Day Six: Dharma and Discernment

The four primary life goals are summarized in Vedic teachings as:

• Dharma—to live with purpose,
• Kama—to experience pleasure and happiness,
• Artha—to prosper, have sufficient means to fulfill our divine destiny and
• Moksha—to experience liberation of consciousness, Self- and God-realization.

Taken together, these four goals provide a formula for balanced living. The first and last goals on the list—dharma and moksha—provide a spiritual framework for worldly happiness and success. Awareness of our great purpose in life—to know the truth of our existence and to live freely as a fully conscious spiritual being—helps orient our life path in the right direction. When we understand dharma and know that we are here according to divine purpose, we can chart our course in life with that as our highest priority, no matter what else we do. With this orientation, we are also set to explore and discover what our particular contribution to life should be as we learn to cooperate with divine will.

The Sanskrit word dharma means “the way of righteousness”, which refers to the natural order of things, being in accordance with spiritual law or Truth. It also means “support”, referring to the support that is inherent in the divine order of life. We can use our understanding of dharma to help us make decisions everyday. Here are some simple suggestions for putting that into practice: 1. Make Self- and God-realization your primary life goal; 2. Follow a daily program of daily spiritual study and practice; 3. When making a decision about things to do, ask yourself if your choice will support your primary goal and; 4. Use your creative imagination to inwardly see, feel, and experience the fulfillment of your goal. Imagine what it will be like for you to live freely without restriction, to be forever conscious of your essential nature, and to abundantly contribute to the well-being of all. Feel it to be true now and cultivate that joyful experience as your consciousness expands and your life begins to more fully express your divine nature.

Think About It:

A study revealed that if you find purpose in life, if you find your life is meaningful and if you have goal-directed behavior, you are likely to live longer. Though much other research has found that having a purpose in life is crucial to maintaining psychological wellness and can be important for physical health as well this new study is one of the first large-scale investigations to examine the link between life purpose and longevity. –Dr. Patricia Boyle, neuropsychologist

Be Inspired: The key to happiness is very simple. First, become clear what your duty or purpose is in life. Second, learn to love it.  –Swami Rama