is to grow into a powerful tree that expresses the Creator’s consciousness. Just as one apple seed can bring forth a tree bearing hundreds of apples over many years, a single human soul can inspire and enlighten generations of human beings. There are many varieties of apples; similarly, each of us is a unique soul, fulfilling our purpose in diverse and original ways. We all, however, share the same purpose: to realize and actualize our true nature.
One of our most important lessons involves learning to express our best self amid the reality of our daily life. It is through our humanity that we express our spiritual nature. It sounds contradictory but is really complementary. Our knowledge of how we as individuals fulfill our life purpose is not an intellectual understanding; it is a heartfelt, intuitive experience coupled with a desire to share and contribute.
It is up to each one of us to honor, discover, and follow our true purpose. Guidance and support are always available, but each one of us needs to reach out for these, make a connection with our true soul’s desire, and take responsibility for actualizing it.
Connecting To Your Personal Purpose,
I have been asked by many clients, “How do I find my personal purpose?” In other words, “How do I define my life path?” My answer is always, “Ask this question as many times as needed in your meditations and listen to the answers.” Answers can come through a feeling, an image, a word, or a combination of all these things. Some of us are very clear about our life path. My brother, for example, who is a brilliant mechanical engineer, started taking things apart and putting them back together when he was four or five. He loved nothing more than finding out how things work. To this day, this is what fascinates him.
On the other hand, I was led to pursue acting by a strange pull that came over me when I was looking at the advertising for the Academy of the Performing Arts. I remember being glued to the words dance and acrobatics that appeared on the list of subjects. I had no dance background, and actually I was one of the worst students in my high school gym classes. I also showed no acting talent whatsoever. I cannot explain my attraction to the ad, other than to say that my soul was calling. It knew that this was the path to follow.
Twenty years later, after a long and successful career in acting and dancing, when my therapist at the time told me that I am a born counselor and that I should join his training program, I got very upset with him. “I am an actor,” I said. “I don’t think you appreciate that.” It took two years for this message to register. One late night, I heard the small inner voice whisper, “He is right.” In fact, we were both right. I continued my work in the theater while also training as a psychotherapist. In my case, I was nudged into my life path. I was literally given instructions to pursue it, twice, in spite of my emotional resistance. Needless to say, I’m grateful for the instructions and grateful that I followed them.
How Do I Know If I Am On My Life Path?
This is another question that clients often ask me: “How do I know if I am on my life path?” I also hear it from friends and acquaintances. Here are some helpful tips to answer this question for yourself:
- Your true life path incorporates your gifts, talents, and abilities.
- Your life path feels natural, and you have a feeling that you belong there, even in spite of difficulties or challenges.
- Your life path brings you deep satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment, even when you are struggling with obstacles and setbacks.
- Your life path is not something that you do to impress, look good, please your parents, achieve status or money, prove your worth, or get acknowledged. These traits of our defensive self might be mixed in, since we are human, but they are not the propelling force behind choosing a true life path.
- Your life path gives you the opportunity to share your talents and abilities with others, and it feels good to do so.
- Your life path is aligned with your spiritual and emotional evolution, as well as with your spiritual path.
Thinking about these indicators and reflecting on how you’re spending your days can give you valuable insight whether you are aligned with your life path or not.
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