Sense of purpose what_is_my_purpose There are many self-help books, spiritual books and even traditional educational values which emphasizes the word “purpose.” Our psychology, our self-worth in our society, our sense of belonging to something… all of that is defined with the word purpose. If you write something, there is a purpose. If you do something, there is a purpose. If you own something there is a purpose; thus, we ask ourselves… what is the purpose of life? Thereby, our answer is already arranged so we could answer: “the purpose of life is…” That is the wrong question to ask. Purpose is needed when we are not part of the whole. As long as there is an “I,” a motive, a “raison d’être,” there will be a purpose. “My purpose in life is this and that.” We have automatically caged our own potential based on an idea. This idea may remain for a long time despite life changes. The ideal becomes more important than living life. Western mentality and many religions and philosophies believe that “we need to have a purpose in life.” That is “true” but it is not the “truth.” What is the purpose of the sun? :-) We could give many reasons. To give life to this planet, to allow daylight to happen, to maintain a predetermined balance in the solar system or just so I could get a tan at the beach… many purposes, all valid according to time and circumstances. Nevertheless, all of those reasons are just coming from a limited perspective, a one-sided viewpoint. The Sun by itself does not have a purpose. It is simply there as part of a divine balance, movement that we call life. Human beings on the other hand, will search for a purpose. For some it could be to paint. For others, to be a golf players, for others to be a teacher.. all about “doing” things. A purpose in the “doing” realm is very restrictive. If “I” ever believe that “I” am what “I” do, then at that moment, “I” am not aware that “doing” has nothing to do with a purpose. The “purpose” has always been in “being.” However, once we find “being,” there is no longer a need for a purpose. :-) The paradoxes of life are truly amazing. Our belief in a particular word will limit our thinking and our amplitude, our openness to life. Any intellectual understanding of life itself is incomplete. It will lack grace and beauty. It will lack life. We could pretend to understand a fish separated from water. That is intellectual understanding. But we know that fish and water go together. This is insight. As we add more elements, we can see that fish, water, sky, day, night, clouds, wind….. all is a togetherness… then we could come closer to what is… as long as we feel it.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 04:44:07 +0000