Soul Play

Purpose is the aim of fulfilling our life’s mission. It is meeting the course we have set for ourselves and following the flow of our soul’s intent.
Before we began this earthly adventure, we decided what we wanted to accomplish. For some of us, there was one purpose—for others, there were several. Those who return to spirit early in life are highly advanced souls who came briefly for the purpose of teaching valuable lessons and assisting others to find and follow their missions.
There are many who worry about somehow not finding their life’s mission. This is a needless concern. The purpose of our lives will find us when we are ready. All we need to do is open our eyes while we experience our lives. Often we will feel a desire to follow a particular career, but this is not necessarily the case. Our mission may have little to do with our careers … we can be fulfilling our mission by simply being a good listener, by being born with a handicap, by overcoming addiction, by learning self-respect, and so on.
The best way to determine whether we are being led to fulfill a particular purpose is by the recognition of a nagging sense that there is something we are supposed to be doing. Or we may have an empty feeling and need to fill it. This is called sacred discontent. When we are meant to pursue a path and have yet to acknowledge and do so, we become filled with restlessness and dissatisfaction. This is necessary in order for us to recognize that there is something we need to open our eyes to. It means the time is rife to pursue a path.
The compass we must carry on this journey is joy and peace. By focusing on what brings us joy, we come into alignment with our purpose. Being true to our path may, at times, risk placing our own needs above those of another. This must be done gently and with much kindness and love, but it must be done. What purpose does it truly serve self or others to avoid confronting the very issues that prevent our joy from unfolding?

On a personal note:

When I realized that we each have come to this earth with different purposes, it helped me see people in a new light. The very idea that we chose the circumstances of our lives before we were born was one of those mind-stretching ideas for me. This knowledge has given me a greater appreciation for every person’s journey in life. My soul knew which life experiences and relationships would best provide growth opportunities and karmic settlements necessary for its progression. Our souls are eternal. We originated as part of the Source. We separated from Its perfection in order to be able to fully understand and appreciate what it meant to be a part of such paradise. We wanted to be able to become like the Source from which we originated—able to create our own joy and light. How can light shine without darkness? The contrast—the separation from our Light Source—was necessary so that we could learn to shine.
I took my children with me to volunteer to be a “friend for a day” at a fair at the community college, held in honor of mentally challenged children. We were each assigned one of these special children to take to the various booths to have faces painted, balloons tied to wrists, win prizes at games, and dance at the bandstand with them. With my newfound knowledge that these children and adolescents had chosen the handicap they were born with, I realized what a true honor we were given to be in the presence of such selfless, advanced souls.
We don’t all have such magnified purposes here, but this doesn’t make our journey less noble. I know that my purpose includes teaching and writing. I have felt a pull toward nursing as well. To follow my promptings toward my mission here, I have had to sacrifice a number of things, such as time, energy, money, and attention … which might have otherwise gone to my family. They were, thankfully, understanding of my need to follow my path. Had they not been willing to sacrifice, it would have made it difficult to pursue my goals. But I would have had to continue despite their objections, because I know that these things were needed to bring me joy and a sense of purpose in my life.
This sense of purpose, and fulfilling a mission, has also helped me see my problems in a new light. I no longer ask, “Why me?” when something “bad” happens … at least not in the same way. I would ask the question with self pity in a rhetorical sort of way before. Now I ask to discover the possible reasons I brought the circumstance into my life. I also look to determine, “Why me, now, at this time? What am I meant to learn from this? Where is this leading me? Who is it leading me toward and what role will they play in my life?”

Soul play:

• Are you experiencing sacred discontent? Attempt to define this feeling by writing how it feels. Identify when you feel it most often. What events are happening, or people are present, when you feel this way? Place yourself in those moments in your mind’s eye. What is missing? What do you yearn for? What would bring you joy?
• Would others be affected by your pursuit of a path that would fulfill your need for peace and joy? How can you gently prepare them for the changes that may affect them?
• How can your respect for nurturing your own needs teach them to respect themselves and prompt them toward their own paths?
• Are you guilty of preventing someone else from following his or her path? How can assisting this person with his or her mission help fulfill your own?
• Don’t become frustrated by the feeling that something is missing from your life. Pray and focus on bringing your purpose toward you, and open your eyes for coincidences that will lead you toward living your life “on purpose.”