Retreat Insider

How many of us believe the idea that we have a specific “life purpose” and are trying to “find it”? Not to over simplify, but didn’t that concept define The New Age 90’s? Seems many of us began searching for a teacher, guru, or therapist, or discovered the Hokey Pokey (OH … THAT’s what it’s all about!) to take us to our Life Purpose, ending our (deep sigh…) wandering through the Desert of Unknown.

One of my ‘know thyself’ pursuits in the 90’s, took me to the edge in a series of workshops led by Robert Fritz (The Path of Least Resistance), who had a ball with the Life Purpose conundrum. He called it the “Purpose and Existence Structure”: a person who lives seeking to justify their existence by looking for their purpose for being. My own driving structure is about “Freedom and Control” but I withdrew, unready to “see my structure in action”… because I immediately judged it, made it wrong and skulked into the Desert of Ignorance, no longer blissful, however…

Is life purpose the same as “life work” or entering into a heartfelt profession that is driven by deeper values? Is it something I can actually find, I wondered… and kept the concept in mind as I went about my seemingly purposeless life, pursuing an entirely new career and way of working. I found success, and it was short lived, for the work itself had unintended consequences on mind and body. My spiritual aspirations to discover and fulfill purpose foundered.

Fast Forward to NOW: Have you read either of Eckhart Tolle’s books? I skipped The Power of Now and went straight to A New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose. Tolle’s writing and teaching is accessible, understandable and in harmony with now more practical and mature understandings about the power of reducing rampant thinking in favor of being HERE NOW. Simple, yes…Easy? Not on your life! What Tolle draws upon is his own life experience, but what he conveys is ancient wisdom in modern language. The simple truth, is: we are each here (our “purpose” is) to live NOW. When the student is ready … the teacher does the most effective service, in creating an empty vessel to support a direct experience of the student’s own thinking processes. The end result is “The NEWS, not the editorial”. Huh?

“Never give up!”

You may not have a “life purpose” in the way you have been thinking about it. The best path to take is often the most simple and available one. Church attendance is up and has been climbing since 9/11. Comforting and reliable, predictable, non-confrontational, anonymous, even. Yet, some of the most practical and powerful voices of our times come from the teachings of the ‘old age’, or age old traditions, if you will. Caroline Myss is a medical intuitive and one of the most practical and wise voices around today, was raised in the Catholic traditions and offers a wealth of info, seminars and web events. She has authored a number of books that open doorways we all tend to “forget” as we live helter skelter is a too busy world.

When you select a path to travel with a teacher, choose with care. But, begin with a look to your  spiritual or religious roots. These days, you might find a spiritual guide with a great deal of wisdom in your own tradition with whom you may resonate, though that alone is not a reason to choose it. Likewise, if you choose a path that is unfamiliar, but something attracts you to it, learn about the teacher and the body of work. Then, find out who taught him or her, and where they go for continuous guidance. Humility and a beginner’s mind are marks of a true teacher! Your path will be arduous enough, at times, without adding the problems of an unskillful or inexperienced “master” to the mix!