Knowing Your Soul's Purpose

“If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there the whole while, waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living."

—Joseph Campbell

Your soul’s purpose is why you’re here on this earth at this time. What you’re looking for or seeking is probably connected to your soul’s purpose. It is an aspect of your life that drives you and moves you forward.

When you know your soul’s purpose, you’re content with your life. When your life theme is right for you, you feel a sense of flow, as if you’re headed in the correct direction. Everything feels right. In his book Flow (2008), Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says that when you tap into your soul’s purpose, you feel a sense of harmony.

Rather than following the path suggested by someone else, those “in the flow” appear to be living their chosen, authentic dreams. When your theme is connected to your purpose, you will feel motivated and intrinsically happy.

Some people know their soul’s purpose early in life, while others discover it later on. Sometimes a soul’s purpose emerges in response to a childhood experience, which could have been joyful or possibly related to trauma.

There are things, though, that don’t nurture or feed our soul’s purpose. We need to let go of what no longer serves us, whether they’re thoughts, activities, or behaviors. For example, If you’re feeling uncomfortable with someone, consider letting that person go. Your soul is giving you a message. Maybe this individual is taking all the joy out of your life.

In his book The Art of Healing (2013), Bernie Siegel, M.D., says that he believes our soul’s purpose is to achieve the true balance we need to use our bodies and light to become soulful in our actions. He suggests that we think of ourselves as candles, with the flames reaching for the heavens in the hope that it connects with the Divine.

He suggests thinking of the wax and wick as our bodies, which help connect and ground us. While the candle burns, the flame consumes the wax, and its quality is determined by how pure the flame is. This candle, in fact, can illuminate our world by sharing its love and light.

If you’re at a crossroads in your life, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself some sacred or awakening questions that inspire transformation. Here are a few you might ask yourself, as they might be clues to your soul’s purpose:

• What am I good at?
• What part of my day is joyful?
• What brought me joy as a child?
• What in my life no longer serves me—emotionally, physically, and spiritually?
• Are there any synchronistic events that could be a clue to my soul’s purpose?
• Have I had any accidents that served as wake-up calls for me?
• Who are my role models and icons?
• What do I often teach others?
• What are my dreams and desires?
• How do I help others transform?
• If I had one year to live, what would I do?

Finding your soul’s purpose could be viewed as an investigative journey or a scavenger hunt. If you’re a spiritual seeker, then you’re already on this path. It’s important to be self-aware and alert to all possibilities. It’s about asking questions that bring you home to the place you were meant to be. Some people know early on what their soul’s purpose is, but for others, it takes time and experimentation.