Sound Reiki: Are You Searching for Your Life Purpose?

Searching for one’s life purpose can be a daunting task, and some of us make it unnecessarily difficult.

Some years ago, I embarked on a search for “my life purpose.” I had no clue what my “purpose” might be, only a vague idea that, to be worthwhile, it must be something monumental that would impact hordes of people, and incidentally, bring me the recognition I thought necessary to validate my worth as a person.

Seeking advice on the issue, a wise friend suggested the best way to discover my life purpose was to be in nature and to engage in activities that gave me pleasure. This seemed too easy. How could it be worthwhile if it wasn’t difficult? Besides, I was hoping for a clear, “Do this!”, rather than what seemed to me rather vague directives. I continued to seek advice from others. Another person I spoke with suggested I learn Reiki and become a healer. Ah, here was a clear directive! At that point I had never heard the word Reiki, and I dismissed the advice out-of-hand. “I have NO interest in anything like that!”, I responded emphatically, thinking that speaking with this person had been a waste of time. My search continued, blinders intact.

Some time passed before a friend mentioned to me that she had taken a wonderful class and that both her physical and mental health had improved as a result. “Oh,” I said, my interest piqued, “what class was that?” It was Reiki. I took my first Reiki class from a wonderful teacher and mentor, Tom Tessereau at The Healing Arts Center in St. Louis. My plan was to use Reiki for self-improvement while I continued the search for my purpose.

Still seeking, I moved to Seattle in 2002. A new friend was in distress, and I offered to give her a Reiki treatment. After the session, she said, “You’ve got to do more of this!” Well, I thought, maybe this is something I can do while I’m finding MY PURPOSE. (Some of us are slow learners.)

As I began a formal Reiki practice, it slowly became clear to me that Reiki is a large part of my purpose, and for the last 17 years, my life has been dedicated not only to the practice and teaching of Reiki but to the daily commitment of living Reiki. To me, this means being my authentic self and living the principles of Reiki as fully as I possibly can every day.

When I read the following “Wednesday Inspiration” email message from Krysta Gibson, publisher of New Spirit Journal, I laughed aloud at the memory of my own search for purpose. I wish I had had her wisdom all those years ago. Whether you are searching for your life purpose or believe you have found it, I think you will find her words inspiring. The following is reprinted with her permission.

What is Your Life Purpose?

Krysta Gibson, publisher, New Spirit Journal
“Wednesday Inspiration” (email message, January 20, 2019)

Recently, I’ve had several conversations with people about having a life purpose. I notice this topic is showing up more frequently in books as well. When people ask me about their life purpose, here’s what I say:

Your life purpose is to be YOU as fully as you possibly can 100% of the time!

When most people hear the words life purpose, they think of their work or career. Most of the time we think our life purpose is to help counsel and heal people, write books or music, be a teacher, hold some sort of political office, or somehow make a big splash in the outer world.

For some people, their life purpose might include some of those things. For most of us, our life purpose plays out in very mundane and daily ways.We’ve all heard that the point of power is the present moment. We’ve all heard that being in the now is the most important thing we can do. Why is this? Because when we are in the present moment, whatever that moment might offer, we are being invited to live our life purpose.

How? By being totally ourselves, by being loving, and kind, and respectful. I went to the grocery store this morning. I wasn’t sitting here at my computer writing this article that I hope will inspire you, my readers. Was I living my life purpose any less in the grocery store? No, I wasn’t. At that moment, my life purpose was to be a shopper in that grocery store and to do it to the best of my ability, especially when the same woman kept blocking me with her cart every time I reached for something. My life purpose was to practice patience and to be gracious even though one part of me wanted to shove her cart with my cart!

Once we can experience our life purpose this way, it removes a lot of pressure. Yes, we might still write books, teach classes, run for office, raise our children, deliver mail—whatever our career might be at the moment. But by learning who we are and living who we are, we’re truly living our life purpose and will have a huge impact on the world even though we might not know how that comes about!

Relax. Be the best YOU possible and if there is some bigger calling coming your way, you’ll be poised to engage that process magnificently.

Related Post: Reiki, A Way of Living

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©2019 Marianne Streich, Reiki for Living. All rights reserved. For reposting permission, contact Marianne.

Marianne is a Seattle-Area Reiki Master Teacher and Practitioner. She is the author of Reiki: A Guide for the Practice of Levels I and II. See her current class schedule.