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february / march 2018yogajournal.com.sgis practicing moksha. “You are as
free as you experience yourself to
be,” says Brooks.Balancing Act
The key to working with the
purusharthas paradigm is to
constantly examine not only
the essential concepts and their
role in your life, but also how
well balanced they are. Are you
working so hard to put your kids
through school that your life feels
like an endless grind? (That’s
too much dharma, not enough
kama.) Are you so trapped in
pleasure that you’re neglecting
your duty to your friends and
family? (Too much kama, not
enough dharma.) Have you
become so focused on making
money that you have no time
to meditate? (Too much artha,
not enough moksha.) Are you
spending so much time getting
blissed out at the yoga studio
that you can’t swing this month’s
rent? (Too much moksha, not
enough artha.)
The balance between them
will constantly shift—by stage
of life, by month, by week,
even by the minute. A young
mother, for instance, will naturally
emphasize the dharma of raising
her children, and her artha will be
about providing for it. An elderly
man facing the end of life will
turn toward moksha, ready to
leave artha and dharma behind.
A business executive entering
contract negotiations will focus
on artha and dharma; a college
student on summer break will
indulge in more kama. All that is
as it should be. The work
of balance isn’t literal—it’s an
effort to face the world with all
of your pieces intact, to live in a
conscious way that leaves no part
of your Self behind.
That work, of course, starts on
the yoga mat. “Yoga is virtuosity in
being human,” says Brooks. “The
purusharthas tell us that we must
meditate on our roles in the world,
our values, relationships, and
passions. These are not concerns
to cure, extinguish, or transcend.They are simply part of being
human, and embracing them is
loving life.”
» Find 30 minutes in which you
can be alone and undisturbed.
Settle in to a cozy space with a
journal, a pen, a candle, and a
comfortable seat.
» Light the candle to signify
that you are in a sacred space. “A
candle symbolizes the flame of
the inner witness,” says Kempton.
Breathe deeply, close your eyes,
and relax for a few minutes.
» Begin to think back over your
activities of the preceding week.
Consider all of the things you
did related to your dharma. How
did you serve your family, your
community, and yourself? What
were your obligations? What
ethical tests did you face, and how
did you deal with them? Record
the answers in your journal.
» When you’ve exhausted your
thoughts about dharma, consider
artha. What did you do this weekfor the sake of your livelihood?
What did you do to maintain your
health? Write the answers in your
journal; note your concerns.
» Next, think deeply about kama.
What actions did you take solely for
the purpose of creating more joy
in your life and in the world? What
were your greatest pleasures?
What were your strongest desires?
Were you able to realize them?
Write down your thoughts.
» Then, record the activities
you engaged in for the sake of
moksha. These might include
yoga, meditation, prayer,
chanting, spiritual reading, or
self-inquiry. Did you find a feeling
of freedom? Which areas of your
life feel constricted or burdened?
What do you need to do to liberate
yourself? Write down the answers.
» When you’ve gone through
each purushartha individually,
analyze the balance between
them. Looking at what you’ve
written, see where your emphasiswas in the past week. Which parts
of your life were unattended to?
Are you working too hard—or
not hard enough—in one area?
What are the consequences
of your priorities? Formulate a
simple statement about the way
the purusharthas manifested
themselves in your life. It might
be something like, “This week,
I worked hard to meet my
obligations, but I felt burdened.
I took the most pleasure from my
friendships. I didn’t find time to
work toward liberation.”
» Finally, set an intention for the
coming week. You might relate
it to each of the purusharthas, or
you could focus on one or two
that need more of your attention.
Record the intention in your
journal. Then say it to yourself—
first out loud, then inwardly. Close
your journal, blow out the candle,
and ease back into your day with
a new understanding of your
soul’s priorities.^Fine-tune your life
The four aims are the pillars of a fulfilling life. In this self-inquiry practice by Sally Kempton, you’ll
consider where your current priorities lie and how you need to shift them to create a deeply
satisfying life. Don’t worry about getting your whole life in order at once; do the exercise each
week, and you’ll become more in tune with yourself, more present with the world around you.TOPOTISHKA/SHUTTERSTOCK