Dharma, Fantasy & Real Life

Twice I have left my “regular” life to travel and have new experiences.  The first time while I was working in NY on Wall Street, the second time while I was in LA, coaching & teaching.  Both times I released my possessions and work.  Both times I took two years.

And both times it took me 2 years to unwind, meditate and pray.

When I share this story with others their response is often mixed – awe, envy, a feeling of unbelievability.  It is often followed by “wow, wish I could do that.. ” I see them fantasizing about this kind of lifestyle, one of being on the road free without obligation or responsibility.

But it sounds more glamorous than it really is.  On the road I had to face my deepest fears – being alone, having nothing “to do” or no one “to be.”  Traveling was medicine for my spirit, recollecting parts of myself that I had lost along the way.

Pulling the plug wasn’t a decision I could have consciously or logically sorted out.  It made no financial sense, work sense, or any kind of sense.  It was a call from my soul, more than a call – a command.  I knew what would happen if I chose not to listen.

There is a difference in the fantasies we hold in our mind and our true dharmic path.  Fantasies might look like more security, recognition from others.. a soulmate.  My personal fantasy would be living in Europe, on a farm, drinking cappuccinos all day.  Yet I know that if I lived that way, I would be missing my true soul’s connection, a bigger path intended for my life.   Your dharmic path, when revealed to you, will probably make you cringe.  You might not believe who you really are, what you are capable of.. or what is being asked of you.   Your dharma will move you beyond what you already know.   It will ask you to take risks in your life.  It will want you to expand your horizons.

You could call your dharmic path your true life purpose, your destiny.  You know when you are living it.  It is a palpable feeling, an inner feeling of connection and flow.  Often times, it doesn’t look anything like the picture in your head about your ideal life.

Living dharmically doesn’t necessarily mean making drastic changes.  It simply means living from your true self, your essential core.   You can still do the same things, but with an energy that is real and awake.  Ask your soul “what is true for me now?”

Whose life are you living?  Is it really yours?  Is it infused with your soul’s purpose?

“If the path before you is clear, you‘re probably on someone else’s.”- Joseph Campbell