Actionable Aspirations: Purposeful living with Vedic science
A fulfilling life of good health and a deep sense of wellbeing starts with being clear on one thing:
What is the purpose of life?
Many of the compromises and habits that impact our health and wellbeing were made because we were working hard, playing hard, and striving to find and fulfil our aspirations. When there is a trade off between what’s good for us, and what we want to achieve, there is an opportunity to ask: what am I here to do?
At some point, every person will (hopefully) ask themselves this question. Often, it occurs after some intense period of suffering from personal loss, illness, breakup, career or financial mishap, or heartbreak. In the throes of sadness, fear and anger, human beings throw their hands up and ask “Why am I here?”. It can be the most powerful question to pose, and is often the start of an incredible journey, especially if we have the right tools and information to aid our quest.
Vedic literature provides some answers. One of the earliest forms of science, philosophy and spiritual texts, the Vedas are believed to be over 5000 years old and originated from the Indo-Aryan civilisation. ‘Veda’ in Sanskrit means wisdom or knowledge, and some of the better known Vedic sciences include Ayurveda, Yoga, Astrology, Vastu (Vedic architecture), Hinduism, as well as other social, legal, domestic and ritualistic aspects of human life. It provides one of the most comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the human condition, and includes the four purushatras, which translates as the purpose of life. A big topic, but the Vedas break these down into these relatively simple concepts:
Dharma (duty): This can be the service you provide to the people in your life, such as your parents, your employer, your family, your community and your country. It is also how you service your highest self; an opportunity to hone the skills, talents and opportunities you were given with care, responsibility, integrity and sincerity.
Aartha (material wealth): This is the pursuit of righteous and reasonable prosperity such as money and property, in order to take care of your mind and body, support your family and contribute to the economic welfare of the broader community.
Kama (pleasure): Part of the natural human desire is to enjoy sensuality, beauty, delight and sexuality. This part of every persons purpose is diverse, and can include music, art, dance, poetry, travel, friendship and intimacy.
Moksha (liberation): Freedom from attachment to the material world (including the body) and associated emotional turbulence of greed, anger and fear, is the path to a peaceful and awakened existence. This is considered the souls purpose in life; to reach the ultimate realisation of our true nature as divine consciousness.
How does this compare with our modern culture and priorities? These days we are a little heavy on wealth and pleasure, and light on service, integrity and spirituality. This imbalance can leave us feeling over attached or discontented, as we realise entertainment, accolades and possessions brings only a transient satisfaction. The cycle of constantly craving creates restlessness, addiction and stress.
The aspirational goals of the purushatras provide us with a balanced framework for life, so that we don’t feel the need to give up pleasure to pursue spiritual enlightenment, or act without integrity to gain material wealth. As we are holistic, so are our purposes. The purushatras are simple and attainable, compared to much of the complex modern messaging that encourages us to become the best, the greatest, the most influential, the best looking, the richest…etc.
The beauty of these four purposes is that they complement each other, and lead us to many of our shared goals of life; respect, skill, material comfort, pleasure, bliss, divinity and freedom. When we accept our unique dharma by doing our best within our life circumstances, strive for a comfortable level of prosperity, make time to enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday life, and strive to see the divinity within ourselves and others, we can live peaceful, meaningful and healthful lives. We also develop greater resilience, patience and tolerance because we understand and embrace both our purpose and those around us.
Which of the purushatras do you value? And where do you need to focus a little more attention? Do illness, pain, stress or discomfort stand in the way of you living purposefully?
As part of the Vedic sciences, Ayurveda invites us to reflect on ourselves through the lens of health and wellbeing, but the holistic approach it takes often brings us into the journey of discovering our dharma and pursuing liberation from suffering in all its forms. If you are curious about how the Vedic sciences can work together to give you a holistic approach to life, or if you have more questions, send me a message using the form below. I’ll respond to your question, and perhaps create a future blog post on your topic of interest, for the benefit of our broader community to enjoy.
“If you light a lamp for others to see, it will also brighten your path.”
— Buddha
