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april 2018yogajournal.com.au» Find 30 minutesin 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 candleto signify that you
are in a sacred space. “A candle symbolises
the flame of the inner witness,” says
Kempton. Breathe deeply, close your
eyes, and relax for a few minutes.» Begin to thinkback 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 week for
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 realise
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-enquiry. 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, analyse
the balance between them. Looking at
what you’ve written, see where your
emphasis was 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 thefine-tune your life
The four aims are the
pillars of a fulfilling life.
In this self-enquiry
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. PHOTOS: OPOTISHKA/SHUTTERSTOCK; MARTIN DIMITROV/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM