An inspiring guide to finding your life’s purpose—what spiritual teachers call dharma—through mindfulness and self-exploration.   Stephen Cope says that in order to have a fulfilling life you must discover the deep purpose hidden at the very core of your self. The secret to unlocking this mystery, he asserts, can be found in the pages of a two-thousand-year-old spiritual classic called the Bhagavad Gita —an ancient allegory about the path to dharma, told through a timeless dialogue between the fabled archer, Arjuna, and his divine mentor, Krishna. Cope takes readers on a step-by-step tour of this revered tale and highlights well-known Western lives that embody its central principles—including such luminaries as Jane Goodall, Walt Whitman, Susan B. Anthony, John Keats, and Harriet Tubman, along with stories of ordinary people as well. If you’re feeling lost in your own life’s journey, The Great Work of Your Life may help you to find and to embrace your true calling. Praise for The Great Work of Your Life   “Keep a pen and paper handy as you read this remarkable book: It’s like an owner’s manual for the soul.” —Dani Shapiro, author of Devotion   “A masterwork . . . You’ll find inspiration in these pages. You’ll gain a better appreciation of divine guidance and perhaps even understand how you might better hear it in your own life.” — Yoga Journal   “I am moved and inspired by this book, the clarity and beauty of the lives lived in it, and the timeless dharma it teaches.” —Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart   “A rich source of contemplation and inspiration [that] encourages readers . . . to discover and fully pursue their inner self’s calling.” — Publishers Weekly   “Fabulous . . . If you have ever wondered what your purpose is, this book is a great guide to help you on your path.” —YogaHara “Keep a pen and paper handy as you read this remarkable book: It’s like an owner’s manual for the soul.” —Dani Shapiro, author of Devotion   “A masterwork . . . You’ll find inspiration in these pages. You’ll gain a better appreciation of divine guidance and perhaps even understand how you might better hear it in your own life.” — Yoga Journal   “I am moved and inspired by this book, the clarity and beauty of the lives lived in it, and the timeless dharma it teaches.” —Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart   “A rich source of contemplation and inspiration [that] encourages readers . . . to discover and fully pursue their inner self’s calling.” — Publishers Weekly   “Fabulous . . . If you have ever wondered what your purpose is, this book is a great guide to help you on your path.” —YogaHara “With ringing clarity, Cope gets his main point across: that seeking is all and that dharma will allow you to bear life’s suffering. . . . An engaging exploration into living fully.” — Kirkus Reviews   “ The Great Work of Your Life is itself a great work. This is a wonderfully passionate book about finding one’s true calling. The stories within are inspiring and moving. I believe it will be of great benefit to all who read it.” —Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness “One rarely thinks of a dharma book as a page-turner, but this one is indeed that. This is a great read and a great revitalizing breath of fresh air.” —Sylvia Boorstein, author of Happiness Is an Inside Job   “This is an important book—West and East informing each other. It was a joy to read.” —Natalie Goldberg, author of Old Friend from Far Away Stephen Cope has been for many years the Senior Scholar-in-residence at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts. He is the author of a number of bestselling books, including Yoga and the Quest for the True Self and The Wisdom of Yoga . One The Four Pillars of Dharma From the very beginning of the Bhagavad Gita we can see that it is going to be a teaching about dharma—­about sacred duty. Anybody can see that the first chapter is a device used by the author to set up the problem of vocation. How do we know, finally, to what actions we are called in this life? The author knows that we’ll identify with Arjuna’s dilemma: How do we choose between two difficult courses of action? What are the consequences of an inability to choose, or of choosing poorly? Who can effectively guide us in making these choices? Finally, in any ultimate sense, does it really matter what choices we make with our life? At the outset of this tale, the narrator describes Arjuna as paralyzed by doubt. He has come to a crossroads in his life, and is forced to choose between two difficult paths. And for the time being Arjuna has demurred. He is stuck on the floor of the chariot, unable to act at all. From the beginning, then, it is clear that the narrator sees Arjuna’s central affliction as the problem of doubt. For those of us who study the contemplative traditions, this is exciting. Something new! Until the wri