“Dear Mita

The last 5 years have taught me a lot because of which I find myself doing a lot of self- analysis and trying to figure out what the future has in store for me. But I still don’t know what my real purpose in life is. Can you tell me?”

If you have not asked yourself this critical question you may find yourself pondering about it someday. And if no one has ever answered your question, the reason is simple. Nobody knows your life purpose, only you do.

Years ago I asked a similar question to an elderly native American healer, and she simply told me to go “ask yourself”. A little disappointed by her terse reply, I listened to her words anyway and began to meditate on this. And I learned a lot more about myself I realised our life purpose is closely intertwined with the energies of Love.

As unique as our finger print, our life purpose is part of us since the day we were born. We didn’t come on this planet just to breathe and float from day to day doing all the mundane and the necessary things. There does exist something deep inside all of us which brings meaning into our lives. And we need to learn it for ourselves, just like the way we learnt to sit, then crawl and get up and walk. We have to rediscover and find our just what it was that brought our souls into this form.

Pay attention to the symbols and signals that having been revealed to us since we were children. Symbols could be as basic as a colour or as a complex as the inexplicable stirring in our heart, knowing we are doing something connected with what we are meant to do. Signals could even include a tune, an activity or a memory that brings us pure bliss. Sit with paper and pen and ask about love and joy.
What do you do love doing?
Who do you love being with?
In which locations have you found maximum happiness?
What is lovely about you?

Answers lead to more questions and questions lead to more answers. Ultimately there is no right formula, what works for me may not work for you. And vice versa. Some purposes are revealed at a very young age to gifted child prodigies eg sportsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Tiger Woods and some purposes come after enormous amounts of honest self enquiry done in a loving, non judgemental manner repeatedly over years. Courage does play a part, because following our life purpose may clash with the views of our loved ones or we may fear taking a risk, for example the chartered accountant who wanted to paint full time felt afraid to lose his monthly income and take a risk. He did find the courage and today his works of art are displayed around the world. In front of the canvas he’s the happiest soul and if you ever to ask him if he regrets his monthly pay cheque, he may smile and tell you when you do what you love, the Universe showers rewards down on you.

Mita Bhan