Ayurveda- Tips and Reminders- What’s your purpose?

Dear friends,

 

When a woman loses her job after working for a long period of time the question she may be faced with in the emotional healing piece is “who am I”? When the children leave the nest, the question then becomes” who am I”? Or when parents die and one loses the physical connection this sense of loss can trigger “who am I”?

Undeniably there is a loss in each of these situations. But the real question is “how do I identify myself”?- we say, I’m a mother, I’m  painter, I’m a sales rep, I’m a healer but are we just limited to those identities or is there something underneath our actions that can better describe what we do such as ” I am raising children now”- “I practice artistic expression”- “I support women’s healing”. One reflects a fixed connection while the second approach is more about a state of “being” than doing. Simply reframing how we perceive who we are and what we do through words can bring a greater sense of satisfaction and joy.

In Dr. Claudia Welch’s article “The Four Aims of Life” she says it can be quite difficult to cope if we don’t have an ethical framework established within which we choose to understand such challenges.” If we do have such a framework, it still may take a little time to digest our emotions and shifting circumstances, but it will be easier for us not to perceive them as a personal attack. If we apply personal ethics moment by moment, we are planting viable seeds in optimal circumstances which will, therefore, be more likely to bear fruit. Provided we continue to live an ethical life, we will nurture those seeds as needed and the fruits are likely to be sweet. We may not know when we are planting those seeds, or how long it will take for them to come to fruition. We may not even be aware of the nature of the fruit they will bear. But fructify they will and then, and only then, will we see the fruits of our labor and understand the value of our work.”

In this article, Dr. Welch ( Ayurvedic Integrative Doctor specializing in women’s hormones) describes how the first aim of life is to discover our “dharma”- a word meaning purpose or rightful duty. As westerners, we tend to think of this as our job, the task at hand or career as illustrated in the examples above. But dharma has a deeper meaning- She states”Dharma emphasizes how we are over what we do in life.” I relate this to the true meaning of healing, wholeness, true health. In over fifteen years of working with women’s emotional health, it’s that thing that is behind what we do that becomes important especially when physical symptoms start to appear.

From an “About Dharma” article from the Dahli Lama’s teachings, it says “Practising Dharma is the supreme method for improving the quality of our human life. The quality of life depends not upon external development or material progress, but upon the inner development of peace and happiness. All the problems we experience during daily life originate in ignorance, and the method for eliminating ignorance is to practice Dharma.”

 It’s ultimately our personal ethics that govern how we perceive our lives and even determine the state of our health, wealth, and happiness.  

The following are three questions to contemplate your personal Dharma- (you may write them in your journal) ( please don’t confuse this with any of your religious beliefs they all go together):

1. Do I live by a personal set of intentions every day in my life? Ex. Kindness, generosity, service, a forgiving attitude or whatever it is that matters to you.
2. What practices can I incorporate daily to support my dharma? Ex. meditation, introspection, being in nature, exercise, visualization, art, staying away from negative people.
3.  Can I draw from this reservoir of strength and faith that I cultivate from within when outer circumstances in my life seem difficult?( this one is a biggie- whether the circumstances are big or small what perspective do you return to?)

When you are done with this exercise I suggest posting on the wall such as near your computer so you can start your day with it.

An article I wrote recently published in AyuMantra magazine can further assist your contemplations https://www.ayumantra.co/articles/can-you-hear-your-inner-voice/

I also highly recommend Dr. Claudia Welch’s book ” Balance Your Hormones Balance Your Life.”

I feel now more than ever in times of dishonesty, hatred, ego,  where violence is prevalent, it’s as if there has been a falling off of dharma. As each of us finds our own personal dharma- purpose we not only affect our own health and well being but the well being of the earth.

Something I felt and wrote  after my trip to a meditation retreat in Oakland California a few years ago:

“Each day of our lives we need to find the strength that allows us to take action with fierce love.
We need the strength to dust off the mirror of our consciousness and show up in ways that go beyond what we feel like or don’t feel like to fulfill our greater purpose and destiny.
For this, we need a guide, a mentor, a healer, a compassionate listener, a safe environment; an attunement to our very own nature.
This is who I am and this is how I can serve you.”—Gedalia

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