The Wheel of life

At times life gets too busy and uses all its energy on a particular project, thus resulting in getting off balance by not paying enough attention to important areas of life. This situation if taken too far can lead to frustration and intense stressful life.

So in order to avoid such a situation, it is important to bring things back into balance.

This is where the Wheel of life or the Life wheel comes into help. It is commonly used by professional life coaches and helps to consider and assess what is off balance. In fact it helps to identify the areas that need more attention.

As history states, the Wheel of life was initially painted on the walls of the Buddhist Monasteries and was called the Bhavachakra. With this concept later came in what is today called the Wheel of life, used by professionals.

The meanings of the main parts of the diagram are:

1. The images in the hub of the wheel represent the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion.
2. The second layer represents karma or work.
3. The third layer represents the six realms of samsara or family.
4. The fourth layer represents the twelve links of dependent origination.
5. The figure that is holding the wheel represents impermanence.
6. The moon above the wheel represents liberation from samsa.
7. The Lord Buddha pointing to the moon indicates that the above mentioned liberation is achievable.

However, this Wheel of life focuses more on the awareness of the mental state. But the Life wheel that is generally practised today is more for the practical world and physical and mental serenity. It is rather a professional way of viewing life to keep it away from stress.

The Wheel of life is powerful because it gives a pictorial representation of the way one person is leading his life currently and comparing it with his desired life, or the life that he actually wants to spend. The eight main sections of the Wheel of life are: Career, Family and Friends, Romance, Fun and Recreation, Health, Money, Personal Growth, Physical Environment. These eight sections together, represent the whole life. However, the section into which the wheel needs to be divided is to be decided by the client and the coach who is helping with the balancing of life. It is not a picture of how it has been in the past or what the client wants it to be in the future. It is a snapshot taken in the moment. It is or she has achieved. The emphasis is on the client’s level of satisfaction in each area.