Ancient Indian scriptures, the Vedas and Upanishads, describe life as having four stages—Brahmacharya (learning), Grihastha (household duties), Vanaprastha (gradual detachment), and Sannyasa (renunciation). Ideally, lifeis divided into four parts, each roughly 25% of our lifespan.
- The first phase is for learning—education, discipline, and self-growth.
- The second is for family, responsibilities, and contributing to society.
- The third is about gradually stepping back, finding inner peace.
- And the last is complete surrender—freedom from attachments, seeking only the Divine.
It sounds like a perfect balance, doesn’t it? A beautifully structured way to live 80 or so years with meaning. But in today’s fast-paced world, where does this fit?
And then a thought struck me—what if I could live by these four stages every single day?
Morning Brahmacharya—I wake up before the world, before distractions take over, and devote this time to learning. Reading scriptures, listening to wise teachings, and most importantly, studying myself—Swadhyaya.
Daytime Grihastha—Engaging fully in my worldly duties but with detachment. Whether it’s work, family, or daily tasks, I do it as Karma Yoga—offering my actions without ego, without clinging to results.
Evening Vanaprastha—I slow down. I step outside, take my one-year-old for a walk. We watch trees sway, follow a butterfly, sit in silence. I see the world through her fresh, curious eyes, embracing the moment without hurry.
Nighttime Sannyasa—When the world sleeps, I let go. Not just of tasks but of the mind’s chatter, expectations, and worries. A daily surrender, even if just for a short while.
This rhythm, lived with honesty and intention, makes life feel whole—not just in years but in each passing day. Maybe that’s the key—not waiting for decades to enter these phases, but living them, fully, now.
Would you try this? What would your version look like?