I am...
a vegetarian
a triathlete
a meditatorFrom the perspective of yoga, each of these identity
points represents some aspect of you but not the ultimate
essence of who you are. Asking the second question of the
soul, What do I want? takes you deeper. In the Upan-
ishads, one of the crown jewels in the Vedic body of liter-
ature, there is the expression, “You are what your deep,
driving desire is. As is your desire, so is your will. As is
your will, so is your deed. As is your deed, so is your des-
tiny.” When you know what a person desires, you know
the essence of that person. To become more aware of
your deep desires, close your eyes and ask yourself every fif-
teen seconds the questions:
What do I want?
What do I really want?Different levels of your being give rise to different
desires. Your physical body has intrinsic needs for food,
water, oxygen, and sexual gratification. Listening to the
desires of your body and providing nourishing fulfillment
ensure health and vitality. Your subtle body has needs for
emotional connection, achievement, and recognition.
Expressing your talents and honoring the contributions
made by others ensure the health and well-being of
your subtle body. Your causal body has the need for
creative expression and renewal. It has the need for unity
to predominate over diversity, for expansiveness over
restriction.
Soul Questions 27