4 yogic principles to achieve a sense of fulfilment

Most of my clients who attend my 1:1 coaching end up questioning why they are doing what they are doing. Having purpose and finding fulfilment is something we all struggle with at some point in our lives.

Over the last few decades, business leaders have struggled to understand employee engagement, but many behavioural scientists are now concluding that a sense of “fulfilment” is the answer for people to flourish and love what they do. Fulfilment is a deep intrinsic satisfaction, and is not just key to personal growth but also to thrive. Fulfilment can be defined as a satisfying purpose, one that calls us from our deepest places and forces us to realise a sense of freedom and completeness.

The Yogic system calls this sense of fulfilment as Purushartha, which roughly translates to “the meaning of the Self”. Purushartha can be called the blueprint for human fulfilment. Understanding and improving it can help you create a balanced, pleasant and meaningful life.

The Vedic texts identify four of these integral values of fulfilment. Let’s explore these paradigms for deep self-examination offered by the Yoga tradition.

Dharma

Dharma can roughly translate to purpose or duty (or even moral values). As a practical Yogi, Dharma for me is the ability to recognise what you can do naturally and effortlessly. My Guru used to always say, “The bird cannot swim and the fish cannot climb a tree”. Each of us is uniquely suited to do something, and that is our Dharma. This is what you’re meant to be. As humans it should be our endeavour to find this. Understanding your Dharma will help you step up to your own responsibilities, to serve yourself and others. Recognising your Dharma can also mean accepting where you are. But if you dislike your job and it’s causing you stress, it may not be Dharmic for you.

Artha

Artha can be translated as the material prosperity, economic support or wealth to help you fund your duties or your Dharma. It can also mean abundance and success. Artha gives you the material comfort you need to live in the modern world with ease.

Artha is what gives meaning to and supports your life’s mission. It embraces everything that allows you to live a rewarding life, including your skills, connections, career, good health, knowledge and love. Grow all of these to find Artha.

It’s our job to develop skills to live a successful worldly life. If you get your Artha in one way or the other, you will feel bad about yourself and won’t have fulfilment.

Kama

Kama can be translated as desire or pleasure and this is what drives all human behaviour. We are all constantly seeking pleasantness in all our experiences. We want a sense of delight in all our interactions and this brings a richness to our lives.

You seek success ONLY for the pleasure that it provides. Bringing cognizance to your desires can help you focus on the ones that honour the true essence of life. Real desire is based on truth and intention. False desire or fantasy is created when you ignore your Dharma and have unrealistic expectations.

Its our job as humans to desire skilfully. To really evaluate if we have the skills and the knowledge to achieve what we desire. You cannot desire what you are not designed for. This is the practice of radicle honesty. If your desire is a craving or an urge, you have to recognise that its temporary. Desire is based on truth and the energy out of your body.

Practising Kama in the Yogic way is to practise discernment. It is building the ability to distinguish which pleasures are helping you to grow and which ones are making you decay or depleted.

Moksha

Moksha is roughly defined as emancipation or liberation. In a spiritual perspective this could be liberation from the illusion of life. In a practical way, this could mean liberation from tensions, worries and a lacklustre life.

To achieve Moksha in modern life is to stop looking for fulfilment on the outside and start searching within. With practice, awareness, and the guidance of teachers, you can find this fulfilment within and realise perpetual freedom from pain and sorrow.

I wish you the dedication to have this realisation so you can have eternal, absolute, unconditional bliss and joy.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com

Connect with Anjaan across social media @MeditateWithAnjaan

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