Do Your Duty in Life

(Sva-Dharma)

Working on Dharma:

1. Read the 18 items below and mark the 2 or 3 that are most important to you now. Work from the heart and be honest with yourself.

2. Put two ratings on the scale below:

a. Put an N where you are now (the extent you are currently

following your dharma – living by your inner truth)

b. Put an F (Future) where you want your next year’s rating.

1--------2--------3--------4--------5--------6--------7--------8--------9

Not at All Rarely Occasionally Frequently Almost Always

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“One’s responsibilities of life should be taken seriously…

____1) Your sva-dharma, (personal duty in life) is often defined too narrowly as your life work or professional role.

____2) View it instead from a much higher level, as your duty to your Highest Self, Atma.

____3) At that level, sva-dharma is not just your worldly role, it is Atma-dharma, your duty to Atma, to the Divinity in yourself!

____4) At this ultrahigh level of duty, you never do anything that is contrary to the True Self.

____5) Live by your Inner Truth (which is the Divinity within) as this is the core essence of sva-dharma.

____6) Even if you use a narrower definition of sva-dharma and consider it to be your worldly role or profession, you must still be true to it.

____7) Life is a battle between good and evil.

____8) The battle of life is a chance for you to fight for righteousness; this is your opportune moment!

____9) You must not hesitate in your duties.

___ 10) For a spiritual warrior, fighting evil, greed, hate, cruelty, and jealousy is the highest duty!

____11) If you do not fight the battle against evil, you will fail in both your worldly duty and your sva-dharma – your duty to your highest Self!

____12) Not doing the right thing when required is worse than doing the wrong thing.

____ 13) Your very nature dictates that you perform the duties attuned to your disposition. This is what your dharma is – your natural calling.

____ 14) Doing the duties called for by your life obligations requires less effort, and this releases consciousness that can be directed Godward.

____15) One is not different from one’s nature, and is obligated to act in conformity with it.

____16) You yourself created your nature – the tendencies that bind you now. This is the law of karma, which is stronger than your ego.

____17) If, in your delusion you think that you will not

do your duties, your nature will force you to.

____18) Following your own nature is the only way to

work out your karma."

Hold the conviction that all actions are in the Divine One’s hands; live your life as the willing instrument of God." – Krishna

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