What are You Here To Do? Your unique dharma

Stepping into the power of your Dharma and finding your path.

On our 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training near Bristol, one of our core texts is the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita is the first true yoga text, and the themes have stood the test of time over two millennia. The essence of the text is as a study of the concepts of karma (action) and dharma (purpose). The Gita asks us to examine our actions in the world, and reflect on whether our actions bring us closer to, or further away from our true life's purpose.

When we talk about purpose, we might be talking about career, but there are so many roles that we play in life that can bring meaning and contribute to the greater good. Dharma literally means "that which upholds the natural order of the Universe". How we act, what we say and what we say can bring about order and harmony, or create chaos and dis-ease.

The assignment, for the 200 hour yoga trainees, is to reflect on the value of following your own dharma, as opposed to doing what we think we should be doing, or what others think we should be doing. Krishna says in the Gita that, "It is better to live one's own dharma imperfectly, than another's perfectly".

Our 200 hour course guides you into your authentic, empowered self through study of the Bhagavad Gita, through detailed personalised feedback and guidance, through personal reflection and peer-to-peer mentoring and support. We believe that every one of you has your own light to shine and that it won't look quite like anyone else's.

Read on to find out if you are following your dharma.

How do you know if you are following your dharma?

I often used to puzzle over why, after periods of intense yoga study in India, I would return home and make a huge life change. Resolutely and without a moment's hesitation, I would end a toxic relationship, change my job or move house. These actions would invariably plunge me into a mixture of exhilaration and uncertainty – the two faces of freedom. Making radical changes to my life did not always appear to work in my favour materially but the alternative – not living my truth – was unbearable to me.

What is it that makes people voluntarily relinquish material advantage and social complacency? More often than not, it is because they are following their dharma. This little word carries a lot of weight in the yoga world. “Dharma” can mean “path”, “law” or “purpose” and is applied in various spheres of Indian society to describe moral, legal and social organisation. However, on the introspective path of yoga, it refers to one's purpose in the world.

Dharma is said to be the universal law which keeps all things in order. The ancient yogic text The Bhagavad Gita teaches that every one of us has our unique dharma (purpose) and to fulfil your dharma is to keep the Universe in balance. According to Krishna, a central character in the Bhagavad Gita, “It is better to do one's own dharma imperfectly than another's perfectly”.

Your dharma may be as a protector, a healer, a carer, a fixer, a facilitator or any role on an inexhaustive list of roles you may fulfil within the community. You do not have to save the world single-handedly - your dharma might be to raise your children and care for your family, tend a garden or feed the homeless. No-one can tell you what your dharma should be, that is something only you can know, but yoga can give you the tools to discover it.

In a world full of seductive images of material gain, we are encouraged to seek satisfaction by rising above others to achieve wealth and high social status. The influence of this input can be coercive, leading us onto a life path that does not align with who we are and causing us to thwart our own heart's desire, and live in “adharma” (against dharma). The paradox is that, although you may be able to display the outward symbols of success and power, living adharmically is ultimately disempowering. If you have not yet found your true purpose, don't worry you are not alone. Following your dharma is, for all of us, a process that lasts a lifetime and requires regular inquiry and it almost always involves periods of “stuckness” where inertia gathers energy to move us onto the next phase.

Signs that you are not following your dharma

Signs that you are not following your dharma are: you feel unfulfilled, you use alcohol or other substances to cope, you are bored or restless, you lack a sense of purpose, you spend compulsively your inner narrative is over-critical.

In the yogic worldview, it is believed that we construct our own reality with the thoughts we have. For example, if you don't think your project is good enough, you are not likely to show it to anyone and it will never come to fruition. If you think people don't like you, you are less likely to seek out the company of others, leaving you isolated. Perception is creative, and the world we experience emerges directly from our state of being. This means that you have the power to create your own reality by altering your own perceptions.

Sustained yoga practice trains you to turn inwards, observing the mind's machinations and the heart's longings. It helps you filter out the helpful thoughts and beliefs from the unhelpful ones. If we think of the mind as a garden, yoga and meditation are a way to tend that garden, to water the good seeds (true intentions) and pull out the weeds (self-limiting beliefs). The good seeds will grow into empowering action in the world and will eventually lead you to step onto your true path and into your dharma.

However, in truth, change can be scary so before you rush out and put your house on the market, remember that the journey is a lifelong one and change can sometimes take years to come about. Sometimes one dharma comes to an end and another one begins with a new phase of life. The systems of yoga practice (postures, breath work, mantra, meditation) give us stability and structure so we can engage in the process of freely learning about ourselves, in order to create our own reality and our own future. Yoga is a discipline designed to lead us to find meaning in various elements of our lives and enable us to experience freedom. Here we find another yoga paradox – in following the system (dharma) of yoga, we become liberated.

And have you found it?

And how do you know when you've found your dharma? You'll know it because you'll feel like you're in the flow, life will seem meaningful and you'll be walking along with a secret smile on your face. So, next time you're on your mat, ask yourself, “What am I here to do?” - don't wait for an answer, your left brain can't help you with this one. Instead, make your yoga practice an inquiry, always questioning, always seeking because every moment on your mat is a step towards your truth.

Your yoga is your journey to self-empowerment in a powerful world.

Would you like to embark on a journey with a dedicated group of like-minded individuals? One where you follow your passion, grow as a person and step out into the yoga space as a confident, authentic teacher? Our 200 hour Yoga Training course will bring out the empowered, unique teacher within you.

Visit the website to find out more about our next course and how to join us.

200 hour Yoga Training

Morven Hamilton is a yoga teacher and teacher trainer living in Weston-super-Mare near Bristol. She has been teaching yoga since 2008 and teaching on 200YTT programmes since 2011. Morven is the course leader of the Yoga by Nature 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Course and the Healing the Whole Person Yoga for Cancer teacher training course.