Finding our Purpose and Dharma during Difficult Times (feat. Stephen Cope)
At some point in our life, we all go through difficult times when we experience pain, disappointments and loss. These experiences can have a profound impact on us, for better or worse.
According to my guest, Stephen Cope, crises does not have to derail us. It can be the very thing that can help us find our purpose and step forward as our best selves.
This is the central theme of his new book “Dharma in Difficult Times.”
Stephen Cope is a psychotherapist, Kripalu Yoga teacher, scholar and best-selling author of several books on yoga and meditation. He is the founder of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living in Stockbridge, Massachusetts—the largest center for the study and practice of yoga in the Western world. Yoga Journal named him one of the most influential thinkers, writers, and teachers on the current American yoga scene.
In this episode, Stephen offers his insight into how we can identify purpose as we find our way through our darkest times. He explains what it means to find our Dharma using examples from his own life and the lives and teachings of some famous figures from history.
Interview time stamps:
02:52 ︳Stephen talks about his journey of discovering his dharma
11:00 ︳The different ways that we can discover our dharma and purpose
15:30 ︳The commonalities that the characters in his book share and what we can learn from them
20:46 ︳Stephen offers suggestions on how we can cope in times of challenges
28:14 ︳Why personal fulfillment and the common good must arise together
33:11 ︳How to cultivate compassion and use our own unique gifts to make a difference
Learn more about Stephen Cope and his new book at his website.