What is Dharma?

Dharma is a new(ish) term for me. I first heard about it in a TV show called LOST. The writers of the show probably purposely picked that word as the name of the research projects name on the island. In the show DHARMA is an acronym for the “Department of Heuristic and Research on Material Applications” which, to me is closely related to the definition of Dharma. Dharma according to the all powerful wikipedia says it is the Law that “upholds, supports or maintains the regulatory order of the universe.” So DHARMA from Lost is doing research about the regulatory order fo the universe. It’s a match. But that is besides the point for this post.  

Dharma, as I have come to know about it, post LOST, is about finding what you are supposed to do with your life. Your ultimate career sort of say. I just finished reading a friends blog about dharma. It starts by telling about a story of an older man doing his dharma, and being so genuinely happy. He has found his Dharma.  

I have no arguments about Dharma and I think everyone should seek to find their own. Because once you find it, you are said to be happy and contributing to the universe in positive ways. Who does not want that. To be happy is great all by itself, but to add to the positivity in our world and to contribute to the upward spiral is also greatly needed.  

My issue, or maybe it is just a question, how many people in this world of ours are actually doing their dharma? If they are, do they know it?  

As I said, Dharma to me is a new term, I went through high school and two university degrees and never heard that term. Not one class talked about finding ones dharma. This is probably a good topic to talk about in my grade 10 calm class, which was supposed to help us find who we are and what direction we wanted to go post high school. But no, I didn’t hear this term until I entered the world of Yoga. Sure it’s sanscrit and I see that connection between dharma and yoga, but the concept of dharma was still new to me.  

Now I know a few yoga teacher that say they have found their dharma. That is great! The owner of a studio I teach at tells me I have found my dharma almost every time she leaves my class. So maybe I have found mine, or in my mind least I am very close but know I can do more to help the globe we live on. But why is it only yogis talking about dharma?  

We as a family of people living on this earth should be talking about finding our personal dharma. Imagine, if everyone is doing what they are supposed to, so everyone is contributing and adding to the upward spiral of the universe. Would we be free from war, poverty or sickness? Imagine, if we all find that one role we each are supposed to play during our time on this earth and we actually get to do it, that our whole passion and love is funnelled into. What would our world look like? If people could follow their passions instead of follow a paycheque for greed.  

That sounds very socialist and not the direction I want to head into. All I am thinking, is this idea of dharma should be mainstream and not stuck in this “yoga world.” The few that I personally know who are doing their dharma are successful and happy. They are living in their means and appear to be living with minimal stress and adding to the positive vibes of the universe.