The deep need for a sense of purpose and calling for a highly sensitive person
A common experience I find with highly sensitive people is often a sense of feeling lost in terms of their life purpose. It usually begins to surface once the chronic anxiety and overwhelm shifts in sessions. As they are not operating in survival mode, but now have the energy and capacity to not only reflect on their lives but take action. So the question arises, what am I doing with my life? What is my calling or purpose in the world?
Now you may think, surely everyone asks this question - but not to the extent that HSP’s do I find. This feeling of an absence of a deeper sense of purpose or a calling can gnaw at a HSP causing them to have sleepless nights, or feel distracted / intense and this can fuel anxiety and depression. These are the reasons why I believe there is this driven need...
Deep sense of connection
As HSP’s we have a strong connection with the subtle realms, we are highly sensitive receivers of ‘vibrations’ and information coming in from the world - albeit unconsciously. With this connection to these under currents it is natural for us to be swimming in the depths of cosmic experience so therefore crave to have: a deep sense of belonging, deep connections with others, deep meaning in our work.
Our senses do not swim in the shallows, so in mundane life if we do not feel in connection to:-
the subtle realms around us, or
our greater sense of purpose, or
in communication with our guides in life, or
understood by loved ones in a deep or meaningful way
- this can lead to feeling depressed. However actually the world around you is alive and conscious, you sense this, you know this, your soul knows this but when you are disconnected from the truth of this deep connection with life you are cut off from yourself also.
In Practice
Begin to practice consciously connecting to the subtle world around you; feel the emotion in the colour of a painting, listen to the trees as they whisper and communicate with you, hold a herb and notice how your energy field shifts in response to its medicine, tune into the stars and sense their consciousness connect with yours. To practice, be still, you may close your eyes, tune into your focus and with listening awareness, see what you feel, be curious and open. With time and practice what you sense will become stronger.
Feeling lost in ‘normality’
For many HSP’s being in the world does not felt easy. We may have felt left behind struggling with anxiety or overwhelm, like we're failing at ‘life’ compared to others or feeling like we don’t fit or something is wrong with us as it doesn’t feel easy. We haven’t yet learnt to harness the secret power of our sensitivity and all the incredible intuitive information we can perceive. However with some level of training or practice (sensing thoughts, feelings, energy fields etc) we can begin to connect in a way that feels inspired or aligned for us so that we can contribute to the world.
Our path often lays off the beaten track as we hone our sensitivity skills so we can… communicate with animals, channel angels or ancestors in our work, use your intuitive insight as a therapist or intuitive hunch in diagnosis as a nurse, working in plant medicine as a healer, creating healing sound baths, channelling knowledge the world needs in blogs or books… and so on.
In Practice
If you are feeling lost, begin by seeking out inspiration. Let your curiosity lead. Pick up some books you might not normally read but which you feel drawn too. Read up on different areas that interest you then see what draws you deeper. Allow your knowledge base to expand. Learn from different teachers on Youtube and podcasts. Give yourself permission to explore topics off the beaten path. Listen to your intuitive nudges.
You might find multiple ‘languages’ that speak to you - wicca, shamanism, cycle wisdom, embodied dance, mystic religious traditions, energy work practices etc. This process is an act of self discovery to learn what resonates with us, even if in part but it's not the whole picture to help you find your sense of place - within yourself as well as in the world.
Sense of a deeper purpose and unfulfilled potential
As HSP’s we can have a sense of lack when it comes to fulfilling our ‘true potential’ - like something is missing and we haven’t grown to the extent that is possible. We may feel regret for time lost in our careers even - perhaps because of being stuck in healing crisis mode or at a drift in the world or changing directions or not completing courses. You might feel you haven’t landed in your ‘true calling’ and there is this itching feeling of possibility within you - that there is more to do in the world.
This is common for HSP’s and is often a sign that you’re not using your gifts of sensitivity to their full extent in a ‘home’ that feels right for you. Often this sense of place or fulfillment of a ‘calling’ brings together a blend of:
your unique trained gifts of sensitivity
wisdom of our own personal life experience
our philosophical perspective on the world
our personality traits and personal areas of interest or inspiration
This combination can give a true articulation of your own personal strengths and wisdom, your gifts to the world in a way that feels inspiring to you which can give you a deep sense of satisfaction and meaningful purpose.
In Practice
Set an intention, to find a meaningful purpose filled job and focus on that desire - even if you don’t know what it looks like yet. I will give you an example: my deep sense of purpose is linked to transformation, I have always had a ‘strong heartfelt wish to experience personal transformation and to facilitate that in healing for others’ I didn’t know how but that's what I was calling for. Once you feel anchored in this feeling, begin to look for ‘signs’ coming your way - words that stand out in an article or jump out at you in a podcast, two or three people mentioning the same healer or healing practice in a week. We are being helped and supported, we just need to look out for the subtle messages and direction coming to us, then take action and follow the thread.
Trusting a process
Not everyone's calling is a bolt out of the blue - in fact that is truly the exception not the rule! Although Lynne Twist gives an interesting account of a dramatic shift in career through a series of visions on the Red School Podcast which is an interesting listen. For most however it is a gradual process of self discovery, unveiling and exploration. An unfolding over time which requires trust in the process and patience to stay with the shifting sands of integration and change which might feel frustrating. But we can help ourselves by following our interests, be that…the arts, being with animals, working with children, connecting with nature or plants or crystals etc - as we are exploring different directions and possibilities. Remember if we think ‘it’s not possible to know what to do then ‘Abracadabra’ and this negative perspective is achieved! and we close the door on a new direction. Stay open, stay positive and believe your calling is coming.
In Practice
Trust in the process, notice how far you have come already. Acknowledge how much you have learnt and grown as a person. It can be easy to forget just how much we have changed, even if there are areas where we still feel stuck. The truth is sometimes there are some experiences that are to come that we are unaware of that are going to significantly influence our journey and become part of our calling - but it hasn't happened yet! We can also have blind spots to aspects of ourselves that require healing or development, a journey of transformation that's yet to take place before we step out into the world in a particular role for example. This is part of the mystery of life and our journey - often it only becomes clear once we look back.
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