I’ve met people who seemed to love what they do. It’s inspiring when someone excels at their job because he or she truly seems matched in terms of his or her skills, interest or talent. Unique or quirky interests may lead someone to find a job where they can contribute to make the world better and create a life they love. When someone loves what they do, it changes their attitude, drives their efforts and raises the quality of their work.
We are instructed by the Yoga Sutras to “yoga chitta vritti nirodaha,” to quiet the fluctuations of the mind, so we can listen to the small still voice inside of us. Perhaps when the mind quiets, we can listen to what makes our hearts sing, and we can distinguish between activities that cause our breath to be more expansive and full of wonder versus activities that cause us to feel suffocated.
Dharma is not just something we like to do or have a passion for, but the contribution we make that has purpose in the world.
A few lessons I have learned so far about dharma:
- One of the most powerful decisions I made was to leave a job that was not right for me.
- Sometimes our full-time job allows us the resources to pursue and live our dharma.
- Living your dharma feels like swimming downstream rather than upstream.
- Living your dharma feels like you, your work and your colleagues are of the same tribe.
- Living your dharma can sometimes pull you to the edge, and challenge you to get out of your comfort zone in order to grow.
- Living your dharma lights you up and it keeps you thirsty for new experiences.
- Living your dharma allows you to create a vision that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning!
It might take some time and effort to figure out and live your dharma, but feeling the right fit and working with your tribe provides an aliveness and inspiration to everyone around you.
Lourdes Paredes
Founder and publisher
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