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The Four Aims of Life

Writer's picture: Alex McRobsAlex McRobs


According to Pantajali’s yoga sutras, there are four aims of life. They are:

1. Dharma. Purpose. This is the desire of every human being to fulfill your purpose and potential. To become all you are capable of being.

2. Artha. This is the means necessary to accomplish your dharma. Food, physical well-being, a roof over your head. Without these things, fulfilling your dharma would be impossible.

3. Kama. This is joy and pleasure. How, in what ways, have your actions, thoughts and words afforded you joy?

4. Moksha. This is freedom. In what ways have you achieved freedom from fear, anger, grief, anxiety, and anything that weighs you down?


These four aims of life are not fulfilled by our asana, pranayama or meditation practice, they are fulfilled by our actions - by our choices we make when we live our yoga off our mats, each day. But in order to fulfill these aims, we must return to our yoga mats each day. Our practice is the place that we can consistently return to to heal and create the balance, purpose and intention that is necessary to live our lives to our fullest.


Today I went to a 90 minute asana class and then I decided to walk home (it was an hour. My villa manager thought something was wrong with me when I got home and I told him where I was coming from. I loved it 🤣). As I walked home I reflected on these four aims and realized they have been the goals and outcome of my sober journey over the last three years.


The first bit was moksha. I let go. I let go and found freedom from alcohol, felt my emotions, let go of my trauma, processed my pain.


Shortly after I started this, I met my psychic and mentor @dankumar777 . He helped me to see my dharma, my purpose, and then I became devoted to finding and fulfilling it - building the @themindfullifepractice .


Next I built and built and built to establish Artha, the means to survive & thrive so I could step away from my career as a teacher and do this full time.


And now, it’s time for me to focus on the last one - Kama. Beauty. Enjoyment. Celebrating Life. The sweetness of life in Bali. ✨❤️🙏🏻

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