A step on the Pathway of Service.

If you've been around the self-improvement community, you know that a lot is made of one's life purpose, and how you need to follow your heart to find fulfilment, health and happiness. As a result, lots of people spend years tying themselves in knots trying to work out what that life purpose is. I know, because I'm one of those people.

But I've come to the conclusion that that's not really how it works. I don't think our life's purpose is very well defined, or that we can find it by thinking about it a lot. Purpose is born when we find a need in the world, and when we apply our talents, whatever they are, for the sake of that need. When you find yourself in a dire and urgent situation, you will be forced to draw on your inner resources and shine.

Take my friend Lucas. He is a very quiet man. He works night shifts in a warehouse for a living. For years, he followed his own path of shamanic spirituality, learning what he could and sharing the odd insight on his blog. He went on courses and was a member of pagan communities, but he'd never be one to stand out.

Then the fracking issue landed literally on his doorstep. He found out that a fracking well was planned for a field just around the corner from his house. He had been concerned about the issue before, but now it had come very close and got very urgent. Lucas knew he had to step up and do something.

All on his own, he sought out public information meetings in his area. They tended to be very hard to find. Hardly anyone knew they were happening, and if by chance Lucas got hold of the day and location, he had to go and seek them out in a small room in the far corner of a dark building. On one occasion, he didn't manage to find the meeting at all. On another, he found some allies.

Lucas started to leaflet his community about the fracking well that was coming to his neighbourhood. He stuffed pieces of paper into letter boxes to get the information out to people. Eventually, he got noticed by the local media, who printed his words of objection. People started to take an interest and soon Lucas found himself a leader of a small tribe of concerned citizens.

And then, when an actual fracking test went ahead in another field in his region, he found himself leading a public Druid ritual to start off the protest campaign there. Under his guidance, the people present asked for the assistance of the Elements and the Ancestors in their efforts to protect the land.

Lucas would never spontaneously have volunteered for any of this. But he saw a dire need, and it gave him the opportunity to shed his inhibitions and his fears. He was able to stand up and be a leader and priest for a cause he passionately cares about.

This one man's inspiring example just goes to show that anyone can rise to a challenge in ways that they'd never normally dream of. When something stirs our passions, we find resources inside ourselves we barely knew were there.

By anyone, I mean you. The world is full of injustices. You only have to click over to your favourite news site or listen to the morning news. The wrongs of this world flood us every day. Is there one close enough to your heart to get you exercised? Is there one close enough to your home and loved ones to make you take a stand?

If so, please do. The world needs you. And who knows what gifts and strengths you will discover. Who knows what parts of you are destined to shine in service of Life and all our relations.