We all experience suffering and in our life. This suffering can usually be traced back to disturbances that exist deep within our mind. Retracing our steps back to our most inner sanctuary becomes difficult and challenging.

But where do our disturbances come from?

The source of all our disturbances in life can be traced back to the ‘Four Fountains’ of life, our most basic and primal urges.

You need to regulate the Four Fountains as if you don’t manage them they will start to rule you and control your life.

How To Regain Control And Find Freedom In Your Life

 

 

The Four Fountains:

 
1. FOOD

Our relationship with food is critical. According to the Ayurvedic model, it is important to eat food that is alive, fresh and not processed to keep the mind and body alert. We also need to eat food that supports our spiritual life, foods that will support the path that you want to be on.

Consider how your relationship with food controls your emotional state, and what your beliefs are around food. When was the last time you were truly hungry, felt real hunger? It is extremely beneficial to sit with hunger, learning to be ok with hunger, even embracing it. Go without food for one day and observe what happens to you emotionally. Think about why it is that we become so unglued when we don’t eat?

In today’s’ society we are constantly eating, even when we are not really hungry, we eat even if we feel only a little peckish. We have forgotten how it feels to be hungry and the joy that comes from the anticipation of food. In the caveman era humans had to hunt and gather, and although now food is readily available at any time our human nature has not changed so often we will still eat as much as possible, usually overeating.

Choose healthy food. Choose foods that support you and the path to fulfilling life’s purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

2. SEX

This is not to be confused with love, rather it is the physical act of sex. You need to regulate your sex life as too much can be depleting for your body or lead to addiction. However, it is an important part of life as it is energizing and moves your energy through your body. This energy needs to be used, so if not through sex you need to use the energy in another way towards your higher purpose. Importantly there is nothing in the scriptures that talks about celibacy.

Cultivate meaning in your relationships.

 

 

And remember the divine presence within your partner. Honor them as the manifestation of the divine.

 

 

 

3. SURVIVAL

Many people build and construct their life around this fountain in terms of getting a bigger house or better car believing this will create a sense of security in their lives. Energy is put into this feeling of security which is, in fact, fear based. The cycle we see all too often is people making money, spending money, then panicking because they need money for survival.

 

 

Consider where you are putting your energy and whether it is really for your higher purpose, train yourself to live with less. Appreciate the simple moments in your life, and be aware of when you start to crave things in the outside world to make you happy.

 

 

 

4. SLEEP

We have been conditioned to believe that we need between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Scarily, if you sleep eight hours each night and live to be 90, you will have been asleep for 30 years of your life.

Think about when you go to bed, is it because you are genuinely tired or is it because you believe you need to go to bed at that time to get “enough sleep”. Don’t be attached to your sleep cycle, listen to your body. If you wake up in the night get up and do something – read a book, write in your journal, paint, do some yoga.

 

 

Deep sleep is important, consider your nightly rituals and what you are doing to create a sanctuary and place you can go to to get this deep rest. Go to bed between 9pm and 10pm as after 10pm our bodies are in the Pitta state which is when the mind is processing and digesting, so it’s hard to fall asleep during this time.

We have a strong emotional response when we don’t get enough rest, or perceive we haven’t gotten enough rest. How many times have you heard or said: “don’t talk to me today I didn’t sleep last night”.

 

 

Think about how you have been disturbed in your life when these Four Fountains are not satisfied and how it has made you feel.

When you are emotionally charged and disturbed you are not in a place to make good decisions, and every decision has consequences for our lives.

When we feel balanced and introspective we make better decisions and this then affects the course of our lives in a positive direction. Using practices such as prayer and gratitude help us to feel balanced, stable, and an inner stillness.

 

 

By regulating these Four Fountains we live from a place of inner calm and are much less reactive to situations. The promise of yoga is attainable and no longer unreachable.

This is the foundation of our life.

 

 

Learn More About The Four Fountains In My Online Chakra Mastery Course

 

 

Photos credited to the talented Maria Hillier.