4 Steps To Discovering Your Dharma

Develop Your Spirituality

By Katie Steedly Curling

When do you feel connected?

When are you most happy?

When do you breathe in a way that all cells in your body thank you?

When do you feel most seen and understood? We can all do things to encourage living deeply and with a knowing that hears our quiet voice. I write to connect with inner wisdom. I run to connect with that inner wisdom.

We all have inner wisdom that knows our life’s purpose. Simply understood, inner wisdom is called dharma.

What is a dharma?

The Chopra Center defines dharma as, “the universal force that guides our life and carries us safely through the threats and challenges along the way.” Deepak Chopra identifies three aspects of the law of dharma: 1.We are here to discover our higher self; 2. Everyone has a unique talent; and 3. We are called to use our unique talent to serve humanity.

In the article “Can Yoga Help You Find Your Inner Wisdom?” Rod Stryker states, “dharma is the compelling force in each of us that longs to thrive, to become who and what we are meant to be. The principle of dharma is the enduring truth that our individual happiness is inextricably linked to the fate of the world around us.” For Stryker, a dharma code is your soul’s unique purpose, or your driving reason for being. Drawing upon Stryker’s work in an article entitled, “How Do You Serve Your Soul’s Purpose?,” Chanti Tacorante-Perez explains, “Your dharma code is also a call to action; it brings to light that which will inspire you to take responsibility for your own life.”

Identifying your dharma code

Kat Seltzer has modified an exercise from Rod Stryker’s book The 4 Desires to help identify your dharma code. Step 1: Imagine yourself celebrating a significant birthday. Step 2: Think of 4 individuals who know you well. Think of the way in which they might describe how you live your best possible life – life lessons, philosophy, patterns, relationships, and accomplishments. Write the thoughts in the voice of the 4 different people you envisioned. Step 3: Read through comments, and highlight words and phrases that are compelling. Step 4: Compose a list from the compelling words and compose a draft.

Think about when you feel profoundly happy. Think about the crystal clear purpose that lives in the small spaces of your heart. Think about when you know a clarity of focus that rivals a Caribbean sea on a calm day. Think about how you would impact the world by living your purpose. Think about what it would feel like to let your soul’s mission guide your days.