The four “ashrams” of Hinduism and what they can teach us about aging gracefully

Aging often evokes fear, opposition, and in the cruelest cases, ridicule and even punishment.

Louise Aronsongeriatrician and author of the book “Old age– she put it well when she said it older people who seek health care they often come across as unnecessary, even if the intention is benign. In workplace in general, being older seems to imply uselessness.

Many older people are haunted by an irrational but socially reinforced sense of failure. Reporter Ali Pattillo writes National Geographer: “Nobody wants to be aged, especially as stereotypes about aging have become more negative… fueling what some call a global aging crisis.”

I am researcher of South Asia whose work focused on the transformation of Indian society as a result of British colonization, leading to the loss of pre-colonial values, knowledge and customs. I am aware of this Teachings of Hinduism about different stages of life – four ashrams – knowledge that has been lost today.

This model of human life could offer guidance on how to age more gracefully.

Model of four ashrams

The concept of four ashrams has existed since 500 BC and is described in detail in: Hindu classical ancient texts. It is integrated with Purushartha’s ideaor the four proper goals of life in Hindu philosophy, namely dharma or morality; artha, or wealth; kama, or love; and moksha – liberation.

In archaic literature brahmacharya, the first stage, or ashramit is said to begin at the age of 7, when a little boy is assigned a guru, or teacher, who studies difficult and follows ascetic discipline and self-control, including complete celibacy until the next ashram.

In the next ashram known as grhasthaIt is said that the boy, now a newborn man, is passing from academic studies to dealing with worldly matters. Grihastha is a crucial period in an individual’s life, including decent family support, ethical wealth building, and having children.

He came around the age of 50 vanaprasthawhen the process of renunciation of the world was expected to be initiated. It started with breaking away from family life and gradually approaching a life devoid of worldly burdens and responsibilities. It was the equivalent of today’s pension and pension.

He came last sanyasa, or complete renunciation – a time of complete detachment from the world, desires and anxieties, around 75. Sanyasin left home, went to the forest, became a teacher and modeled the achievement of final spiritual liberation.

Not every age is a breathtaking race

Given the currently increased human lifespan, the timeline indicated above for each stage should be interpreted smoothly and diversely. Generally speaking, in Hinduism, the approximation of such stages and ways of life at different ages is a reasonable timeline for a good life. Anyone, regardless of race, gender, nationality and age, can learn from ashrams. Not every age and every stage of life has to be experienced as a breathless race.

The ideal of four ashrams proposes living and having fun according to one’s natural capabilities at any point in life. And when the race goes well, you can and do tardy down, back out, and start a different journey. In his collection of poems entitledForest of Eternity” Paul Zweig, facing his own untimely death from cancer, imagined life after death as freedom from the tormenting bonds of death, much like Hindu philosophers conceptualized life as stages of natural progression toward freedom from the conflicts and sufferings of the world and transcendence.

This ideal of the four stages of Hindu philosophy teaches us that we do not have to live in a constant mindset of holding back changes in abilities, but to live life to the fullest at each stage, actively and contemplatively, catching the ebbs and flows of the human condition.