MECHANICAL UNCONSCIOUS LIVING. ~ Atman Nityananda

MECHANICAL UNCONSCIOUS LIVING

What people call my life is only mechanical, compulsive, habitual reactions (sensational, emotional, mental) to what they perceive through the five senses.

The majority of earthlings live more like robots than real human beings with inner harmony and awaken to their true nature. 

Although they act forced by the programming and conditioning of the subconscious mind, yet they think that they live consciously and also that what they do is the result of their free choice. They cannot perceive and understand their situation due to tamas and rajas gunas that are predominant in their mind.

Tamas veils their true nature and obscures their discernment, pure reason,  understanding and clear perception and rajas extroverts, distracts and agitates  their mind and causes dissatisfaction, discontentment, craving for sensory pleasure, power, money, fame and possessions.

Thus they are identified and lost in a non stop mental and emotional turmoil which ceases only temporarily and for a while when a desire or a need is satisfied.

As long as the majority of humans remains in this state of consciousness any essential change and real progress in our world is quite impossible.

Moreover we have to face the consequences of our mechanical unconscious behaviour which exploits all kinds of life on earth.

Om! Desire as Lust by Atman Nityananda

Desire as Lust
by Atman Nityananda

Lust (and especially sex lust, and food-drink lust) is a degradation of desire and is the most powerful aspect of desire that causes craving, passion, greed, delusion attachment and identification, pain and suffering.

Lust is also what causes a feeling of dissatisfaction that manifests itself almost constantly in us, discomfort, and also a feeling of lack, that something is missing, I want something to feel ok.

Lust's foundation are the rajas (primarily) and Tamas qualities (gunas).

Lust (and especially sex lust, and food-drink lust) is a degradation of desire and is the most powerful aspect of desire that causes craving, passion, delusion attachment and identification, pain and suffering.

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

Om! Sattvic living ~ Atman Nityananda

SATTVIC LIVING

The sattvic living is the foundation of a healthy life as well as of the spiritual path. To live with peace, light, love, wisdom, creativity and harmony is possible only when the sattva guna predominates in our mind.

Therefore one of the fundamental goals in the spiritual life is to increase the sattva guna (quality) in our mind. The sattva guna is the quality of light, intelligence, virtue, clarity and harmony and helps us develop the superior capabilities of the mind and heart, (like discernement, intution, compassion, love etc.)

When  the sattva guna predominates in us, we create the foundation on which all divine virtues and spiritual practices can easily flourish. The ability to discern the true of the false and the ability to be detached from the objects, thoughts, emotions semsations and exteral situations can be developed fully in a sattvic mind. 

Our capacity for concentration, meditation and self-inquiry, which are the most important practices for self-realization, can be developed highly only when the sattva guna predominates in our mind.  The sattva guna makes the mind, quiet, calm, sharp, luminous, focused, introverted and aspire for truth, peace and eternal bliss.

On the contrary when in our mind prevails the rajas guna, it becomes extroverted, restless, distracted and turbulent and therefore we cannot concentrate steadily into the space of silence within (or any othe object of meditation). The mind by defoult in rajas guna mode is seeking sensual experiences, action and pleasure. 

When the mind is under the dominion of tamas guna it becomes inert, sleepy, dull, lazy, and thus it becomes very difficult (or quite impossible) to remain alert enough and vigilant, in order to pay attention, concentrate and meditate as well as it isn't capable to learn, discern and understand.

In order we to increase the sattva guna in the mind, we must keep sattvic associations or relations at all levels of existence. That means, that the sensory impressions (sounds, colors, sights, smells), the meals, drinks, relationships, activities, actions, words, thoughts, emotions, the environment in which we live and work etc. must be of sattvic nature.

Our meals and drinks should be sattvic (read here about sattvic foods) as well as all sensory impressions (read sattvic  books, listen to music and songs sattvic, make relations with sattvic people and spiritual teachers, have contact with nature etc.)

Of course, our self, (the lower rajasotamásic self, the ego) with its selfish tendencies, the mental and emotional patterns and conditioning, and its habits wants to keep repeating the same things mechanically and compulsively. 

Our rajasotamasic ego resists greatly the changes we want to make. And here is the importance of the spiritual guidance, which can be the spiritual teachings (from books, videos, internet), a spiritual center or a spiritual teacher; their support and knowledge can be a great help for us to overcome  the obstacles, the resistance as well as our habits and subconscious patterns. Of course they cannot practice for us. Although the external help is of great importance, 'we have to make the effort, 'we are the most important factor of our transformation; only 'we can change ourselves, none else. Only very rare ripe souls doesn't need much help from outside.

It is also certain that we cannot change everything in ourselves at once; But if we do our spiritual practices regularly and diligently, with determination, faith, self-confidence, patience, tenacity and perseverance, we can undoubtedly overcome all obstacles and develop all necessary capabilities to transform ourselves. We will finally transform ourselves in beings of love and light.

It is only a matter of faith, practice and time.

It is obvious that several times we will find ourselves in situations that are not sattvic as well as in difficult conditions in which it will be not so easy to act according our intentions and goals. If this is the case, we must accept what happens and do our best to alleviate the situation until it will possible for us to change external things and situations. In this case, the difficulties and the challenges can be either opportunities for us to develop capabilities or occasions for complaints and suffering.  Depends on our attitude, maturity and capacity to maintain our inner equilibrium as much as possible and learn from these challenges. 

It is certain also that we cannot always avoid pain or difficult situations but suffering depends only on our state of consciousness, mental purity, psychological skills and mental attitude.

Our transformation is a continuous process to discard the tamasic and rajasic qualities, patterns, tendencies, habits, emotions and beliefs and increase the sattvic ones until our mind and intellect become completely sattvic. The final step is to go beyond even the sattva and rest permanently in our essential nature (Atman, absolute or pure Consciousness) which is beyond the three gunas (gunanita).

om! Types of desire. ~ Atman Nityananda

Types of desire 

 

·       Rajasotamasic desires. Desires for pleasures (sex, food, drinks sense pleasures), worldly desires for money, success, possessions, fame and name, harm, exploit, violate and control others..

·       Sattvic desires. Desire for knowledge, happiness, sattvic foods, art and activities, for peace, creativity, beauty, harmony, loving and helping others, uniting and cooperating with others

·       Desire (intense longing) for liberation and God-realization

 

The rajasotamasic desires are related with carnal pleasures, selfishness, pride, arrogance, avarice, greed, antagonism, rivalry and see others as a means or obstacle of their realization. Are based on separation, lack, need, unsatisfaction, discontentment, fear, greed, attachment, sensuality, low self-esteem, low self-worth. The rajasotamasic desires maintain people attached and identified to their lower aspects of their existence (instinctive, lower vital-mental[intellectual) and to the lower aspects of material experiences. Rajasotamasic desires are the base of egoistic tendencies known as defects, passions and negative emotions.

 

A man has a thousand and one desires. But the central strong desire is the sexual desire. The fundamental desire is the urge for a mate. All hang on this central basic desire. The desire for money, the desire for a son, the desire for property, the desire for houses, the desire for cattle and other desires come later on.

    ~ Swami Sivananda

 

The sattvic desires are related to harmony, joy, happiness, beauty, creativity, love, unity, sharing, inclusiveness, well-being, health and prosperity of all, inner transformation and development. The sattvic desires are mostly related to the higher aspects of our existence and when related to the instincts then are ingrained by the sattvic qualities and thus they are transformed in sattvic experiences.

 

For, example desire for sex when is of rajasotamasic nature then sex is made in a brutal, passionate, animalistic or perverted way and with an attitude of taking of others, of using others for our own satisfaction, and when we give to them something we do it only for receiving back something. While when is of sattvic nature then sex is made in love, caring, sharing, giving and in a higher state as means of meditation, self-transformation and development and offering to God.  

 

However, attachment to sattva is also an impediment for Self-realization and transcend bodily existence. In addition, when we don’t aspire for Self-realization rajas and tamas can easily enter in our minds and thus we cannot converse the mind completely sattvic. Hence, we have to suffer from the rajasotamasic qualities which will continue coexist along with the sattvic ones.

 

Since desire is very powerful, we can get rid of rajasotamasic desires through sattvic desires and with a gradual development of desire for liberation or God-realization and finally get rid of sattvic desires with a very intense desire for liberation.

Om,! The Sattvic Life - Atman Nityananda

The Sattvic Life

by Atman Nityananda

Sattva quality (guna in Sanskrit) is the guna of light, intelligence, happiness and harmony and the foundation of virtues and higher abilities of the mind such as clarity, discernment, stability, calmness, dispassion, concentration, kindness, devotion and compassion. Sattva and sattvic qualities make the mind able for deep meditation and samadhi. That is why sattva is the foundation of the spiritual path and a life full of peace, light, love and harmony.

Sattva guna makes the mind calm, clear, serene, concentrated and introverted and causes us to aspire for truth, peace and bliss. Discernment, dispassion, concentration, meditation and Self-inquiry flourish and are effectively practiced when the sattva guna predominates in our minds. On the contrary, due to rajas guna, the mind becomes extroverted, attached to sense pleasures, agitated, distracted and disturbed, and thus it hinders concentration and deep meditation. And under the influence of tamas guna, the mind becomes inert, indecisive, clouded, drowsy and therefore very difficult to remain attentive, to perceive clearly and to be able to learn and understand.

Therefore, by increasing the sattva guna in our minds, we create the foundation upon which all the necessary abilities for deep meditation and Self-realisation can easily flourish. Therefore, one of the fundamental goals in spiritual life and practice is to increase the sattva quality in our minds. A sattvic lifestyle along with spiritual practices is the means to achieve it.

 The sattvic life

Sattvic lifestyle means focusing on sattva in all aspects of our life (e.g., diet, music, books, activities, entertainment, etc.) in order to increase the quality of sattva in our mind. It means maintaining sattvic contacts and interactions at all levels of existence and practicing meditation, Self-enquiry and other spiritual practices.

The increase of the sattva quality, like everything else we want to increase (to both material and psychological things), is based on the law of 'like increases like'. That is, for example, heat increases heat, cold increases cold, and respectively anger increases anger, fear increases fear, sattva increases sattva, rajas increases rajas and so forth. So, if we want to increase the heat in our body, we should be close to a heat source (fireplace, radiator, cooker, etc.), if the cold then we should be close to something cold, such as air conditioning, ice, etc. Similarly, to increase the quality of sattva in our mind, we should seek as much as possible to be in contact through our body, senses and mind with things, people, impressions or anything else that is of the sattva quality. When we are in contact with something of sattva quality, our mind is infused and nourished with sattva vibrations and, consequently, the sattva quality gradually increases in our mind. 

More specifically we can increase the sattva quality:

•      selecting sattvic sensory impressions* (sounds, images, tastes, smells),

•      eating sattvic foods and beverages (foods and beverages are classified according to the three gunas, as sattvic, rajasic and tamasic. For example, fresh juice is sattvic and concentrated juices with preservative tamasic, fresh seasonal foods are sattvic, canned tamasic),

•      reading sattvic books (spiritual books, self-improvement books, sacred texts and scriptures, etc.),

•      listening to sattvic music and songs (classical music, mantra, kirtan, hymns, sacred songs, etc.),

•      maintaining relationships with sattva people,

•      engaging in sattvic activities,

•      cultivating positive, luminous thoughts and feelings,

•      Living in a sattvic environment (city, home, work),

•      putting pictures and paintings of a sattvic nature on the walls, such as pictures or photos of nature, sacred symbols, pictures of enlightened beings, etc.,

•      Creating a sattvic atmosphere in our home, using sattvic colours, using natural incense, essential oils, etc.,

•      practising regularly meditation, Japa Nama and other spiritual practices, 

•      being in contact with spiritual teachers,

•      practicing in spiritual centres,

•       living and practising in sacred places and centres of enlightened beings

•      frequently visiting and living for some time in nature (nature is sattvic).

Comment

with sattvic sensory impressions*: sensory impressions are the food for our mind and that is why it is crucial to be of sattvic quality.

The sattvic way of action

In addition to the importance of associating with sattva at all levels and all aspects of our life, the way we do things is equally important. In other words, our mental and emotional attitude and state of consciousness are also important when we do something. 

It is one thing, for instance, to eat anxiously, in a hurry, looking at your mobile phone or tv, talking, being careless (i.e., rajasotamasic way) and another thing to eat calmly, carefully, with gratitude, praying, repeating bright thoughts, the name of God or a mantra (i.e., sattvic way). 

The same applies to any other activity and our work. It is one thing to work calmly, concentrated and in a spirit of offering (sattvic way) and another to be careless, bored, greedy or in a spirit of obligation (rajasotamasic way). So, to increase sattva, we must choose whatever has a sattvic nature and also learn to do things in a sattvic way.

Spiritual practices increase sattva quality

Spiritual practices (meditation, worship, hymn singing, repetition of mantra, pranayama, Self-enquiry, studying of spiritual books, etc.) being of sattvic nature are the primary means to increase the sattva and eliminate the rajas and tamas qualities from the mind.

The sattva treatments 

It is also important to treat our body and psychology principally with sattva treatments and only, when necessary, with chemical medicines. Ayurvedic remedies, sattvic diet, herbal medicines, shiatsu, reiki, Bach flowers, Hatha Yoga asanas, pranayama and in general most natural remedies are sattvic and can restore the balance vital energy (Prana) and the three bio-energies (Dhosas in Sanskrit: Pitta-Kapha-Vata) which are the basic factors of health, and well-being.

Comment

the three Bio-energies (Dhosas in Sanskrit: Vata-Pitta-Kapha): The three bio-energies determine our temperament on the physical and psychological levels. Maintaining the balance of these three bio-energies is a prerequisite for good health, well-being and psychological harmony, happiness, mental clarity and peace.

The resistance of the lower rajasotamasic ego 

Undoubtedly, the lower rajasotamasic ego (with its selfish tendencies, desires, mental and emotional patterns and habits of life and body) will, by all means, resist our effort to change ourselves in order to continue experiencing, expressing, behaving in the same or similar ways as before. The ego, at the beginning of our journey, will strongly resist the changes we want to bring about. And herein lies the importance of a spiritual guide, a spiritual centre and teacher and spiritual practices. With their help, we can overcome obstacles, resistance and the inertia of subconscious habits and patterns.

I would like also to point out that we cannot change everything at once and from one day to the next our mind becomes sattvic and meditate uninterruptedly and deeply for many hours. This can be achieved gradually by following a well-organized sattvic lifestyle and practicing regularly, systematically, diligently, sincerely and with determination for several years. It also requires a good deal of perseverance, endurance and patience until we see quality sattva prevail in our minds. 

However, by practising with regularity, diligence, sincerity and determination, we can overcome all barriers and obstacles that prevent us from transforming ourselves and enjoy the higher vibrations of sattva and the peace and bliss of our divine nature.

Qualities of the Mind - Sattva, Rajas & Tamas by Rachel Hull

Qualities of the Mind - Sattva, Rajas & Tamas

by Rachel Hull

According to Ayurveda, Samkhya philosophy and Yoga, all of creation is made up of three qualities called sattva, rajas and tamas. These qualities (gunas), along with our physical constitution, strongly influence our mental state.

·       Sattva – creative; clear; harmonious

·       Rajas – activity; movement; agitation

·       Tamas –inertia; dullness; lethargy

We each contain all of the gunas in varying degrees and they are in constant interplay with each other. Excessive rajas and tamas have a disturbing influence upon the mind, so the aim is to reduce them and increase sattva to about 70%. 

Comment of Atman

For those who aspire and practice to reach liberation the mind must be 100% sattvic.

The good news is that we can make choices via our diet and lifestyle, and in this way influence which guna we allow to predominate in our lives.

GUNAS & FOOD

In Ayurveda, foods are categorised in a variety of ways. One of these ways is observing if the food has a sattvic (harmonising), rajasic (agitating) or tamasic (dulling) influence upon the mind.

SATTVA

SATTVA is creative, clear and manifests life.

Harmony, peace, truth and love are all sattvic qualities. People who are predominantly sattvic tend to be quietly spiritual and steady in their faith, without being fanatical. They are happy, humble, content and not easily prone to anger. Their minds are alert and their perceptions are clear. They are creative, curious, inspiring and pleasant.

With sattva we know the most beneficial action to take and we take it.

SATTVIC FOODS are full of prana, easy to digest and light,

such as lightly cooked organic vegetables, ripe fruit, nuts and seeds, raw honey, ginger, fennel seeds, cardamom and small amounts of ghee (clarified butter). Pure cows’ milk is considered sattvic in Ayurveda, if taken from cows raised in a peaceful environment. In cases of increased toxins including lymphatic congestion and high cholesterol (common in kapha dosha types), care must be taken in consuming dairy. In Ayurveda, milk is taken warm, not cold, as cold dairy increases phlegm. If dairy doesn’t agree with you, alternatives include rice and oat milk, which are good substitutes, although not listed as sattvic.

TO INCREASE SATTVA we need to engage in sattvic foods, sensory impressions, relations and activities (Sattvic way of performance all performed in a peaceful and non-goal-oriented way). These could include gentle Yoga, pranayama, meditation, chi gung, tai chi, walking in a peaceful environment, and listening to relaxing and uplifting music. Another important consideration is limiting our exposure to those situations, substances and people, which we know will disturb the mind.

RAJAS

All forms of movement and activity are influenced by rajas.

We need movement to get things done in life, but excessive rajas brings restlessness and hyper-activity. The mind cannot rest, resulting in fear, anxiety and agitation.

When imbalanced, rajas leads to excessive pride, competitiveness, aggression, and jealousy. People with a lot of rajas tend to value power, prestige, business and success on the material level. Impulsive actions are taken that are later regretted and which disturb the mind.

People with rajasic temperaments tend towards fanaticism. While they hold their beliefs, they hold them very strongly, trying to convert others. There is often frenetic activity and drama surrounding them. Their minds are so full that they don’t really listen to any advice they may seek.

On the positive side, we need some rajas to get things done and to set and achieve our goals.

When rajas is in excess, we know in our hearts what is the most beneficial action to take, but the mind chooses to take us elsewhere.

Excessive exercise to the point of over-exertion is rajasic and disturbing to the system, as is excessive thinking, talking, travelling, working or any kind of over-stimulation. Talking on the telephone, hours on the computer, exposing ourselves to anything violent including on screen, will all have a disturbing effect upon the mind.

RAJASIC FOODS stimulate and irritate the system.

Junk foods like potato chips and chocolate bars, excessively sweet, salty, spicy or pungent foods (such as raw onions and garlic), can cause the mind to become agitated and disturbed mind. Most legumes and beans increase rajas slightly, creating wind; to make them easier to digest, they need to be taken with appropriate oils and spices.

TO BALANCE RAJAS means, limiting our exposure to foods, people and situations that disturb our minds and increasing exposure to more sattvic foods, lifestyle and people.

Anything that increases sattva will decrease rajas.

TAMAS

TAMAS is the way nature completes or destroys things. 

Although we do need some tamas to help us sleep and rest, excessive tamas dulls the mind, making us inert, lazy and depressed. Individuals with a strong tamasic nature engage in a self-destructive diet and lifestyle. They tend to eat, drink and have sex excessively (gluttonous). They likely take drugs and drink alcohol in large quantities.

As the tamasic mind becomes dull, heavy and confused, the individual becomes increasingly less caring about themselves and others.

The mind becomes so dull, that they can’t articulate clearly, and need assistance to help themselves. It is unlikely that they will read an article like this, or show up to Yoga class unless dragged there by someone else.

When tamas is in excess, the individual truly needs help, as the ability to discriminate between what is beneficial or not, is weak. The mind has become so unclear, that it can no longer be relied upon to make good judgment calls.

TAMASIC FOODS are lacking in prana and do not support life.

These include old and leftover food, deeply fried food, excessive meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, hard cheeses. Alcohol and drugs are tamasic and can also have a rajasic effect. Certain herbs and spices, such as nutmeg have a dulling effect upon the mind, which is why in cases of insomnia, nutmeg is used as a traditional aid to sleep. Although nutmeg is tamasic, it is relatively less tamasic and damaging than a heavy drug.

TO BALANCE TAMAS means clearing out the cobwebs in the brain. Fresh air, peaceful yet dynamic exercise and sattvic food, lifestyle and environment will all help.

Sattva is the faithful servant of the self! ~ Nissargadatta

Sattva is the faithful servant of the self!

Tamas and rajas (inertia, darkness and restlessness, passion) work together and keep sattva (clarity, harmony) down. Tamas and Rajas must be conquered before Sattva can appear.

Meditation is a sattvic activity and aims at complete elimination of tamas and rajas (inertia and restlessness) . Pure sattva is perfect freedom from sloth and restlessness (tamas and rajas).

So far your life was dark and restless (tamas and rajas). Attention, alertness, awareness, clarity, liveliness, vitality, are all manifestations of integrity, oneness with your true nature (sattva).

lt is in the nature of sattva to reconcile and neutralise tamas and rajas and rebuild the personality in accordance with the true nature of the self. Sattva is the faithful servant of the self; ever attentive and obedient.

The world seen in consciousness is to be of the nature of consciousness, when there is harmony (sattva); but when activity and passivity (rajas and tamas) appear, they obscure and distort andyou see the false as real.

Harmony and beauty, understanding and affection are all expressions of reality. It is reality in action, the impact of the spirit on matter.

Tamas obscures, rajas distorts, sattva harmonises.

With the maturing of the sattva all desires and fears come to an end. The real being is reflected in the mind undistorted . Matter is redeemed, spirit -- revealed. The two are seen as one. They were always one, but the imperfect mind saw them as two.

Perfection of the mind is the human task, for matter and spirit meet in the mind.

Om! THE EGO ACCORDING THE GUNAS ~ Atman Nityanandaa

THE EGO ACCORDING THE GUNAS

The ego along with the gunas rajas and tamas causes identification with the body and make us forget our true Self (Atman, Consciousness). The rajasotamasic ego apparently covers our true Self, grounds the consciousness in the body and makes the mind extroverted, seeking sensory pleasures and mundane success.

The three gunas exist in the Antahkarana* (the mind in its totallity or) and the ego which is one of the four aspects of Antahkarana h. The quality of mind’s functioning and the nature of ego depend on the guna that predominates in them. Each guna has specific characteristics. When the sattva guna for example predominates in the mind, it functions according the characteristics of sattva guna i.e. the mind is luminous, serene, content, harmonious; sattvic emotions and thoughts will manifest in us during the periods that sattva is predominant in the mind. Similarly rajasic  and tamasic emotions and thoughts will manifest in us during the periods that rajas and tanas are predominant  in our mind.

Comment: The mind in its totality or Antahkarana*

The eastern spiritual traditions, Ayurveda and Yoga call the Mind in its totality Antahkarana, (the fourfold internal organ), which is our psychological instrument. They call it as fourfold internal organ, because the Mind or Antaharana has four main aspects.

The four aspects of Antachkarana (or the Mind in its totality) are:

1. Manas (external mind)

2. Buddhi (Intellect, Intelligence)

3. Ahamkara (Ego, the illusory identity)

4. Chita (subconscious mind, memory, general field of the mind, conditioned consciousness).

Each one of these four aspects of Antahakarana or Mind has specific functions and the quality of its functioning depends on the guna that is predominant*. The innate nature of mind is sattva that´s why the mind functions in its full potential when is free from rajas and tamas gunas. The rajas and tamas are like toxins for the mind.

The predominance of each guna in the mind has two aspects. 

FIRST ASPECT: Mind's gunic constitution. Each of the three gunas according the development of the mind have a certain percentage in the mind ´s constitution. For example, the mind of a tamasic preson can have in his mind 70% tamas, 25% rajas and 5% sattva. A sattvic person can have in his mind 75% sattva, 20% rajas and 5% tamas. A rajasic person 65% rajas, 25% tamas and 5% sattva. The goal of spirituality is to eliminate gradually the tamas guna (first of all) and the rajas and convert the mind 100% sattvic. 

SECOND ASPECT: The gunas are constantly in motion in the mind. During the day for some time may predominate the tamas, after some time the rajas or the sattva. This alternation of the gunas in the mind happens constantly and it is related to many things. (In order to understand it better is needed a greater analysis and also attentive bservation of the mind ).

Which guna predominates more often and for longer periods (when is manifested) depends on the gunic constitution of the mind (see first Aspect). It is obvious that in a mind that there is more sattva in its constitution, the sattva periods will last more time and will manifest more often than the rajasic and tamasic ones. Similarly, the rajasic mode of functioning and characteristics will manifest more to a rajasic constitution mind and the tamasic mode of functioning and caracteristics to a tamasic one.

It is of great importance and a great help a good knowledge of the three gunas to understand and control the mind. The knowledge of gunas will help us as well to develop the various capabilities and virtues, to dissolve the various egoic defects and to develop our ability to remain self-aware, and practice successfully self-enquiry and meditation. Daily practice and a sattvic living is the fundamental background of our spiritual transformation and Self-realization.

ASPECTS OF THE EGO

According the gunas the ego assumes three aspects, so we can speak about: the sattvic ego, the rajasic ego and the tamasic ego.

Personally I prefer to classify the ego in two categories. The sattvic ego and rajasotamasic ego. I prefer this classification because the rajasic and tamasic aspects of the ego impede us to live harmoniously and aware of our true nature, while the sattvic ego is helping us move from the darkness of rajas and tamas and materialism to the light of consciousness and the divine life.

Since we identify with the ego, and we function most of the time as the ego, it is certain that the ego it is involved in our spiritual practice in  a positive and a negative way. The sattvic aspect of the ego and the mind as well are positively involved and the rajasotamasic one (with the tamasic far more strongly) negatively, although rajas when functon by the side of  sattva help us overcome the tamas guna. The rajas combined with sattva helps us to dissolve the tamasic nature of ego and mind, and finally by the sattva we overcome the rajasic one. The tamas guna by itself and the rajas combined with tamas are the root cause of our suffering and psychological chaos. They cause identification with the lower aspects of our existence, distort and preverse the mind and lead us to misery and suffering.

The sattvic ego or I

The sattvic ego creates the individuality but not the identification with the body. The abstract sense ‘I am’ or ‘I exist’ is due to reflection of Consciousness on sattva. The identification with the body is created by the rajasotamasic or inferior ego. Due to tamas and rajas gunas and lack of discrimination the abstract ‘I am’ becomes ‘I am the body’.

The sattvic ego allows us to live a healthy harmonious life (at all levels of our existence) and in unity, love, happiness, peace and facilitates our journey towards enlightenment and liberation. The sattva is the purest aspect of the material creation (material not referring only to the gross material, but also on subtle levels, mental astral, causal) through which the Consciousness is expressed clearly in the creation. A pure sattvic mind reflects without distortions the light of Consciousness.

The sattvic ego and the sattvic Antahkarana is the instrument (of the Soul) that helps us walk successfully the spiritual path and attain self-realization (liberation or enlightenment, are synonymous terms). The foremost goal in the spiritual path and practice is to overcome and eliminate from the mind the tamas (primarily) and the rajas gunas and be established in sattva, and finally through constant meditation and samadhi to overcome the sattva as well, and be established in our true nature (Atman, Consciousness) which is beyond the three gunas. That’s why the enlightened one is called gunannita, i.e. the one who has transcended the three gunas.

The rajasotamasic ego

The rajasotamasic ego causes in us our illusory identity ('Iness' and 'mineness' as well) and is the fundamental ignorance. The rajasotamasic ego functions through identification, projection and imagination, and makes us identify with the body and everything that exists and happens in the body, i.e. mind, senses, vital energy, thoughts, emotions, sensations etc. Due to rajasotamasic ego we feel the strong sense of 'I am the body' or more accurately 'the body is me’.

This identification with the body creates the illusion that we are separate entities, living as if we were separate from God, the others and the life and limited by the body and mind. On this fundamental illusion, are built all other illusions. The ego identifying with the characteristics of the body makes us think, I am tall, thin, blond, handsome, etc., identifying with the mind, I am smart, silly, erudite, learned, etc..identifying with collective organizations like religions ,I am Muslim, Christian, Buddist etc.. So, this lower ego make us identify with thoughts, feelings, fantasies, beliefs, memories, opinions and externally with objects, people, situations, teams, religions and collective entities.

Mineness

The ego makes us identify with the external objects and persons. Because of these identifications and the attachment we develop towards them, they become an extension of ourselves. So, we feel everything that we relate with (my car, my wife, my child, my garden, my phone, my tablet, my jacket, etc..) as a part of ourselves (more precisely as a part of our ego). That’s why when we lose them we experience unnecessary pain or suffering. The intensity of suffering depends on how strong is our attachment to them.

The ego is the root-cause and creator of numerous identifications, projections, attachments and delusions, which cause suffering on a personal and collective level.

All the egoic tendencies or aspects  (in Christian terminology call them defects and passions), such as likes, dislikes, lust, desires (for money, fame, pleasure, power, possessions and comforts), anger, pride, anger , wrath, hatred, resentment, jealousy, envy, rancor, arrogance, vanity, greed and perversions  belong to the lower or rajasotamasic ego. This lower ego, I call it the ‘Vital ego’ as well, because the majority of the egoic tendencies are related to the vital body (energy body, specifically the psychic prana) and the emotional mind.

The rajasotamasic ego (and the rajasotamasic mind as well) it is not interested in spirituality, self-transformation, virtues and self-realization, but it is interested in sensory pleasures, comforts, possessions and ambitions. It is this vital ego that resists and reacts against our intentions and efforts to transform our mind and heart and advance spiritually. The vital ego wants to prevent us from doing practice and any serious effort for inner transformation and finally wants to make us abandon the sadhana altogether.

The rajasotamasic ego keeps us tied in the cycle of rebirths into physical bodies as well as the cycle of pleasure and pain (Samsara).

The rajasotamasic ego and the rajasotamasic mind is the cause of our bondage and our suffering and obviously it is what resists, reacts to our effort to realize Truth. The vital ego constantly creates obstacles, and uses various mechanisms to make us fail and abandon the spiritual practice (sadhana). The rajasotamasic ego knows that through practice, self-control and a spiritual way of living it will lose the pleasures that until now could enjoy freely as well as that it will eventually be eliminated. Thus it resists and reacts with all its strength in order to make us feel impotent, disheartened and abandon the spiritual life.

In the beginning of our spiritual journey and as long as the rajasotamasic ego is strong we cannot avoid inertia, resistance and all obstacles that the vital ego puts on us. The ego at the beginning of our spiritual path can easily fool us; it doesn’t need to try a lot in order to succeed in this, given we are already identified with it, as well as hypnotized and manipulated by it. But as we advance in self-knowledge, and we develop, self-awareness, concentration, attention, discernment, dispassionate observation and we dissolve more and more egoic patterns and tendencies, the ego uses gradually subtler ways to manipulate us, and thus becomes more difficult to identify and uncover them. It takes constant and intense vigilance, attention, self-awareness, inquiry, together with constant application of discrimination to expose the tricks of the ego.

Given that at the early years of our spiritual journey we are strongly identified with the ego and our intellect-intelligence (Buddhi) is hypnotized and manipulated by the egoic energies, our inner work is difficult, our transformation and progress slow, with many ups and downs. We also pass through days and nights of inner work, i.e. periods that we have enthusiasm, inspiration, determination, aspiration for practice, we have luminous experiences etc. (day of work), and periods that we lose our determination, enthusiasm, there is inertia, discouragement, disappointment, resentment lack of motivation, lack of luminous experiences, cloudy mind etc.. (night of work). It is during of these nights of inner work that the majority of the spiritual seekers abandon the sadhana and return to their old way of living. That’s why many follow the spiritual path, but very few until now have reached the end, liberation (Self-realization or enlightenment).

During our spiritual journay the ego creates many illusory identifications, projections and superpositions in order to prevent the Buddhi (intellect, intelligence) to become aware of its tricks. It tries in every possible way to cloud our buddhi, because it is certain that if the ego’s identifications and the illusions are revealed by the power of discrimination (which is the ability of the buddhi) then the ego would lose the sovereignty over us. When the egoic patterns are revealed, then by proper means and methods we can dissolve them. By the force of spiritual practices and the divine powers and energies we invoke through prayer and the repetition of mantras, little by little the egoic tendencies, and the tamas and rajas will be eliminated from our psych.

The battle between the higher sattvic ego and the lower rajasotamasic ego (between the sattvic mind and the rajasotamsic mind as well)

From all the above mentioned, it is clear that the sattvic ego and mind as well, turns towards the divine, the harmony, the unity, love and the lower rajasotamasic one, that is full of contradictions, prejudices, ignorance, disharmony, passions, negativity etc. it moves towards pleasures, possessions, comforts, sensory experiences, success and mundane ambitions.

The sattvic ego (buddhi as well) are those who fight on the side of our Soul against the rajasotamasic me. The battle between the sattvic mind ago withe rajasotamsic one is the great battle between the light and the darkness that is happening inside each aspirant.

The purpose of spiritual practice in relation to the ego is: To disidentify from the ego and dissolve or eliminate the ego in all its aspects (desire, anger, pride, envy, arrogance, greed etc.) and realize that we are not the body or the mind but the pure, eternal Consciousness, always peaceful, free and blissful.

The elimination of the ego is directly related to the purification of prana, emotional energy, the subconscious mind (chitta) because all aspects of the ego and desires are stored in the various subconscious levels of chitta (according Samael A.W. the number of the subconscious levels are 49)

It is certain that we cannot dissolve the ego (at least the vast majority) by fighting it directly. We need to practice systematically with various methods and techniques to dissolve gradually one by one its various aspects. Only one who has already eliminated the greater part of the egoic tendencies, who is very skillful in self-enquiry and meditation, who has control over his mind and senses, is established in self-awareness and alertness and has fully developed the capacity of discrimination could work directly with the dissolution of the ego as the sense 'I am the body'. 'I am the feeler'. 'I am the perceiver', 'I am the thinker' etc..

Read more about the gunas, the ego and the mind 

The threee gunas
Our true Self (Consciousness), is beyond the lower and the higher ego
The three Gunas - summary
Gunas and happiness by Sri Aurobindo
THE HUMAN NATURE ACCORDING THE GUNAS in Baghavad Gita

In Bhagavad Gita are also two chapters devoted to the three gunas. Chapters 14 and 18. There are also references about the gunas in other chapters of Gita as well .