Stages Of Life

All of out there might be aware of the stages in an individual's life. So, it's not something new, but the readers reading this article will be of different age groups and it will be fun to throw some light on this topic.

In our Hindu Culture, human life is believed to comprise four stages. These are called "ashramas" and every person should ideally go through each of these stages:

•  "Brahmacharya" or the Student Stage
• "Grihastha" or the Householder Stage
• "Vanaprastha" or the Hermit Stage
• "Sannyasa" or the Wandering Ascetic Stage

But there is so much more than this.

In our 1st stage we are born helpless. We learn by observing others. We learn to walk, talk, speak in the same way as our parents do or we try to blend in with the surroundings. So we develop social and physical skills at this age by watching others in our surroundings. The goal is to teach us how to function within society so that we can be autonomous, self-sufficient adults. The idea is that the adults in the community around us help us to reach this point through supporting our ability to make decisions and take action ourselves.We must develop the ability to act by ourselves and for ourselves.

Stage 2 is all about experimentation and that to hit and trials in one's life. We start to make our own decisions. The right and wrong in life needs to be understood. The society expects a lot. We try a lot of new things and learn a bit more. Sometimes things go well and sometimes they do not. We learn to hold ourselves during tough times and let go in happier times. We hang out with a whole bunch of new people from all around the country and learn about their cultures too. In this process we try to find our self , what you are good at, what you like, what you don't like etc. We find ourselves in this stage.

I know many are still stuck on stage 2. So am I.

So don't limit yourself, life is short, not all of our dreams can come true, so we should carefully pick and choose what we have the best shot at and commit to it.

Stage 3 is the time now that you flush out all of the things that's holding you back. The things that doesn't help in your growth should not be in your life. Concentrate on getting much better, do what is best for you. Maximize your potential, go off your limits to explore the new you. In this stage we have a constant desire for more. We build new relationships and are committed to it. It lasts till retirement age.

Stage 4 is important psychologically because it requires we only hold on to what we’ve already accomplished as long as possible. It makes the ever-growing reality of one’s own mortality more bearable. As humans, we have a deep need to feel as though our lives mean something. This meaning we constantly search for is literally our only psychological defense against the incomprehensibility of this life and the inevitability of our own death.


The making of self is an amazing path everyone leads in his/her own ways. But some are not satisfied with the stages and get stuck. In that case, they have to start from the previous stage again and life goes on.