The Four Desires: Creating a Life of Purpose, Happiness, Prosperity, and Freedom (Full Session)

[@goorgev]

So amazing. I feel so humbled by Rod’s thoughts and the manner in a way he’s sharing enlightened experience. I feel so fortunate by life connecting me with the way or your seeing. And living with him on the same land.

[@TheVeganVicar]

Don’t believe everything you THINK. 😝

[@larissajenkinson1480]

So profound! Everything he said resonated with me so much! Thank you for sharing! ❤

[@astrologyfit]

This was enlightening to me. Thank you very much.I was thinking along the same lines and today I saw it in its principles. This is also the essence of true entrepreneurial spirit.

[@TheVeganVicar]

THE FOUR “GOALS OF LIFE”: Humans have FOUR objectives, aims, desires, purposes, or goals in life (“puruṣārtha”, in Sanskrit [lit.: “objects of human pursuit”]): 1. PLEASURE (“kāma”, in Sanskrit) includes all forms of sensual stimulation that provides a positive feeling in the mind of any particular individual. Thus pleasure-seeking is a legitimate aim, provided that it causes no undue harm to another living creature or to the biosphere. 2. PROSPERITY (“artha”, in Sanskrit) is seeking wealth in the form of real property or money, again, providing it has no detrimental effect on oneself or others (in other words, a legitimate means of accumulating wealth). Here, “legitimate” is used in the etymological sense of “lawful”. 3. RELIGIOSITY (“dharma”, in Sanskrit) signifies behaviours that are considered to be in accord with established universal principles, including duties, laws, morals, virtues, and righteous living. Read Chapter 12 onwards to become acquainted with the principles of religiosity/dharma. 4. LIBERATION (“mokṣa”, in Sanskrit) is freedom from suffering, as previously defined, and is considered to be the most noble of the four goals. This was traditionally interpreted as emancipation from the cycle of birth and death (“saṃsāra”, in Sanskrit) or soteriology (“going to Heaven”). As one goes through childhood, one naturally seeks sensory pleasures. As one enters adulthood, one starts to seek methods of acquiring material wealth, whether that be serving an employer, embarking on a mercantile enterprise, or seeking marriage to a well-to-do suitor. If and when one becomes disillusioned by pleasure and/or wealth, one makes enquiries into self-improvement and religious systems. When none of the former objectives provides the definitive peace and happiness that we humans are ultimately seeking, one FINALLY aspires for liberation. Of course, there is no reason why ALL four objectives cannot be accomplished simultaneously. A truly-enlightened sage is fully comfortable in seeking pleasure (without going to undue lengths to achieve pleasure, and without being attached to the pleasures themselves), gaining sufficient wealth to meet his material requisites and the needs of his family, engaging in religious festivals and other dharmic activities (even if he has transcended all dogmas and rituals - most persons enjoy partaking in major religious festivities) and, of course, being liberated from the cycle of birth and death (or to be more accurate, from the sense of “doership”, which is, as explained, the origin of all psychological sorrow). CONCLUSION: In summary, it is important to regularly keep in mind that this life of ours is very brief (FAR shorter than we may care to consider), so we ought to carefully examine the precepts in this Holiest of All Holy Books and, as far as humanly possible, put them into practice in order to find the true, unadulterated peace that we are all seeking. How I wish that I had discovered this highest wisdom much earlier in my own spiritual journey! This is notwithstanding the fact that freedom of volition is non-existent for any living being in our universe (or any other possible universe). These teachings are simply an addition to the lifelong socio-environmental conditioning that the reader has experienced so far in his or her life. “The animal does not have to face the kind of problems that oppress man and which are created by the operation of the intellect. An animal’s sense of consonance and dissonance, affinity and antipathy, is intuitive and in-built as conditioned reflex, rather than subject to the complex interference of ratiocination, by which man is not only aware of his perceptions and actions, but also thinks about them.” ************* “Pain and pleasure exist for animals, but it is not a problem for them, because the animal does not regret the past pain or fear the future danger. He lives in the NOW of nature. It is only the human being, who concerns himself with imagined opposites, which has a problem. There are, in fact, no opposites whatsoever, except as concepts, produced by the imagination.” ************* “It is impossible in life, to have the pleasure that is wanted, without the pain that is not wanted. They are, in fact, mutually interdependent, and therefore, inseparable.” ************* “One does not experience suffering - one suffers an experience. One who is aware of his true identity does not and can not suffer.” Ramesh S. Balsekar, Indian Spiritual Teacher. “Suffering exists, but no sufferer can be found. Actions exist, but no doer of actions is there. Nirvana exists, but no one who enters it. The Path exists, but no traveller can be seen.” “Visuddhimagga” 513. Venerable Buddhaghosa, Indian Theravada Buddhist Commentator, Translator, and Philosopher. “When you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice, because that's what's inside. Similarly, when someone squeezes you (puts pressure on you) what comes out is what’s inside - and if you don't like what’s inside you can change it by changing your thoughts.” Doctor Wayne Dyer, American Psychologist and Self-help Author. “Relaxation is what you ARE. Stress is what you think you SHOULD be.” Chinese Proverb.

[@rinalichtinger7626]

Incredible powerful teachings you inspire me thank you for inspire me at Yoga Journal Ishwari 500 RYT Yoga teacher namaste

[@TheVeganVicar]

Good Girl! 👌 Incidentally, Slave, are you VEGAN? 🌱

[@annwilliams6438]

Thank you for this.

[@WholesomeLovingGoodness]

This is wonderful. A trully beautiful talk and message. :)

[@TheVeganVicar]

Good and bad are RELATIVE. 😉 Incidentally, it’s called “Spell-Check”. ✅ Look into it. 👨🏻‍🎓

[@abuAbduAllah100]

I agree with you, I always know what is right but sometimes I don't do it, and I always know what is wrong but sometimes I do it, is this called inner teacher?! Guided meditation 29:00

[@samidelhi6150]

Interesting to see that you can access your most inner energy sources doing Yoga while not reading any religious scripture in the process , a lot of food for thought

[@MariaAlvarez-xv1zp]

Fascinating...

[@Rina.J89]

What about love and connection with others? That’s a profound need for humans And animals. Shouldn’t love and connection be one of our utmost desires?

[@marlonbraccia8767]

I remember Mani saying, "The intellect is overrated."

[@howardrobinson4938]

Ah...yes...Rod, bring in the big J during the deepest part of the meditation. Oh jeez. Guess you had your reasons, but holy jeez, I wish you hadn't gone and done that. Otherwise, a stellar experience.

[@acchopcovington8882]

Knowledge is power. There is nothing new under the sun. The concept of "new age" is deceiving. Most of what is deemed "new age" has been here long before all three of the so called major religions, meaning "not new!" What the enemy meant for evil, could the Creator possibly make for good??????????

[@lbschoolofyoga1654]

can get so much information from the internet.

[@alanmwebaze7783]

Talent is purpose it.is in bible

[@TheVeganVicar]

18:10 the WHAT Gītā? 😂

[@TheVeganVicar]

THE FOUR “GOALS OF LIFE”: Humans have FOUR objectives, aims, desires, purposes, or goals in life (“puruṣārtha”, in Sanskrit [lit.: “objects of human pursuit”]): 1. PLEASURE (“kāma”, in Sanskrit) includes all forms of sensual stimulation that provides a positive feeling in the mind of any particular individual. Thus pleasure-seeking is a legitimate aim, provided that it causes no undue harm to another living creature or to the biosphere. 2. PROSPERITY (“artha”, in Sanskrit) is seeking wealth in the form of real property or money, again, providing it has no detrimental effect on oneself or others (in other words, a legitimate means of accumulating wealth). Here, “legitimate” is used in the etymological sense of “lawful”. 3. RELIGIOSITY (“dharma”, in Sanskrit) signifies behaviours that are considered to be in accord with established universal principles, including duties, laws, morals, virtues, and righteous living. Read Chapter 12 onwards to become acquainted with the principles of religiosity/dharma. 4. LIBERATION (“mokṣa”, in Sanskrit) is freedom from suffering, as previously defined, and is considered to be the most noble of the four goals. This was traditionally interpreted as emancipation from the cycle of birth and death (“saṃsāra”, in Sanskrit) or soteriology (“going to Heaven”). As one goes through childhood, one naturally seeks sensory pleasures. As one enters adulthood, one starts to seek methods of acquiring material wealth, whether that be serving an employer, embarking on a mercantile enterprise, or seeking marriage to a well-to-do suitor. If and when one becomes disillusioned by pleasure and/or wealth, one makes enquiries into self-improvement and religious systems. When none of the former objectives provides the definitive peace and happiness that we humans are ultimately seeking, one FINALLY aspires for liberation. Of course, there is no reason why ALL four objectives cannot be accomplished simultaneously. A truly-enlightened sage is fully comfortable in seeking pleasure (without going to undue lengths to achieve pleasure, and without being attached to the pleasures themselves), gaining sufficient wealth to meet his material requisites and the needs of his family, engaging in religious festivals and other dharmic activities (even if he has transcended all dogmas and rituals - most persons enjoy partaking in major religious festivities) and, of course, being liberated from the cycle of birth and death (or to be more accurate, from the sense of “doership”, which is, as explained, the origin of all psychological sorrow).

[@ایرانوطنم-و4ظ]

Well. the purpose of all jobs is to make us rich otherwise we wouldn't bother getting up going to work almost everyday!!!! Yes, we all want to be billionaires!!!

[@howardrobinson4938]

There are almost eight billion humans alive. Lots of talk on "purpose" here. Well, name some purposes. Why keep it in the abstract? I mean, how many purposes are there? Serve others. Actualize one's creative potential in an art form. Be a family person. Inspire others. Seek pleasure, avoid pain. Accomplish something - of course this should be after a determination of a more specific desire or purpose. So often I find this kind of life philosophizing so amorphous! And this fellow's purpose talking to people as he does? Alleviating anxiety? Providing a sense of hope among the despairing masses? Desiring to be viewed as an enlightened individual? Who knows?

[@SamanthaBellerson]

Isn’t purpose just getting to know yourself? I mean in the end it’s all you can really ever do that fulfills anything.

[@howardrobinson4938]

@@SamanthaBellerson What?

[@SamanthaBellerson]

I am saying, I am not sure if he said it in this video or another but our true purpose is the get to know the divine, I think that means learning ourselves. We think it’s a job or a state in life or some external goal but all of those are empty.

[@howardrobinson4938]

@@SamanthaBellerson He said those are all empty or you are saying it? I don't think he said that or would say it. Look, for some people all of those things are fine. Want to learn about yourself, have at it. Discover what you like and don't like. Formulate some goals that you think are worthwhile. The Divine? Just be kind and see what happens. But, jeez, stop with the empty philosophizing and psychologizing. And when you do listen to someone speak, ask yourself, are they defining the terms they use? And are they giving examples of what they are talking about? Or are they just catching you in a web of charisma and abstractions.