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Review
“Simon Chokoisky’s The Five Dharma Types is a beautiful book. Reading it carefully will give you insight into your dharma and help you heal your life.” (Dr. Vasant Lad, author of Ayurveda: The Science of Self-Healing and founder of the Ayurvedic Institu)
“This work has opened doors of insight and perception, allowing me to see our species in a fresh and hopeful light. I hope people will read this book more than once, and slowly.” (Robin Gile, coauthor of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Palmistry)
“[A] comprehensive handbook. . . . Chokoisky’s tone is authoritative, inspirational, and rich with pop culture references from Harry Potter to Spider-Man that make his message accessible to the modern, Western mind. . . . The author demonstrates a deep understanding of his subject. He writes clearly and eloquently, offering a spiritually inspired, and ultimately practical, guidebook for personal fulfillment.” (Publishers Weekly, April 2014)
“Chokoisky (Ayurvedic Inst., Albuquerque, NM) teaches Sanskrit and “medical astrology,” and this ambitious volume attempts to map ancient Vedic conceptions of human capacities to the realities of today’s Western world. While we can, according to the author, be divided into five Dharma types: educators, warriors, merchants, laborers, and outsiders, we are all constrained to live in an age most congenial to merchants. Chokoisky’s task, in addition to convincing readers of the types to which they belong, is in part to help them adjust to the times. The success of this book for most readers will depend on their acceptance of the validity of the ancient Indian model, which at times has been seen as a set of confining hierarchies: Chokoisky’s attempts to visualize them as complementary personalities is intriguing. VERDICT The author’s purpose—to allow each of us to find a right profession and way of living—is appealing, but his ideas may be a tough sell in America, where we tend to believe in an infinite ability to choose. Still, this book is enthralling, and should appeal to many students of Vedic tradition and yoga.” (Library Journal, May 2014)
About the Author
Simon Chokoisky teaches Sanskrit and Medical Astrology at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also runs a private consulting business based on his trainings in Vedic life mapping and Vedic astrology. The creator of the Decoding Your Life Map with Vedic Astrology DVD series, he travels widely giving seminars. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction and Self-Tests
DISCOVER YOUR DHARMA TYPE!
Dharma types are individual archetypal myths--the “I AM” identity that guides each of us in subtle but definitive patterns. Today we associate the word myth with something unreal or untrue, but to our ancestors myths spoke to an enduring truth that lay beyond the ken of the senses. Our everyday world is in perpetual flux--coming into being, changing form, and dying. But myth is eternal, driven by the intelligent blueprint that underlies the mundane world of name and form.
Use the test below to discover your dharma dype. Take your whole life into consideration when choosing your answers--life cycles can make it difficult to access your essential dharma look, so look at your self from childhood to now to get a complete portrait. This should help you determine your type, or at least narrow it down sufficiently to make a determination when you read the descriptions in part 1 of this book. Enjoy!
SELF-TEST I
Circle the answers that best apply to you. You may choose more than one answer for each question if applicable. Try to think of qualities that are permanent in you--how you have always been--rather than how you are at times or during recent changes in your life. Tally them at the end to determine your dharma type.
1. Circle the word that means the most to you or describes you best.
a. Freedom
b. Loyalty
c. Wisdom
d. Honor
e. Prosperity
2. Circle the phrase that means the most to you or describes you best.
a. Independence and Bliss
b. Love and Devotion
c. Worldliness and Knowledge
d. Discipline and Perfection
e. Entertainment and Fun
3. Circle the phrase that means the most to you or describes you best.
a. I love being alone. Sometimes I hate people, sometimes I like them, but they usually don’t understand me.
b. I don’t mind being alone as long as I have something constructive and productive to do.
c. I love being alone. I like people, but I need time to spend by myself for quiet contemplation and rejuvenation.
d. I don’t mind being alone, as long as I have a goal to accomplish.
e. I hate being alone. I prefer the company of people, even if I don’t know them.
4. Circle the phrase that means the most to you or describes you best.
a. I like strange, dark, or wild places, remote places no one has ever thought of or been to.
b. I like the plains and wide expanses of earth. I like living close to the ground, on ground floors rather than high-rise apartments.
c. I like high and remote places. I like upper floors, high-rise buildings, and living above others looking down.
d. I like challenging places. Places that are high, but not so high as to be remote. I like fortified and strong places.
e. From the Beverly Hills to gently rolling slopes, I like places where the action is; places that are easy to get to but also exclusive. I like living in the middle ground, not too high, not too low, where there is activity and access to the world.
5. Circle the sentence that describes you best.
a. I am the rebel or black sheep of my family. As a parent, I give freedom to my kids and let them individualize themselves from others.
b. I am deeply bonded with my family. As a parent, I nurture my kids by making sure they are well fed, healthy, and content.
c. I tend to teach my family and urge them to improve themselves. As a parent, I make certain my kids learn how to think for themselves, get a good education, and understand the world.
d. I am the strong one in my family. As a parent, I lead by example and earn my kids’ respect with discipline and order.
e. I actively support my family with shelter and resources. As a parent, I provide for my kids and make sure they understand the value of money, self-effort, and making your way in the world.
6. In religion I most value the following:
a. Going my own way
b. Faith and Devotion
c. Study and Scripture
d. Penance and Discipline
e. Rituals and Observances
7. In marriage I most value the following:
a. An unconventional spouse, one who understands my particular quirks and desires.
b. A dutiful spouse who is loyal and provides for me: a woman who cooks and cleans/a man who brings home the bacon.
c. A sensitive, intelligent spouse.
d. A challenging spouse with whom I can do activities.
e. A beautiful spouse.
8. I mainly watch TV for:
a. Horror, alternative political and spiritual viewpoints, science fiction . . .the Sci-Fi, FX, Indie, and Alternative channels.
b. Family, Drama, History, and Community programs like soap operas, Reality TV, daytime shows, cartoons, entertainment gossip, and re-runs.
c. Educational, thought-provoking, human-interest stories, and entertainment . . . National Geographic, PBS, Sci-Fi, and Documentary channels.
d. Sports, Action, News & Politics, Adventure stories, and entertainment . . . ESPN, CNN.
e. Fun programs, drama, music, comedy, game shows, financial and motivational stories, and entertainment . . . HBO, Comedy Channel, Spike.
9. Under stress I tend to:
a. bend the rules or lie to get my way, feel invisible, and self-deprecate
b. become lazy, close down in my own space, and worry a lot
c. be scatterbrained, feckless, and wishy-washy
d. become anger-prone, inattentive, and reckless
e. be moody/depressed, loud, and restless
10. At my best I am:
a. A Revolutionary, an Inventor, a Genius
b. A Devoted Friend, a Hard Worker, a Caregiver
c. A Counselor, a Teacher, a Diplomat
d. A Leader, a Hero, a Risk-Taker
e. An Optimist, a Self-Starter, a Promoter, an Adventurer
Answer Key
Tally your answers now; the most selected letter likely reflects your Dharma Type. For confirmation you should now move on to SELF TEST 2.
A. Outsider
B. Laborer
C. Educator
D. Warrior
E. Merchant
