What is dharma?

Dharma is the Ancient Sanskrit word that refers to your soul's purpose - your truth, the big reason why you're here.

Some people doubt that they even have a dharma, but I like to think of the Universe as a big cosmic jigsaw puzzle. Each person on this planet is a piece of that puzzle and there are no spare pieces.

According to Vedic belief, we're not minds and bodies, but souls having a human experience. While we all come from the same starry source, our souls chose to incarnate here on Earth, at this time in history, with the unique set of gifts, personality, upbringing, experiences, body, birthdate and parents we have - so we can fulfil our specific purpose. This is why each of us is so needed.

Living your dharma goes beyond yourself. While it will bring you a great deal of happiness and fulfilment, it's truly so you can be of service to humanity and bring the world back into balance. When we fully activate and embody our individual soul gifts, we can collectively raise the vibration of the planet.

If you're reading this, my guess is that you're beginning to realise that you have a bigger purpose - that there's something you're here to do or share - but perhaps you don't know what that is yet. 

Deep down, we all know why we came here. We might not consciously remember it, but our soul does. 

I wrote this to help you remember. 

While you may channel it through your career, dharma goes deeper than that. It's the unique frequency you bring to everything that you do; from standing in line for your matcha latte, to creating your art, to taking your kids to football practice.

Your dharma is your vibrational signature. It's your soul's expression. It's your energy that creates a ripple effect and wherever you go - there you are. It’s not something you can separate yourself from.

For example, my dharma, my sacred mission in this lifetime is to awaken others to the light within.

I can do that by teaching spiritual principles to help people transform their lives, guiding yoga classes and meditations, hosting retreats and experiences, sharing words that inspire, or coaching them to become their highest selves. 

Someone else with this dharma may choose to express theirs as a photographer or professor.

The dharma is the same, but the way that it manifests may be different. 

Discovering your dharma is not a single revelation; it's a lifelong dance. It's a sacred journey of coming home to yourself, again and again - of continually shifting deeper into alignment with your truth.

Your soul is always calling. When you listen to those calls and act on them each and every day, you'll find yourself living in alignment with your highest purpose.

Let's embark on that journey together now.

5 Steps to Discover Your Dharma

If you look back on your life, you'll see a golden thread weaving through it all, guiding you moment to moment, towards your destiny. Imagine that golden thread reaching all the way to your left, indicating your journey so far. And now imagine it also reaching all the way to your right into the future, indicating your path to come.

It doesn’t always make sense at first, but time and perspective will reveal the intricate weavings and wisdom of this sacred thread throughout your life. You start to realise that everything you've lived through has prepared you for this very moment. Similarly, you can trust that when you connect with and follow that golden thread, you'll be guided to what your soul is most yearning for and calling you towards.

The more you get to know yourself and act on those calls, the more clearly your dharma unfolds.

Below, you'll find five powerful prompts that I love to share with my coaching clients as part of creating their soul purpose blueprint. This is one simple way that you can remember your dharma (and if you want to go deeper, I invite you to embark on this 1:1 journey with me).

Make this a sacred ritual. Light a candle. Make a lovely cup of tea. Then, in your journal, write these questions at the top of a blank page, take a clearing breath, and allow your soul to reveal its wisdom to you.

1. Who are you?

To know your soul's purpose is to deeply know yourself.

Most people don't find their purpose because they don’t know themselves. But when you dive into who you really are, there's so much magic waiting to be uncovered.

Throughout our lives, we embody different roles or archetypes that we activate within us. For example, you may feel called to learn more about yourself with the enneagram, astrology, or Human Design. In Light Work, we also explore and identify your Dharma Archetypes. For example, you could be a visionary, artist, teacher, nurturer, or entrepreneur, amongst others.

This might be a question you want to meditate on, or dive further into with other systems.

You already carry the unique codes to your dharma. Affirm: "I am..." and allow yourself to fully realise your divine essence. With greater awareness, your dharma will evolve and deepen over time, so consider this a living and breathing practice.

2. How do you express yourself?

The mediums that most naturally flow through you are another key to revealing your dharma. For you, it could be writing, speaking, creating, healing, teaching, or something else. Like an artist painting the canvas of your life, this is how you share your dharma with the world. How are you being called to to dance your way to your dharma or sing your way to your soul's purpose?

3. What lights you up?

Your purpose feels good because the Universe wants you to show up for it. That's why excitement is key to fulfilling your purpose. Without it, you won’t unlock the passion in your heart chakra to bring it to life. Those things that light you up are the divine breadcrumbs leading you to your dharma.

Start by writing down all of the things that make your soul sing, that you're passionate about, that you can lose yourself in because you love them so much, that bring out your creativity, your joy, or your inner child. It might be 20 or 200 things.

Maybe it's plant medicine, past lives, writing, breathwork, gardening, connecting with goddesses, baking cakes, travelling, interior design, comedy, oracle cards, ayurveda, parenting, skincare, architecture, or business.

As children, we naturally do the things that excite us. We know our magic and dream big without apologising for it. But somewhere along the way, with all the fears and expectations of society weighing upon us, we stopped doing those things.

So, what were you like as a child? What came easily to you? What did you love to do?

Think back to a time when you felt totally free. Maybe it was splashing in a pool, looking for fairies in the trees, writing mystical stories, or creating potions with flowers petals and herbs. That is the truth of who you are and she's still inside you. All you have to do to remember is turn inwards.

Over time, what excites you may change which may make you doubt your dharma, but this just means that the way you're meant to express it has changed and your work there is done. Your dharma is like a spiral 🌀 that is ever-evolving and deepening as you embody your soul's growth. The evolvement of your excitement is simply your inner compass pointing you in a new direction. Give yourself permission to continue evolving so that your dharma can divinely unfold.

4. What obstacles have you overcome?

As you contemplate the golden thread of your life, observe what obstacles you've overcome, or helped others overcome, and what you feel called to share. Big or small, these could include a health issue, divorce, addiction, grief, or feeling lost about your purpose.

The obstacles you've overcome are your soul's unique cosmic curriculum, helping you to fully embody your dharma.

It's often in the deepest and darkest places that a light turns on. For me, as a teen struggling with depression, that was on my yoga mat. As I healed my own mind and body, I heard the call of my soul to share this practice so that I could be of service to others.

5. What are your superpowers?

We all have superpowers, special gifts that we're here to share with the world. They come in many shapes and forms. Sometimes it's difficult to recognise them because they come so easily to us, but contemplate what people often compliment you on. Examples of superpowers include listening and holding space for others, making things beautiful, or explaining complex ideas in a clear way.

One of my superpowers is being able to see the light in others, and reflecting it back to them when they can't see it themselves.

If you're struggling to identify your superpowers, ask your friends and family where they think you shine the brightest. This might feel vulnerable, but it will also make you feel good, as you witness your soul being seen.

Weaving the golden thread

After you've finished journalling, look back over your words.

Circle what stands out, or read aloud what you've written and see what rings true. What parts of you are ready to emerge? What is your soul calling you to do? Notice any patterns or themes arising. How could you weave those things together? 

Now that you have clarity, what's one baby step you can take in that direction today?

When you listen and act on the small calls of your soul each and every day, eventually you'll find yourself walking the path of your highest purpose.

Living Your Soul's Purpose

To discover your dharma is to realise the truth of who you are, and living it is the ultimate act of self-love.

When you're not living your dharma, you feel lost and stuck. Your future doesn't excite you. You're surviving, rather than thriving. You might feel anxious, depressed, or unworthy.

But when you're living your dharma, everything that you've been seeking naturally manifests. You become the embodiment of all of the love, abundance and joy that you've been longing for. You're not showing up as one person at work and coming out of your spiritual closet on weekends. You're living in harmony with all parts of yourself and feel happy, clear, and fulfilled. You're sharing your unique gifts and making an impact in the world. You experience effortless flow, gratitude, and synchronicity. This is known as kriya and it's a sign that you're on the right path.

As you continue on your dharma discovery journey, I encourage you to remain open to the mystery of life, enjoy the journey, and trust that your soul is always leading you to your next step. This is what living and embodying your purpose is all about.

I hope this activated you, awakened you, and reminded you that you're on this earth for a very specific reason.

I'm so grateful to be walking this path alongside you.

Dive deeper

If you want to dive deeper, my private coaching program, Light Work will help you get to the heart of what you most want and why you came here. Imagine what your life would look like, 30 days from now, when you're no longer lost and confused about your purpose, but crystal clear, aligned and embodied in it. 🔮 Learn more here.