The Four Aims or Directions that Lead to Prosperity - PLEASURE

Lakshmi has four hands and four aims or directions for us to seek every day. The first is wealth, and the second is pleasure. We cannot bargain with life, but we can come to understand that all of life is a process that involves experiencing both pleasure and pain. It reminds us not to take our lives for granted. Enjoy the pleasure found in the moments; earth life is short. But we must constantly be reminded to keep everything in balance, lest we tip the scale from pleasure to pain. Pay attention to your cravings and your desires. We are here on earth to understand our existence and to see how we can use all the experiences of life to broaden our knowledge. You cannot bargain with life or death, but you can make peace with these two opposing forces through good character, soulful aims, restraint, dutifulness, knowledge, and the choices you consciously make. Pleasure has both a physical and an emotional aspect. Pleasure is comprised of five layers; it is sensual, loving, has a purpose, is creative, and exercises free will. All of these layers are important to humans. They please us, but equally bring us pain if we are not careful with our karma; pay attention to what and how you think, speak, and act. Just remember all things in moderation. A wise person will always choose to do what is good over sheer pleasure. This can be interpreted in several ways. One way is that a wise person will choose what is good over the joy of comfort, or a wise person will choose to seek pleasure through effort and depth over laziness and superficiality. Let’s get to work. END In addition to being necessary for your survival, pleasure has many levels and layers. Just remember, it can also be destructive if we allow pleasure to control our desires to the point of pain and addiction. But pleasure at the deeper layers of our being instills beauty, and when pleasure and beauty come together, we truly understand the importance of enjoying the real pleasures of life. It’s not pleasure that destroys the good. It is deceit and greed. We sometimes greedily deceive ourselves into believing we need more. That is why yoga teaches us to enjoy the pleasures of life, but always in moderation and never to excess. It is our desire for excess that tips pleasure into pain. But pleasure at the deeper layers of our being instills beauty, and when pleasure and beauty come together, we truly understand the importance of enjoying the real pleasures of life. EGO – flip up your palms and extend out your index finger. Feel it pull you from your center. The greatest pleasure comes from the depth of our soul. When we truly experience something, with full involvement, by tapping into its essence, we discover the true nature of pleasure. We sometimes refer to this as being in the flow or in the moment. Whether it is eating chocolate, sipping a great wine, buying a gift, making love, or spending tons of money, it’s not pleasure that should be avoided, but the greedy, deceitful, self-serving nature of the ego. The ego always wants and thinks it deserves more! Pull your ego in (index finger) and place your thumb (the symbol of your soul) on top. The soul will always remind you to practice moderation in all things and in all things be moderate. With this, you will discover true wealth and soulful pleasures. The more aware you are of the nature of pleasure, the more likely you are to discover it and use it wisely. It’s not pleasure that destroys the good. It is deceit and greed. Choose to do good over comfort, laziness, and superficiality. Namaste~ may your soul walk with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, private consultation, and more http://www.doctorlynn.com