Finding Your Dharma and Why You Should

PLEASE CONSIDER

As you transition from middle age to late age or are in late age, it is possible to experience a profound moment of transformation. Preceding this moment, you will have come to recognize that you have already been engaged in the conscious pursuit of your Dharma, although you may not have called it that.

Where you are now is either finishing or having finished your career. What’s next in life becomes a driving question. “What should I do with the rest of my life?” That question brings you to Dharma’s door.

Your Dharma will happen as a revelation. The revelation will expose profound insights and truths about who you are in the universe, why you’re here at this time and place, and your higher purpose. This Dharmic revelation uncovers your higher calling and almost immediately brings clarity, simplicity, and freedom to your life.

The concept of Dharma, deeply ingrained in Hindu and Buddhist philosophies, is not merely a cultural or religious belief but a universal principle. It encompasses cosmic law and order that governs the universe and an individual's duty or moral responsibility. Why are you here and what are you supposed to be doing are answered.

THE CULTURAL OPPOSITION TO THE EXISTENCE OF DHARMA

In Western cultures, the idea of Dharma as a higher calling is met with resistance.

Western cultures, shaped by Judeo-Christian traditions, differ from Eastern traditions' understanding of duty, purpose, and morality. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the concept of a divine purpose or calling is seen through a monotheistic lens, where individuals strive to align with God's will or commandments. On the other hand, Dharma is guided by cosmic law, a broader and more universal perspective.

Cosmic laws are recognized as inherent and universal principles or truths that govern the natural order and functioning of the universe. They encompass fundamental laws of nature, physics, and metaphysics that regulate the dynamics of existence, energy, consciousness, awareness, and the interconnectedness of all phenomena. Cosmic law is the metasystem, whereas religions are the subsystems.

Metasystems always govern subsystems by providing direction, setting boundaries, offering support, and ensuring alignment with overarching objectives and goals. This hierarchical control structure helps maintain order, coherence, and effectiveness within the system.

Cosmic laws are inherent principles or truths from the universe's natural order. In contrast, God's laws are viewed as divinely revealed commandments originating from a personal and omnipotent God. In our Western culture, the belief in cosmic law is absent.

However, when examined, all religions ultimately have the same purpose, intentions, and fundamental values, so it can be said that all religions follow cosmic law.

Another opposing factor is that our Western society emphasizes individualism and personal freedom as the ideal. The idea of having a predetermined duty or role based on understanding one's part in the cosmic laws conflicts with the Western emphasis on self-determination.

The monarch of cultural resistance to cosmic laws is the belief in self-determination. Self-determination primes the pump for the underlying compulsion for more, to be more, and to be somewhere else. Dharma has you and your world be enough as is.

Dharma turns off the more, better, different spigot. You know why you’re here. You’re perfect for the job as is. You’re the only one for the job. Following your Dharma is freedom because you now have all you really need. You stop climbing the more-better-different ladder and move your ladder to the Dharma building.

I AM UNIQUE AND SO ARE YOU, AND SO IS YOUR DHARMA 

Each human being is unique, and so is their Dharma. There is only one of you. There is only one of me. Not before, not after, never again. That’s it—a one-off. You will never be replicated or duplicated. You’re here once and then gone forever as this person. It takes a while to realize this uniqueness since you were brought up in a societal context of comparison, contrast, and judgments, using others' real or imagined as your marker. But what happens to comparison and competition when only one of you exists? And that each one follows their own exclusive Dharma. 

Every human DNA is a single. No other’s DNA is precisely like mine or yours. However, many common factors exist in all humans’ DNA. However, some of my particular DNA, the arrangement of my nitrogenous bases, Guanine, Cysteine, Thymine, and Adenine, and their spatial orientation are unique. My unmatchable DNA has resulted in variations in my physical characteristics, susceptibility to diseases, and even predispositions to specific psychological and personality traits.

Given this uniqueness, you and I can not experience life in precisely the same way. Factors such as upbringing, education, culture, socioeconomic background, and personal experiences shape our different perspectives, values, and behaviors, making each of us even more unique. 

You and I are an exclusive combination of personality traits, influenced by genetics, environment, and individual experiences. My traits, such as introversion, disagreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and even my neuroses, all differ from yours. 

I have different talents and skills—not better or more valuable than yours. These talents and skills are not transferable. My combination of talents and skills is simply mine alone and can only work for me and by me. You won’t see me on the VOICE, but you can catch me leading a webinar about growing old. 

When you finally realize you are singular, unparalleled, incomparable, matchless, peerless, unrivaled, distinctive, exclusive, rare, unexampled, exceptional, and indeed individual, then consider and contemplate why your uniqueness exists and how this came to be. This is your opening to your Dharma. 

UNCONCONCEALLING YOUR DHARMA 

Dharma and karma are essential concepts in Hindu philosophy but have distinct meanings and roles. Karma is a fundamental concept in Eastern philosophies, referring to the spiritual principle of cause and effect, where intent and actions influence future outcomes. It encompasses the idea that every action (physical, mental, or emotional) has corresponding consequences in life. 

Karma is a universal cosmic law that applies to all beings and phenomena, operating independently of individual beliefs, intentions, or circumstances. It is understood to uphold balance, justice, and moral order in the universe. 

Karma encourages individuals to act responsibly, ethically, and compassionately. Positive actions are believed to generate beneficial outcomes, while negative actions lead to adverse consequences. It serves as a guiding principle for moral conduct, personal growth, and spiritual development in accordance with the natural laws of cause and effect.

Karma states that positive actions lead to positive outcomes, whereas negative actions result in negative repercussions. It operates on the principle of ethical justice, ensuring that individuals reap the fruits of their actions.

Dharma, on the other hand, encompasses certain principles and values that uphold the order of the universe, maintain social harmony, and guide individuals toward divinity and noble conduct.

Dharma defines how to understand your principal duty in and for the world. It comes with a strong belief in justice and trust in moral principles and laws. Dharma includes specific societal responsibilities and requires that your life make a difference to the world.

MY DHARMA

Gathering all my life experience, knowledge, and wisdom, how could I best heal the world with my talents and skills? The answer became apparent—a revelation: Bring higher wisdom into the world so healing is possible.

Elders deliver higher wisdom in their being and actions. Looking back, I have always prepared myself in some way for this calling—to bring the elder’s higher wisdom into the Western world. (This is the theme in my yet-to-be-finished memoir.)

Living my Dharma holds greater universal meaning, enshrines a noble cause, and gives me a sacred mission. My Dharma eclipses my personality, ego, identity, and inner critic. My Dharma allows alignment with Buddha’s statement, "Your work is to discover your world and then give yourself to it with all your heart."—Buddha.

On a recent podcast, I was asked, “Would you say what makes your enterprise, The Contemporary Elder Institute, unique? I answered, ”Our work is about having people realize their Dharma and support them in living their Dharma. And when you look at our members today, this is undeniably correct. Members have found their Dharma, their purpose and mission, the reason they were put on the planet, and they are living it, and so am I.

Maybe Dharma is the ultimate cosmic gift; it might be time for you to open your gift.



ANNOUNCEMENT

Next open Sangha call - April 24th, 4:00 pm PT. Topic Relationships / Relatedness. Guests Register Here: https://form.jotform.com/230334570253044