A Higher Purpose
Personal growth and recovery do not happen by accident but as a byproduct of intentional living. A life of recovery is a life that is lived on purpose, mindful of our moment-to-moment intentions. Growth occurs by making a conscious commitment to living for a higher purpose.
As humans, we have spiritual needs for meaning, purpose and the sense of being a part something greater than ourselves. We do not live merely to exist and have a series of pleasurable experiences. We also have needs to contribute, to serve, to fix things and to create. We have a need to love.
A Zen master once asked me, ‘Why do you eat?” I replied that I eat to sustain my body. I then asked him why he ate. He smiled at me with twinkling eyes and said, “I eat for you.”
We each need to ask ourselves why we eat. What are our goals, our intentions? What are our purposes?
Surely we all strive to survive. That’s the ego’s job. As social animals, we strive to be included and valued by others. We may also strive for pleasure, comfort, or power. Everyone wants to make a certain amount of money at least to survive, yet some people strive to make as much money as possible so that they can consume as much as possible, have as much status and prestige as possible, or have as much comfort and convenience as possible. Their purpose is to ease an inner dis-ease. This dis-ease could be a sense of emptiness, a lack of meaning, boredom, or a sense of deficiency. Usually it’s a deficiency of love.
At the root of all ego-led drives is fear — fear of discomfort, rejection, loss, or failure. When we are enslaved by fear rather than being informed by fear, our purpose in life becomes restricted to serving our fear-driven ego without regard for the greater life of which we are a part. We become selfish and self-serving. Our fear snuffs out our love.
A well mind is a mind that is fear-informed but not fear-enslaved. A well mind lives out of love. Then we can live for a higher purpose that is greater than we are. When our purpose is to love, then we are fulfilling Life’s mandate that we nurture Life.
How do we move from fear to love so that we can live for our higher purpose?
I recommend the following practices.
· At the start of each day, reflect on a higher purpose. Consider what specific actions are to be taken in the day ahead to fulfill that purpose.
· Acknowledge and address various fears. Awareness and acceptance are the keys to change and growth.
· Be very mindful of intentions throughout the day.
We must be radically honest with ourselves. Why are we doing what we’re doing or saying what we’re saying? If you’re serving a necessary survival purpose, such as working to make money, that’s fine. Consider whether you are also serving a higher purpose.
Ultimately living life out of love — for a higher purpose — is what fulfills us and gives us the capacity to savor life. Living for a higher purpose promotes healing, recovery and growth.
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Dr Michael McGee
drmichaelmcgee.com
