Many of us, at some point or other, have pondered over the big question: what is life all about? What is its true purpose and meaning? We usually question life’s purpose whilst complaining about one thing or another and as we find ourselves struggling with a particular area or being challenged by a specific issue/event. We ask questions like: why is this happening to me? Why is the world so difficult? Why are there so many atrocities that go on in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? And on and on we go. But instead of asking these questions in a state of frustration and from a place of fear and other negative emotions, what if we ask these same questions from a different state, from a place of peace and harmony?
I have often found myself asking this same question. So what is life really all about? I truly believe that the purpose of life is EVOLUTION. Not in terms of the physical, biological evolution put forward by Charles Darwin in the 19th Century, but the evolution of human consciousness, the development and growth in present awareness/mindfulness. Some of the highest expressions of awareness and true consciousness are love, compassion and empathy. If you can activate these feelings in your own lives, you will be operating at the highest possible vibration of energy, in line with your higher self.
Today, we are witnessing more and more people experiencing an inner revolution. With the exponential growth and popularity of practices such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness, all of which are now mainstream practices in the western world, they are no longer considered as forming part of a simple new age movement reserved only for hippies; today, these practices are widely accepted as a channel for all those on a spiritual quest seeking to find meaning in and purpose to their lives. The inner revolution I’m referring to is the ability we have to explore the riches of love, compassion and self-awareness inherent within us all. Each and every one of us has the opportunity to evolve in consciousness. That’s what life is all about.
Your life journey then, your purpose, is about awakening to your true self. Every meditation, every act of love, every act of compassionate service to others is a step on this journey. Once you understand that you are already whole and complete, that there is no work to be done to become whole and complete, once you understand who you truly are, you can never lose sight of it. What’s it all about then cannot be defined verbally; it must be felt. In this realisation the true nature of yourself encompasses the wholeness of the universe and therefore any healing/transformation that takes place within you, takes place on a planetary level since there is no separation.
We all come into this physical plane whole and complete but over time we take on the judgements of others, of society and even our own self-criticism. Living up to the standards of other people means you are not serving your unique self; it means your life belongs to everyone else except you and living by someone else’s ideals and beliefs of life is draining all round. You give away your power and sense of self. So how do we awaken to our true selves?
First and foremost, know how to live in the present moment; in so doing you maintain your connection to universal energy which is pure, unbounded love. There are a number of practices I have tried over the years and the ones that have helped me move beyond the identification of the ego mind to experience my true spiritual self are yoga and meditation.
The Transformative Power of Yoga
The literal translation of the Sanskrit word ‘’yoga’’ means union; union with the source which is pure love, compassion and joy. Far from what many believe to be just another fitness fad, yoga has truly shown me how to fully integrate mind and body through the breath and has offered me a path into higher consciousness. It has taught me to let go and to practice present moment awareness, removing judgement and allowing me to connect to who I and who we truly are.
Being yourself is the one thing nobody can take from you. In accepting who you are, you access your own source of divine energy which is pure love, compassion, truth and empathy; it takes a life time to grow and expand our awareness but once we are conscious of the present moment, true transformation takes place. The inner and outer worlds become harmonised and just like a river, flow into the one great ocean of divine love. As the great English poet, William Blake, beautifully wrote in 1908:
‘’Awake! Awake!
O sleeper of the land of shadows,
Wake! Expand!
I am in you and you in me,
mutual in Love Divine’’
In love and light
Patrizia x
Patrizia Pisano 