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Writer's pictureLinda Jyoti Stuart

Presence and Purpose


Photo by Christopher Cambell on Unsplash


I hear this question from my clients and people I work with all the time: “I just want to know my purpose.” Of course, we all want to know our purpose. There is a time and place for seriously contemplating this question and offering our skills in the world. However, I think many of us place an unhealthy emphasis on this idea of living our purpose.

And no wonder, as our society consistently taunts us to be more, (not to mention to do more and have more as well). There is an epidemic of feeling not good enough. It is one of our collective wounding patterns. We compare ourselves to our friends, family, the famous and the wealthy. Certainly I have been prone to this at times. While in high school, my American culture served up a strong cup of comparison, which I drank, and it left me feeling inferior. Later it showed up on the meditation cushion of all places. Fellow meditators were seeing visions and receiving guidance from the subtle realms, while I was experiencing silence. Even though I was having blissful experiences of silence, I was comparing myself to other people, and falling short in comparison. Years later, my meditation teacher told me that it wasn’t about all the bells and whistles, it was about resting in the silence—that was the profound experience. She gave me a new barometer with which to gauge my experiences.

Recently, I listened to a client talk about her struggles of trying to find her purpose. I found myself mesmerized. The vibrations of her sincerity, courage, and the generosity of her heart penetrated me. She wasn’t offering me anything tangible at that moment. She was gifting me with who she was, and with that she gave me the sense of her beautiful presence.

What if who you are being as you go about living your life is just as important as living your so-called purpose? You never know what kind of impact you have on another person, even with the smallest of gestures. Haven’t you ever experienced a smile from a stranger that flipped your outlook on life that day? It’s easy to forget that our lives are made up of mostly these small moments.

So while you go about your days contemplating your purpose, allow your inner light to shine, regardless if you are taking an order at a diner or talking in front of a large group of people. Add to the energy of love on the planet. We need it!

PS: Yes, I know, you are still interested in knowing your purpose. Here are a few considerations that might kick-start the process:

  • Follow what gives you joy and bliss

  • Notice what you gravitate toward

  • Notice what lights you up

  • What are you good at?

  • What do you value?

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