Artha, the Means to Live
By Theresa Shay
As my first job, I babysat for our family friends the Pavers. The Pavers lived on Bull Creek Road around the corner from my house, and their young boys were sweet. When I accepted two crisp one-dollar bills as pay for my time and effort, I felt a rush of excitement having earned my own money. I promptly folded the bills and tucked them into my small wooden box of precious things. This was my introduction to Artha, having means to live.
I have listened to many students over the years grapple with questions around Artha: what to do to earn money, whether the pay for their work is fair, whether they have enough now, whether they will have enough later, and what to do with guilty feelings when they prosper. Money matters will consume the mind’s energy if consciousness is not brought to the topic.
Artha, material wealth to support one’s physical needs, is a necessary aspect of life. Ancient yoga texts describe this as one of four pursuits of human life. Every person has their own level of need, as well as a unique experience of meeting that need. Artha is the pillar that recognizes material prosperity supports existence in a physical world as well as the ability to pursue spiritual life.
What qualifies as “wealth” is as unique as the lines on the palm holding that wealth. I have lived among people with minimal material resources who marvel at the abundance of life. I have been one of these. I have met people who have enough but cannot relax because they worry they will become impoverished. I have been one of these. I know people who share their financial resources to support others and the causes they value. I have been one of these. The amount of money flowing through a life does not determine whether one feels prosperous in healthy relationship to Artha.
Before I knew this yogic concept, I was tuned into its connection to spiritual life. During a lean time, which was also a period of great spiritual abundance, I taught yoga across the street from Nittany Mall. Some evenings I had no students and would flow by myself. Other evenings I had no students and would be fraught with worry, “How am I supposed to pay my bills if there aren’t any students?” I would ask dejectedly. One night when this vibration took center stage, I felt a contradictory and brilliant impulse to roll up my mat and go shopping.
I headed to the mall with one thought. “God, I’m certain that my teaching yoga is in full alignment with your invitation for my life. Please send students so I can pay my bills. I’m serious about this. Watch, I’ll show you. I have things I need to buy.” Still squirming with worry, still repeating my message, I purchased a pair of black sandals to wear to my grandfather’s 90th birthday.
I gulped. The Universe watched. Then I went home and addressed envelopes for the mailing I was working on announcing the next yoga session, to be sure both God and I knew I was doing my part to generate means.
I’ve worried plenty, and not one of those worries contributed to my being able to live a life I consider to be abundant. Alignment has brought that abundance. My artha is in place. I am wealthy with health, love, purpose, community, safety, and peace. I have the means to support my physical existence. I have resources to share. I trust that the well I draw from rises from an infinite source. My prosperity rises from alignment to all four pillars of my life, which I will speak more about next week.
In your own journey with Artha, consider these principles:
1. Worry, bitterness, resentment, and guilt contribute nothing to the healthy pursuit of Artha.
2. Material prosperity met with unattachment can serve the journey of your life.
3. Material poverty met with unattachment can serve the journey of your life.
4. Just as you are conscious of how much breath is coming in and how much breath is going out, mind your material matters. Cling to nothing. Grasp for nothing.
5. Pursue Artha as one responsibility of being human.
Give thanks for what is already here. That will invite you forward.
Theresa Shay is the founding director of TriYoga of Central Pennsylvania, where she teaches weekly yoga and meditation online and trains others to teach TriYoga®. Each week, she shares wisdom cultivated from decades of TriYoga study and practice.
Learn more about her here. Theresa can be reached at Theresa@PennsylvaniaYoga.com. Find her on Instagram @theresa_of_triyoga for more inspiration and light.