Looking for Purpose

We often hear people wondering about their life purpose. Although this is a subject that can be explored on many levels, and be approached differently by varied systems of belief, the underlying question is basically the same: Why are we here?

According to multiple expressions of spirituality, we are here to learn basic soul lessons which will elevate our spirit toward purity and greater understanding of universal laws. Certain spiritual traditions teach that Spirit creates different images of earthly manifestation to learn how to recognize all the different possibilities of its creation.

Even when the questions of collective purpose are generally answered by the above assumptions, we still don’t know what our individual purpose is. Are we here to create something, to support someone else during their journey, or is it even possible that some of us are here to facilitate a revelation and be the catalyst for a specific event?

No matter how insignificant we might feel - or how small our contribution may appear - we are not able to see the full picture as long as we are a part of it. For example, a woman might have worked extremely hard raising children, and may feel that she has not accomplished much of anything else in her life, especially if her children are not deemed “successful” in the eyes of society. By the time she reaches her final days, the woman has no way of knowing that one of her great-grandchildren will give birth to someone who will save humanity, someday, by discovering a new medical treatment which will revolutionize modern medicine. Maybe, our true purpose is simply that of helping others rewire their inner light, or even to feed the hungry stray dog that will save a baby trapped in a building engulfed by flames.

As far as our individual purpose is concerned, we really need to focus on the small things; have we made – or can we make - a difference in someone’s life? Have we taught someone something valuable? Have we smiled at a stranger we have met on the street, and generated a ripple of cheer which will spread beyond our knowledge? Have we hugged a friend and made them feel less alone? Each of us holds a great power, that of changing the world starting with ourselves.

At the time of our conception we fought hard to survive as an individual, and reach the shores of this world; we were determined to get here and live whatever purpose we held true in our hearts; yet, once the ship finally touched land we forgot we had a specific mission, and allowed the winds of circumstance to disconnect us from our inner truth.

Regardless of how much we understand, our life is precious and priceless, and should always be viewed as a privilege and an opportunity. It is up to us to turn it into one.

Angels or Demons?

A few days ago, while talking to a friend, I learned that one of her co-workers is hoping to get a new job which she applied for last week.
This lady-I will name her Lauren to maintain her privacy-has held on to the same job for over a decade; although she loves what she does, she feels as if there are no challenges left for her in her current position. In addition to the general feeling of being on a dead-end street when it comes to her professional growth, Lauren has also been having trouble in dealing with a new supervisor in her office.
She has been there for so long that she can attend to her job requirements with eyes closed, yet the supervisor continues to breathe over her neck making her life miserable. When I spoke with her, Lauren readily admitted that the hellish supervisor was the main reason why she set out looking for another job. Had she not been looking, she would have missed the wonderful opportunity of advancement this new position offers, and would have probably chosen to remain in the unrewarding, yet familiar type of work. The figure of the supervisor was a catalyst for the change, and the feelings she triggered in Lauren were the fuel needed to nourish the flame of courage necessary to start her engine.
In our lives we all do that a lot. When blessings come knocking on our door, we often mistake them for a crude joke of destiny. As hard as it to recognize a blessing when it is clad in unpleasant garments, we should always assume that everything happens for a specific reason. We pray for change, yet we get angry and annoyed while the road to our desired wish is being paved.
A few years ago, I read a wonderful book which related the journey of a spiritual Master. One day, the Master was visited by the town drunk, who was belligerent and disrespectful, waiting only for a chance to start an argument. The Holy Man asked him if he could pray for him, and only demanded one favor: from then on, the drunken man would have to accept everything that manifested in his life, whether it was good or bad, without questioning it. After a prayer is sent out, the Holy Man explained, any unfolding event is simply one more step toward achieving one’s heart desire.
If we pray for more financial affluence, a sack of money won’t just appear in the middle of our kitchen table; rather, we may have to lose our present job position to free ourselves from the chains that hold us back, and have the opportunity to find more financially rewarding employment. Similarly, if we ask to become more courageous, or better parents, we may first have to go through the ‘basic training’ of a few unpleasant experiences, before we can develop the attributes we wish for.
All the people we meet, and all the apparent trials we endure hold the potential of helping us become the type of person we want to be. Everything is placed on our path for our greater good, whether we do or don’t recognize its value in the greater scheme of things.
We may not understand why something is happening, but we can’t judge the importance that such an event might have in our life.
Maybe it is time that we all learn that even demons, most often, are nothing more than just angels in disguise.