Knowledge of purpose?

[usetawuz]

From my standpoint and belief in reincarnation, it is my assumption that we are here to do something. My entire life has been one of either working toward something or feeling slightly to greatly guilty about not working toward something...not that I am a type A personality, nor do I have tightly described goals, I just feel that after a rest, or unproductive time, I need to be studying, working, focusing. This isn't an emotion or feeling which is really noticeable to anyone around me...often very much to the contrary. I simply feel an impulse to get moving toward something...anything.

With that said, through my path of discovery one of my constant questions to those I speak with is "what is my purpose in this lifetime". Naturally this is about as wide open a question as one can imagine, with any number of answers one might expect or not. What if the answers you got, over 90% of the times you asked were all variations on the same theme? I simply did not expect the predominant theme of the answers I got.

I was told I am here to attain "spiritual partnership" and to assist humanity in working toward a greater "sense of community". When I first got this directive I was shocked and had no idea what it even meant. I was told that at some point I would have a relationship that would enable a tremendous level of productivity and love and goodwill, through which I would be able to assist the growth of an increased sense of community within humanity. Visions of an ashram in India came into my head, and were quickly, not by me, shoved aside with the message "community will be wherever I am, not where I go".

I asked what spiritual partnership was and was shown a vision of a man and a woman in an embrace, but with it came a huge sense of a level of mutual compassion, understanding, respect, regard and affection for another person that I had not only never felt, but hadn't even conceived might exist. Needless to say, this made me take a step back and reevaluate everything I was doing and the ramifications of the dramatic course changes my life would be making in order to achieve this began to loom extremely largely. I was quickly overwhelmed. But before I could totally melt down, I got a powerful calming sense I was already headed in that direction and nothing immediate and dramatic would be necessary...it would all come about naturally when and as it should.

Since that first occasion, I have received countless confirmations of that initial directive through small and large courses my life has taken, each and every day. I have also been told that this lifetime has been completely based on and enabled by my past lifetimes and those experiences have provided the expertise I will have available to help me meet my goals here and now.

Have any of you obtained a specific directive or sense of purpose for this lifetime? Any idea or feeling of where you are headed and what might be the goal? I don't know that I would know any of the above if I hadn't asked...but the answers I received makes the seemingly nonsensical and dramatic direction changes my life has taken come together in a sort of sense of purpose and focus. And it also makes me think I am doing something, which eases my mind.

 

[Aelfgyva]

Going Somewhere?


All the choices I have made in my life (or lives), have brought me to this moment...If you are in touch with your soul, you have a very strong feeling for purpose. I know deep down what my goal is or should be, but I am often lazy or not caring or fall into old patterns that are comfortable. Maybe that is why we experience reincarnation. Time is not important, and the freedom to go at your own pace is a gift. I do not feel guilty if I take a "break" in one life and work hard in the next...it is the sum that matters, and I feel that I am moving forward.

 

[Totoro]

I feel the same as you, after a period of rest, I feel like I'm not being productive. I also believe too, that the push to know, comes from a higher sense or power in that you're supposed to know for one reason or another.


One bit of information I did receive was that I'm completing a cycle, which is occurring now, around the time I will be turning 39. Of course, my previous life died at 39 and I think that symbolically, by that age, I will have grown and developed into a position where I can begin working on my goals.


I want to teach, that's part of it I feel. I also want to write books and music and at this point in my life I have the self confidence to trust and believe in myself to simply strike out on my own and do it.


My relationship with my parents is nearly healed. My father seems to simply love me and appreciate me without pretext and my mother has started therapy and I've begun been having real conversations with her.


I'm also completely aware of my past life and it's presence in terms of the issues it brings to this one.


But largely, this is all stuff I've figured out for myself. My dad, whose higher self seems to have the same issue his earthly self has, is that he's incredibly over simplistic. Much like the dad in Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. I actually cry at the end of that because it makes me think of my dad..


But anyway.. regardless, everything is working out like it should. For me and I trust, most people if they keep and open mind and heart.

 

[Eowyn]

From my standpoint and belief in reincarnation, it is my assumption that we are here to do something. My entire life has been one of either working toward something or feeling slightly to greatly guilty about not working toward something...not that I am a type A personality, nor do I have tightly described goals, I just feel that after a rest, or unproductive time, I need to be studying, working, focusing.

I totally agree with these words. All my life I've felt we come here with a purpose, I've felt that the important decisions I made were like ideas "someone" put in my mind to lead me in the right path, and I'm sure even during those "quiet" or unproductive periods of time we're learning something useful, even if it's only to be patient or to listen by other means not only our physical senses.


My problem is, whatever purpose I had during those years I seem to have lost it now. Not that I feel wrong or guilty about leaving that phase behind, I guess that would be a signal to let me know I must get it back, but I do feel confused about the path I must take now, and every door I knock on ends up being a closed door. I keep asking questions but it seems I'm not getting any answer, or maybe I just don't see it, maybe it's truly time for me to rest and hope that invisible hand will come for me when it's due.


I just wish it was easier to know what that purpose is, inactivity is quite frustrating for me, but then again what we thought was important maybe it isn't anymore. I can only trust I will be waken up if I fall asleep... they always do.

 

[kmatjhwy]

Now as for myself personally, do believe that a big portain of the reason we come into a body again is simply to 'Enjoy Life' again in another human body. Do think that it is not always simply a matter of what we are 'To Do' in this life but also a matter of 'To Be' in this life. We as a society right now to me it seems are so caught up on what are we 'To Do' in this life. And how much of the time think we are also meant to focus on the word 'Be' instead and simply to 'Enjoy' the life that we have been given. Also with living more in the Now and just enjoying the many pleasures of simply having a life bring. Some of the most simplest and best joys in life are the simple ones.


Now as for myself personally do think with being born 'Sagitarius' that one of the reasons being born in this life with the desires I have, is just to 'Enjoy' another life in the Wilds. But also at some point do think that I will have to write and share my experiences in the wilds with others. Writing has been on my mind and thoughts for sometime now. And do think that this is part of the plan for this life. Another thing that has come to me personally, with so many of my past Native American Indian lives, that I had to be born white this time to see life from the other side so to speak. It has come to me that if I had been born an Native American Indian in this life then I would have been one that was angry with my fist in the air. Love and Forgiveness is always the way.


Just my two cents worth. Enjoy Life!

 

[usetawuz]

All the choices I have made in my life (or lives), have brought me to this moment...If you are in touch with your soul, you have a very strong feeling for purpose. I know deep down what my goal is or should be, but I am often lazy or not caring or fall into old patterns that are comfortable. Maybe that is why we experience reincarnation. Time is not important, and the freedom to go at your own pace is a gift. I do not feel guilty if I take a "break" in one life and work hard in the next...it is the sum that matters, and I feel that I am moving forward.

I guess my focus on soul has increased over the last several years as I have developed an interest in what my purpose is only during that time...that doesn't mean I didn't get any prodding or urging, just that previous to that focus my only strong feeling had been to "do something". And while I agree that time is not important, at this juncture it seems to be running short to participate in some aspect of this life...some reason for me to be here. I cannot see how the community and spiritual partnership matters coalesce in my life yet, but there is some sense of pressure to continually move forward, and in so doing, to get there. I also get the impression I "took a break" for about two decades which sort of puts me in the position of "get to it".

 

[Totoro]

That's what I think was so important about the cycle I mentioned.


I think to an extent, we have to acclimate to the world around us, which may be easier for others depending on when and where the last reincarnation was.


Then of course, we have to get over the baggage we've picked up in this life and then... finally get to work.


So yes, that's probably why that clock is ticking. But it also may be because you may miss a junction that was supposed to occur between you and someone else or a specific event.

 

[ChrisR]

I agree with kmatjhwy, I sometimes think that many of us are so focused on the material world and getting as much out of it as we can, that we forget that real life is passing us by. I believe that our 'purpose' in life lies within our hearts and not within our mind. For example, say we were given the knowledge that our purpose in this life is to be more charitable. Ok, so let's make a conscious effort to 'donate money' to various organizations in order to fulfil that purpose, that's being charitable and I've been told that the more I give, the more my purpose in life has been fulfilled, but has it? Would I be giving that money because I want to? Or because I've been given the knowledge that to do so will allow me to 'pass the test', to fulfill my purpose in life? To have that knowledge is almost like cheating because charity comes from the heart, it's not something to which you make a conscious decision to be or not, and you can't pretend to be a charitable person, it's a quality that you either have or you don't, and I think the same thing applies to usetawuz's question. We are given a purpose, we don't consciously know what that purpose is, but it's like a test, and our life choices determine whether we achieve that purpose or not. If we don't, then we get the opportunity to have another go in another life, and it's not a huge deal if we fail because we have an eternity to keep trying. That's my opinion anyway, I hope it makes sense.

 

[Totoro]

I can see your point Chris. I have a saying "is it what you are, or is it what you do?"


I think doing is tangible, whereas being is intangible and doing only satisfies (or placates) on a very surface level.

 

[usetawuz]

That was nicely stated, ChrisR. In some ways I guess I might have always known what I found out, but being juxtaposed to that direction for the entire previous portion of my adult life, I would never have considered it without the changes forced by my choices in what have turned out to be the right direction.


Totoro, your saying "is it what you are, or is it what you do?" is remarkable in its simplicity and depth. The last time I heard it, a bully had segued from an issue with a store clerk to declaring his devout religious beliefs as a bat against the employee who was a small, quiet woman...he continued to bluster away claiming his righteousness and she finally stated your saying above...the silence afterwards was total and he left without another word.

 

[Shiftkitty]

Now as for myself personally, do believe that a big portain of the reason we come into a body again is simply to 'Enjoy Life' again in another human body. Do think that it is not always simply a matter of what we are 'To Do' in this life but also a matter of 'To Be' in this life. We as a society right now to me it seems are so caught up on what are we 'To Do' in this life. And how much of the time think we are also meant to focus on the word 'Be' instead and simply to 'Enjoy' the life that we have been given. Also with living more in the Now and just enjoying the many pleasures of simply having a life bring. Some of the most simplest and best joys in life are the simple ones.
Now as for myself personally do think with being born 'Sagitarius' that one of the reasons being born in this life with the desires I have, is just to 'Enjoy' another life in the Wilds. But also at some point do think that I will have to write and share my experiences in the wilds with others. Writing has been on my mind and thoughts for sometime now. And do think that this is part of the plan for this life. Another thing that has come to me personally, with so many of my past Native American Indian lives, that I had to be born white this time to see life from the other side so to speak. It has come to me that if I had been born an Native American Indian in this life then I would have been one that was angry with my fist in the air. Love and Forgiveness is always the way.


Just my two cents worth. Enjoy Life!

Ah, a kindred spirit! In all my meditations looking for a purpose for my life, what I feel I need to be accomplishing, I get the same answer, though in loftier terms:


"Chill. Enjoy the ride. This one's on the house."


So I have made it my goal to enjoy this life no matter how many times it seems to suck. So far so good!

 

[Lady2]

From my standpoint and belief in reincarnation, it is my assumption that we are here to do something. My entire life has been one of either working toward something or feeling slightly to greatly guilty about not working toward something...not that I am a type A personality, nor do I have tightly described goals, I just feel that after a rest, or unproductive time, I need to be studying, working, focusing. This isn't an emotion or feeling which is really noticeable to anyone around me...often very much to the contrary. I simply feel an impulse to get moving toward something...anything.

I can totally relate to that feeling! :laugh: As time goes on, I've learned (and am still learning) what is more fulfilling. That seems to be the key to me right now. Spending your time doing things that you find fulfilling, and not for any other reason, they are so much more meaningful....

 

[Mama2HRB]

I have been told that I am to start a charity that will help single parents. It is to teach them to help themselves and each other and be a community outreach.


I have been working toward that for some time now. I originally started a store that was to raise money to help single parents but that failed, so now I am only focusing on the outreach.


Give a single mom a fish, feed her family for a day. Teach her to fish, feed her family for a lifetime.

 

[Lilliputian]

I'm just starting my PL discovery so I'm light on insight, but all that I know for sure at this point is that my soul has lessons to learn still. I don't even know if I have a "mission" other than to learn...