I can’t think of a more appropriate occasion than Valentine’s Day for a lesson on purushartha and the four desires of the soul. Aside from the obvious connection of desires (including kama or pleasure), this workshop is really an exercise in love, specifically self-love (cue Whitney Houston’s The Greatest Love of All).
Rod Stryker creator of ParaYoga wrote an illuminating book called The Four Desires outlining a detailed process for excavating our deepest wants so we can understand and pursue our unique purpose. His rallying cry to modern day yogis is to move beyond asana to where the physical practice prepares us to go. He provides meditative techniques and lessons from the Vedic scriptures to explore the self and answer questions about what it is that we aspire to become.
The goal is to come to know and understand our soul’s desires and to build a life based on those. Imagine the happiness and satisfaction gained when we are able to fully live in accordance with our true nature. It all starts by inquiring within through meditation and reflection practices approached with love and compassion.
This Saturday’s workshop gives an introduction to the four different types of desires and an opportunity to take the first step in exploring what lies within through meditation. Consider this workshop a “blind date” with your soul. As such it may feel a little awkward at times, a bit exhilarating and challenging, and undoubtedly worthwhile. Who knows? You may just find you’re soon going steady with your lovely self and wanting to keep the relationship growing;)
~K
Excerpt from the book The Four Desires.Â