Sometime ago I learned that Oprah Winfrey’s prayer for her life has always been this; “Use me, God. Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a purpose greater than myself.”
If you find the word ‘prayer’ has too many religious overtones for you, use the phrase ‘life purpose or intention’. In essence, they’re much the same and at its core, what Oprah has been asking for is this; for the force or forces that move the tides and the moon and keep the sun orbiting around the earth, to move through her in a way which is beneficial to others.
Through the welcoming of this enormous life force, powers of communication and abundance, of expansion and understanding, of wisdom and knowledge, have all been expressed through her.
As far as prayers go, it’s not small and Oprah’s life has reflected this. She is a living exemplar of what might be achieved when a person puts out such a prayer and then trusts the direction in which that takes them.
For my own life, my prayer has been this; Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu. It’s a Sanskrit mantra drawn from the yogic tradition and translated, it means;
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life,
contribute in some way to that freedom and happiness for all.
I came across this mantra when I started practicing yoga but in truth, my whole life had been geared toward happiness and freedom, not just for myself, but for others. My work in public policy and social justice was motivated by precisely this intention, as was the volunteer work I’ve done over the years. Dakini Grace is the next incarnation of this purpose.
Different fora, different people, different actions and ideas and yet throughout, the same purpose.
Each time I reflect on this, it affirms for me something that is very important; we’re all living our life’s prayer or intention.
Even when it is unclear to us, in truth, we cannot escape it.
We are it.
For me, this realisation brings with it a deep sense of relief. There’s a comfort in knowing that even if people don’t yet understand their deeper purpose for living they can rest in the assurance that they’re naturally drawn to expressing it, in every moment.
Then, for those that are willing, there’s an invitation to dive more deeply – with conscious awareness – into their life purpose and to dance with it.
Oprah didn’t become the woman she is today without regularly evoking her prayer. She consciously engaged with it on a daily basis. To this, she added some key ingredients; humility, trust and surrender.
How do I know this? I know by her choice of words, ‘use me’. This is not a prayer which says, ‘I’ve got it all sorted, I know what I want, please bring it to me.’ Such prayers are a reflection of emotional and spiritual immaturity. This is the prayer of a humble and deeply reverential woman. A woman who knows that she doesn’t have all the answers and who is willing to express her vulnerability on a daily basis by asking for help.
So, what about your own life purpose? Below are some exploratory tips for those looking to dive in:
1. Become aware of repeating threads
Your life purpose is easily found when you bring your attention not to what you’d like to be your life purpose, but to what you can see moving through you.
It’s happening as naturally as breathing. It’s the constant thread which, upon reflection, has always been there, informing your every breath.
Take a moment to think back on the decisions you’ve made in your life, on your motivations for taking action.
For me the theme was always this; I always wanted to contribute, to have a big, meaningful life where, at the end of my time, I could confidently say I had made a difference. That the world was a better place because I had lived.
I expressed this in many different ways but the motivation was always the same and eventually I realised that all roads were leading to the same destination; the desire for all beings to be happy and free.
What are your repeating threads/hints/pointers? Is there some way in which the myriad of words and ways of expressing ideas are in fact, pointing to the same thing?
2. Notice the comments others make
If you’re still in the dark, rather than asking others, simply notice what friends and family – people who know you and love you – say about your life. At my wedding, my father made a speech during which he said this; ‘The thing about Sam is that she is a glass half full type of person. But she doesn’t just see and want that for herself, she wants everyone around her to experience that too.’
That was a light bulb moment for me. A moment where I knew that my desire for all to be happy and free wasn’t something I was simply hoping might happen, but instead, was already finding some form of expression through me.
Often this sort of clue arrives almost as a throw away line by a loved one – so used are they to seeing that as part of who you are. Often the clue arrives in words that you might not necessarily use yourself.
So listen closely.
3. Sit quietly and ask
If you’re still unsure, sit quietly and simply ask to be shown your life purpose.
Just ask.
Then notice what shows up. Keep a journal that week of your experiences – what happens to you, what people say to you. These are all clues. Beware not to filter anything. Just collect the raw data and do the editing later.
It’s so easy to think ‘oh that’s not it, or that’s not relevant’ or to assume that information must be presented like lightning bolts from the sky into order to be ‘the real thing’.
In truth, your soul, your spirit doesn’t communicate with you in this way. It uses the day to day experiences in which you find yourself. It reveals itself in what you observe as you sit in a cafe or walk along the street. The only question is; are you paying attention?
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At the point of becoming aware of your life purpose, you become a powerful conduit. Rather than random, unintentional articulations of your life purpose, you become a conscious co-creator. You begin to draw the life force through you as an expression of something much greater than yourself. And from that place, the dream for your life can start to be expressed in extraordinary ways, in ways you could never imagine. Just ask Oprah!
So, I’d love to hear from you; what is your life purpose, prayer or intention?
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