Did you know that Ayurveda and Yoga can help you live your soul’s purpose? Dharma is translated to “duty” or “action in light of awareness” from Sanskrit, and it holds meaning behind the concept of our soul’s purpose.
There are many different paths to discover this internal knowing of our Dharma, as we all have unique gifts and desires. The path of Yoga, a science founded by Patanjali, is one philosophy behind Ayurveda that provides a practical guide to uniting our lower self with our Higher self and understanding our Purusha, pure soul. This system of Yoga involves a series of methods for expanding our consciousness, with the final stage being liberation, from all suffering, attachments, and distractions that may cloud our Purusha. This final stage is called Samadhi, meaning balance of the body, mind and consciousness. Samadhi is translated literally to “balanced cognition,” with “sama” meaning balance and “dhi” meaning intellect.
Knowing of Samadhi is important for understanding that reaching a high level of consciousness is possible for human beings, when the effort is put forth. The process of Yoga involves distinguishing the soul from the mind and body. Purusha is the changeless soul within all of us, it’s beneath all of the thoughts of our fluctuating minds, it is the awareness, the truth in our consciousness. Purusha’s awareness of the world is based on the intellect’s depiction of the external. The way we perceive the world when we are attached to objects, ideas, disease, health, peacefulness, distress, thoughts of the past or future, causes a mistake of the intellect. Our intellect can disrupt the presence of Purusha or lay the foundations for the pure soul to move forward. Yoga and Ayurveda provide a path that aims to prevent the Purusha from being clouded by misidentifications, allowing us to channel our soul in its most natural state.
Understanding that a state of Samadhi is possible for human awareness to channel shows us that it’s our responsibility to take an initiative in our inner world. As more people are able to understand themselves, their pure soul, and the ways that their soul is called to serve in this world (through careers, relationships, etc.) the sphere’s of peaceful consciousness will expand, weaving into a community grounded in awareness of what is needed most for the right evolution of this world. This is where Dharma and liberation comes into action. Living your Dharma and experiencing a life of liberation involves overcoming every fear within your body and learning the capacities of your mind. This process is made simpler with the Eight Limbs of Yoga, sequential steps that involve aligning your mind with your values and actions. Living our soul’s purpose requires us to be quiet enough to listen, mindful enough to follow, passionate enough to take action, and grounded enough to be consistent with that action.
We do not need to be in a state of perfect Samadhi to live our Dharma, but knowing that it is possible and that there are steps we can take to push the limitations of our mind, sets us up for a life of liberation. Remember: you are not fear you are the witness of fear, you are not anger you are the witness of anger, you are not sadness you are the witness of sadness. Conversely, you are not peace and you are not happiness, you are still the awareness around it–this is detachment. Love and joy without attachment are pure and liberating in this state:)
May you envision and embody your highest purpose in this life.
If you’re interested in learning about the prior seven limbs of yoga, look into our articles:
7th limb-Meditation for your Dosha: Dhyana
6th limb–Tips for Concentration: Dharana
5th limb–Happy Mind, Healthy Soul: Pratyahara
4th limb–Awakening Energy with the Breath: Pranayama
3rd limb–The Power of Posture: Asana
2nd limb–Yoga’s Guide to Self Discipline and Spiritual Practice: Niyamas
1st limb–Yoga’s Ethical Guide for Social Conduct: The Yamas
References
Frawley, David. Yoga and Ayurveda. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Lotus Press. 1999.
Bryant, Edwin. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. 1st Edition. North Point Press, 2009.
Lad, Vasant. Textbook of Ayurveda Fundamental Principles. 1st Edition. The Ayurvedic Press, 2002
Rose, Sahara. Discover Your Dharma: A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose. 1st Edition. Chronicle Prism, 2021.
Article by Kaylee Vinson
Published 4/15/2025
