The Three Gunas

[Uma]

Originally Posted by Sentientno1

The last 2 lines in your post is what you are engaged in isn't it? the 'juggling' you referred to in a prior post. Sounds like you are very in touch with what goes on inwardly.

I don't use pranayama nearly as much as I should! I do things more intuitively and when I have my act together I try to put Sri Vasudeva's teachings into practice.

Originally Posted by Sentientno1

( by the way uma, you mentioned abuse and hurt can actualy induce a tamasic attitude thank you for relating that. In all my years of study that had not ocerred to me) It makes me happy to have another that can fill in some of the 'holes' i am missing.

Did I say that? Well, I'm glad if you are getting insights but for the record what I think you're referring to is where I said:

"Someone who is in shock for instance may need the calming influence of tamas. Another who is depressed may need rajasic influences/activities to snap out of it."

What I'm saying is that an intervention/activity for shock might include something that induces tamas; or an intervention/activity for depression might include something that induces rajas. This could be from someone else or the person who is experiencing the crisis could be in sufficient self-mastery to do it themselves. I wasn't thinking of the crisis itself inducing a state to repair itself but this is an interesting and very plausible idea. Yes, now that I think of it I crashed my car some years ago and the shock was so great all the memory of that event was erased. All I remember is waking up in a hospital. This is the body's own intelligent self-preservation mechanism. Life is inherently self-preserving so it makes perfect sense that nature, the three gunas, would be constantly working in a way as to achieve equilibrium. But I am also of the opinion (inspired by my teacher's hints) that we can work consciously with this process and help it along so to speak.

P.S. I hope people contribute more information to this thread. I don't think we can know enough about the gunas. Until we transcend them into a space of pure self-mastery that is beyond them, we have to live within the confines of nature's rules. Like my teacher has said, we need the mind to transcend the mind, just as we can use a thorn to remove another thorn. And the illusion of Maya is very real when you are caught up in it, so it needs to be taken seriously.

[Thinker108]

Originally Posted by Uma

Yes the gunas are the essential qualities of nature that pull us into this world.

But for those who have achieved liberation I would say that they use the gunas to ground themselves in this world for the purpose of helping others. They feel the pull of them but are not themselves caught up by them. Here I quote my teacher, who refers to the Guru Gita (Song of the Guru):

Here nothing to say for me, i am comletely agree with you and the quote

Uma:re gunas " But I am also of the opinion (inspired by my teacher's hints) that we can work consciously with this process and help it along so to speak."

i can definatly see the sense in that. In the preceeding chapters of the Gita on the different approaches (yogas) to moksha, i think each yoga or a combination of them are suited to one or more for the balancing of the gunas. For instance, service or karma yoga for someone with more pronounced tamas, but not exclusivly karma yoga, just more emphasis.

My guru said to light a fire under Tamas, guide rajas, and let sattwa do it's thing.

Sattwa, this could be the most difficult guna to deal with because of it's nature. Krishna says it also must be given up and not attached to for the sake of moksha.
Sattwa is light, understanding, happiness, love, balancing and can center in the ajna chakra resulting in Krishna or christ consciousness. Knowledge of knowing one's source.

Beyond that is Brahma

If i am understanding it correctly, if one dies in sattwic consciousness one dwells for a time in the realm of the gods before returning to birth with spiritual parents, and having a headstart on finishing the journey of understanding.

i would also like to see others thoughts and contributions here, for learning, for sharing, for inspiration.

i started reading the Gita sometime in the early 70s of the last century. Someone, a yogi, gave it to me for my birthday. I remember reading it and being peevishly dissatisfied at a story about 'war' As you can guess i was a very literal person. i didn't pick it up again until sometime later after i'd practiced a meditation technique from my guru and something 'happened' to my heart. At the Gita's second reading it began to open up to me and each time i do read, it's as if a voice, not my own, tho from the inside, is reading it to my mind.i still have that original copy, it's yellowed, falling apart, and the page margins full of my notations. The pages are rough from being worn by my hands.

It has been a valued companion.

[Uma]

Hi Sentientno1, nobody else is responding with comments. I'm guess you're stuck with me and THinker.

[Thinker108]

sorry, i am busy. i will post new verses soon for discussion.

Uma and Thinker...well 3 is a good number for 'sticking' together,

[Thinker108]

Quality of sattva

Of these, the mode of goodness (Sattv) is illuminating and good, because it is pure. Sattv fetters the living entity (Jeev) by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless Arjun. (14.06)

though i don’t like translations, but here is a translated verse from Gita.

[Uma]

Originally Posted by Sentientno1

Uma and Thinker...well 3 is a good number for 'sticking' together,

Of the three I think I must be tamas.

[Thinker108]

Uma, are you not interested in the conversation?

Uma..

tamas is strong body identity, all or most of the time, do you think that applies to you?

Regarding the gunas and the spiritual path....i believe most of the great spiritual leaders born to this world recognised the problem of body identity and activity identity as barriers to realisation of sattwa, tho they did not call them gunas.

Most of these teachers began by preaching charity and good works and having few possesions. With charity one begins to forget self as a center, in addition the end results of their activity to help others is left with those others not claimed as tangible 'results' of 'do-ers' actions. It's the beginning of movement from tamas/rajas to broader sattwa. IMO.