Finiding Life Purpose

In Vedic mythology Agni is the god of fire, representing our own inner fire or the sacred light within. On a metaphorical level, Agni burns away whatever is unessential and reveals our true path or purpose. In our current economic downturn, Agni’s transformative power is evident and many people are looking deeper, compelled by crisis to ask the fundamental questions Who am I? and Why am I here?

While change can feel chaotic or unfairly arbitrary, we can learn to see it as a friend rather than a foe. Every event leads to only one of two possible outcomes: Either it is positive, or it brings up something we need to learn to create more good in our lives. Here is a simple process that can help you connect to your own soul purpose:

Think back on those situations and projects where you excelled and had fun at the same time. What were you doing and why did it make you feel good? What gifts do you have that can serve others?

Keep a daily journal for ten days, asking yourself the questions above after meditation and then writing down everything that comes to you. Your passion is the force of evolution that drives your life energy, so don’t suppress it by telling yourself that you can’t do it or that it is impractical.

After ten days you will have some good ideas to work with. Now list one or two action steps that you can immediately take for each idea. Start with the smallest manageable step, such as making a phone call, signing up for a course, or getting the name of a mentor or someone who may be able to help you. The important thing is to identify that current of energy in you and then give it an outlet. Once it starts to flow, it builds its own momentum and creates its own path forward. That is the river of your life – your purpose. From there you just jump in and enjoy the ride.

-- Deepak Chopra

What Will Matter?

Ready or not, some day,
it will all come to an end.
There will be no more surprises;
no minutes, hours, or days.
All the things you collected,
whether treasured or forgotten,
will pass on to someone else.
Your wealth, fame, and temporal power
will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned
or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations,
and jealousies will finally disappear.
So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans,
and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses, that once seemed
so important, will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from
or what side of the tracks you lived, at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful
or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So, what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought,
but what you built;
not what you got, but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success,
but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned,
but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity,
compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered, or encouraged others
to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence,
but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew,
but how many people will feel a lasting loss
when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories,
but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long
you will be remembered,
by whom, and for what.
Living a life that matters
doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Chose to live a life that matters.

by 2003 Michael Josephson