“The purpose of life is to find your mission and fulfill it.” – Mother Teresa
Weekly Focus: Dharma (life’s purpose)
Dharma in a sanskrit word for “duty” or ” right action,” it is the act of living your life in harmony with your inner-most Self. In Yoga, we often think of Dharma as our life’s purpose, aligning with the deepest desires of the heart and Self (true nature).
Brad Waites, the director of the College of Purna Yoga in Vancouver, says, “’Dharma’ is from the root dhri, which means ‘to hold’ or ‘to retain’; ‘ma’ is me. ‘Dharma’ literally translates as ‘that which holds me together’; it is an integral part of you, and you are never truly fulfilled if you do not live your dharma.”
Dharma, or your life’s purpose, may be achieved on a number of levels from the very small (what will I have for dinner?) to the big (what will my career be?). It also may be found on an individual level (what is my deepest desire?) and on a universal level (how do I fit into the greater whole?) All of these questions relate to Dharma as they help us live in harmony with our true nature. And ultimately, living out our Dharma aligns ourselves with our true nature.
This week we focus on our individual Dharma or life’s purpose. What is your heart’s deepest desire? What do you envision as your truest, most authentic Self? Our Dharma should help connect us to that highest version of how we envision ourselves. Our Dharma should connect us to the deepest desires of our heart.
Seeking Dharma means seeking your purpose or calling in life, not entirely dissimilar to vocation, but not necessarily the same. When we discover and act on our Dharma we should feel whole, complete and aligned. Our Dharma may entail many branches — it may not relate to one single purpose and it may not be lifelong. It has the adaptability to shift as we age, grow and expand.
It could be one’s calling to help a particular group of people, to also be a mother, and perhaps bring about life through gardening. This week we search for where our Dharma lies right now. How can we connect more deeply to our passions, our dreams and our desires which hold us together?
When we are honest and in alignment with our authenticity, we may consider our Dharma or life’s purpose. How do we envision our legacy and what do we wish to leave behind?
Passive Pose of the Week: Reclined Crescent Pose
In our supine crescent pose we shift left and right stretching the sides of our bodies and opening up space. Crescent pose invites us to peacefully open up towards our possibilities with an attitude of rest and receptivity. We cannot rush into our Dharma, we take our time to seek our purpose, just as we move with care and embrace the stillness of this pose.
- Begin lying ong your back. Ensure that you are warm and comfortable.
- Reach your arms overhead. Clasp your right wrist with the thumb and pointer finger on the left hand. Inhale, and as you exhale move your arms overhead and to the left. At the same time, move your feet to the left.
- The body should make a crescent or banana shape on the floor.
- Breathe deeply into the right ribs and visualize creating space between each rib as you breathe.
- Take about [5] breaths here before coming back to center.
- Pause for a moment in center before switching sides.
Reclined crescent is a wonderful pose to reset and receive a nice full body stretch. It can feel particularly good just upon waking or after prolonged periods of sitting. In the middle of your workday, try taking this same stretch from standing. It’s amazing how refreshed you can feel by simply standing up and spending a few deep breaths in a side stretch!
Active Pose of the Week: Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)
Sarva means “entire;” anga means “parts of the body;” and asana means”posture” – Sarvangasana translates as entire body pose! It’s in the name, sarvangasana is a full body posture that asks eveyrthing to be engaged, otherwise you won’t lift up off the floor and stay up. Similarly, finding and living our dharma requires the full state of our being and brings us into wholeness.
- Begin lying on your back. Plant your feet on the floor as you would for bridge pose, with the knees pointed to the ceiling.
- Build momentum in the body and swing your hips up, catching the back of your hips with your hands.
- Start to walk your hands up the back, lifting the hips up and over your shoulders as you go. Being upside down and hearing this instruction can be tricky. Walking your hands up the back will walk them closer to the floor.
- Start to straighten your legs up over head. Imagine squeezing the legs together to make them strong and toned.
- Keep your hands at the back for support.
- Hold for 5 – 7 breaths before slowly lowering back down. Bend the knees, and roll down through your spine, using the hands to help guide you slowly to the ground.
If you are needing omse invigoration and energy in your life, any inversion will do the trick! There’s something about getting upside down that leaves us feeling awake and alive! If you feel nervous going upside down, try practicing with a partner. Having a partner nearby is someone who can steady your legs overhead and just act as a light support. Take turns spotting one another! Practicing with a friend can ba a great way to explore unfamiliar poses.
Join us in class this week to consider your Dharma. See the full schedule HERE.
