Sufism and Service: The Human Need to Have a Purpose (...And How to Find Yours!)
© Kersten Rabia Dryden Cohen
The greatest tragedy of the average man is that he goes to his grave with his music still in him"
~Longfellow
At the root of every physical, mental or emotional problem is a spiritual ailment. A spiritual ailment is discordance between a person's truth, and his actions or thoughts or goals. Inner truth is a treasure that we all must hunt for, and then upon discovery we will inevitably exclaim, "Wow, I knew that all along!" This refers to destiny, to purpose. The inner truth is the answer to the question, "Why am I here?"
Having a purpose or a mission in life, and to be of service to the world, is a basic human need. And birth-right.
The Sufi term qadar alludes to having a sense of one's destiny. The desire to know and realize one's purpose in life has historically been most important, and is a critical aspect of well-rounded health and self-confidence.
Spiritual energy, when focused, has the velocity of a steam engine and the power of nations. However, whether in a direction of service or in a destructive course, it will have power, which is where the concept of qadar can be of great value. Some miraculous work has been initiated in prisons with the inmates learning meditation and receiving spiritual guidance.
Never have I witnessed such depression, resentment, discontent or helplessness, than when I have met a person who prevents herself from achieving or even from attempting to reach her deepest dreams. But all being ONE, whom can we blame for this? No one. Perhaps one has been a victim of learned helplessness. But it is only that one mind who decides to be the victim. Although the trend has been to blame parents or circumstances, one can hold oneself responsible for achieving our grandest goals. Keep in mind that although you may not reach your highest goals, you will most likely not succeed beyond your biggest dreams. The power of visualization is real magic. If you see yourself falling short, you probably will. But if you see yourself succeeding, you will only be that much closer to your dreams by convincing your subconscious that you are supporting yourself.
Are we afraid of failure? Brian Tracy, Fortune 500 speaker and author of "GOALS!" asks, "How many times would you guess the average person attempts to reach a goal before giving up?" The answer? None. Not even once. Perhaps we have been taught that we are not deserving of success, or are not strong/talented/smart/rich enough to achieve what it is we know deep down inside is our true calling. Other times we may feel guilty for surpassing our parents' successes or breaking through the limitations we have learned from them or from mentors or friends along the path. But may I remind us all (myself included!) here that feeling guilty or undeserving is just the negative ego, trying to keep the illusion of duality strong, trying to convince us that we are somehow better or less than another. The truth is, of course, that we all possess unique talents and passions. This is necessary for a functioning community and also for the survival of our species!
~Longfellow
At the root of every physical, mental or emotional problem is a spiritual ailment. A spiritual ailment is discordance between a person's truth, and his actions or thoughts or goals. Inner truth is a treasure that we all must hunt for, and then upon discovery we will inevitably exclaim, "Wow, I knew that all along!" This refers to destiny, to purpose. The inner truth is the answer to the question, "Why am I here?"
Having a purpose or a mission in life, and to be of service to the world, is a basic human need. And birth-right.
The Sufi term qadar alludes to having a sense of one's destiny. The desire to know and realize one's purpose in life has historically been most important, and is a critical aspect of well-rounded health and self-confidence.
Spiritual energy, when focused, has the velocity of a steam engine and the power of nations. However, whether in a direction of service or in a destructive course, it will have power, which is where the concept of qadar can be of great value. Some miraculous work has been initiated in prisons with the inmates learning meditation and receiving spiritual guidance.
Never have I witnessed such depression, resentment, discontent or helplessness, than when I have met a person who prevents herself from achieving or even from attempting to reach her deepest dreams. But all being ONE, whom can we blame for this? No one. Perhaps one has been a victim of learned helplessness. But it is only that one mind who decides to be the victim. Although the trend has been to blame parents or circumstances, one can hold oneself responsible for achieving our grandest goals. Keep in mind that although you may not reach your highest goals, you will most likely not succeed beyond your biggest dreams. The power of visualization is real magic. If you see yourself falling short, you probably will. But if you see yourself succeeding, you will only be that much closer to your dreams by convincing your subconscious that you are supporting yourself.
Are we afraid of failure? Brian Tracy, Fortune 500 speaker and author of "GOALS!" asks, "How many times would you guess the average person attempts to reach a goal before giving up?" The answer? None. Not even once. Perhaps we have been taught that we are not deserving of success, or are not strong/talented/smart/rich enough to achieve what it is we know deep down inside is our true calling. Other times we may feel guilty for surpassing our parents' successes or breaking through the limitations we have learned from them or from mentors or friends along the path. But may I remind us all (myself included!) here that feeling guilty or undeserving is just the negative ego, trying to keep the illusion of duality strong, trying to convince us that we are somehow better or less than another. The truth is, of course, that we all possess unique talents and passions. This is necessary for a functioning community and also for the survival of our species!
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