The goal of the Vedic sciences is to lead us to our intuition where we begin to trust our inner knowing. This gives us a platform to start from. When I began to study the Vedic sciences, I started with Ayurveda which means “science of life” One of my first lessons was that there are 4 goals all humans share. One of the four is happiness. Yes, there is a scientific formula for happiness! Once I connected to this there was no going back!
Dharma means soul purpose. This is a big one, we hear so much about finding our soul purpose, it has become a trend, but what I don’t hear too many people saying is that dharma also means duty. It’s true, soul purpose and dharma and duty all mean the same thing. And I know, it doesn’t sound so beautiful when it’s put like that, but I feel the need to shed light on all this talk of soul purpose, because it’s not a fluffy thing, it’s a commitment. And this was, for me, the missing piece of why I couldn’t connect with my dharma. I thought it was this magic button and when you find it and push it your life becomes easier, makes sense and everything just falls into place. Well, there is no magic button in that sense.
When you are to the point of seeking out your dharma, you will find that there is a gap between finding it and embracing it. In this gap, you have to decide to accept the duty you signed up for, or not. This is an agreement you made with your higher self, or God, or whatever name you choose to call your divine, about what you are going to do in this life. In this sense, dharma is a soul contract.
Once you become aware of your dharma, the magic begins to appear, you will experience synchronicities and new opportunities. While it does start to feel magical at this point, it can also feel confusing and disorganized. It can feel like it’s taking you off your current path, and it is. That can be scary, however, it is also a sign you’re on the right track and you may find yourself going in a very different direction.
Without accepting our dharma we cannot fully move into the next goal which is artha meaning prosperity and the one after that which is kama meaning, you guessed it, HAPPINESS! This is where true happiness lives and if you have gotten here through following these goals you will experience the magic of it! Happiness will permeate all aspects of your life and you will gain access to your innate power to design your best life. This all leads us to the final and ultimate goal moksha meaning liberation of the soul which is attained by fully living into each of the 4 goals.