“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — Pablo Picasso
Every soul incarnates with a unique purpose, and life itself is a journey of becoming who you truly are. Yet, from an early age, societal conditioning often obscures the soul’s inner calling, leading to discontent and unhappiness.
The Oracle of Delphi, inscribed at the Temple of Apollo, imparted the timeless wisdom: “Know Thyself.” This maxim reminds us that true purpose and wisdom emerge through deep self-reflection—by peeling away illusions, pretenses, and the false identities imposed by the world, we uncover our authentic essence.
Several sages have expanded on the maxim of Delphi by adding: “Know who you are not”, aligning with the practice of Neti Neti (“not this, not that”) in Advaita Vedanta, a Hindu philosophy. It seeks to understand the self by negating all that is not the true self. Perceiving the divine comes after self-reflection of “knowing thyself” and then “knowing who you are not”. The Islamic hadith states, “He who knows himself knows his Lord.”
From early childhood, we are subtly shaped by influences that can obscure our true nature and pull us away from our unique path in life. The hidden traps come in the form of societal norms, expectations, and fears.
Social Conditioning & External Expectations
- From early childhood, we absorb the values, beliefs, and expectations of the family we were born into. Parents often make the mistake of carving out a career path for their child without sensing its deeper yearning. Many realize only later in life that the ladder has been placed against the wrong wall. This often occurs during a midlife crisis.
Self-Deception & Ego
- Through self-talk, we often construct identities based on what we want in life rather than who we truly are. Uncomfortable truths are avoided with the ego protecting itself with rational justifications. The mind creates stories, but identifying too much with them keeps us trapped in illusions.
Fear of Change or Truth
- Human beings are creatures of habit. Making fundamental changes like creating distance to family members or friends pulling us down to a lower vibrational level requires brave decisions and honest self-reflection.
Seeking Validation from Others
- When we rely on external approval, we shape our identity based on how others perceive us rather than our own inner truth. Social media amplifies certain images of “success” and “happiness” mostly by encouraging consumerism.
Finding Stillness
To truly discover who you are, you must create space for stillness. In quiet moments, especially in nature, your senses open to the whispers of the soul. Here, you can seek guidance from God, a higher intelligence, or your higher self. Yet, these answers can only reach your heart when you free yourself from the endless noise of external distractions.
Without solitude, self-awareness remains shallow. Cultivating a meditation practice can help deepen your connection to your inner self. There is no single perfect way to meditate—it might be sitting in stillness, walking mindfully in nature, listening to spiritual music, or engaging in slow, flowing movements like Tai Chi or Qi Gong. The key is to find what brings you into presence and alignment with your true essence and purpose.
Reino Gevers – Author – Mentor – Speaker
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