“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso
Weekly Focus: Dharma (life’s purpose)
Dharma literally translates as “that which upholds righteousness.” In most modern discussions we view Dharma as our life’s purpose. When we are aligned with our Dharma or purpose, we follow the path to our truest Self, serving the greater Collective within the process.
Dharma fulfills our life’s purpose. It is the idea that we each hold a unique role within the greater Collective, the expanse of the Universe. This unique role is a bridge and connection to our truest Self. While Dharma does not define who we are, it helps us arrive at a place of harmony and union.
When we are truly practicing our Dharma, we are servicing the world around us (a call-back to Seva). Dharma is devotional; it’s reference to righteousness implies that it helps to uphold the harmony of the world and communities we engage with.
It is hard in the modern world to think of life’s purpose as a concept outside of our profession. For some, our Dharma may align with the work we do, and for others it may not. The challenge can be to make this distinction and to see where your Dharma fits into place. You may be called to teach, but you may not have a direct title as a teacher. Where else in your life can you serve this calling? You may be called to use your voice but do not hold a role that puts you in the position of public speaking and leadership. How else can you put this calling and skill to practice?
Finding your Dharma means digging deep, recognizing, owning and accepting all parts of yourself, and seeing how you align and fit into the greater expanse around you. Within this process, you find self love and receive the benefits of contentment, happiness and love in return.
What are you called to in life? Does your profession call upon your hearts’ deepest desires and your strongest skills? Where can you put yourself to use in the world and still feel aligned with Self?
Passive Pose of the Week: Ardha Padmasana (half lotus)
Ardha Padmasana is a common seat for breathwork, meditation and reflection. Self-reflection is a key tool towards deeper connection to your life’s purpose.
- Begin sitting on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you.
- Cross your legs so that you are in a criss-cross-applesauce position 🙂
- Pick up the right leg by grabbing hold of the shin, ankle or foot. You might “rock your baby” a few times moving the leg left and right as you keep the knee bent.
- Set the leg back down on top of the left leg, letting the right foot nestle into the crease of your left hip.
- Stay upright or fold forward in the pose. Come into deep, steady breaths.
- Hold for 7 – 10 breaths before uncrossing the legs and switching sides.
Ardha Padmasana is a pose used for breathwork, meditation and reflection. If you are using the pose for this purpose, make sure you are free of distractions. This means adjusting your position so that the sensations of the body do not keep you from holding a quiet focus. You can always bring the right foot to rest on a block instead of tucking it into the let hip crease, reducing flexion in the knee. Maybe you have a hard time settling your knees down, sit up on the edge of a folded blanket or even a bolster. Finally, if neither of those work for you, try a Janusirsasana position with one leg straight. If the bent knee is lifted high, support it with a block or bolster so that it is signaled to relax.
Active Pose of the Week: Sirsasana (headstand)
Sirsasana is a challenging pose that stimulates the higher, more spiritual chakras and connects us to Ether. Inverting provides new vision and perspective, helpful tools on the path of self reflection.
- Begin in a tabletop position on hands and knees. Set up facing a wall, giving yourself about 7 – 10 inches between your hands and the wall.
- Come down onto your forearms. Interlace your fingers and press down through the forearms. Place the crown (flat spot) of the head onto the ground, nestled into your hands.
- Tuck your toes, lift your knees and straighten your legs. Walk your feet as far into the body as you can, trying to stack your hips over your shoulders.
- Bend your right knee, bringing your heel to your seat. Follow that with your left. Keep actively pressing your forearms down as you do.
- If you like, straighten one leg at a time towards the ceiling.
- Hold for 5 – 10 breaths before slowly coming down, bending the knees first and then setting one leg at a time on the ground.
For many, the feeling of your head pushing into the ground can be uncomfortable. This does require some getting used to. However, the stronger you can push down through your forearms, the more weight you can take out of the head and neck. Practice this act of pushing away before you come into headstand. You can find sphinx pose, interlace your fingers and actively push into the floor. That may translate to a forearm plank, which may translate to a dolphin pose. In each position practice pushing the arms down and notice the slight lift you feel as a reaction. Take this same strategy into your headstand and notice the difference!
Join us in class this week to practice considering your Dharma. See the full schedule HERE.
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