The Return by Rene Magritte
by Barrie
“The higher nature in man always seeks for something which transcends itself and yet is its deepest truth; which claims all its sacrifice, yet makes this sacrifice its own recompense. This is man’s dharma, man’s religion, and man’s self is the vessel.” — Rabindranath Tagore
Every spring for several years now, one of the trees in our front yard becomes home to a family of turtle doves.
Every morning, without fail these days, I watch from the window as the adult birds fly down from the tree to find food for their hatchlings, and then fly back up to deliver it to them. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth they go, so resolutely fulfilling their responsibility as parents to feed and nurture their babies.
To me, this is a great lesson about the power of dharma.
Dharma is a Sanskrit word that means sacred duty or righteous action. It is the principle that each of us, and everything in nature, has specific and essential roles to play in upholding and contributing to the harmony of the whole. As Edwin Bryant says in Bhakti Yoga: Tales and Teachings from the Bhagavata Purana:
“The term dharma in social contexts refers to duty—the everyday obligations incumbent on any form of familial and civic life.”
Seeing your actions through the lens of dharma is powerful way to bring the spirit of yoga off the mat and into your daily life.
Whether you are parent taking care of your child, an adult child helping an elderly parent, a homeowner attending to the upkeep of your house, or whatever else your everyday tasks entail, they can become spiritually fulfilling when understood in the context of dharma.
You can recognize that even mundane activities are part of the roles and associated responsibilities you’ve been entrusted with at this time in your life. You become aware of how your actions contribute to larger picture of your life, the lives of your loved ones, and perhaps your community as well.
In the most expansive sense, you understand that all beings are part an interconnected web of existence and that we each have our specific roles to play as part of that. Therefore, our actions aren’t only for ourselves. They also impact, in some way, the harmony of the whole.
You can try this out today with whatever you have on your to-do list. See how the perspective of dharma can infuse your daily actions with a sense of meaningful connection and deeper purpose, elevating the ordinary to the realm of the sacred.
Download Barrie’s free Guide to Home Yoga Practice right here. Learn more about her book Evolving Your Yoga: Ten Principles for Enlightened Practice and her online classes at www.barrierisman.com.
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Interesting article, this is the first time I have heard of Dharma. I am a beginning yogi, and still have much to learn. But it sounds like Dharma is a special responsibility that people hold themselves to, to enrich their meaning and way of living. I enjoyed reading about the parent birds responsibility to their hatchlings. What a cute story, thanks for sharing.