Reconnect to Your Inner Wisdom & Manifest Your Soul's Purpose

I've recently been thinking a lot about dharma. Dharma, put very simply, means "each individual's duty, or life purpose, here on earth." Personally I believe that everyone's universal purpose in this life is to realize our highest Self and to come alive. That will look different for everyone. Our life work is to find our true calling and then actualize it in order to share that joy with the world.

I often catch myself looking at my son, wondering who he's going to be when he grows up. I'm excited to see where his passions and talents lie. I've promised myself that whatever it is he shows interest in, I'll create the space in our lives to explore and nurture it. I want my son to grow up connected to and trusting his intuition, which is what finding and manifesting our true calling comes down to.

As babies and young children, we had the luxury of living authentically without second guessing ourselves. We simply followed our calling toward joy. Somewhere along the way, we became bogged down by the fabricated materialized world, and we lost touch with that ability. Now we need to reclaim it. We need to find our joy and embrace it, build a life that supports our passions, dream big, love hard, and own ourselves. If we follow our intuition, we manifest our dharma. In other words, by reconnecting to our truest self we can live an authentic, fulfilled life of purpose and joy.

Here are a few ways to reconnect to your inner wisdom and manifest your life purpose:

• Turn inwards

We can learn a lot about ourselves by silencing or removing outside stimulus. Turning inwards means you take the time to be alone with no distractions. No screens. Turn off all electronic devices, don't check your email, don't use any social media platforms for a day. I know, I sound crazy. But do it! Detox yourself from the technology fog and get back to the tangible. Enjoy yourself. Read a (physical) book, meditate, take a bath, start a project, hang out in nature, whatever calls to you, really. Don't worry too much about planning what you'll do (or not do), let it unfold freely as you go along. If you can do this as often as even once a week, your mind will be clearer and you'll feel more connected to yourself as well as the real world happening around you.

• Go outside

Fresh air contains the free flow of the pure essence of life, also known as prana in yoga. We cultivate and strengthen prana within us during yoga practice, but we should incorporate this practice into our lives off the mat as well. So simple and yet so powerful; spend more time in fresh air. What's even better is if you can be minimally dressed and barefoot while dong it. Many of us trap our bodies in tight clothing and closed-toed shoes on a regular basis, which inhibits our body's ability to release toxins and circulate blood flow. By letting fresh air soak into your bare skin and grounding your feet into the earth each day, you're allowing the life force (prana) to interact with your body unrestricted. There are plenty of benefits, including the release of toxins, better circulation, stronger immune system, increased happiness, and mental clarity. Just to name a few. So go outside, take your shoes off, and breathe in the fresh air. Your mind-body- spirit will thank you.

• Move your body

Physical activity creates a stronger mind-body-spirit connection and will help you along the journey of embracing your authentic self. Exercise is a magnificent way to detox the body and mind. If you want to clear your mind, boost your energy, health, and your confidence, moving the body is imperative. There's just no way around it. Set aside time every day to be active, whether it's a yoga class, a bike ride, or dancing with friends. Get up and get in your body every day. Wake up your mind. The clarity and awareness we obtain from using our bodies helps us brighten our connection to our true nature and live life with our intuition taking lead.

By incorporating these simple activities into our lives regularly, we can start coming back to our roots, raising our consciousness and strengthening our intuition, so that we can live life joyfully, on purpose. Maybe you already are manifesting your passions and feel strongly connected to your intuition, and that's beautiful. I encourage you to still turn inwards, go outside, and move your body as much as possible. It'll only enrich your life and the lives around you. Of that I am sure.

For love, with love,

-E Photography Features YPS Yogini: Emily O'Brien |

Photography by: Captured Connections (Instagram @CapturedConnections)