The Great Work of Your Life

Discover the deep purpose hidden at the very core of your being

To know your true callingΓÇöyour dharma, as the yogis sayΓÇöis perhaps the greatest desire within each of us. And yet, few can say we know our purpose with absolute certainty. Fortunately, there is a time-tested guideΓÇöan ancient mapΓÇöfor discovering and fulfilling your unique calling. In The Great Work of Your Life, Stephen Cope walks you through each step of the journey.

Cope teaches that the secrets to unlocking the mystery of your dharma can be found in the spiritual classic, the Bhagavad GitaΓÇöa timeless tale about the path to dharma, told through an instructive dialogue between the fabled archer Arjuna and his divine mentor, Krishna. In The Great Work of Your Life, Cope uses ArjunaΓÇÖs journey as a framework for each of us to discover our own dharma, masterfully weaving together stories of both well-known and ordinary Western lives.

Throughout the book, Cope explores the "Four Pillars of Dharma," or the stages we move through as we fulfill our own true callings. Each pillar is illustrated with riveting true stories, including:Jane GoodallΓÇÖs ability to follow her heart without question
ΓÇó The little-known tale of Walt WhitmanΓÇÖs dharma discovery in the second half of life
ΓÇó How living your purpose can be like training for the Olympics in the story of Susan B. Anthony
ΓÇó Ludwig van BeethovenΓÇÖs triumphs over childhood abuse, depression, and going deaf
ΓÇó GandhiΓÇÖs transformation from tongue-tied youth to leader of the Indian independence movement
ΓÇó Understanding how divine guidance works with the life of Harriet Tubman
ΓÇó Additional insights and tales from the lives of both famous luminaries and everyday people
"We feel the happiest and most fulfilled when we bring highly concentrated effort to our true calling," teaches Cope. Moving and inspiring, The Great Work of Your Life is a call to action and step-by-step guide for each of us to discover and embrace our dharma.