The four fundamental or basic instincts

All animals, man included have the accumulated knowledge of thousands of years of evolution distilled into four basic instincts: FEAR, SEX, EATING, SLEEPING. Three of them relate to the individual survival and one pertains to the continuation of the species. The ancients describe the seat of these instincts as the Muladhara Chakra which is situated in the tailbone.

Fear ensures the safety and continued well-being of the individual creature by keeping it away from danger or potential danger. Without the instinct called fear, lambs would walk up inquisitively to a predator like a wolf and be lunch. Which would probably decimate the sheep population except for one thing that could probably mitigate if not prevent it and that is maybe wolves would get all fat and lazy and arteriosclerotic and they would have health problems to hamper their lamb-eating proclivity.

Eating obviously keeps the engines running and is a strong motivator for doing something. Hunting, grazing and in the case of man, raising animals to be eaten dominate the main activities of animals, man included. It is a clear indication of man's advanced evolution that he has a craving for ice cream or chocolates even though lower animals do have their own type of sweet desserts like honey for instance. Owing to man's more complicated brain and nerve structure he is able to preserve food in interesting ways: smoking, drying, salting, putting preservatives which may be harmful to him, inventing the refrigirator, etc.

While eating and fear directly relate to activity and play. sleeping is the safety valve that keeps the creature's engine from overheating. In sleep the tissues are given a chance to repair themselves. Energy too is conserved and what the animal cannot accomplish in his waking hours he achieves in dreams.