Creating balance is innate to us.

Nature strives towards it. Our body naturally balances and always seeks the state of homeostasis.

We naturally balance. For example, when we are cold, we put more clothes on; when we are thirsty, we drink water; when we work a lot or are active, we want to rest and lie down afterwards, etc.

These activities keep our body balanced, and we instinctively react to the clues.

Nobody would say, I am so hot, let's put a cardigan on, right? When our kids want ice cream in the winter, we tell them it's too cold to eat.

Although we say the like attracts like, when people's personalities differ, we acknowledge that they complement each other.

Our mind also strives to balance, but this is trickier.

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The Four Aspects of Life

The seers of old recognised that pattern. The Vedas, ancient Indian philosophical scriptures dating back about 5000 years ago, focused on four aspects of our lives. To be balanced, we need to address all of them equally.

Artha – work
Kama – pleasure
Dharma – connection to a higher purpose
Moksha – freedom

When we strike a balance between all four of them, we live a fulfilled life. No aspect should be neglected.

Let's have a closer look at the individual aspects.

Artha – Work, Material Security

We need to earn our living; there is no way around it. We all need a place to sleep, food, and clothes. We are keen on covering these universal needs, guaranteeing our survival.
Even as spiritual beings, we need to attend to Artha. When our basic needs are covered, we feel secure and more content. We would like to generate some wealth for future generations, too.

When I started teaching Yoga, there was this notion that we shouldn't ask for money and work for free instead. Material wealth was frowned upon. Luckily, the times have changed. Spirituality doesn't mean poverty.

We must acknowledge the need and desire for material security, which is essential and ok.

Kama – Pleasure Seeking

You might have encountered the Kama Sutras 😊 Just as the Yoga Sutras deal with Yoga and the mind; the Kama Sutras deal with sex and more.
But Kama is not only to be seen on a sexual basis. Pleasure can be experienced in many ways: having a lovely meal with friends, going for a walk in nature, buying something luxurious, having a fulfilling hobby, or enjoying an art exhibition.
Just as our sense of security is innate to us, so is the urge to procreate; life wants to live on.
If we work only and permit ourselves no time for pleasure, we will get miserable over time. Likewise, if we only focus on seeking pleasure, we might not have enough to eat soon.
We call this old principle work-life balance.
Both must be equally covered so we feel balanced and are more content and happy with ourselves.

Dharma – Our Higher Purpose

Artha and Kama are the worldly aspects of our lives.
Suppose you imagine for a moment that you managed to create a great career for yourself. In that case, you are happy, have a family, bought a house, have kids, and are genuinely happy. If you strike the balance in your life, you might still feel that something is missing.

You might think about your purpose here on this earth and why you are here. These thoughts come because we are connected to our higher purpose without being aware of it.

Our dharma is our guide. Our gut feeling leads us to decisions we can't explain; we just know that we need to do this. Or the voice that tells us not to do something although it sounds and looks perfect.

Practices that draw our attention inward, such as meditation or Yoga, help to develop or reconnect with this inner voice.

When we follow our dharma, we also become more at home in ourselves, more connected, confident, and content. It brings purpose.

The entire Bhagavad Gita is about following our dharma and the importance of following our own dharma. Lord Krishna says it is even better to die fulfilling our own dharma than leaving fulfilling someone else's when the warrior prince Arjun tried to get out of the tricky battle he was heading into.

So now that you have balanced your work and pleasure aspects of life, you are connected to your higher purpose and feel connected, content, and happy within yourself.

Moksha – Freedom

There is still the very last aspect left. This is leaning even more into your life's soul purpose and aspect.
The aim of Yoga is moksha. You might have heard it is called samadhi or nirvana. They are all names for the same state of balance or freedom. It is the freedom from the dualities, the likes and the dislikes, the fear-based thinking and the resulting limitations. This freedom results from deeply trusting that fears and duality will dissipate.

Where the other aspects might be easier to attain, moksha is a longer process for most of us as layers are peeled back. They all complement each other and support each other. As we follow our dharma, our purpose, confidence, and content come slowly, and moksha will show.

Moksha is a freedom that is independent of our life circumstances. You surely have experienced moments of moksha in your life. Imagine those moments permanent?

How many of these aspects are featuring in your life right now? Do you feel they are all important?

Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our discussion on the four vital aspects of life – Artha (work), Kama (pleasure), Dharma (higher purpose), and Moksha (freedom) – it becomes clear that balance in life is less about striking a perfect equilibrium and more about finding a comfortable rhythm that suits our individual needs. Life isn't static, and neither is balance. It's okay if sometimes we lean a bit more towards work or pleasure as long as we don't lose sight of the bigger picture. It's all about making adjustments as we go, just like adding a layer of clothing when it's cold or taking a break after a long work day.

This journey towards a balanced life is unique for each of us. It's about understanding that while there’s no universal formula for a perfect life, there is a personal one for each of us. It could mean enjoying the small pleasures of life, like a coffee with a friend, as much as celebrating big career milestones. Or, it might involve quiet moments of reflection that help us stay connected to our deeper goals and aspirations. The key is to be mindful of our needs across these four areas and to give ourselves the permission to adapt and change as life unfolds.

So, as we move forward, let's remind ourselves to check in with these four aspects from time to time. Are we neglecting our work? Are we allowing ourselves enough pleasure and joy? Are we connected to our higher purpose? And are we finding moments of freedom and peace? Life is a balancing act, but it mustn’t be a tightrope walk. It's more about walking a path that feels right for us, making adjustments along the way, and enjoying the journey as much as the destination. Let's aim for a life that feels balanced, meaningful and fulfilling for us.

Have you learned something new? Can you relate to it? Let me know. You can leave a message below, on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.

I love hearing from you!

Katja x

P.S. Did you know that healthy eating habits contribute to us feeling better and nourishing all aspects of our lives?